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{{good article}}
{{good article}}
{{Infobox album
{{Infobox album
| name = A Ghost Is Born
| name = A Ghost Is Born
| type = studio
| type = studio
| artist = [[Wilco]]
| artist = [[Wilco]]
| cover = WilcoAGhostIsBorn.jpg
| cover = WilcoAGhostIsBorn.jpg
| alt =
| alt =
| released = June 22, 2004
| released = June 22, 2004
| recorded = November 2003 – March 2004 in [[Manhattan]], [[New York (state)|New York]]
| recorded = November 2003 – March 2004
| studio = [[Sear Sound]] ([[New York City]]), [[Soma (studio)|Soma EMS]] ([[Chicago]])
⚫
| venue =
| genre = <!-- Do not add unsourced genres -->[[Art rock]]<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.pastemagazine.com/music/wilco/wilco-sky-blue-sky|title= Wilco – Sky Blue Sky|last= Himes |first= Geoffrey|date= May 15, 2007|website= [[Paste (magazine)|Paste]]|access-date= March 6, 2024}}</ref>
| studio =
⚫
| length = 67:26
| genre = [[Alternative rock]], [[experimental rock]]
| label = [[Nonesuch Records|Nonesuch]]
| length = 67:26
| label = [[Nonesuch Records|Nonesuch]]
| producer = Wilco, [[Jim O'Rourke (musician)|Jim O'Rourke]]
| producer = Wilco, [[Jim O'Rourke (musician)|Jim O'Rourke]]
| prev_title = [[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]]
⚫
| prev_year = 2002
| prev_title = [[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]]
⚫
| next_title = [[Sky Blue Sky]]
⚫
| prev_year = 2001
⚫
| next_year = 2007
⚫
| next_title = [[Sky Blue Sky]]
⚫
| next_year = 2007
| misc = {{Singles
| misc = {{Singles
| name = A Ghost Is Born
| name = A Ghost Is Born
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'''''A Ghost Is Born''''' is the fifth studio [[album]] by American [[alternative rock]] band [[Wilco]]. Released on June 22, 2004, it features singer [[Jeff Tweedy]] on lead guitar more than any previous Wilco album. The band streamed the album online free, and offered a five-song [[Extended play|EP]] to purchasers.
'''''A Ghost Is Born''''' is the fifth studio [[album]] by American [[alternative rock]] band [[Wilco]]. Released on June 22, 2004, it features singer [[Jeff Tweedy]] on lead guitar more than any previous Wilco album. The band streamed the album online free, and offered a five-song [[Extended play|EP]] to purchasers.


Tweedy entered a rehab clinic shortly before the release of the album, delaying its release by two weeks. It also shortened its promotional tour. Despite this, ''A Ghost Is Born'''s opening week was the best sales week for the band at the time and the album was met with good reviews from major publications such as ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' and [[PopMatters]]. The album earned Wilco a [[Grammy Award]] for [[Best Alternative Music Album]].
Tweedy entered a rehab clinic shortly before the release of the album, delaying its release by two weeks. It also shortened its promotional tour. Despite this, ''A Ghost Is Born'''s opening week was the best sales week for the band at the time, and the album was met with positive reviews from major publications such as ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' and [[PopMatters]]. The album earned Wilco a [[Grammy Award]] for [[Best Alternative Music Album]].


==Production==
==Production==
[[Wilco]] signed a contract with [[Nonesuch Records]] in November 2001 after a lengthy dispute with [[Reprise Records]] over the release of the band's fourth album ''[[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]]''.<ref>For an overview of the controversy, see Kot 2004. p. 201-228</ref> ''Foxtrot'' was welcomed with positive reviews from ''[[The Village Voice]]''—where the album was rated by the critics as the best album of 2002—and ''[[Rolling Stone]]''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.villagevoice.com/specials/pazznjop/02/|title=Pazz & Jop 2002|newspaper=[[The Village Voice]]|accessdate=2013-06-01|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20030220134654/http://www.villagevoice.com/specials/pazznjop/02/|archivedate=2003-02-20|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Fricke|first=David|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/yankee-hotel-foxtrot-20020410|title=Yankee Hotel Foxtrot|work=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=2002-04-10|accessdate=2013-06-01}}</ref> It sold over 590,000 copies, earning a Gold certification by the [[Recording Industry Association of America]].<ref name="Cohen">{{cite news|last=Cohen|first=Jonathan|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1052800/wilco-in-the-comfort-zone|title=Wilco: In the Comfort Zone|work=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date=2007-04-13}} Last accessed July 27, 2007.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH |title=Gold and Platinum Database Search |publisher=[[Recording Industry Association of America]] |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://www.webcitation.org/5mr9q5hMa?url=http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH |archivedate=2010-01-17 }} Last accessed July 27, 2007.</ref>
[[Wilco]] signed a contract with [[Nonesuch Records]] in November 2001 after a lengthy dispute with [[Reprise Records]] over the release of the band's fourth album ''[[Yankee Hotel Foxtrot]]''.<ref>For an overview of the controversy, see Kot 2004. p. 201-228</ref> ''Foxtrot'' was welcomed with positive reviews from ''[[The Village Voice]]''—where the album was rated by the critics as the best album of 2002—and ''[[Rolling Stone]]''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.villagevoice.com/specials/pazznjop/02/|title=Pazz & Jop 2002|newspaper=[[The Village Voice]]|access-date=2013-06-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030220134654/http://www.villagevoice.com/specials/pazznjop/02/|archive-date=2003-02-20|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Fricke|first=David|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/yankee-hotel-foxtrot-20020410|title=Yankee Hotel Foxtrot|magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]|date=2002-04-10|access-date=2013-06-01}}</ref> It sold over 590,000 copies, earning a Gold certification by the [[Recording Industry Association of America]].<ref name="Cohen">{{cite magazine|last=Cohen|first=Jonathan|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1052800/wilco-in-the-comfort-zone|title=Wilco: In the Comfort Zone|magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|date=2007-04-13}} Last accessed July 27, 2007.</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH |title=Gold and Platinum Database Search |publisher=[[Recording Industry Association of America]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070701082704/http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH |archive-date=2007-07-01 }} Last accessed July 27, 2007.</ref>


