Star Wars
by Wilco
Metascore
83

Universal acclaim - based on 29 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 26 out of 29
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 29
  3. Negative: 0 out of 29
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  1. The Independent (UK)
    Jul 24, 2015
    100
    Even by Wilco’s adventurous standards, Star Wars is possibly the most unusual, exploratory work of the band’s existence.
  2. Entertainment Weekly
    Jul 29, 2015
    91
    At its weirdest and fuzziest moments, Star Wars retains an infectious joie de vivre--it’s the sound of dudes who love tapping into one another’s talent and humanity.
  3. Rolling Stone
    Jul 24, 2015
    90
    The music's urgent, live-in-the-studio feel pairs well with Tweedy's lyrics, which seem more direct and compact than they have in a while.
  5. Drowned In Sound
    Jul 23, 2015
    90
    Everything sounds fresh, new and different, but every song is still recognisably Wilco; it just sounds like Wilco at their best.
  6. Chicago Tribune
    Jul 17, 2015
    88
    It's impossible to assess an album this thick with twists and turns in a few hours. But at this early stage, it feels rich enough to reward more listens.
  7. Under The Radar
    Jul 23, 2015
    85
    Through the myriad fresh ideas found within Star Wars the evidence is clear that not only are he and the band standing tall, they continue to stride out as leading lights in a field where many of their contemporaries are sitting on their laurels. Star Wars is the glorious sound of an act still wired to create, programmed to experiment, and stacked with emotion to spare.
  8. Pretty Much Amazing
    Jul 21, 2015
    83
    The record boasts snappy hooks, passive-aggressive bon mots, and plenty of noise, proving that Tweedy has no intention of calming down anytime soon.
  9. The A.V. Club
    Jul 20, 2015
    83
    Star Wars is absolutely that journey to challenging parts unknown, and, thankfully, it’s a trip worth taking.
  10. Consequence
    Jul 20, 2015
    83
    The record’s impromptu release was surprising; that Star Wars delivered on all of the excitement surrounding it is anything but.
  11. The Wire
    Sep 2, 2015
    80
    Their current incarnation has an almost puppyish energy and optimism which makes the album's 34-minutes seem even shorter and more repeatable. [Sep 2015, p.54]
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  12. Uncut
    Aug 27, 2015
    80
    It is short--just over 30 minutes--but it feels sprightly and substantial. [Oct 2015, p.84]
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  13. Q Magazine
    Aug 25, 2015
    80
    Star Wars feels like the work of a band remapping their space. [Oct 2015, p.115]
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  14. musicOMH.com
    Aug 25, 2015
    80
    Even when the pace becomes more middling and unified towards the end of the album, there’s still a sense of a band taking risks and exploring sound.
  15. Paste Magazine
    Jul 28, 2015
    80
    They make “tossed-off” and “slight” sound like the utmost virtues, and most of these songs sound like they were recorded in real time.
  16. AllMusic
    Jul 27, 2015
    80
    These songs find the group's leader on more comfortable ground, and the tone of Star Wars is that of some good friends tossing ideas against the wall and discovering that a surprising number of them stick.
  17. Mojo
    Jul 22, 2015
    80
    Star Wars confirms that Wilco now fully own a unique American noise wherein nothing is wholly traditional or wholly experimental. But if the band’s own sense of self is stalwart, the characters they detail are consistently unmoored.
  18. American Songwriter
    Jul 21, 2015
    80
    Star Wars may have been released on the spur of the moment, but Wilco’s alchemistic gifts ensure that it’s a moment which fans will want to keep on reliving.
  19. Sputnikmusic
    Jul 21, 2015
    80
    This is the sound of a cohesive unit letting it rip in the studio for by far the shortest album of their careers--and not a note is misplaced or wasted, despite how (intentionally) messy it sounds.
  20. Los Angeles Times
    Jul 20, 2015
    80
    Nothing ever quite feels certain on Star Wars, an album in which one of pop-culture’s most recognizable phrases--and a 20-year-old band--is flipped into something wholly unpredictable.
  21. NOW Magazine
    Jul 20, 2015
    80
    It’s also the best Wilco album in a minute, and that’s largely due to its leanness (the run time is just over 30 minutes) and masterfully arranged pop tunes.
  22. Slant Magazine
    Jul 20, 2015
    80
    Turns out Wilco are still full of surprises.
  23. The Guardian
    Jul 17, 2015
    80
    Perhaps all will be revealed on repeated listens, but for now Star Wars sounds like a band having an absolute blast with both the pop music form and the ways in which we hear it.
  24. Pitchfork
    Jul 23, 2015
    77
    Star Wars is their strongest record in a decade.
  25. The Line of Best Fit
    Jul 17, 2015
    75
    On first time listen, Star Wars feels neither utterly victorious nor rushed, vapid or misjudged. Whilst moments of majesty and bona fide alt-rock wizardry snake in and out of the occasionally throwaway, the overriding feeling here is one of huge relief and pleasant surprise.
  26. Spin
    Jul 23, 2015
    70
    No one song sticks out so prominently this time around, but that’s just because Star Wars works so well as a cohesive whole.
  27. PopMatters
    Jul 21, 2015
    70
    By stripping away their sound and for the most part, getting in and out of a song in about three minutes, Wilco has embraced their punkier roots.

