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Ode to Joy
Studio album by Wilco
Released	October 4, 2019 (2019-10-04)
Recorded	January 2019
Studio	The Loft, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.
Genre	Folk rock
Length	42:27
Label	dBpm
Producer	Jeff Tweedy Tom Schick
Wilco chronology
Schmilco (2016) Ode to Joy (2019) Cruel Country (2022)
Singles from Ode to Joy
"Love Is Everywhere (Beware)" Released: July 16, 2019 "Everyone Hides" Released: September 17, 2019

Ode to Joy is the eleventh studio album by the American rock band Wilco, released on October 4, 2019, by dBpm Records. The release has received positive reviews.

Recording and release

Wilco recorded the album in their Chicago studios in early 2019; on July 16, they announced the album, released lead single "Love Is Everywhere (Beware)", and announced tour dates. The live performances break a two and a half year hiatus for the band from touring and a year off in general. "Everyone Hides" was released as the album's second single on September 17, 2019. "Everyone Hides" was previously recorded by Jeff Tweedy's side project Tweedy for the 2014 film St. Vincent, starring Bill Murray and Melissa McCarthy. The album was recorded by taking simple song sketches from singer Jeff Tweedy, recording them in the studio with drummer Glenn Kotche, and then introducing the rest of the band to flesh out the musical ideas.

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	81/100
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic
The Guardian
Mojo
Pitchfork	7.8/10
Q
Slant Magazine
Uncut	9/10
Rolling Stone

According to the review aggregator Metacritic, Ode to Joy received "universal acclaim" based on a weighted average score of 81 out of 100 from 25 critic scores. Erin Osmon of Uncut praised the album, writing, "It's a protest record only this sextet could make, one that rings loudest in its simplicity. It favours subtle textures and hushed vocals, and further reveals its wisdom with each listen." Prior to its release, Paste named this one of the albums the writers were most excited about for October, citing the band's diversity and calling this release, "larger-than-life soft rock full of both grand ideas about the state of our world and small musings about matters of the heart". Reviewing the album for AllMusic Mark Deming claimed the band were, "more than willing to explore the boundaries of their music, and they do so with the confidence and sense of daring that has marked their best work from Being There onward." Michael Hann of The Guardian gave the release four out of five stars, praising the lyrics expressiveness and the different—if not quite experimental—use of varied instrumentation. Nile Amos of Vinyl Chapters stated, "the album urges us, in the present world, to hunker down and appreciate loved ones and each other, more now than ever." Writing for PopMatters, Justin Cober-Lake rated this release a 6 out of 10, stating that the "record doesn't entirely succeed" but "while the sound remains mostly subdued, Wilco sound more invigorated than they did on their last album, with studio precision helping to make these songs into something more memorable".

Track listing

All tracks written by Jeff Tweedy.

1. "Bright Leaves" – 4:10
2. "Before Us" – 3:22
3. "One and a Half Stars" – 3:44
4. "Quiet Amplifier" – 5:50
5. "Everyone Hides" – 3:00
6. "White Wooden Cross" – 3:12
7. "Citizens" – 3:03
8. "We Were Lucky" – 4:56
9. "Love Is Everywhere (Beware)" – 3:34
10. "Hold Me Anyway" – 4:00
11. "An Empty Corner" – 3:46

Personnel

Credits adapted from liner notes.

Wilco

• Nels Cline – guitar
• Mikael Jorgensen – keyboards
• Glenn Kotche – drums, percussion
• Pat Sansone – guitar, backing vocals
• John Stirratt – bass guitar
• Jeff Tweedy – vocals, guitar, production, package design

Additional personnel

• Lawrence Azerrad – packaging design
• Mark Greenberg – engineering assistance
• Bob Ludwig – mastering
• Zoran Orlic – photography
• Tom Schick – engineering, mixing, production
• Paul Von Mertens – saxophone