===Composition===
===Composition===
Recording for a new album began in November 2003 under the working title ''Wilco Happens''. The album was produced by [[Jim O'Rourke (musician)|Jim O'Rourke]], who mixed ''Foxtrot'' and was a member of Wilco side project [[Loose Fur]]. O'Rourke encouraged lead singer [[Jeff Tweedy]] to develop his guitar skills for the album; Tweedy recently became the lead guitarist for the band due to the dismissal of [[Jay Bennett]] after the ''Yankee Hotel Foxtrot'' recording sessions.<ref>Kot 2004. p. 240</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Barston|first=Steve|title=Pillar of Alt|publisher=[[Guitar World]] Acoustic|date=September 2004}}</ref> Tweedy sought to play solos on the album that were unlike those of [[jam bands]] such as [[Phish]] and [[The Grateful Dead]]. Instead, he performed composed solos influenced by [[Television (band)|Television]] such as the one during the [[coda (music)|coda]] of "At Least That's What You Said".<ref name="Kot"/> Tweedy refers to the guitar solo at the end of the track as a "musical transcription" of one of his [[panic attacks]].<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Mulvey|first=John|title=The Addict|magazine=[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]]|date=January 2006}}</ref> ''A Ghost Is Born'' was recorded in a manner different from ''Foxtrot'' or 1999's ''[[Summerteeth]]''; whereas those recordings were performed live in the studio and then overdubbed, ''A Ghost Is Born'' was first performed on [[Pro Tools]] and only played live once completed. Tweedy was excited about writing an album this way:<ref name="Kot">Kot 2004. p. 241</ref>
Recording for a new album began in November 2003 under the working title ''Wilco Happens''. The album was produced by [[Jim O'Rourke (musician)|Jim O'Rourke]], who mixed ''Foxtrot'' and was a member of Wilco side project [[Loose Fur]]. O'Rourke encouraged lead singer [[Jeff Tweedy]] to develop his guitar skills for the album; Tweedy recently became the lead guitarist for the band due to the dismissal of [[Jay Bennett]] after the ''Yankee Hotel Foxtrot'' recording sessions.<ref>Kot 2004. p. 240</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Barston|first=Steve|title=Pillar of Alt|publisher=[[Guitar World]] Acoustic|date=September 2004}}</ref> Tweedy sought to play solos on the album that were unlike those of [[jam bands]] such as [[Phish]] and [[The Grateful Dead]]. Instead, he performed composed solos influenced by [[Television (band)|Television]] such as the one during the [[coda (music)|coda]] of "At Least That's What You Said".<ref name="Kot"/> Tweedy refers to the guitar solo at the end of the track as a "musical transcription" of one of his [[panic attacks]].<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Mulvey|first=John|title=The Addict|magazine=[[Uncut (magazine)|Uncut]]|date=January 2006}}</ref> ''A Ghost Is Born'' was recorded in a manner different from ''Foxtrot'' or 1999's ''[[Summerteeth]]''; whereas those recordings were performed live in the studio and then extensively de-constructed and arranged in Pro Tools, ''A Ghost Is Born'' was first performed live, edited and arranged in [[Pro Tools]], and then performed and re-recorded with minimal overdubbing. Tweedy was excited about writing an album this way:<ref name="Kot">Kot 2004. p. 241</ref>


{{cquote|All those things you can do with Pro Tools and all the emotional buttons you can push with just purely sonic things I think can be done with just plain old music. I love all the possibilities that modern recording techniques allow, but I couldn't picture the idea of really wowing anyone with some crazy evolution of the ''Yankee Hotel Foxtrot'' sound.}}
{{cquote|All those things you can do with Pro Tools and all the emotional buttons you can push with just purely sonic things I think can be done with just plain old music. I love all the possibilities that modern recording techniques allow, but I couldn't picture the idea of really wowing anyone with some crazy evolution of the ''Yankee Hotel Foxtrot'' sound.}}


An unusual feature of ''A Ghost Is Born'' is the fifteen-minute long track "Less Than You Think". The first part of the song begins as a ballad which references [[belief system]]s and [[atheism]] which after 3 minutes, fades out. The second part begins at this moment and consists of [[Drone (music)|electronic drones]] and [[Noise in music|noise]], intended to audibly represent the migraines that lead singer [[Jeff Tweedy]] had been suffering from while addicted to pain killers during the recording sessions for ''A Ghost Is Born''. For the song, each band member created a synthesizer noise that mimicked an electronic sound. The installations were simultaneously activated in the room and recorded. The noise, which served as the coda to the song, was remixed to provide [[dynamics (music)|dynamics]] to the track. Calling it "the track that everyone will hate," Tweedy defended the song's inclusion on the album:<ref>Kot 2004. p. 242</ref>
An unusual feature of ''A Ghost Is Born'' is the fifteen-minute long track "Less Than You Think". The first part of the song begins as a ballad which references [[belief system]]s and [[atheism]] which after 3 minutes, fades out. The second part consists of [[Drone (music)|electronic drones]] and [[Noise in music|noise]], intended to audibly represent the migraines that lead singer [[Jeff Tweedy]] had been suffering from while addicted to pain killers during the recording sessions for ''A Ghost Is Born''. For the song, each band member created a synthesizer noise that mimicked an electronic sound. The installations were simultaneously activated in the room and recorded. The noise, which served as the coda to the song, was remixed to provide [[dynamics (music)|dynamics]] to the track. Calling it "the track that everyone will hate," Tweedy defended the song's inclusion on the album:<ref>Kot 2004. p. 242</ref>


