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Wilco Bring 'The Whole Love' to 'Live on Letterman' Taping

Douglas Mason, Getty Images

On Wednesday night, Wilco returned to 'Letterman' with a roar. After appearing on the actual show and performing 'Born Alone,' the band stayed for a 'Live on Letterman' webcast, beginning the set with 'Art of Almost,' the seven-minute sprawler that opens up their forthcoming album, 'The Whole Love.' The band dove right into the industrialized groover, displaying a degree of musicianship that continued to impress over the duration of their hour-long performance.

Despite their current status as the reigning kings of "dad rock," Wilco proved that when they want to they can shred with menace, right up there with the best of them. They next performed a hard-rocking version of 'I Might,' further replicating the tracklist of 'The Whole Love.' The band chugged along at a brisk clip under the guidance of Jeff Tweedy's guitar and John Stirratt's thumping bass line.

Though Wilco would tone it down considerably for the majority of their remaining set, they retained the essence of that opening salvo, introducing a healthy amount of din and discord into what would otherwise be quite delicate songs. Guitarist Nels Cline expertly manipulated his guitar to add atmosphere and ripped through solos with a keen ferocity, most notably on standout 'Impossible Germany.' Drummer Glen Kotche navigated through polyrhythms and syncopated time without a hitch.

The rest of the night's selections were pulled most heavily from 'The Whole Love' and 'Yankee Hotel Foxtrot,' much to the delight of the crowd, which gleefully participated in a Tweedy-inspired sing-along during a chorus of 'I Am Trying to Break Your Heart.'

The band members were in good spirits throughout the show and it showed in their bouncy demeanor. "James Brown stood right over there," Tweedy beamed before delivering his somewhat tepid punchline, "We have a lot in common."

Other highlights included the rolling 'Born Alone' off their new album and closer 'Shot In The Arm,' which also prompted a crowd sing along. Check out the full 'Live on Letterman' performance below.

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September 22 2011 at 2:27 PM Report abuse rate up rate down Reply