So Wilco’s got a new album, and everyone seems very excited. And why not? It’s Wilco! Everyone and their teenage sister likes Wilco. Your dad might even like Wilco. And I think therein lies the problem: Wilco has flattened over recent years. Nothing against dads, or anything, but Sky Blue Sky was frighteningly boring (I still have nightmares) and painfully straightforward rock and roll—a crisp, clean yawn-factory.

Needless to say, I was pretty skeptical about this. After a few trips through the album, I can only give Wilco (The Album) this: it’s better than Sky Blue Sky. But really, that’s not very assuring. It’s hard to forget that incredible feeling when Yankee Hotel Foxtrot first came on, and the shear unfamiliarity seeping from each track kept you off-guard and excited. And at its heart you had fantastic songwriting, good-enough lyrics, and perfect hooks. Here, you get YHF watered down—and that might be giving this record more credit than it deserves.

The disc isn’t without its high points—this is still Wilco (their semi-jokey album title would lead you to believe that they think this is Wilco at its core). “One Wing” is strange and dark (and great), and Glenn Kotche carries the same off-balance precision that opened YHF. The drumming is actually a highlight throughout. “Bull Black Nova” also blends the loud and quiet changes that made A Ghost is Born so interesting.

But too often they really fall flat. “Country Disappeared” and “You Never Know” both sound a bit like older Summerteeth-era Wilco, each with fairly irritating lyrics. They’re not bad songs—not by any means—but there’s nothing special, nothing to hang onto but some nice harmonies and easygoing sound. And the hyped up Leslie Feist appearance, “You and I,” would fit wonderfully on an adult-contemporary Top 40 list, but this isn’t what I want in Wilco.

I might be being too harsh—any fan has high expectations of one of his favorite acts. Overall, it’s a reasonably enjoyable listen. And hey, if you loved Sky Blue Sky, this is undoubtedly better. But I wanted something new. Wilco (The Album) is just a nice, safe step sideways. Someone give me a surprise.

Mp3: Wilco – Wilco (the song)

Mp3: Wilco – One Wing

Mp3: Wilco – Bull Black Nova