{{cquote|I know ninety-nine percent of our fans won't like that song, they'll say it's a ridiculous indulgence. Even I don't want to listen to it every time I play through the album. But the times I do calm myself down and pay attention to it, I think it's valuable and moving and cathartic. I wouldn't have put it on the record if I didn't think it was great … I wanted to make an album about identity, and within that is the idea of a higher power, the idea of randomness, and that anything can happen, and that we can't control it.}}
{{cquote|I know ninety-nine percent of our fans won't like that song, they'll say it's a ridiculous indulgence. Even I don't want to listen to it every time I play through the album. But the times I do calm myself down and pay attention to it, I think it's valuable and moving and cathartic. I wouldn't have put it on the record if I didn't think it was great … I wanted to make an album about identity, and within that is the idea of a higher power, the idea of randomness, and that anything can happen, and that we can't control it.}}
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| MC = 81/100<ref name="Metacritic"/>
| MC = 81/100<ref name="Metacritic"/>
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/a-ghost-is-born-mw0000340331 |title=A Ghost Is Born – Wilco |website=[[AllMusic]] |accessdate=June 1, 2013 |last=Deming |first=Mark}}</ref>
| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/a-ghost-is-born-mw0000340331 |title=A Ghost Is Born – Wilco |website=[[AllMusic]] |access-date=June 1, 2013 |last=Deming |first=Mark}}</ref>
| rev2 = ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''
| rev2 = ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]''
| rev2score = B<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.ew.com/article/2004/06/25/ghost-born |title=A Ghost Is Born |journal=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |date=June 25, 2004 |accessdate=June 1, 2013 |last=Browne |first=David |authorlink=David Browne (journalist) |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160413082436/http://www.ew.com/article/2004/06/25/ghost-born |archivedate=April 13, 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
| rev2score = B<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.ew.com/article/2004/06/25/ghost-born |title=A Ghost Is Born |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |date=June 25, 2004 |access-date=June 1, 2013 |last=Browne |first=David |author-link=David Browne (journalist) |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160413082436/http://www.ew.com/article/2004/06/25/ghost-born |archive-date=April 13, 2016 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
| rev3 = ''[[The Guardian]]''
| rev3 = ''[[The Guardian]]''
| rev3score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2004/jun/25/popandrock.shopping4 |title=Wilco, A Ghost is Born |work=[[The Guardian]] |location=London |date=June 24, 2004 |accessdate=April 4, 2012 |last=Sweeting |first=Adam |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090518031958/http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2004/jun/25/popandrock.shopping4 |archivedate=May 18, 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref>
| rev3score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2004/jun/25/popandrock.shopping4 |title=Wilco, A Ghost is Born |work=[[The Guardian]] |location=London |date=June 24, 2004 |access-date=April 4, 2012 |last=Sweeting |first=Adam |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090518031958/http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2004/jun/25/popandrock.shopping4 |archive-date=May 18, 2009 |url-status=live}}</ref>
| rev4 = ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''
| rev4 = ''[[Los Angeles Times]]''
| rev4score = {{Rating|3.5|4}}<ref>{{cite news |url=http://articles.latimes.com/2004/jun/20/entertainment/ca-rack20 |title=In the spirit of the solo riff |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=June 20, 2004 |accessdate=June 1, 2013 |last=Cromelin |first=Richard}}</ref>
| rev4score = {{Rating|3.5|4}}<ref>{{cite news |url=http://articles.latimes.com/2004/jun/20/entertainment/ca-rack20 |title=In the spirit of the solo riff |work=[[Los Angeles Times]] |date=June 20, 2004 |access-date=June 1, 2013 |last=Cromelin |first=Richard}}</ref>
| rev5 = ''[[NME]]''
| rev5 = ''[[NME]]''
| rev5score = 6/10<ref name="NMEreview">{{cite journal |title=Wilco: A Ghost Is Born |journal=[[NME]] |date=June 5, 2004 |page=57}}</ref>
| rev5score = 6/10<ref name="NMEreview">{{cite journal |title=Wilco: A Ghost Is Born |journal=[[NME]] |date=June 5, 2004 |page=57}}</ref>
| rev6 = ''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]''
| rev6 = ''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]''
| rev6score = 6.6/10<ref name="pitchforkReview">{{cite web |url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/8680-a-ghost-is-born/ |title=Wilco: A Ghost Is Born |work=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]] |date=June 22, 2004 |accessdate=June 1, 2013 |last=Mitchum |first=Rob}}</ref>
| rev6score = 6.6/10<ref name="pitchforkReview">{{cite web |url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/8680-a-ghost-is-born/ |title=Wilco: A Ghost Is Born |work=[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]] |date=June 22, 2004 |access-date=June 1, 2013 |last=Mitchum |first=Rob}}</ref>
| rev7 = ''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]''
| rev7 = ''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]''
| rev7score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="Qreview">{{cite journal |title=Wilco: A Ghost Is Born |journal=[[Q (magazine)|Q]] |issue=216 |date=July 2004 |page=119}}</ref>
| rev7score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="Qreview">{{cite journal |title=Wilco: A Ghost Is Born |journal=[[Q (magazine)|Q]] |issue=216 |date=July 2004 |page=119}}</ref>
| rev8 = ''[[Rolling Stone]]''
| rev8 = ''[[Rolling Stone]]''
| rev8score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="rsreview">{{cite journal |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/a-ghost-is-born-20040708 |title=A Ghost Is Born |journal=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=July 8, 2004 |accessdate=June 1, 2013 |last=Pareles |first=Jon |authorlink=Jon Pareles}}</ref>
| rev8score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref name="rsreview">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/albumreviews/a-ghost-is-born-20040708 |title=A Ghost Is Born |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |date=July 8, 2004 |access-date=June 1, 2013 |last=Pareles |first=Jon |author-link=Jon Pareles}}</ref>
| rev9 = ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]''
| rev9 = ''[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]]''
| rev9score = B<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9IgWp27kuBIC&pg=PA103 |title=Scavenger Haunt |journal=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]] |volume=20 |issue=7 |date=July 2004 |accessdate=February 28, 2016 |last=Gross |first=Joe |pages=103–04}}</ref>
| rev9score = B<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9IgWp27kuBIC&pg=PA103 |title=Scavenger Haunt |journal=[[Spin (magazine)|Spin]] |volume=20 |issue=7 |date=July 2004 |access-date=February 28, 2016 |last=Gross |first=Joe |pages=103–04}}</ref>
| rev10 = ''[[The Village Voice]]''
| rev10 = ''[[The Village Voice]]''
| rev10score = B−<ref name="christgauReview">{{cite news |url=http://www.villagevoice.com/2004-06-22/music/squirt-you/2/ |title=Squirt You |work=[[The Village Voice]] |location=New York |date=June 22, 2004 |accessdate=June 1, 2013 |last=Christgau |first=Robert |authorlink=Robert Christgau}}</ref>
| rev10score = B−<ref name="christgauReview">{{cite news |url=http://www.villagevoice.com/2004-06-22/music/squirt-you/2/ |title=Squirt You |work=[[The Village Voice]] |location=New York |date=June 22, 2004 |access-date=June 1, 2013 |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau |archive-date=February 25, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225020251/http://www.villagevoice.com/2004-06-22/music/squirt-you/2/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>
}}
}}


In its debut week, ''A Ghost Is Born'' peaked at number 8 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] chart and sold over 81,000 copies, the highest US chart peak and best sales week ever attained by the band at that time.<ref>{{cite news|title=The ''Billboard'' 200|work=Billboard|date=July 10, 2004}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Whitmire|first=Margo|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/search/google/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000556892|title=Jadakiss Cruises To No. 1 Debut|work=Billboard|date=June 30, 2004}} Last accessed July 27, 2007.</ref> The album was an international hit as well, peaking at number 24 in Norway, number 29 in Sweden, number 33 in New Zealand, number 34 in Belgium, and number 37 in Ireland.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://acharts.us/album/13436|title=Wilco - A Ghost Is Born - Music Charts|publisher=acharts.com}} Last accessed July 27, 2007.</ref> As of April 13, 2007, the album has sold over 340,000 copies in the United States, according to [[Nielsen SoundScan]].<ref name="Cohen"/>
In its debut week, ''A Ghost Is Born'' peaked at number 8 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]] chart and sold over 81,000 copies, the highest US chart peak and best sales week ever attained by the band at that time.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=The ''Billboard'' 200|magazine=Billboard|date=July 10, 2004}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Whitmire|first=Margo|url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/search/google/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000556892|title=Jadakiss Cruises To No. 1 Debut|magazine=Billboard|date=June 30, 2004}} Last accessed July 27, 2007.</ref> The album was an international hit as well, peaking at number 24 in Norway, number 29 in Sweden, number 33 in New Zealand, number 34 in Belgium, and number 37 in Ireland.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://acharts.us/album/13436|title=Wilco - A Ghost Is Born - Music Charts|publisher=acharts.com}} Last accessed July 27, 2007.</ref> As of April 13, 2007, the album has sold over 340,000 copies in the United States, according to [[Nielsen SoundScan]].<ref name="Cohen"/>


