Rolling Nels Cline Thread

I like me Nels, seen him in a number of different contexts over the years, with Watt, with Carla B., etc. One of the most thrilling concert moments I've ever seen was when Watt did a full runthrough of Contemplating the Engine Room in Costa Mesa a short while after its release and Nels hit the solo in "Liberty Calls."

sup kshighway

some new releases f/ Nels: apparently he plays on 3 tracks on the new record from Carla Bozulich's Evangelista that's coming in October, last one was killer some i'm looking forward to that. he played on the new album by Amy Hobish but listening to some tracks on MySpace right now I'm not really into this stuff.

it's kinda driving me nuts that the Mike Watt/Black Gang album, My Shubun No Hi, has seemingly been in the can now for over a year and there is no indication anywhere if it being released anytime soon

While I've checked out a bit of Nels's solo and collaborative work outside of Wilco, most of what I know about him centers around his work with Tweedy & co. I first saw him live with the band in late 2004, not too long after he joined. I've seen Wilco in concert twice since, and all three times I've seen them Nels has been the obvious focal point on stage. If you're facing the band, he's always off towards the right fiddling with pedals and playing as intensely as he possibly can. The most noticeable aspect of his stage presence is how physically, viscerally expressive he is. His entire body is caught up in the work of playing guitar.

The strangest thing to me about the addition of Nels to Wilco is that the music has gotten much more tame since he joined. After falling in love with A ghost is born, which was one of the first indie rock records I ever heard, and then becoming more familiar with Nels and the band's back catalogue and history, I really thought they were going to release something more experimental next. When I heard Sky Blue Sky, I was very disappointed, and I still am, although I can appreciate it now as long as I treat it for what it is: one of the band's minor works, a flawed, sad, and underwhelming thing with two outstanding songs, "Impossible Germany" and "On And On And On," and ten others that don't stand out at all. Wilco (the album) is a much better record, and one that I'll listen to much more as time passes, but it really is a "Whitman sampler of the different aspects and obsessions of Wilco," as Tweedy called it. You have the Neu! motorik thing they did on "Spiders (Kidsmoke)" on "Bull Black Nova," the obvious "I'm A Wheel"/"Monday"/"Can't Stand It" rocker tune ("Wilco (the song)"), the unassuming acoustic number "Solitaire," which recalls "Dash 7," "Far, Far Away," "Radio Cure," "Muzzle of Bees," and most of SBS. The whole record really is a summation of their career.

I agree with those who claim that Wilco is not a particularly difficult band, but I still think they have a more experimental post-A ghost is born record in them, and I'm hoping it will come, but after reading interviews with Tweedy and following the band for years, I feel like it's increasingly unlikely. Wilco is primarily a vehicle for Tweedy's creativity, and although things seem to be more stable for the band now insofar as the lineup is concerned -- no one has been fired in five years, and everyone including Tweedy (see the new Rolling Stone interview) seems to feel good about the band as a unit -- I don't think he will ever be in a place where he'd want to make another Yankee Hotel Foxtrot/A ghost is born pseudoexperimental record again. I doubt Nels will get to do any truly radical work in Wilco. (The most "radical" things he does on the new record, which are not "radical" at all, really, are these strange little backwards-guitar solos at the end of "One Wing" and "Everlasting Everything" and some feedback-soaked guitar work at the end of "Bull Black Nova.")

When I was even more of a Wilco stan four years ago, I discovered a great section of Nels's website called Tech Talk where he spends some time discussing the technical details of guitar pedals, amplifiers, etc.

It's still up, apparently: http://www.nelscline.com/tech.html

I'm pretty sure Nels maintains his own website. It's worth browsing around. Dude's a fantastic writer.

Nels Cline Singers playing two nights here in SF next week. Looking forward to that.

When I heard Sky Blue Sky, I was very disappointed, and I still am

Still love this record, largely because of Cline. Still realize I'm in the extreme minority.

I need to hear that last Evangelista album, I really love his work with the Geraldine Fibbers.

New Evangelista is amazing. All of them are, actually.

I saw the Nels Cline trio many years ago--well before he joined the Fibbers. I got to see Ethyl Meatplow too. Been a fan of these good folks ever since and enjoyed many incarnations of each.

the first Nels Cline Singers album, "Instrumentals", is really good.

I feel I need to hear the Coltrane tribute one

I'm pretty sure Nels maintains his own website. It's worth browsing around. Dude's a fantastic writer.

