wilco has been around about twenty years now, and they marked this anniversary by releasing two compilations. one was simply a 2 cd greatest hits, which is a good introduction if you aren’t that familiar with them. but if you are like me and a great admirer of the group and pretty much have everything they have ever released, then it was not very interesting. the companion release, alpha mike foxtrot, is pretty much indispensable if you are a wilco devotee. a 4 cd package with almost 80 songs, it is also a bargain at about $30. the booklet that comes with the box has great insights into the evolution of the band by recording industry executives and members of the group. on top of that, founding member jeff tweedy describes the circumstances of each cut. there is live material, alternate versions of previously released (‘handshake drugs’, for instance), and items that never made it out of the studio, like the hilarious ‘bob dylan’s 49th beard’.

if after reading the booklet you feel the need to explore more of their history, i highly recommend getting a documentary called ‘i am trying to break your heart’. it chronicles the making of ‘yankee hotel foxtrot’, a very important yet volatile period of the band. an extemely candid look at the studio process, then getting bumped from their label right before release, and the firing of jay bennett from the band.

their brand new release, ‘star wars’, is another solid addition to their studio work. my guess is that ‘random name generator’ will be a staple of their live shows, and ‘you satellite’ has a very lou reed feel to it, and would not be out of place on an early velvet underground album. plus you can download the whole thing for free.

going to see them soon at the pilgrimage festival in nashville.