Like ''Foxtrot'', ''A Ghost Is Born'' was well received by critics. On [[Metacritic]], the album holds a score of 81 out of 100 from 33 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".<ref name="Metacritic">{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/a-ghost-is-born/wilco |title=Reviews for a ghost is born by Wilco |website=[[Metacritic]] |accessdate=June 1, 2013}}</ref> [[Jon Pareles]] of ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' called ''A Ghost Is Born'' "as eerie as anything Wilco have recorded yet" and applauded Tweedy for offering "illuminating curiosity about what can happen in a song."<ref name="rsreview"/> ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' cited it as Wilco's "most difficult and uncompromising album to date."<ref>{{cite web |title=A Ghost Is Born |url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/reviews/album_review_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000535488 |work=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929140530/http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/reviews/album_review_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000535488 |archivedate=2007-09-29 |accessdate=April 4, 2012}}</ref> Akiva Gottlieb of ''[[Stylus Magazine]]'' praised ''A Ghost Is Born'' as being "even more brilliant" than ''Yankee Hotel Foxtrot'',<ref name="stylusReview">{{cite magazine|last=Gottlieb |first=Akiva |url=http://stylusmagazine.com/reviews/wilco/a-ghost-is-born.htm |title=Wilco - A Ghost Is Born - Review |magazine=[[Stylus Magazine]] |date=June 21, 2004 |accessdate=June 1, 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121014082201/http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/wilco/a-ghost-is-born.htm |archivedate=October 14, 2012 }}</ref> a sentiment echoed by Michael Metevier of ''[[PopMatters]]'', who added that the album made him "surprised and delighted enough to last several lifetimes."<ref name="pop">{{cite web|last=Metevier|first=Michael|url=http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/wilco-ghost/|title=Wilco: A Ghost Is Born|work=[[PopMatters]]|date=May 21, 2004|accessdate=June 1, 2013}}</ref> Keith Phipps of ''[[The A.V. Club]]'' wrote that ''A Ghost Is Born'' "channels its shaggy sound into pop music" that "constantly threatens to erupt into noise or fade into silence, but it's still hard not to hum along."<ref>{{cite news|last=Phipps|first=Keith|title=Wilco: A Ghost Is Born|url=http://www.avclub.com/articles/wilco-a-ghost-is-born,11406/|newspaper=[[The A.V. Club]]|date=June 21, 2004|accessdate=June 1, 2013}}</ref> James Hunter of ''[[The Village Voice]]'' felt that "Wilco's ideas are unremarkable, but are worked out with intelligence and striking conception. And as it happens, the new organic emphasis tables some of Wilco's lamer stylistic obsessions."<ref>{{cite news |first=James |last=Hunter |title=No Artificial Additives |url=http://www.villagevoice.com/2004-06-15/music/no-artificial-additives/1/ |newspaper=[[The Village Voice]] |date=June 15, 2004 |accessdate=June 12, 2009}}</ref> ''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]'' called the album "more meandering" than ''Yankee Hotel Foxtrot'', but also "more confident, more coherent, yielding an all-enveloping warmth that's entirely resistant to any iPod shuffle function."<ref name="Qreview" />
Like ''Foxtrot'', ''A Ghost Is Born'' was well received by critics. On [[Metacritic]], the album holds a score of 81 out of 100 from 33 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".<ref name="Metacritic">{{cite web |url=http://www.metacritic.com/music/a-ghost-is-born/wilco |title=Reviews for a ghost is born by Wilco |website=[[Metacritic]] |access-date=June 1, 2013}}</ref> [[Jon Pareles]] of ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' called ''A Ghost Is Born'' "as eerie as anything Wilco have recorded yet" and applauded Tweedy for offering "illuminating curiosity about what can happen in a song."<ref name="rsreview"/> ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' cited it as Wilco's "most difficult and uncompromising album to date."<ref>{{cite magazine |title=A Ghost Is Born |url=http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/reviews/album_review_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000535488 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070929140530/http://www.billboard.com/bbcom/reviews/album_review_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000535488 |archive-date=2007-09-29 |access-date=April 4, 2012}}</ref> Akiva Gottlieb of ''[[Stylus Magazine]]'' praised ''A Ghost Is Born'' as being "even more brilliant" than ''Yankee Hotel Foxtrot'',<ref name="stylusReview">{{cite magazine|last=Gottlieb |first=Akiva |url=http://stylusmagazine.com/reviews/wilco/a-ghost-is-born.htm |title=Wilco - A Ghost Is Born - Review |magazine=[[Stylus Magazine]] |date=June 21, 2004 |access-date=June 1, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121014082201/http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/wilco/a-ghost-is-born.htm |archive-date=October 14, 2012 }}</ref> a sentiment echoed by Michael Metevier of ''[[PopMatters]]'', who added that the album made him "surprised and delighted enough to last several lifetimes."<ref name="pop">{{cite web|last=Metevier|first=Michael|url=http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/wilco-ghost/|title=Wilco: A Ghost Is Born|work=[[PopMatters]]|date=May 21, 2004|access-date=June 1, 2013}}</ref> Keith Phipps of ''[[The A.V. Club]]'' wrote that ''A Ghost Is Born'' "channels its shaggy sound into pop music" that "constantly threatens to erupt into noise or fade into silence, but it's still hard not to hum along."<ref>{{cite news|last=Phipps|first=Keith|title=Wilco: A Ghost Is Born|url=http://www.avclub.com/articles/wilco-a-ghost-is-born,11406/|newspaper=[[The A.V. Club]]|date=June 21, 2004|access-date=June 1, 2013}}</ref> James Hunter of ''[[The Village Voice]]'' felt that "Wilco's ideas are unremarkable, but are worked out with intelligence and striking conception. And as it happens, the new organic emphasis tables some of Wilco's lamer stylistic obsessions."<ref>{{cite news |first=James |last=Hunter |title=No Artificial Additives |url=http://www.villagevoice.com/2004-06-15/music/no-artificial-additives/1/ |newspaper=[[The Village Voice]] |date=June 15, 2004 |access-date=June 12, 2009}}</ref> ''[[Q (magazine)|Q]]'' called the album "more meandering" than ''Yankee Hotel Foxtrot'', but also "more confident, more coherent, yielding an all-enveloping warmth that's entirely resistant to any iPod shuffle function."<ref name="Qreview" />


Among mixed reviews, Rob Mitchum of ''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]'' criticized ''A Ghost Is Born'' as "wildly uneven" and "less cohesive than any other Wilco release."<ref name="pitchforkReview"/> ''Village Voice'' critic [[Robert Christgau]] called it a "privileged self-indulgence" due to its extreme musical dynamics.<ref name="christgauReview"/> ''[[NME]]'' wrote of the album: "It's like [[Scissor Sisters]] on tranquilisers. With a bit of [[ELO]]. And a dash of [[Ramones]]. And, with this eclecticism, a worrying lack of focus."<ref name="NMEreview" /> Joshua Klein of the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'' felt that the album possessed an "incomplete" quality which nonetheless can be "quite intriguing, more of a side step than a forward leap, but a worthy experiment all the same."<ref>{{cite web|last=Klein|first=Joshua|title=Wilco 'A Ghost is Born'|url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2004-06-22/news/0406230062_1_tweedy-yankee-hotel-foxtrot-wilco|work=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=June 22, 2004|accessdate=June 1, 2013}}</ref> [[Ann Powers]] of ''[[Blender (magazine)|Blender]]'' wrote that on first listen, the album is "rather monotonous, a bunch of moderately singable tunes with some noise piled up around the edges", but that it "starts to insinuate meaning" over subsequent listens.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.blender.com/guide/reviews.aspx?id=2168 |title=Wilco: A Ghost Is Born |journal=[[Blender (magazine)|Blender]] |issue=27 |date=June–July 2004 |accessdate=June 12, 2009 |last=Powers |first=Ann |authorlink=Ann Powers |page=27 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20071204172804/http://www.blender.com/guide/reviews.aspx?id=2168 |archivedate=December 4, 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref>
Among mixed reviews, Rob Mitchum of ''[[Pitchfork (website)|Pitchfork]]'' criticized ''A Ghost Is Born'' as "wildly uneven" and "less cohesive than any other Wilco release."<ref name="pitchforkReview"/> ''Village Voice'' critic [[Robert Christgau]] called it a "privileged self-indulgence" due to its extreme musical dynamics.<ref name="christgauReview"/> ''[[NME]]'' wrote of the album: "It's like [[Scissor Sisters]] on tranquilisers. With a bit of [[ELO]]. And a dash of [[Ramones]]. And, with this eclecticism, a worrying lack of focus."<ref name="NMEreview" /> Joshua Klein of the ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'' felt that the album possessed an "incomplete" quality which nonetheless can be "quite intriguing, more of a side step than a forward leap, but a worthy experiment all the same."<ref>{{cite web|last=Klein|first=Joshua|title=Wilco 'A Ghost is Born'|url=http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2004-06-22/news/0406230062_1_tweedy-yankee-hotel-foxtrot-wilco|work=[[Chicago Tribune]]|date=June 22, 2004|access-date=June 1, 2013}}</ref> [[Ann Powers]] of ''[[Blender (magazine)|Blender]]'' wrote that on first listen, the album is "rather monotonous, a bunch of moderately singable tunes with some noise piled up around the edges", but that it "starts to insinuate meaning" over subsequent listens.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://www.blender.com/guide/reviews.aspx?id=2168 |title=Wilco: A Ghost Is Born |journal=[[Blender (magazine)|Blender]] |issue=27 |date=June–July 2004 |access-date=June 12, 2009 |last=Powers |first=Ann |author-link=Ann Powers |page=27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071204172804/http://www.blender.com/guide/reviews.aspx?id=2168 |archive-date=December 4, 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref>


