Wilco’s The Whole Love is their 8th album and is likely the best all-around album you’ll hear all year. Jeff Tweedy and co tend to put out music like this with their eyes closed at this point. Every Wilco record has its own charm and The Whole Love is no different.

At first this album didn’t strike me as a five star album. As I continued to listen, I couldn’t find one thing wrong with it. My expectations were so high for this release that I apparently expected perfection, and Wilco delivered.

The highest highlight is “The Art of Almost,” the 7 plus minute juggernaut that creates more different interesting sounds than most bands do in their entire career.  The song is a lot like the classic Wilco track “Spiders (Kidsmoke)” but sounds nothing like it.”The Art of Almost” transforms as you listen and reveals new layers with each repeated listen.

“Standing O” fills the role as the rocker of the record, think “Kicking Television” or “I’m A Wheel.” “I Might” and Dawned On Me” show just how good Wilco is at executing perfect pop-rock songs. The record continues to flow until the end without ever getting boring or too scattered.

The album’s 12-minute closer “One Sunday Morning” is a lyrical showcase for Jeff Tweedy. The song is driven by a simple progression plucked on an acoustic guitar that makes for a perfect backdrop for Tweedy’s poetry to be set to song.

The album just solidifies that Wilco is the best band making music in 2011, bar none.

Key Tracks: “Art of Almost” “I Might” “Standing O” “One Sunday Morning”