Awards & Rankings

71
#71 Best Album of 2015

User Reviews

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User Score
8.4

Universal acclaim- based on 86 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 76 out of 86
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 86
  3. Negative: 1 out of 86
  1. linclink
    Jul 20, 2015
    10
    Wilco has released an album that just solidifies their place as the greatest/most interesting working band in modern music. "Star Wars" is anWilco has released an album that just solidifies their place as the greatest/most interesting working band in modern music. "Star Wars" is an action packed, whirlwind of an album whose 11 songs (opening shorter instrumental & 10 others) clock in at just under 35 min.. There isn't a dull moment in the ride. The songwriting is top notch, the band firing on all cylinders. There's no telling how long certain bands can stay at a peak level like this. That Wilco has gone 20 years at this continuous high level, with nary a glitch, is a rare & precious thing indeed. Enjoy them for as long as they might burn this brightly.
    The album truly sounds like a cohesive whole & I hope that they continue to play the full work, as they did at the Pitchfork Festival recently. While they still sound like Wilco, this album, like most of their works, sounds unique unto itself. If I had to reference any past works it recalls I guess there'd be some of "A Ghost Is Born", some of Jeff's side project Loose Fur (they made 2 albums) & some "Summerteeth" too. But that referencing doesn't come close to doing it justice. It's nothing short of a modern masterpiece & they play the daylights out of it live.    … Full Review »
  2. exodus9237
    Jul 20, 2015
    9
    As everyone, I was shocked by this surprise release. I've been waiting for a new Wilco album since Tweedy released Sukierae and this is justAs everyone, I was shocked by this surprise release. I've been waiting for a new Wilco album since Tweedy released Sukierae and this is just great. I'm even a little sad that it is short for a Wilco album, but may be that's what it is, something different in a band that has proof of bieng able to bring something new to the table with each release. When I heard Sleater-Kinney's No cities to love in January I thought that that album was going to be the best rock album of the year, may be this one's not better but it certainly gives the other a strong battle.… Full Review »
  3. frankrog29
    Jul 19, 2015
    9
    It's a cliche to say this, but this album is a "return to form" for Wilco. Every song on Star Wars is quirky and ingenious. Some of the songsIt's a cliche to say this, but this album is a "return to form" for Wilco. Every song on Star Wars is quirky and ingenious. Some of the songs sound deceptively simple, but, upon further examination, turn out to be very original and non-traditional structurally. The album has a somewhat 1970's, fuzzy-rock-guitar aesthetic reminiscent of some of the songs from A Ghost Is Born (I'm A Wheel, Kicking Television). Jeff Tweedy has the ability to write piercingly sad songs; he also has the ability to write groovy rock songs that are incredibly fun to listen to. Composed mostly of the latter, I think Star Wars is an outstanding album that ranks at the top of Wilco's oeuvre, along with YHF, A Ghost Is Born, and Sky Blue Sky.… Full Review »
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