― kshighway, Monday, August 24, 2009 11:54 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

Yeah he does, and he is! Only thing about the website that bugs me is that he hasn't updated the discog page since he launched it in '05, which is a shame because it's so hard to keep up with all his stuff. I need to pick through Wilco's recent records and find the stuff where Nels is showcased more, all I really know I like is "Impossible Germany," which is just gorgeous and one of my favorite things he's done the last few years. Is the alternate version of that song that was released as a B-side recently worth seeking out?

Stereogum has a stream of "Unlikely Japan". I can't find where I read it now, but I'm pretty sure "Unlikely Japan" is from 2003-era A ghost is born sessions, so Nels isn't on it. It certainly sounds much more like it's a post-Yankee Hotel Foxtrot A ghost is born track than, say, something from Sky Blue Sky.

For other Wilco tunes where Nels's work is in the forefront, see: "Ashes of American Flags" from Kicking Television and "One Wing" from Wilco (the album) and, to a lesser extent, "Bull Black Nova" and the end of "Everlasting Everything," both from that same record.

As I said though, he's just kind of another guitar part or lap steel part on a lot of these songs. Not that that's bad, but it is what it is.

That's certainly not the case on Impossible Germany.

I love hearing him play lap steel, though, the stuff he did on Carla Bozulich's Red Headed Stranger cover album and the Geraldine Fibbers' Butch is great. In fact those are probably 2 records that'd be good to check out if you want to hear Nels play in the context of a band w/ a singer. (xpost)

No, it's definitely not, Daniel.

OK, lap steel: "Sky Blue Sky" and "Leave You Like You Found Me" (I think...) from Sky Blue Sky and "Deeper Down" and "Solitaire" from Wilco (the album).

There's also a little one of those backwards guitar solo things at the end of "You and I" from Wilco (the album) and some neat guitar work on "You Are My Face" and "Walken" from Sky Blue Sky.

If I like Nels's work more when he's in "Impossible Germany" and/or experimental noise-stuff mode rather than jazz mode, what stuff from his back catalogue should I look into?

hmm good question -- i might have to make you a mix!

i never browsed his website before, thanks for the tip. apparently they recorded Instrumentals in just 15 hours, sort of depressing really considering how great it is...

from what i've heard of Destroy All Nels Cline it falls under both experimental noise-stuff mode and jazz mode, so maybe check that one out, kshighway? anyway, some dude, i'll be up for a copy of that mix if it happens

yeah Destroy All Nels Cline is great, very high up on my list of fav Nels releases of this decade

If I like Nels's work more when he's in "Impossible Germany" and/or experimental noise-stuff mode rather than jazz mode, what stuff from his back catalogue should I look into?

Have you listened to the new Cline disc? It isn't like Impossible Germany, but it (a) has some rock tendencies (one song is a tribute to a Sonic Youth guitarist) and (b) it's in the experimental noise-stuff mode, I think. Others here -- more knowledgeable than me -- can confirm.

Yeah Coward was the impetus for this thread and is awesome, although YMMV if you'd rather hear him w/ a band than just in that kind of solo context. I think my favorite record from him as a songwriter/bandleader is the Nels Cline Trio's Ground, which has a really good balance of harder rock, noise, jazz and ballads.

Immolation/Immersion, with saxophonist Wally Shoup and drummer Chris Corsano is awesome free jazz/improv. Absolutely ferocious opening salvo gives way to intense but quite varied excursions.

I have a mostly unlistened to copy of Coward in my bedroom right now! Will pull it out and come back here with thoughts.

sonderangerbot, I'll check out Destroy All Nels Cline, also.

Guess this doesn't really fit the "not jazz" bill, but the record of Interstellar Space covers w/Gregg Bendian is pretty fire..

The first time I really met Nels (had seen quite a few gigs by that time) was at a Scarnella show. We had a friendly argument about Yes vs Sabbath. He thinks Sabbath is garbage.

Insanity.

Saw Nels the other week at the Sky Saxon tribute show. He was easily the most 'out of place' performer, given who else did perform, but I liked his set for that reason.

Am I alone in loving Draw Breath? (Haven't heard the new one or many of the others that are mentioned here.)

I wouldn't say I love it but I definitely wouldn't turn my nose up at it. "Squirrel Of God" is aces.

The Coward samples on iTunes sound good. Will I be losing much (in sound quality) if I download from iTunes instead of buying a CD? It's $4 cheaper and I don't have to wait. I'd buy a CD if it sounds a lot better though.

"if it sounded"

Coward is only $8.99 on Amazon MP3, fwiw: http://www.amazon.com/Coward/dp/B001R64H8W

Quality on iTunes & Amazon MP3 is 256 kbps, which is not as high quality as a CD but is usually good enough for most people's purposes. If I were you, I'd buy the CD if you want a hard copy or want a digital copy that's better quality than the mainstream digital stores are offering.

