1996-10-29
Being There
Wilco
By Maeve C.
Jeff Tweedy struck a deal with Reprise so that Being There, a double album, could sell at a single-album price. Wilco produced it themselves and took the title from the 1979 film. The writing turned more surreal and introspective than on A.M., partly because of changes in Tweedy’s life, including the birth of his first child.
“Misunderstood” opens the first disc, and across both discs the songs move between alternative country close to Uncle Tupelo and stranger, psychedelic material. It was the only Wilco album with steel guitarist Bob Egan, and it improved on A.M. in both sales and critical reception.
Sources
Rights-holder metadata (℗ 2014 Nonesuch Records; deluxe edition on Reprise/Rhino shows the same date): October 29, 1996.Released October 29, 1996 by Reprise; double album sold at single-album price after a deal between Tweedy and Reprise; title from the 1979 film; self-produced; more surreal and introspective writing, partly due to the birth of Tweedy's first child; alt-country and psychedelic songs; only album with Bob Egan.