“It’s Perfection”: The Unusual Album That Inspired Wilco’s Glenn Kotche

American indie rock band Wilco has delivered a number of albums since their start in 1994. Some of those releases are considered legendary in the American indie rock songbook. And Wilco hasn’t really taken a break, either. The band has a whopping 13 albums in their discography, the last of which was released in September of 2023. A noteworthy piece of work would be the 2001 release Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, which has been hailed for its excellent songwriting and musicianship, as well as the controversy surrounding its release.

The band members have spoken fondly about their inspirations. A few names include the likes of Television, Bill Fay, The Beatles, and more. Wilco’s longtime drummer and percussionist Glenn Kotche has also spoken about his personal favorite album from the last two decades. One could say that the album has inspired his work with Wilco. And it may just become your new favorite album, too.

The Album That Inspired Wilco’s Glenn Kotche: ‘Dysnomia’ by Dawn Of Midi

A few years ago, Pitchfork conducted a mass interview of popular musicians to learn about the kinds of albums such figures in the music world would consider their favorites. Wilco’s Glenn Kitche said that his favorite album from the last quarter century was none other than Dawn Of Midi’s 2013 album Dysnomia.

“This record fascinates me to this day,” said Glenn Kotche of the album Dysnomia by Dawn Of Midi. “Rhythm is at the forefront here—with sparse layers (inspired from African drumming traditions) ebbing, flowing, and unfolding to create a beautifully measured work that is simply captivating. Melody and harmony are born from this process in exciting and unexpected ways. That it sounds completely electronic and studio-concocted but in actuality is performed on acoustic instruments (traditional jazz trio of drums, piano, and upright bass) is the icing on the cake.”

Kotche went on to say that the album inspired him to keep looking for “fresh sounds” on his instrument. The album also encouraged him to explore more “complex rhythmic structures” as a percussionist for Wilco.

“There is nothing else that sounds like this music—it’s perfection,” Kotche continued. “And each of the several times I was fortunate enough to see it performed live was a completely enjoyable and rewarding experience—three absolutely wonderful and interesting musicians producing truly compelling sounds and making something only they could.”

If you’re a fan of acoustic ensembles, we highly recommend listening to this album in its entirety.

Photo by Zach Hilty/BFA/Shutterstock

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