I've pretty much just given up on MP3 stores, though, because I've discovered I can find most CDs cheaply priced locally or on Amazon.

It's about $4 or $5 more for the CD on Amazon.

I understand. I just wondered if this particular album sounds especially good on CD. The difference is far more noticeable with some albums (usually less-compressed, well-produced recordings with a wide dynamic range a great deal of detail) than others for me. Honestly, though, on my stereo, 256 is probably about as good as a CD. Hm, I think I've convinced myself.

Although Frisell does generally seem better on CD...

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/5139xfjzGiL._SL500_AA240_.jpg

new Nels Cline/G.E. Stinson album Elevating Device out in a couple weeks, whole album is one improvised 44-minute track. excerpt here: http://soundsareactive.com/nels-cline-ge-stinson-elevating-device-saa1150/

On first listen now, and I like it so far:

http://www.cdbaby.com/cd/acousticguitartrio

been meaning to ask if anyone had heard that, still need to check it out

i haven't really gotten into the new Evangelista record too much yet, but a while back Nels said on his site that he plays on 3 tracks on it...anyone have a physical copy w/ liner notes that say which 3 tracks? i got it on eMusic so i have no idea.

Listening to some of Vignes (the new Acoustic Guitar Trio album) last night, with headphones on helped a little. I liked hearing the distinct places of the three different guitars. Much of this is on the somewhat mellow side, which is one reason I wanted to check it out, but that may put off other potential listeners here.

I'm not loving this. The first part is pretty nice, but the third part definitely sounds like what I'd be afraid acoustic guitar free improv. would typically sound like. (Still, I have not sat down and listened to the whole thing with the attention it might require; but at the very least it's not drawing me in.)

'Grow Closer' is beautiful.

London Wilco gig just announced at the Royal Festival Hall Sept 14th.

http://pitchfork.com/news/38076-wilco-the-sandwich-shop/

http://www.nelscline.com/images/initiate-CD.jpg

COMING APRIL 13, 2010!

THE NELS CLINE SINGERS - "Initiate" (Cryptogramophone 2 CD set)

Recorded in Berkeley (Fantasy Studios) and San Francisco (Cafe Du Nord), this is a heapin' helpin' of The Singers: a studio and a 'live' disc. The studio disc sees us moving into some decidedly different terrain. I actually use my voice (wordlessly) on some tracks, Devin plays bass guitar... All hell has broken loose! There are special guests, even! The studio disc features David Witham and Yuka Honda on keyboards. The 'live' disc features Satomi Matsuzaki, Greg Saunier, and John Dieterich (AKA three fourths of Deerhoof) on percussion (on a blazing and/or totally indulgent version of Weather Report's "Boogie Woogie Waltz"). Produced by David Breskin and recorded and mixed by Ron Saint Germain, this is either the most friendly Singers recording to date or the most antisocial, depending on who you are and what you expect. The package features beautiful photographs of the Large Hadron Collider at CERN by Simon Norfolk throughout (as well as some 'live' shots from the Cafe Du Nord gig by Peak), so all in all you know this is another Cryptogramophone production of visionary packaging excellence. And you might like the music, too.

super geeked about this, forks mentioned on another thread that he's already heard it

http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61AE3RToAIL._SL500_AA300_.jpg

Initiate is obviously killer but somehow it totally passed me by that the Singers also released a collab album with a sax quartet in March, anyone heard this!?!?

i need to buy some of this stuff, for real

This is exciting. I love Rova. Cline played an intense solo on this project BTW: http://www.amazon.com/Electric-Ascension-Rova-Orkestra/dp/B0007XT7QI

Nels making some all-too-rare East coast appearances starting tonight:

http://www.nelscline.com/calendar.html

07/06 NYC | Le Poisson Rouge
The Nels Cline Singers
2 shows: 7pm, 9:30pm

07/07 Philadelphia, PA | Johnny Brenda's
The Nels Cline Singers
8pm

07/08 Washington, DC | Black Cat
The Nels Cline Singers
8pm

07/13-18 NYC | The Village Vanguard
Jenny Scheinman's Mischief and Mayhem

07/19 NYC | The Stone
Nels Cline "Stone Seminar #29"
Nels speaks about music, guitars and life
7-9pm / $20 / All Ages

08/15 North Adams, MA | Solid Sound Festival
The Nels Cline Singers

wait, some dude posted about this months ago . . . i guess this is just a "late" review then

and glockenspiel

the Nels Cline Singers and the Rova Saxophone Quartet just did a few dates together playing cuts from their 2010 collaborative album -- last night's show in Baltimore was awesome. i also just learned, looking over wikipedia entry, that apparently Nels and Yuka Honda got married in November. that's so awesome, congrats to them!

