MP3 of the Week

Ever since I heard Jeff Tweedy’s cover of "Love and Mercy" on the radio last weekend, I’ve been on a Wilco binge that shows no sign of abating anytime soon.

I’ve been listening to a lot of early Wilco, mainly the stuff on the fantastic bootleg called Outta Print, Outta Site.

The other thing I’ve been listening to is a 10 year old live bootleg of a show that Tweedy and Jay Bennett did at a place called McCabes Guitar Shop.

Apparently McCabes Guitar Shop is in Santa Monica, CA.  I’ve never been there but I’ll tell you the acoustics are pretty sweet in that shop.

Whenever someone who is not a Wilco fan asks me what Wilco record they should listen to, I always tell them Summerteeth.

I love the songs on Summerteeth. I think they are Tweedy’s best work.  But the arrangements are a bit of a turn off for me.  Maybe that’s why Jay Bennett isn’t in the band anymore.

That hit me over the head like a ton of bricks when I heard the acoustic version of "I Am Always In Love" on Outta Print Outta Site. "I Am Always In Love" is on Summerteeth and its one of my favorite Wilco songs.

But hearing it played simply on an acoustic guitar and sung straight up was like drinking good coffee black without sugar and milk.  It’s the way this song was meant to sound.

So with that long prelude, the acoustic version of "I Am Always In Love" is my MP3 of the Week.