Cruel Country Hits CD, A Few Wilco-Themed Podcasts, & A Bunch of Setlists

Wilco’s 12 studio album, Cruel Country, made its digital disc debut on Saturday, June 18, as part of the Record Store Day Drops deal that went down at your local independent music retailer. With its minimal packaging, the double disc is labeled a pre-release limited edition, and only 8,000 copies were produced. No word yet on when a regular CD release will be, nor when Cruel Country will be available on vinyl, but I’ll keep you posted.

Also for the occasion, Jeff Tweedy and company appeared on The Record Store Day Podcast with Paul Myers (Episode #70) to promote the release, and it’s well worth a listen.

Also last week, my appearance on Alpha Bravo Charlie, the Alphabetical Wilco Podcast, dropped on June 13th: Episode 195: “Wishful Thinking.”

I had a lot of fun discussing the excellent track from A Ghost is Born (2004), with Jason (IG - @hessisbest), and Kevin (IG - @KevinVinyl), and hope listeners will too. Please check it out. 

And now, a bunch of setlists from Wilco’s current European tour. Yeah, they’re pretty similar, but still a few interesting variations, and it's notable that “Many Worlds” is only being represented by it’s jam-style outro, which would follow “Via Chicago.” 

Let’s get to what Wilco played after a gaze at the official show poster for this leg by Falk Schwalbe:

Loaded 2022 - Kontraskjæret, Oslo, Norway 6/11/22

 

“I Am My Mother” / “Cruel Country” / “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” / “War on War” / “If I Ever Was a Child” / “All Across the World” / “Via Chicago” / “Many Worlds” (Only instrumental part played) / “Everyone Hides” / “Story to Tell” / “Bird Without a Tail / Base of My Skull” / “Tired of Taking It Out on You” / “At Least That’s What You Said” / “Impossible Germany” / “Jesus, Etc.” / “Heavy Metal Drummer” / “A Lifetime to Find” / “Box Full of Letters” / “The Late Greats” / “Falling Apart (Right Now)”

 

Amager Bio, Copenhagen, Denmark 6/13/22

 

“I Am My Mother” / “Cruel Country” / “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” / “Hints” / “Handshake Drugs” / “War on War” / “If I Ever Was a Child” / “All Across the World” / “Via Chicago” / “Many Worlds” (Only instrumental part played) / “Everyone Hides” / “Story to Tell” / “Bird Without a Tail / Base of My Skull” / “Tired of Taking It Out on You” / “At Least That’s What You Said” / “Country Song Upside-Down” / “Impossible Germany” / “Jesus, Etc.” / “Heavy Metal Drummer” / “A Lifetime to Find” / “Box Full of Letters” / “The Late Greats” / “Falling Apart (Right Now)”

 

Encore: “Red-Eyed and Blue” / “I Got You (At the End of the Century” / “Outtasite (Outta Mind)”

 

E-Werk, Cologne, Germany 6/14/22

 

“I Am My Mother” / “Cruel Country” / “Company in My Back” / “Hints” / “Handshake Drugs” / “War on War” / “Muzzle of Bees” / “If I Ever Was a Child” / “Via Chicago” > “Many Worlds” outro / “All Across the World” / “Everyone Hides” / “Story to Tell” / “Bird Without a Tail / Base of My Skull” / “Hearts Hard to Find” / “At Least That’s What You Said” / “Country Song Upside-Down” / “Impossible Germany” / “Jesus, Etc.” / “Box Full of Letters” / “A Lifetime to Find” / “The Late Greats” / “Falling Apart (Right Now)”

 

Encore: “Red-Eyed and Blue” / “I Got You (At the End of the Century” / “Outtasite (Outta Mind)”

 

Alte Oper, Frankfurt, Germany 6/16/22

 

“A Shot in the Arm” / “Story to Tell” / “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” / “I Am My Mother” / “Cruel Country” / “Hints” / “Handshake Drugs” / “Hummingbird” / “If I Ever Was A Child” / “All Across the World” / “Love is Everywhere (Beware)” / “War On War” / “Bird Without a Tail / Base of My Skull” / “Tired of Taking it Out On You” / “Impossible Germany” / “Mystery Binds” / “At Least That’s What You Said” / “Via Chicago” / “Many Worlds” / “Jesus, Etc.” / “A Lifetime to Find” / “Falling Apart (Right Now)” / “California Stars” / “The Late Greats”

 

Live is Live, Zeebrugge, Belgium 6/17/22

 

“A Shot in the Arm” / “Story to Tell” / “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” / “I Am My Mother” / “Cruel Country” / “Handshake Drugs” / “Hummingbird” / “All Across the World” / “Love is Everywhere (Beware)” / “War on War” / “Bird Without a Tail / Base of My Skull” / “Impossible Germany” / “At Least That’s What You Said” / “Via Chicago” / “Many Worlds” / “Jesus, Etc.” / “A Lifetime to Find” / “California Stars” / “Falling Apart (Right Now)” / “Red-Eyed and Blue” / “I Got You (At the End of the Century)” / “Outtasite (Outta Mind)” / “I’m A Wheel”

 

Black Deer Festival, Eridge Park, Kent, UK 6/18/22

“A Shot in the Arm” / “Story to Tell” / “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” / “I Am My Mother” / “Cruel Country” / “Handshake Drugs” / “Hummingbird” / “Ambulance” / “Love is Everywhere (Beware)” / “War on War”/ “Bird Without a Tail / Base of My Skull” / “Impossible Germany” / “At Least That’s What You Said” / “Via Chicago” / “Many Worlds” / “Jesus, Etc.”/ “A Lifetime to Find” / “California Stars” / “Falling Apart (Right Now)”

More later...