Wilco fans can have an early listen to the band’s forthcoming album Schmilco on Tuesday, Sept. 6, three days before the album’s official worldwide release Sept. 9. But it won’t be via an early online stream; instead, the Chicago band is showing its support for independent record stores — and the vinyl format in general — by encouraging fans to attend I Heard Schmilco listening parties at locations across the US and Canada. Hosting stores will play the album in its entirety, on vinyl, and offer attendees a chance to win unique prizes including slipmats featuring album-cover artist Joan Cornellà’s artwork. A list of participating stores is HERE. Vinyl copies of Schmilco will be available for purchase on Sept. 6 across the US at all retail outlets (physical stores and online shops) and all formats (CD & online) will be available Sept. 9.
As Wilco’s summer tour continues the band returns to St. Louis on Wednesday to play The Fox Theatre. While in town, Wilco makes a pre-show stop at band leader Jeff Tweedy’s former employer Euclid Records for a special in-store performance and signing. Preorder for Schmilco is available now at Euclid for guaranteed entry.
Tweedy’s insider guide to Chicago is currently featured on the men’s e-commerce retail site Huckberry. Field Guide: Chicago is a conversation and photo essay about Chicago that features intimate photos of Tweedy in and around the city, as well as a look into Wilco’s recording studio The Loft. The site also features a dedicated Wilco shop with exclusive Wilco products and autographed vinyl.
Schmilco is Wilco’s 10th studio album and features 12 new songs written by Tweedy. It is the third Wilco release on the band’s own dBpm Records, and it follows Star Wars, which was released for free and as a surprise, in July 2015.
Mostly an acoustic collection, Schmilco bears neither the vicious, fuzz-glam guitars of Star Wars, nor the dazzling, baroque-ish arrangements that fans have come to expect from Wilco. But in their place is a spaciousness and chaos that might feel welcome after 20-some years of enjoyed but now-familiar Wilco releases. It is an intentionally loose affair.
Recorded at the band’s Chicago studio the Loft, Schmilco is produced by Jeff Tweedy and Tom Schick.
Schmilco track listing:
Normal American Kids / If I Ever Was A Child / Cry All Day / Common Sense /
Nope / Someone to Lose / Happiness / Quarters / Locator / Shrug and Destroy /
We Aren’t The World (Safety Girl) / Just Say Goodbye