Charts

References

1. ^ Cober-Lake, Justin (October 15, 2019). "Wilco Builds 'Ode to Joy' on Durable Structures Worthy of Focus". PopMatters. Retrieved February 2, 2024.
2. ^ Yoo, Noah (July 16, 2019). "Wilco Announce New Album Ode to Joy, Share New Song: Listen". Pitchfork. Condé Nast. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
3. ^ "Ode to Joy by Wilco". Metacritic. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
4. Kenneally, Cerys (February 7, 2019). "Wilco Are Back in the Studio". The Line of Best Fit. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
5. Vozick-Levinson, Simon (June 19, 2019). "Wilco Are Back, and Jeff Tweedy Couldn't Be More Excited". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
6. Martoccio, Angie (June 27, 2019). "Wilco Expand Fall North American Tour". Rolling Stone. Retrieved July 16, 2019.
7. Hilton, Robin (September 17, 2019). "Wilco Shares New Song, Video For 'Everyone Hides'". All Songs Considered. NPR. Retrieved September 27, 2019.
8. Minsker, Evan (September 17, 2019). "Wilco Share New Song "Everyone Hides": Listen". Pitchfork. Retrieved November 24, 2024.
9. ^ King, Pat (October 8, 2019). "Wilco's John Stirratt on the Band's Powerful Ode to Joy". Metro. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
10. ^ Deming, Mark (October 4, 2019). "Ode to Joy | Songs, Reviews, Credits". AllMusic. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
11. ^ Hann, Michael (October 4, 2019). "Wilco: Ode to Joy Review – Jeff Tweedy Is as Uncertain, but as Sincere, as Ever". The Guardian. Retrieved November 5, 2019.
12. Simmons, Sylvie (November 2019). "Wilco: Ode to Joy". Mojo. No. 312. p. 88.
13. Woodbury, Jason P. (October 8, 2019). "Wilco: Ode to Joy". Pitchfork. Retrieved January 3, 2020.
14. Segal, Victoria. "Wilco: Ode to Joy". Q. No. 404 (November 2019 ed.). p. 117.
15. "Slant review". Slant Magazine. October 3, 2019.
16. ^ Osmon, Erin (October 1, 2019). "Wilco: Ode to Joy". Uncut. No. 269 (October 2019 ed.). p. 25.
17. Hermes, Will (October 2, 2019). "Wilco's (Provisionally) Anti-Depressant 'Ode To Joy'". Rolling Stone. Retrieved March 1, 2020.
18. "The 10 Albums We're Most Excited About in October". Paste. October 2, 2019. Retrieved October 2, 2019.
19. Amos, Nile (October 29, 2019). "Wilco: Ode to Joy – Review". Vinyl Chapters. Retrieved November 25, 2019.
20. Ode to Joy (liner notes). Chicago: dBpm Records. 2019. DBPM-101-20-LP.
21. "Australiancharts.com – Wilco – Ode to Joy". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
22. "Austriancharts.at – Wilco – Ode to Joy" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
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24. "Ultratop.be – Wilco – Ode to Joy" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 11, 2019.
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26. "Dutchcharts.nl – Wilco – Ode to Joy" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
27. "Le Top de la semaine : Top Albums Fusionnes – SNEP (Week 41, 2019)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved October 21, 2019.
28. "Offiziellecharts.de – Wilco – Ode to Joy" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved October 11, 2019.
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31. "Spanishcharts.com – Wilco – Ode to Joy". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 16, 2019.
32. "Swisscharts.com – Wilco – Ode to Joy". Hung Medien. Retrieved October 17, 2019.
33. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
34. "Wilco Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 15, 2019.
35. "Wilco Chart History (Top Americana/Folk Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 15, 2019.
36. "Wilco Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 15, 2019.
37. "Wilco Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved October 15, 2019.
38. "Independent Albums – Year-End 2019". Billboard. Retrieved October 26, 2020.

External links

• Official website
• Ode to Joy at Discogs (list of releases)
• Ode to Joy at MusicBrainz (list of releases)

• 2019 albums
• Albums produced by Jeff Tweedy
• DBpm Records albums
• Wilco albums