In 2005, ''A Ghost Is Born'' won two [[Grammy Awards]] for [[Best Alternative Music Album]] and [[Best Recording Package]]. Although the band was nominated for Grammys for work on previous albums, this was the first time that they won one.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/02/14/in_depth_showbiz/main673822.shtml|title=2005 Grammy Award Winners|publisher=[[CBS]] Online|date=February 13, 2005|accessdate=July 27, 2007}}</ref> The band only won one award, as the winner for Best Recording Package is credited towards the artist of the artwork, not the performer.
In 2005, ''A Ghost Is Born'' won two [[Grammy Awards]] for [[Best Alternative Music Album]] and [[Best Recording Package]]. Although the band was nominated for Grammys for work on previous albums, this was the first time that they won one.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2005/02/14/in_depth_showbiz/main673822.shtml|title=2005 Grammy Award Winners|publisher=[[CBS]] Online|date=February 13, 2005|access-date=July 27, 2007}}</ref> The band only won one award, as the winner for Best Recording Package is credited towards the artist of the artwork, not the performer.


==Track listing==
==Track listing==
All songs written by [[Jeff Tweedy]] except where noted.
All songs written by [[Jeff Tweedy]] except where noted.


'''US VINYL (8122-76492-1) / STANDARD US CD (7559-79809-2):'''
'''US vinyl (8122-76492-1) / standard US CD (7559-79809-2)'''


;Side one
'''Side one'''
#"At Least That's What You Said" – 5:33
#"At Least That's What You Said" – 5:33
#"Hell Is Chrome" (Tweedy, [[Mikael Jorgensen]]) – 4:38
#"Hell Is Chrome" (Tweedy, [[Mikael Jorgensen]]) – 4:38
#"Spiders (Kidsmoke)" – 10:46
#"Spiders (Kidsmoke)" – 10:46

;Side two
'''Side two'''
#"Muzzle of Bees" – 4:56
#"Muzzle of Bees" – 4:56
#"Hummingbird" – 3:11
#"Hummingbird" – 3:11
#"Handshake Drugs" – 6:07
#"Handshake Drugs" – 6:07

;Side three
'''Side three'''
#"Wishful Thinking" (Tweedy, [[Glenn Kotche]]) – 4:41
#"Wishful Thinking" (Tweedy, [[Glenn Kotche]]) – 4:41
#"Company in My Back" – 3:46
#"Company in My Back" – 3:46
#"I'm a Wheel" – 2:37
#"I'm a Wheel" – 2:37
#"Theologians" (Tweedy, Jorgensen, Chris Girard) – 3:36
#"Theologians" (Tweedy, Jorgensen, Chris Girard) – 3:36

;Side four
'''Side four'''
#"Less Than You Think" (Tweedy, [[John Stirratt]], Kotche, Jorgensen, [[Leroy Bach]], [[Jim O'Rourke (musician)|Jim O'Rourke]]) – 15:04
#"Less Than You Think" (Tweedy, [[John Stirratt]], Kotche, Jorgensen, [[Leroy Bach]], [[Jim O'Rourke (musician)|Jim O'Rourke]]) – 15:04
#"The Late Greats" – 2:31
#"The Late Greats" – 2:31


'''LIMITED EDITION 2CD SET (7559-79892-2):'''
'''Limited edition two-CD set (7559-79892-2)'''


'''CD one'''
;CD1:
#"At Least That's What You Said" – 5:29
#"At Least That's What You Said" – 5:29
#"Hell Is Chrome" – 4:33
#"Hell Is Chrome" – 4:33
Line 120: Line 122:
#"The Late Greats" – 2:30
#"The Late Greats" – 2:30


'''CD two'''
;CD2:
#"Panthers" – 3:49
#"Panthers" – 3:49
#"At Least That's What You Said (Live)" – 5:53
#"At Least That's What You Said" (live) – 5:53
#"The Late Greats (Live)" – 2:39
#"The Late Greats" (live) – 2:39
#"Handshake Drugs (Live)" – 6:12
#"Handshake Drugs" (live) – 6:12
#"Kicking Television" – 2:49
#"Kicking Television" – 2:49


==Singles==
==Singles==
*"I'm a Wheel" (July 26, 2004)
*"I'm a Wheel" (July 26, 2004)
**7" vinyl only, "I'm a Wheel" b/w "Kicking Television"
**7-inch vinyl only, "I'm a Wheel" b/w "Kicking Television"


==Personnel==
==Personnel==
*[[Jeff Tweedy]] – [[vocals]], [[guitar]], [[Acoustic bass guitar|bass]], [[synthesizer]], filters, loops
*[[John Stirratt]] – [[Bass (guitar)|bass]], guitar, [[piano]], backing vocals, synthesizer, filters, loops
⚫
*[[Glenn Kotche]] – [[drum kit|drums]], [[percussion instrument|percussion]], [[hammered dulcimer]], synthesizer, filters, loops
*[[Leroy Bach]] – piano, organ, guitar, bass, [[vibraphone|vibes]], synthesizer, filters, loops
*[[Mikael Jorgensen]] – piano, [[rocksichord]], Farfisa, organ, synthesizer, filters, loops, [[sound engineer|engineer]]


===Additional personnel===
=== Wilco ===
*[[Jeff Tweedy]] – vocals (all tracks), electric guitar (1–4, 6, 9, 10), acoustic baritone 12-string guitar (4, 7), acoustic guitar (6–8, 10, 12), acoustic 6-string bass, loops, filters, synths (11)
*[[Jim O'Rourke (musician)|Jim O'Rourke]] – piano, guitar, bass, ARP 2600, synthesizer, filters, loops, engineer, [[Audio mixing (recorded music)|mixing]], [[record producer|producer]]
*[[John Stirratt]] – bass (1, 3, 6–10, 12), electric guitar (2, 5), backing vocals (2–6), piano (4), acoustic guitar, loops, filters, synths (11)
⚫
*Frankie Montuoro – hammered dulcimer, production assistant, technical assistance
⚫
*[[Glenn Kotche]] – drums (all tracks), [[hammered dulcimer]] (8, 11), percussion (8), loops, filters, synths (11)
⚫
*Karen Waltuch – [[viola]]
*[[Leroy Bach]] – piano (1, 6, 8, 12), [[Korg CX-3]] organ (2, 8), bass (4), [[vibraphone|vibes]] (7), electric guitar (9), acoustic guitar (10, 11), loops, filters, synths (11)
⚫
*Tim Barnes – percussion
*[[Mikael Jorgensen]] – synthesizer (1, 8, 11), piano (2–5, 7, 10, 12), [[Rocksichord]] (3, 6), [[Farfisa organ]] (4, 7, 12), [[Stylophone]] (8)
⚫
*Steve Rooke – [[audio mastering|mastering]]

