Wilco juxtaposes its fearlessly experimental side with, as the Los Angeles Times put it, “a bottomless well of melodic invention” evocative of Dylan, the Band, Hendrix, and the Beatles. U.K.’s The Guardian calls A Ghost Is Born “a dramatic, ambitious album that dares you to rise to its challenge.” Winner of the 2004 Grammy Awards for Best Alternative Music Album and Best Recording Package.
2004 Grammy Award Winner for Best Alternative Music Album, Best Recording Package
On June 22, 2004, Nonesuch Records released Wilco’s A ghost is born, the highly anticipated follow-up to the Chicago band’s 2002 recording, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. The new music, recorded at Sear Sound in New York City and Soma E.M.S. in Chicago, features twelve new tracks by Jeff Tweedy and company. It again features the production collaboration of Wilco and Sonic Youth’s Jim O’Rourke.
A ghost is born merges traditional rock elements of guitars, drums and keyboards with the band’s signature sonic experimentation, resulting in a record that is arguably the band’s most organic and live sounding effort to date. Much of …ghost was tracked live in the studio with co-producer O’Rourke and engineer Chris Shaw (Bob Dylan). It was mastered at London’s Abbey Road.
Wilco is Jeff Tweedy (vocals, guitars), John Stirratt (bass, vocals), Glenn Kotche (drums, percussion), and Mike Jorgensen (keyboards, laptop). Multi-instrumentalist Leroy Bach left Wilco at the completion of the …ghost recording sessions and the band has just announced the addition of two new members to its touring line-up: Pat Sansone (John Stirratt’s collaborator in The Autumn Defense) on keyboards, guitars and vocals and Nels Cline on guitars.
PRODUCTION CREDITS
Produced by Wilco and Jim O’Rourke
Recorded at Sear Sound, NYC
Engineered by Chris Shaw
Mixed by Jim O’Rourke
Assistant Engineer: T. J. Doherty
Additional Engineering: Jim O’Rourke
Track 8-11 (non-drone section) recorded at SOMA E.M.S., Chicago, engineered by Mikael Jorgensen (Tim Iseler, assistant), with additional recording at Sear Sound, engineered by Jim O’Rourke
Mixed at Sear Sound by Jim O’Rourke
Mastered by Steve Rooke at Abbey Road, London
All songs written by Jeff Tweedy, except tracks 2 also by Jorgensen, 7 also by Kotche, 10 also by Jorgensen/Girard, 11 also by Stirratt/Kotche/Jorgensen/Bach/O’Rourke
Design by Peter Buchanan-Smith with Dan Nadel for PictureBox, Inc.
Photography by Michael Schmelling and Peter Buchanan-Smith
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MUSICIANS
Jeff Tweedy, vocals (1-12), electric guitar (1, 6, 9, 10), electric lead guitar (2, 3), acoustic baritone 12-string guitar (4, 7), acoustic guitar (6-8, 10, 12), 6-string acoustic bass (11), loops, filters, synths (11)
John Stirratt, bass (1, 3, 6-10, 12), electric guitar (2), background vocals (2, 3 4 5 6), piano (4), electric rhythm guitar (5), acoustic guitar (11), loops, filters, synths (11)
Leroy Bach, piano (1, 6, 8, 12), Korg CX-3 organ (2, 8), bass (4), vibes (7), electric guitar (9), acoustic guitar (10, 11), loops, filters, synths (11)
Glenn Kotche, drums (1-12), hammer dulcimer (8, 11,12), percussion (8), loops, filters, synths (11)
Mikael Jorgensen, synthesizer (1), piano (2-5, 7, 10, 12), RMI Rocksichord (3, 6), Farfisa organ (4, 7, 12), Fenix modular synthesizer (8), stylophone (8), Serge modular synthesizer (11)
Jim O’Rourke, piano (1, 3, 4, 10), bass (2, 5), electric rhythm guitar (3, 6), ARP 2600 (3), acoustic guitar (4, 8), electric lead guitar (5), Korg CX-3 organ (7), loops, filters, synths (11), electric guitar (11)
with
Frankie Montuoro, hammer dulcimer (5)
Karen Waltuch, viola (5)
Tim Barnes, percussion (6)
