Nels brings so much to whatever song he's contributing to.
I'm going with Robert Fripp for my favorite guitarist, but the more I listen to Nels, the more similarities I find between the two. Both guitarists have a knack for playing jazzy, free melodies while still sounding calculated, and both guitarists often show up inexplicably when I'm wondering to myself just who laid down that stunning guitar line on that one song on that one record.
Strat wrote:Obviously incredible but I dont like what he brings to WIlco.
I used to feel the same way, and I would often deride Sky Blue Sky as that band's least impressive collection of songs. Then I started listening to more jazz and Neil Young and generally accepting that my favorite bands' careers and sounds are in a state of constant flux, which led me to take Cline's playing in Wilco on its own terms. From there, I began to become more and more impressed with what he brings to that band. He's such a good emotional foil to the rest of the music. It creates a nice contrast to some of the sunnier stuff on those recent Wilco albums.
He was always my favorite character on "Frasier"--there's a great episode in the final season where he buys a pot brownie from Roz that inadvertently gets switched with his dad's brownie from the cafe. Needless to say, hilarity ensues.
i love his work with Mike Watt..that how i discover him...i had this burnt cd from Bullhog and i keep listening to this amazing guitar stuff..who the fuck is this guy?? This were the pre internet days, so i asked and asked and we were all trying to figure him out...maybe john frusciante? maybe its all j mascis? After a while i got a copy of the original record and saw his name. I couldnt afford the damn thing though.
Don't really know much of his work outside of Wilco and I love his approach to lead playing and noise making there. Such a unique style. Some sweet gear too.
Kevin Davis wrote:He was always my favorite character on "Frasier"--there's a great episode in the final season where he buys a pot brownie from Roz that inadvertently gets switched with his dad's brownie from the cafe. Needless to say, hilarity ensues.
Although I've seen Nels name about the place a gazillion times I only knowing heard his playing last week when a friend told me to check out this Wilco tune....
Those solos in the first half of the song are great!
"New Monastery: A View Into the Music of Andrew Hill"
Edit: Weird that I would get the urge to throw this on today and then bump this thread -- apparently today is his birthday. Dude is 59 -- talk about some creative stamina!
I've seen him a couple times with Wilco -- he is incredible to watch in any setting, but I'd like to see him with his own group someday as well, where the spotlight is solely on him.
"New Monastery" is a lot more "horn-centric" than "Initiate" -- more a work of the ensemble (a septet, I think) than a showcase for the guitar work, but Nels's wonky spirit is reflected throughout. An ambitious work.