All critic scores are converted to a 100-point scale. If a critic does not indicate a score, we assign a score based on the general impression given by the text of the review. Learn more...

100

Spin

Not since Grateful Dead's Europe '72 has there been a live double album in which intimacy and expansiveness, guitar mess and piano reflection commingle this sweetly. [Dec 2005, p.107]

100

E! Online

The band turns each song up to 11 and lets its rabid hometown fans provide thousand-strong backing vocals. It'll make you want to yell "Woooh!" too.

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Entertainment Weekly

There's no denying this is the sound of a band at its onstage peak. [18 Nov 2005, p.135]

Billboard

One of America's greatest bands has never sounded better. [19 Nov 2005]

The Onion (A.V. Club)

While it's no surprise that the YHF songs sound better live, it's surprising how much better Ghost songs like "Company In My Back" and "The Late Greats" sound with the addition of some synthesizer accents and thicker guitars.

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Paste Magazine

A vivid document not only of how far Wilco has come, but also of how distinct its vision has been all along. [Dec 2005, p.112]

Los Angeles Times

It embraces both Tweedy's classicism and his refusal to settle for the familiar. [20 Nov 2005]

Pitchfork

So this is what A Ghost Is Born is supposed to sound like.

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Uncut

In this live setting, fascinatingly, the brutality to which the songs are subjected only serves to underscore their poignancy. [Dec 2005, p.100]

Dot Music

"Kicking Television" documents a band on fire and a frontman in clarion clear voice.

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Q Magazine

Live albums rarely come equipped with such a strong pulse. [Jan 2006, p.124]

Blender

Sounds like a greatest hits set. [Dec 2005, p.156]

All Music Guide

Kicking Television is the best sort of live album -- a recording that doesn't merely retread a band's back catalog, but puts their songs in a new perspective.

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Under The Radar

Captures a band at the height of their creative powers. [#12, p.95]

ShakingThrough.net

If you love guitar histrionics, Live in Chicago is a white-hot keeper.

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Stylus Magazine

Kicking Television is consistent, professional, and unapologetically inclusive. It’s also a uniformly strong testament from one of rock’s most endearing acts, capable of producing both heady noise jams and shameless lighter-wavers.

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Drowned In Sound

When the band truly comes together, there's a lightness of touch and a winning intimacy.

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PopMatters

With smart sequencing and good production, the album documents one of rock's most engaging acts in the manner they deserve.

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Rolling Stone

Both a love letter to Wilco's dedicated fans and a definitive live statement from America's foremost rock impressionists. [3 Nov 2005, p.88]

Mojo

A worthy snapshot of a band at its peak. [Dec 2005, p.104]

What Our Users Said

The average user rating for this album is 9.0 (out of 10) based on 36 User Votes

Note: User votes are NOT included in the Metascore calculation.

david h gave it a9:
A live album of historic proportions. The band transforms their songs, maing the most of new members Nels Cline and Pat Sansone and Glenn Kotche's powerful drumming to set the always heavily studio-driven Wilco sound soaring.Took a few listens to get past the relatively unvarnished sound quality.

al e gave it a10:
A great live album by a great band. Nels Cline is a great addition, and this really shows the bands strengths, and highlights JT's excellent songwriting.

[Anonymous] gave it a10:
Best live rock album since "Waiting for Columbus" or the like. Stands up to many repeated listenings, and some tracks are really incredible. For Wilco fans, reveals more depth to many songs that probably were not favorites (e.g., Airline to Heaven; Wishful Thinking). Non-Wilco fans who have heard it also express admiration. Tweedy's vocals are sometimes a bit weak, but the overall musicianship of the band and the strength and originality of the songs (with the exception of the last track) make this a classic.

Michael K gave it a9:
Despite the fact that most of the songs are on other Wilco albums, it most often sounds like something completely new. Listening to this album makes me very envious of the people who were at the gigs. Terrific!

Travis B gave it a9:
one of the best live albums I have ever heard. some of the versions of the songs are better than the originals like spiders and ashes of american flags. truly captures the essence of Wilco

James M gave it a4:
this is about as fun as listening to phish, i.e., not very.

jacok gave it a10:
I want a video of this show!!

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Kicking Television: Live In Chicago

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