=== Additional musicians ===
*[[Jim O'Rourke (musician)|Jim O'Rourke]] – piano (1, 3, 4, 10), bass (2, 5), electric guitar (3, 5, 6, 12), ARP 2600 (3), acoustic guitar (4, 8), Korg CX-3 organ (7), loops, filters, synths (11)
*Frankie Montuoro – hammered dulcimer (5)
⚫
*Karen Waltuch – [[viola]] (5)
⚫
*Tim Barnes – percussion (6)

=== Technical personnel ===
*Wilco – production
*Jim O'Rourke – production, mixing, engineering, mixing
*Chris Shaw – engineer
*Chris Shaw – engineer
*TJ Doherty, Tim Iseler – assistant engineers
*TJ Doherty – assistant engineer
*Tim Iseler – assistant engineer
*Mikael Jorgensen – engineer
⚫
*Steve Rooke – [[audio mastering|mastering]]
⚫
*Frankie Montuoro – production assistant, technical assistance
*Stan Doty, Daniel Herbst, Deborah Miles Johnson, Haydn Johnston, Matt Zivich – production assistants, technical assistance
*Stan Doty, Daniel Herbst, Deborah Miles Johnson, Haydn Johnston, Matt Zivich – production assistants, technical assistance
*Dan Nadel – [[graphic design]]
*Dan Nadel – [[graphic design]]
*Peter Smith – graphic design, [[photography]]
*[[Peter Buchanan-Smith]] – graphic design, photography
*Mike Schmelling – photography
*Mike Schmelling – photography
*[[Gladys Nilsson]] – [[drawing]]
*[[Gladys Nilsson]] – drawing
*Ken Waagner – digital supervisor
*Ken Waagner – digital supervisor

==Charts==
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Chart performance for ''A Ghost Is Born''
! scope="col"| Chart (2004)
! scope="col"| Peak<br />position
|-
{{album chart|Australia|43|artist=Wilco|album=A Ghost Is Born|rowheader=true|access-date=December 14, 2020}}
|-
{{album chart|Austria|75|artist=Wilco|album=A Ghost Is Born|rowheader=true|access-date=December 14, 2020}}
|-
{{album chart|Flanders|34|artist=Wilco|album=A Ghost Is Born|rowheader=true|access-date=December 14, 2020}}
|-
{{album chart|Netherlands|94|artist=Wilco|album=A Ghost Is Born|rowheader=true|access-date=December 14, 2020}}
|-
{{album chart|France|186|artist=Wilco|album=A Ghost Is Born|rowheader=true|access-date=December 14, 2020}}
|-
{{album chart|Germany4|41|id=6775|artist=Wilco|album=A Ghost Is Born|rowheader=true|access-date=December 14, 2020}}
|-
{{album chart|Ireland2|37|artist=Wilco|rowheader=true|access-date=December 14, 2020}}
|-
{{album chart|Italy|27|artist=Wilco|album=A Ghost Is Born|rowheader=true|access-date=December 14, 2020}}
|-
{{album chart|New Zealand|33|artist=Wilco|album=A Ghost Is Born|rowheader=true|access-date=December 14, 2020}}
|-
{{album chart|Norway|24|artist=Wilco|album=A Ghost Is Born|rowheader=true|access-date=December 14, 2020}}
|-
{{album chart|Sweden|29|artist=Wilco|album=A Ghost Is Born|rowheader=true|access-date=December 14, 2020}}
|-
{{album chart|UK2|50|date=20040627|rowheader=true|access-date=December 14, 2020}}
|-
{{album chart|Billboard200|8|artist=Wilco|rowheader=true|access-date=December 14, 2020}}
|}


==Notes==
==Notes==
{{reflist|30em}}
{{reflist}}


==References==
==References==
Line 161: Line 205:
==External links==
==External links==
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060626163153/http://www.wilcoweb.com/ghost/ Link to downloadable EP with purchase of album]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060626163153/http://www.wilcoweb.com/ghost/ Link to downloadable EP with purchase of album]
*{{metacritic album|a-ghost-is-born/wilco}}
*{{Metacritic album}}


{{Wilco}}
{{Wilco}}
{{Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album}}
{{Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album}}

{{Authority control}}


{{DEFAULTSORT:Ghost Is Born, A}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Ghost Is Born, A}}

Latest revision as of 20:24, 6 March 2024

A Ghost Is Born
Studio album by
Wilco
ReleasedJune 22, 2004
RecordedNovember 2003 – March 2004
StudioSear Sound (New York City), Soma EMS (Chicago)
GenreArt rock[1]
Length67:26
LabelNonesuch
ProducerWilco, Jim O'Rourke
Wilco chronology
Yankee Hotel Foxtrot
(2002) 		A Ghost Is Born
(2004) 		Sky Blue Sky
(2007)
Singles from A Ghost Is Born
  1. "I'm a Wheel"
    Released: July 26, 2004

A Ghost Is Born is the fifth studio album by American alternative rock band Wilco. Released on June 22, 2004, it features singer Jeff Tweedy on lead guitar more than any previous Wilco album. The band streamed the album online free, and offered a five-song EP to purchasers.

Tweedy entered a rehab clinic shortly before the release of the album, delaying its release by two weeks. It also shortened its promotional tour. Despite this, A Ghost Is Born's opening week was the best sales week for the band at the time, and the album was met with positive reviews from major publications such as Rolling Stone and PopMatters. The album earned Wilco a Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album.

Production[edit]

Wilco signed a contract with Nonesuch Records in November 2001 after a lengthy dispute with Reprise Records over the release of the band's fourth album Yankee Hotel Foxtrot.[2] Foxtrot was welcomed with positive reviews from The Village Voice—where the album was rated by the critics as the best album of 2002—and Rolling Stone.[3][4] It sold over 590,000 copies, earning a Gold certification by the Recording Industry Association of America.[5][6]

Composition[edit]

Recording for a new album began in November 2003 under the working title Wilco Happens. The album was produced by Jim O'Rourke, who mixed Foxtrot and was a member of Wilco side project Loose Fur. O'Rourke encouraged lead singer Jeff Tweedy to develop his guitar skills for the album; Tweedy recently became the lead guitarist for the band due to the dismissal of Jay Bennett after the Yankee Hotel Foxtrot recording sessions.[7][8] Tweedy sought to play solos on the album that were unlike those of jam bands such as Phish and The Grateful Dead. Instead, he performed composed solos influenced by Television such as the one during the coda of "At Least That's What You Said".[9] Tweedy refers to the guitar solo at the end of the track as a "musical transcription" of one of his panic attacks.[10] A Ghost Is Born was recorded in a manner different from Foxtrot or 1999's Summerteeth; whereas those recordings were performed live in the studio and then extensively de-constructed and arranged in Pro Tools, A Ghost Is Born was first performed live, edited and arranged in Pro Tools, and then performed and re-recorded with minimal overdubbing. Tweedy was excited about writing an album this way:[9]

All those things you can do with Pro Tools and all the emotional buttons you can push with just purely sonic things I think can be done with just plain old music. I love all the possibilities that modern recording techniques allow, but I couldn't picture the idea of really wowing anyone with some crazy evolution of the Yankee Hotel Foxtrot sound.

