Scan barcode
thebeesknees79's review
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
3.5
jessferg's review
4.0
My Amazon review: (Disclaimer: I think I have been pretty objective here but you should know that I am a huge Wilco fan.)
I am not sure how I would have felt about the poems in Jeff Tweedy's Adult Head had I read it prior to the release of Wilco's album "A Ghost is Born". Several of the poems, or at least some of their individual stanzas, have since appeared in song format on that album and changes, somewhat, the idea that the writing in Adult Head is poetry in a traditional sense. Lyrics for "Company in my Back", "Muzzle of Bees", "At Least That's What You Said", "Hell is Chrome", "I'm a Wheel", and probably some that I've missed, all appear in infant form within these poems making "Adult Head" more like an intimate portrait of Tweedy's songwriting process than a book of poetry.
Imagery and ideas are occasionally repeated ("Prayer #2"/"Muzzle", "Sister Invention"/"I'm a Wheel", "At Night"/"Blueheart Chrome") as if they are being polished until fit just right. Other times the "inital draft" feel is clear and a few pieces feel as if they have been meshed from several different thoughts. Often in the same poem a stanza will resonate all on its own but feel off kilter in context of the entire piece. "First This" is a strong example of the order (or disorder) of some of these works. The first two stanzas of "First This" hold together well but the third takes the reader just off base. However, if the poem is read with the last stanza first, the cohesiveness of the piece seems to come together and progress more readily. Of course, this may have been Tweedy's intention (especially in this case - the poem IS titled "First This"...) but the technique proves more of a distraction than a pause to consider. It seems Tweedy may even be aware of this weakness as he broke down the piece "Muzzle" into two separate songs on "Ghost is Born" - the first three stanzas becoming "Muzzle of Bees" and the last two becoming "At Least That's What You Said".
All of that said, there is still plenty of fresh material. "Way of Light (Christmas, 1978)" and its companion piece "Christmas, 1978, Later" catch the enormous emotional charge of coming of age - the pain of learning that childhood's magic is often just mundane trickery. "Doris" and "The Bench-Warmers Daughter" create such crystal clear character studies Tweedy might as well have pasted down photos as soon as words. "Easy Bake Oven" is innocently seething with its final line, "...and I've never been too sad to eat."
And there are, of course, those pieces that are just waiting to burst into song - "Temper, Temper", "Poison Color", "Blueheart Chrome".
Overall, an interesting body of work that should definately be revisited in light of "A Ghost is Born". A great companion piece to the cd but also a stand-alone book of unorthodox and highly personal poetry.
I am not sure how I would have felt about the poems in Jeff Tweedy's Adult Head had I read it prior to the release of Wilco's album "A Ghost is Born". Several of the poems, or at least some of their individual stanzas, have since appeared in song format on that album and changes, somewhat, the idea that the writing in Adult Head is poetry in a traditional sense. Lyrics for "Company in my Back", "Muzzle of Bees", "At Least That's What You Said", "Hell is Chrome", "I'm a Wheel", and probably some that I've missed, all appear in infant form within these poems making "Adult Head" more like an intimate portrait of Tweedy's songwriting process than a book of poetry.
Imagery and ideas are occasionally repeated ("Prayer #2"/"Muzzle", "Sister Invention"/"I'm a Wheel", "At Night"/"Blueheart Chrome") as if they are being polished until fit just right. Other times the "inital draft" feel is clear and a few pieces feel as if they have been meshed from several different thoughts. Often in the same poem a stanza will resonate all on its own but feel off kilter in context of the entire piece. "First This" is a strong example of the order (or disorder) of some of these works. The first two stanzas of "First This" hold together well but the third takes the reader just off base. However, if the poem is read with the last stanza first, the cohesiveness of the piece seems to come together and progress more readily. Of course, this may have been Tweedy's intention (especially in this case - the poem IS titled "First This"...) but the technique proves more of a distraction than a pause to consider. It seems Tweedy may even be aware of this weakness as he broke down the piece "Muzzle" into two separate songs on "Ghost is Born" - the first three stanzas becoming "Muzzle of Bees" and the last two becoming "At Least That's What You Said".
All of that said, there is still plenty of fresh material. "Way of Light (Christmas, 1978)" and its companion piece "Christmas, 1978, Later" catch the enormous emotional charge of coming of age - the pain of learning that childhood's magic is often just mundane trickery. "Doris" and "The Bench-Warmers Daughter" create such crystal clear character studies Tweedy might as well have pasted down photos as soon as words. "Easy Bake Oven" is innocently seething with its final line, "...and I've never been too sad to eat."
And there are, of course, those pieces that are just waiting to burst into song - "Temper, Temper", "Poison Color", "Blueheart Chrome".
Overall, an interesting body of work that should definately be revisited in light of "A Ghost is Born". A great companion piece to the cd but also a stand-alone book of unorthodox and highly personal poetry.
tin_squid's review
3.0
I did enjoy this. For the most part at least.
It was really an odd experience, reading what amounted to Wilco lyrics without the music. It's nonsensical at times, and if you think too hard about the words and the cadence these poems will fall apart. BUT if you just read them and let your mind wander around in them, its got something special you can feel.
I know I'm coming off as a crystal-gripping-hippie for all that, but it is something I like about Tweedy's lyrics... The are more about how they -sound- and how that makes you feel than what the exact words are. These poems are quite a bit like his lyrics, in fact some bits and pieces of them have ended up in songs on albums.
It was really an odd experience, reading what amounted to Wilco lyrics without the music. It's nonsensical at times, and if you think too hard about the words and the cadence these poems will fall apart. BUT if you just read them and let your mind wander around in them, its got something special you can feel.
I know I'm coming off as a crystal-gripping-hippie for all that, but it is something I like about Tweedy's lyrics... The are more about how they -sound- and how that makes you feel than what the exact words are. These poems are quite a bit like his lyrics, in fact some bits and pieces of them have ended up in songs on albums.
More...