Having transcended legendary status in the underground music community and deemed “essential listening” by online circles, there is little left for Chicago indie-rock band Wilco to prove. While recent albums have not quite captured the band’s early magic, Cousin is one of the group’s best and is distinguished as a gem-filled record.
Wilco turned heads after announcing they were partnering with Welsh producer Cate Le Bon for Cousin. This decision came out of left field as Wilco had not collaborated with an external producer since their 2009 Wilco (The Album). They have released five albums since that time.
Wilco dropped two teaser singles ahead of Cousin’s Sept. 29 release, which perfectly captured the album’s direction without delving too deep into its secrets. “Evicted” and “Cousin” are catchy and memorable, but neither encapsulates the riveting emotions and musical wonder found throughout the rest of the record.
Cousin’s opener, “Infinite Surprise” feels straight out of one of the band’s early 2000s masterpiece albums, and is the perfect soundtrack for mornings awoken by smidgens of sunlight peeking through the blinds. The song features an emotionally dramatic build-up that leads to a cathartic soundscape of shredding guitars and Jeff Tweedy’s iconic vocals. The song is Wilco at their very best, channeling an extreme approach to experimentation that we haven’t seen since the 2011 “Art of Almost.”
“Infinite Surprise” is followed up by a run of tracks that feel cohesive yet highly varied.
“Ten Dead” is just as bleak as the title suggests. Featuring soft vocals about the fatiguing reality of American mass shootings, the track is accompanied by one of the album’s heavier instrumental breaks.
“Levee” illustrates the narrator’s personal struggles with mental health, while instrumentally mirroring familiar sounds. The song’s chorus features melodies and chords reminiscent of Wilco’s 1999 classic, “How to Fight Loneliness.”
The second half of Cousin sees Wilco experimenting with sounds and structures while still maintaining aesthetic consistency. “Sunlight Ends” is a particularly gorgeous and reflective love song with paradoxically tragic final lyrics. The following track, “A Bowl and A Pudding,” is one of Wilco’s most mesmerizing tracks ever, with a captivating guitar line and delayed vocals singing of heartbreak.
Wilco proved they still know how to close an album, evidenced by the string of songs concluding Cousin.
“Pittsburgh” is certain to become a popular track at live shows, mixing soft vocals, tongue-in-cheek existentialist lyrics and intense instrumental mayhem across its five-minute runtime. “Soldier Child” perfectly ushers in the finale with Cousin’s catchiest chorus, while the heartfelt tune and uplifting energy of “Meant to Be” ends the album on a somewhat hopeful note.
There is little doubt that Cousin is everything that Wilco fans have dreamt of. The album is a wonderful amalgamation of ideas and sounds that satisfy the cravings of music lovers. Cate Le Bon has continued to show her expertise in music production, and it is clear her influence was the proverbial “shot in the arm” that Wilco’s discography needed.
Featured image by Kyra Vellinga/the Charlatan.