An unusual feature of A Ghost Is Born is the fifteen-minute long track "Less Than You Think". The first part of the song begins as a ballad which references belief systems and atheism which after 3 minutes, fades out. The second part consists of electronic drones and noise, intended to audibly represent the migraines that lead singer Jeff Tweedy had been suffering from while addicted to pain killers during the recording sessions for A Ghost Is Born. For the song, each band member created a synthesizer noise that mimicked an electronic sound. The installations were simultaneously activated in the room and recorded. The noise, which served as the coda to the song, was remixed to provide dynamics to the track. Calling it "the track that everyone will hate," Tweedy defended the song's inclusion on the album:[11]

I know ninety-nine percent of our fans won't like that song, they'll say it's a ridiculous indulgence. Even I don't want to listen to it every time I play through the album. But the times I do calm myself down and pay attention to it, I think it's valuable and moving and cathartic. I wouldn't have put it on the record if I didn't think it was great … I wanted to make an album about identity, and within that is the idea of a higher power, the idea of randomness, and that anything can happen, and that we can't control it.

A Ghost Is Born was the first Wilco album with pianist Mikael Jorgensen; he had previously worked as an engineer with the band on their collaboration with The Minus 5. Jeff Tweedy provided lead vocals and acted as lead guitarist for the only time since the band formed. John Stirratt, the only original member aside from Tweedy, played bass and guitar. Glenn Kotche and Jim O'Rourke, Tweedy's associates from Loose Fur, acted as drummer and multi-instrumentalist, respectively. Leroy Bach played a variety of keyboards as well as bass guitar. All members of the band contributed with a synthesizer part on "Less Than You Think".[12]

Marketing and promotion[edit]

Wilco began touring in support of Ghost even before the album had been released. Multi-instrumentalist Leroy Bach left the band after the recording sessions to join a theater production, so Wilco added jazz rock guitarist Nels Cline and multi-instrumentalist Pat Sansone to replace him.[13][14] Sansone had been playing with The Autumn Defense, a side project led by bassist John Stirratt. However, the tour to support the album had to be abridged. In May 2004, Tweedy checked himself into a rehabilitation clinic in Chicago, Illinois due to chronic migraine headaches, anxiety attacks, and clinical depression. In the process of treating the ailments, Tweedy became addicted to prescription painkillers. His rehab led to the cancellation of the European stage of the tour and a delay in the album's release date. Intended for release on June 8, 2004, the album was officially released on June 22, 2004.[15]

The band also webcast the album in its entirety on the Internet in a promotion with Apple Computer. Nonesuch was willing to allow the MPEG-4 broadcast due to the success of a similar broadcast in the promotion of Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Additionally, Wilco offered a free EP to purchasers of the album. The EP featured two outtakes from the album—"Panthers" and "Kicking Television"—and live versions of "At Least That's What You Said", "The Late Greats", and "Handshake Drugs". The EP was later packaged with the album and sold as a "deluxe version".[16]

Reception[edit]

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
Metacritic81/100[17]
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[18]
Entertainment WeeklyB[19]
The Guardian[20]
Los Angeles Times[21]
NME6/10[22]
Pitchfork6.6/10[23]
Q[24]
Rolling Stone[25]
SpinB[26]
The Village VoiceB−[27]

In its debut week, A Ghost Is Born peaked at number 8 on the Billboard 200 chart and sold over 81,000 copies, the highest US chart peak and best sales week ever attained by the band at that time.[28][29] The album was an international hit as well, peaking at number 24 in Norway, number 29 in Sweden, number 33 in New Zealand, number 34 in Belgium, and number 37 in Ireland.[30] As of April 13, 2007, the album has sold over 340,000 copies in the United States, according to Nielsen SoundScan.[5]

Like Foxtrot, A Ghost Is Born was well received by critics. On Metacritic, the album holds a score of 81 out of 100 from 33 critics, indicating "universal acclaim".[17] Jon Pareles of Rolling Stone called A Ghost Is Born "as eerie as anything Wilco have recorded yet" and applauded Tweedy for offering "illuminating curiosity about what can happen in a song."[25] Billboard cited it as Wilco's "most difficult and uncompromising album to date."[31] Akiva Gottlieb of Stylus Magazine praised A Ghost Is Born as being "even more brilliant" than Yankee Hotel Foxtrot,[32] a sentiment echoed by Michael Metevier of PopMatters, who added that the album made him "surprised and delighted enough to last several lifetimes."[33] Keith Phipps of The A.V. Club wrote that A Ghost Is Born "channels its shaggy sound into pop music" that "constantly threatens to erupt into noise or fade into silence, but it's still hard not to hum along."[34] James Hunter of The Village Voice felt that "Wilco's ideas are unremarkable, but are worked out with intelligence and striking conception. And as it happens, the new organic emphasis tables some of Wilco's lamer stylistic obsessions."[35] Q called the album "more meandering" than Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, but also "more confident, more coherent, yielding an all-enveloping warmth that's entirely resistant to any iPod shuffle function."[24]

Among mixed reviews, Rob Mitchum of Pitchfork criticized A Ghost Is Born as "wildly uneven" and "less cohesive than any other Wilco release."[23] Village Voice critic Robert Christgau called it a "privileged self-indulgence" due to its extreme musical dynamics.[27] NME wrote of the album: "It's like Scissor Sisters on tranquilisers. With a bit of ELO. And a dash of Ramones. And, with this eclecticism, a worrying lack of focus."[22] Joshua Klein of the Chicago Tribune felt that the album possessed an "incomplete" quality which nonetheless can be "quite intriguing, more of a side step than a forward leap, but a worthy experiment all the same."[36] Ann Powers of Blender wrote that on first listen, the album is "rather monotonous, a bunch of moderately singable tunes with some noise piled up around the edges", but that it "starts to insinuate meaning" over subsequent listens.[37]

In 2005, A Ghost Is Born won two Grammy Awards for Best Alternative Music Album and Best Recording Package. Although the band was nominated for Grammys for work on previous albums, this was the first time that they won one.[38] The band only won one award, as the winner for Best Recording Package is credited towards the artist of the artwork, not the performer.

Track listing[edit]

All songs written by Jeff Tweedy except where noted.

US vinyl (8122-76492-1) / standard US CD (7559-79809-2)

Side one

  1. "At Least That's What You Said" – 5:33
  2. "Hell Is Chrome" (Tweedy, Mikael Jorgensen) – 4:38
  3. "Spiders (Kidsmoke)" – 10:46

Side two

  1. "Muzzle of Bees" – 4:56
  2. "Hummingbird" – 3:11
  3. "Handshake Drugs" – 6:07

Side three

  1. "Wishful Thinking" (Tweedy, Glenn Kotche) – 4:41
  2. "Company in My Back" – 3:46
  3. "I'm a Wheel" – 2:37
  4. "Theologians" (Tweedy, Jorgensen, Chris Girard) – 3:36

Side four

  1. "Less Than You Think" (Tweedy, John Stirratt, Kotche, Jorgensen, Leroy Bach, Jim O'Rourke) – 15:04
  2. "The Late Greats" – 2:31

Limited edition two-CD set (7559-79892-2)

CD one

  1. "At Least That's What You Said" – 5:29
  2. "Hell Is Chrome" – 4:33
  3. "Spiders (Kidsmoke)" – 10:41
  4. "Muzzle of Bees" – 4:51
  5. "Hummingbird" – 3:06
  6. "Handshake Drugs" – 6:02
  7. "Wishful Thinking" – 4:37
  8. "Company in My Back" – 3:42
  9. "I'm a Wheel" – 2:33
  10. "Theologians" – 3:31
  11. "Less Than You Think" – 15:00
  12. "The Late Greats" – 2:30

CD two

  1. "Panthers" – 3:49
  2. "At Least That's What You Said" (live) – 5:53
  3. "The Late Greats" (live) – 2:39
  4. "Handshake Drugs" (live) – 6:12
  5. "Kicking Television" – 2:49