Initiate may be the best album I've heard in a while! All the best things about his other work I'm familiar with comes together with a little more groove. The live versions of some of the Draw Breath and Coward material are actually more energetic and effetive than the studio versions, especially "Thurston County".

we went to see wilco in the tempodrom in berlin last night. there was this guitar player who did some amazing things with his instrument. besides some otherworldly lap-steel playing where the steel guitar almost sounded like a theremin he used lots of reverb and echo effects. at the end of several songs he seemed to shred his guitar, played the strings with a speed which seemed to be faster tha sonic speed, his body moved like he was electrocuted, very weird. he had a four to five minute solo on one song where he melded melody, rhythm and improvisation in a unique way. absolutely gorgeous. as i found out later, the name of the guy is nels cline and he is 55 years old. from far away he looked like less than 40.

awesome! i always wonder if people are REALLY getting turned onto nels and recognizing his talent if they're exposed to him via wilco, but i guess they are, at least sometimes.

I've been listening to Macroscope a lot on Deezer. It might be my aoty so far. It doesn't necessarily break new ground for Cline but everything comes together really well: beautiful solos, psychedelic noise, a noisy garage rock tribute even. I think he might be one of the best living electric players. These reviews seem to sum it up:
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/the-nels-cline-singers-macroscope-by-matt-marshall.php#.VCtHyildWe0
http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2014/04/the-nels-cline-singers-macroscope-review.html

It might be my aoty so far.

Not a judgment I usually make based on Deezer to be clear. Also, I'm listening to Tanya Tagaq's Animism for the first time now so this statement may def be subject to change.

I'm very fond of Macroscope.

The record he did with Medeski, Martin & Wood is even better than ´Macroscope' (which is good).

That's Woodstock Sessions?

This Bimhuis gig by the Singers from last month is leaving blisters on my eardrums, fucking great.
https://www.mixcloud.com/bimhuis/nels-cline-singers-15-03-2015/

60th birthday today. For some reason I thought he was a lot younger.

yeah he was already in his 40s when he joined the Fibbers!

i haven't heard much from him lately besides the White Out w/ Nels Cline album but that was good and noisy

Crüt tipped me off to that one the other day with his 2015 albums list -- really love it.

can't wait to check this one out:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=penuNbYSK6E

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDHVGzKSOSA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDHVGzKSOSA

I'm about 15 minutes in (it's on Spotify) and it's really beautiful. I listened to a bunch of Cline the other day and started listening to this, but wasn't in the mood for beautiful so set it aside for later.

that bilt looks beautiful

From the DowntownMusicGallery newsletter:

Over the past couple of decades, Nels has led a
variety of bands/projects for labels: Enja, Cryptogramophone and Mack
Avenue. His current band, the Nels Cline Singers, has evolved from record
to record and will be recording a John Zorn Masada Book Three session later
this year.

I think this has been announced for some time now, but I hope it will come out soon...

Wow, this sounds so gorgeous and lush, and I'm only listening on earbuds so looking forward to hearing it on something fuller.

I'm usually a bit disin-clined towards this 'un, but his latest 4-tet including Lage is rather good.

nels cline has really big hands

even great wealth can't buy you really big hands in the US, it seems.

some are born to big hands, others have big hands thrust upon them, but no-one achieves big hands

makes u think

This latest Cline 4-tet is decent but, for me the latest Dan Weiss project Starebaby is much more "out there".

Marquee Moon feel to this: https://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2018/04/the-nels-cline-4-full-session.html

We've talked about it a bit on the jazz thread. Predictably, I'm a fan.

I've seen and enjoyed Nels in a bunch of different settings, but one of my favorites was at this year's Big Ears with Jenny Scheinman's Mischief & Mayhem. It was the two of them plus Todd Sickafoose on bass and Scott Amendola on drums, and they were just rollicking. Four equals all having a good time impressing each other on stage. One reason I love Nels is that he so clearly loves playing, there's always this little-kid glee in what he does.

xp
You heard the latest Dan Weiss Sund4r? The band includes Craig Taborn + Matt Mitchell, and it's an excellent lp as well.

That's the one with Monder on guitar? It's definitely on my list.

yeah that's the one, Starebaby.

This is what I like, yeah.