In the Studio: Wilco, Band of Horses, Liz Phair

Wilco have already recorded demos for a new album and are heading into their Chicago studio, the Loft, this month to start rerecording and fleshing them out. "Sonically it's going to be a much wilder, much more unexpected record," says guitarist Nels Cline. "There's going to be too much to choose from. Right now it's an embarrassment of riches, for sure."

Later this month, Band of Horses will begin work on their third album at Alabama's famed Muscle Shoals Sound Studio. "I've read about that place and heard the records out of there for my whole life," says singer Ben Bridwell, who notes that he's already written 27 songs. "We can't wait to get in there and tap some of its mojo."

Liz Phair is working on a new record — due in 2009 — with several producers including Jeff Trott (Sheryl Crow) and John Alagia (Dave Matthews).

[From Issue 1064 — October 30, 2008]

Related Stories:
• Wilco Premiere New Song at Lollapalooza
• Liz Phair: 15 Years in Guyville
• Album Review: Band of Horses, Cease to Begin

• 
  MUSIC 100 Greatest Debut Albums
• 
  MOVIES 'Star Trek' Is Crazy Good
• 
  TV 10 Shows to Watch This Summer
• 
  POLITICS No Price Big Banks Can't Fix

Song Stories

“Help Me”

Joni Mitchell | 1974

Joni Mitchell wrote and recorded this song for her album Court and Spark, but she had to switch from her regular band to make the song sound exactly the way she wanted. "I had attempted to play my music with rock & roll players," she told Rolling Stone. "They’d laugh, 'Awww, isn't that cute? She's trying to teach us how to play.'" Mitchell switched to a jazz band, Tom Scott’s L.A. Express, and scored the biggest hit of her career in the process.

More Song Stories entries »

Twitter