Singles[edit]

  • "I'm a Wheel" (July 26, 2004)
    • 7-inch vinyl only, "I'm a Wheel" b/w "Kicking Television"

Personnel[edit]

Wilco[edit]

  • Jeff Tweedy – vocals (all tracks), electric guitar (1–4, 6, 9, 10), acoustic baritone 12-string guitar (4, 7), acoustic guitar (6–8, 10, 12), acoustic 6-string bass, loops, filters, synths (11)
  • John Stirratt – bass (1, 3, 6–10, 12), electric guitar (2, 5), backing vocals (2–6), piano (4), acoustic guitar, loops, filters, synths (11)
  • Glenn Kotche – drums (all tracks), hammered dulcimer (8, 11), percussion (8), 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)
  • Mikael Jorgensen – synthesizer (1, 8, 11), piano (2–5, 7, 10, 12), Rocksichord (3, 6), Farfisa organ (4, 7, 12), Stylophone (8)

Additional musicians[edit]

  • Jim O'Rourke – piano (1, 3, 4, 10), bass (2, 5), electric guitar (3, 5, 6, 12), ARP 2600 (3), acoustic guitar (4, 8), Korg CX-3 organ (7), loops, filters, synths (11)
  • Frankie Montuoro – hammered dulcimer (5)
  • Karen Waltuch – viola (5)
  • Tim Barnes – percussion (6)

Technical personnel[edit]

  • Wilco – production
  • Jim O'Rourke – production, mixing, engineering, mixing
  • Chris Shaw – engineer
  • TJ Doherty – assistant engineer
  • Tim Iseler – assistant engineer
  • Mikael Jorgensen – engineer
  • Steve Rooke – mastering
  • Frankie Montuoro – production assistant, technical assistance
  • Stan Doty, Daniel Herbst, Deborah Miles Johnson, Haydn Johnston, Matt Zivich – production assistants, technical assistance
  • Dan Nadel – graphic design
  • Peter Buchanan-Smith – graphic design, photography
  • Mike Schmelling – photography
  • Gladys Nilsson – drawing
  • Ken Waagner – digital supervisor

Charts[edit]

Chart performance for A Ghost Is Born
Chart (2004) Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA)[39] 43
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[40] 75
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[41] 34
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[42] 94
French Albums (SNEP)[43] 186
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[44] 41
Irish Albums (IRMA)[45] 37
Italian Albums (FIMI)[46] 27
New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)[47] 33
Norwegian Albums (VG-lista)[48] 24
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[49] 29
UK Albums (OCC)[50] 50
US Billboard 200[51] 8

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Himes, Geoffrey (May 15, 2007). "Wilco – Sky Blue Sky". Paste. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
  2. ^ For an overview of the controversy, see Kot 2004. p. 201-228
  3. ^ "Pazz & Jop 2002". The Village Voice. Archived from the original on 2003-02-20. Retrieved 2013-06-01.
  4. ^ Fricke, David (2002-04-10). "Yankee Hotel Foxtrot". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 2013-06-01.
  5. ^ a b Cohen, Jonathan (2007-04-13). "Wilco: In the Comfort Zone". Billboard. Last accessed July 27, 2007.
  6. ^ "Gold and Platinum Database Search". Recording Industry Association of America. Archived from the original on 2007-07-01. Last accessed July 27, 2007.
  7. ^ Kot 2004. p. 240
  8. ^ Barston, Steve (September 2004). "Pillar of Alt". Guitar World Acoustic.
  9. ^ a b Kot 2004. p. 241
  10. ^ Mulvey, John (January 2006). "The Addict". Uncut.
  11. ^ Kot 2004. p. 242
  12. ^ A Ghost Is Born album notes, June 22, 2004. Nonesuch Records, 79809.
  13. ^ Pouncey, Edwin (August 2004). "Free the Spirit". The Wire.
  14. ^ Kot 2004. p. 243
  15. ^ Kot 2004. p. 244
  16. ^ Jardin, Xeni (November 15, 2004). "Music Is Not a Loaf of Bread". Wired. Last accessed July 27, 2007.
  17. ^ a b "Reviews for a ghost is born by Wilco". Metacritic. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  18. ^ Deming, Mark. "A Ghost Is Born – Wilco". AllMusic. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  19. ^ Browne, David (June 25, 2004). "A Ghost Is Born". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 13, 2016. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  20. ^ Sweeting, Adam (June 24, 2004). "Wilco, A Ghost is Born". The Guardian. London. Archived from the original on May 18, 2009. Retrieved April 4, 2012.
  21. ^ Cromelin, Richard (June 20, 2004). "In the spirit of the solo riff". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  22. ^ a b "Wilco: A Ghost Is Born". NME: 57. June 5, 2004.
  23. ^ a b Mitchum, Rob (June 22, 2004). "Wilco: A Ghost Is Born". Pitchfork. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  24. ^ a b "Wilco: A Ghost Is Born". Q (216): 119. July 2004.
  25. ^ a b Pareles, Jon (July 8, 2004). "A Ghost Is Born". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  26. ^ Gross, Joe (July 2004). "Scavenger Haunt". Spin. 20 (7): 103–04. Retrieved February 28, 2016.
  27. ^ a b Christgau, Robert (June 22, 2004). "Squirt You". The Village Voice. New York. Archived from the original on February 25, 2014. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  28. ^ "The Billboard 200". Billboard. July 10, 2004.
  29. ^ Whitmire, Margo (June 30, 2004). "Jadakiss Cruises To No. 1 Debut". Billboard. Last accessed July 27, 2007.
  30. ^ "Wilco - A Ghost Is Born - Music Charts". acharts.com. Last accessed July 27, 2007.
  31. ^ "A Ghost Is Born". Billboard. Archived from the original on 2007-09-29. Retrieved April 4, 2012.
  32. ^ Gottlieb, Akiva (June 21, 2004). "Wilco - A Ghost Is Born - Review". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on October 14, 2012. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  33. ^ Metevier, Michael (May 21, 2004). "Wilco: A Ghost Is Born". PopMatters. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  34. ^ Phipps, Keith (June 21, 2004). "Wilco: A Ghost Is Born". The A.V. Club. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  35. ^ Hunter, James (June 15, 2004). "No Artificial Additives". The Village Voice. Retrieved June 12, 2009.
  36. ^ Klein, Joshua (June 22, 2004). "Wilco 'A Ghost is Born'". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved June 1, 2013.
  37. ^ Powers, Ann (June–July 2004). "Wilco: A Ghost Is Born". Blender (27): 27. Archived from the original on December 4, 2007. Retrieved June 12, 2009.
  38. ^ "2005 Grammy Award Winners". CBS Online. February 13, 2005. Retrieved July 27, 2007.
  39. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Wilco – A Ghost Is Born". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  40. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Wilco – A Ghost Is Born" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  41. ^ "Ultratop.be – Wilco – A Ghost Is Born" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  42. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Wilco – A Ghost Is Born" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  43. ^ "Lescharts.com – Wilco – A Ghost Is Born". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  44. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Wilco – A Ghost Is Born" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  45. ^ "Irish-charts.com – Discography Wilco". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  46. ^ "Italiancharts.com – Wilco – A Ghost Is Born". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  47. ^ "Charts.nz – Wilco – A Ghost Is Born". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  48. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Wilco – A Ghost Is Born". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  49. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Wilco – A Ghost Is Born". Hung Medien. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  50. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 14, 2020.
  51. ^ "Wilco Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved December 14, 2020.

References[edit]

External links[edit]

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