Being There (studio album) by Wilco

A very up and down listen that has some absolute amazing moments which are some of Wilco's most unique tracks but it also has a few skippable songs that really don't feel like they belong. Most of the brilliant tracks come right at the beginning with the opening trio being the peak of the whole release. This does however make the record feel quite unbalanced with side 2 being a little bit more uneventful and lacking the excitement of the first side. It is quite creative for the most part and is such an easy record to breeze through and just enjoy without having to think too deeply into it. The record does drag for me though and some songs could be cut as they feel more like B sides. Overall, an enjoyable listen that is easy to just pick up and play and forget about everything else.

I generally agree with the ratings on here in relation to my favorite artists, but Being There is Tweedy's greatest work.

From llibnanoon 06/08/2020 19:14

Average record that is just too long.

From CharlieBarley 08/25/2019 20:36

I don't normally 'get' Wilco. Summerteeth was quite good but I was disappointed with Yankee Hotel Foxtrot after all the hype it gets. Then again I've only heard it twice. But this breezy album blew me away. I love it. This is far more my cup of tea. Funny how the same band can produce such different albums. It was a couple of years ago I heard YHF so I will have to go back and listen to it again and re-assess it. I like it when one album totally changes my opinion of a band. It's a nice surprise.

Not reaching later heights, but very recognizable in their musical dress.

When I first heard "Misunderstood" I was like how can I never heard this before, How It isn't praised as much as "Jesus etc", It is such a good song. And don't even get me started on "Far, Far Away" which I personally think It is even better, I mean, is so simple and It still gives you that feeling of transcendence, It is such a relaxing tune. After all I said I still feel like I don't know about everything on this album.

This album is schizophrenic but it works. There is a nice balance between different sounds. Forget the Flowers, outtasite outtamind, and I Got You are stand out songs on a very good album.

From Sandrof1969 02/18/2018 19:00

E' un album con parecchie grandi canzoni, ancora molto influenzato dal country ma anche dal rock classico e con qualche svisata sperimentale per il momento limitate a qualche rumore in alcuni brani.

best tracks: misunderstood, red eyed and blue

From buzzdainer 09/01/2016 15:43

During the mid-nineties, Wilco inevitably seemed to be in a kind of competition with Son Volt, the band of Jeff Tweedy's former Uncle Tupelo collaborator Jay Farrar. The acrimonious relationship between the two was well documented, and the two bands always seemed to release new albums within a few months of each other, so the comparisons became inevitable. Being There was the album where Wilco established its dominance in the imaginary competition (whereas Son Volt released the relatively lackluster Straightaways that same year), and the band hasn't let up since. This is a terrific rock album with traces of the experimentation that was to come. The wordplay in "Red-Eyed and Blue" shows Tweedy in a creative mood, one that was to become ever more expansive and brilliant as his career has gone along.