Jeff Tweedy's Loose Fur and Golden Smog

Wilco: Helping the farmers at Farm Aid 2005
photo by John Gress

From Billboard via Reuters via Dose comes a Wilco news update. Some tidbits on Jeff Tweedy's work with Loose Fur and possible Golden Smog reunion.

"We're finishing it this week," Tweedy told Billboard.com. "It's all recorded and is basically down to doing the vocal overdubs and mixing."

Asked to compare the new album's sound to the eclectic folk/rock mix heard on the debut, Tweedy offered, "It's maybe a little bit heavier. There's definitely a lot of harmonized guitar parts. I think it's a similar mix of folk-ish elements, but the rock elements are a little less stridently abrasive, and maybe a little bit more prog-rock or something."

The new set will be the first concentrated batch of original O'Rourke material since his acclaimed 2002 solo album, "Insignificance." Said Tweedy, "He has been really busy with other people's music. I love getting to work with Jim and he has some really, really great songs on this, so I can't wait to hear it finished."

Meanwhile, Tweedy is planning to regroup at some point in the near future with the Jayhawks' Gary Louris and Soul Asylum's Dan Murphy for a new album under the moniker Golden Smog. The group's last effort was 1998's "Weird Tales."

More on Wilco's music and influences.

---