Wilco debuted a new track, “Tell Your Friends”, on the quarantine edition of Chris Thile‘s Live From Here. After unveiling the new tune, the band also performed “Everyone Hides” from 2019’s Ode To Joy.
In addition to Wilco, the episode featured pre-recorded performances by Norah Jones, Thile’s own Punch Brothers, Madison Cunningham, The Sklar Brothers, Tom Papa, and Marion Winik.
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“Tell Your Friends” marks the Chicago outfit’s first studio release since Ode To Joy last year, and features the group addressing the times at hand. In classic Wilco style, the band presents a tender acoustic ballad with the heartfelt reminder, “Don’t forget to tell your friends/When you see them again/Oh, I love you.” The eased pace of the acoustic guitar is matched with Jeff Tweedy‘s dreamy, dreary vocals. The whole song is a bit of a subdued waltz that has all the hallmarks of Wilco’s familiar style. Plenty of bands are making music about quarantine and how it is affecting our lives, and frankly they all come off like the same TV commercial that begins with “in these unprecedented times…”. Wilco’s “Tell Your Friends”, on the other hand, is a genuine reminder of not taking anything for granted. A reminder to enjoy what you have while you have it, and to tell your friends you love them while you can.
Listen to “Tell Your Friends” by Wilco on Live From Here.
Wilco — “Tell Your Friends”
[Video: Matt Nickel]
Listen to the entire Live From Here episode from May 16th.
Live From Here — May 16th, 2020
[Video: Live From Here]
Wilco has postponed or rescheduled all of its shows through July due to COVID-19, but the band is set to return to the stage on August 6th at First Interstate Center for the Arts in Spokane, WA. This show kicks off the band’s co-headlining tour with Sleater-Kinney, which is still scheduled to run through August. Visit Wilco’s website for any announcements.
[H/T Jambase]