Wilco - Cousin
LP
“I’m cousin to the world,” frontman Jeff Tweedy confesses. “I don’t feel like I’m a blood relation, but maybe I’m a cousin by marriage.” Produced by the singular Welsh artist Cate Le Bon, Cousin marks the first time Wilco has handed the reins over to an outsider producer since Sky Blue Sky. Le Bon’s influences—among them the inclusion of saxophone, cheap Japanese guitars, and a cinematic, New Wave-style drum machine—drive the album into the future. The result is Wilco’s most pointed and evocative album, one related but not tied to our present moment, truly new ground for a band that has tested musical boundaries throughout its lengthy career.
Wilco Cousin. More than just the band's 13th studio album, it's a new member of the family.
On September 29, dBpm Records and Wilco will release Cousin. Recorded in the band’s legendary Chicago studio—The Loft—over a period of two years, the ten new tracks are written by band leader Jeff Tweedy, and feature musical performances by the long time lineup of Nels Cline, Mikael Jorgensen, Glenn Kotche, John Stirratt, Pat Sansone and, of course, Tweedy on lead vocals.
After a short detour back into their country-influenced roots via last year’s Cruel Country double album, Cousin sees Wilco back in their more familiar progressive and experimental rock territory. Adding a unique and new element to the recording process is the attachment of Welsh singer/songwriter Cate Le Bon as producer—the first time an outsider has been actively involved in a Wilco recording session for more than twenty years, since Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Le Bon brings her unique musical perspective to the band’s trademark sound, and provided them with an inspiring new challenge to push their musical boundaries.
Track List:
1. Infinite Surprise
2. Ten Dead
3. Levee
4. Evicted
5. Sunlight Ends
6. A Bowl and A Pudding
7. Cousin
8. Pittsburgh
9. Soldier Child
10. Meant to Be
Recorded by Wilco at The Loft in Chicago between January 2019 and May 2023 Produced by Cate Le Bon
Additional production by Jeff Tweedy and Tom Schick
Engineered and mixed by Tom Schick
Engineering assistance by Mark Greenberg
Session assistance by Ashwin Deepankar and Jared Dottorelli
Mastered by Bob Ludwig
Wilco is Jeff Tweedy, John Stirratt, Glenn Kotche, Mikael Jorgensen, Nels Cline and Patrick Sansone
Saxophone by Euan Hinshelwood
Additional bass, piano, synthesize and backing vocals by Cate Le Bon
Additional percussion and backing vocals by Spencer Tweedy
All songs written by Jeff Tweedy © 2023 Words Ampersand Music (BMI)
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