After more than two decades of intriguing, elliptical songwriting and pioneering achievements in the field of alt-country, Wilco are undergoing a period of renewed public interest in them. Two records have been released in the space of two years (2015’s Star Wars and 2016’s Schmilco), the group is currently touring again and there’s even a ‘request any song’ application on their official website for them to play live. A slightly surprising time, then, for the band’s ingenious leader Jeff Tweedy to offer up a solo album. Not only that, Together At Last sees him revisit his own back catalogue armed just with an acoustic guitar, ranging from Wilco favourites to his work with side-projects Loose Fur (with Jim O’Rourke) and alt-country supergroup Golden Smog.

From the description, it might seem that Together At Last is just one for hardcore Wilco fans, but the acoustic approach actually makes this a rather handy entry point for newcomers to Tweedy’s work post-Uncle Tupelo. The stripped-back guitar-and-harmonica approach exposes the inner core of beauty of these tracks, leaving more room for Tweedy’s skill for imagery, metaphor and sideways social commentary in his writing. ‘Ashes Of American Flags’ and ‘I Am Trying To Break Your Heart’, both from 2001 masterpiece Yankee Hotel Foxtrot, make an appearance and benefit from the treatment. The most dramatic transformations are the version of Loose Fur’s ‘Laminated Cat’ is much more lachrymose than the original, and the new take on Summerteeth’s ‘I’m Always In Love’ that is now a breezy groove.

While it can get a touch repetitive and the acoustic-only feels a bit limited at times, there’s a soothing ambience that Tweedy is able to conjure that serves to make the album more than just a piece for completists. Hardened Wilco fans will be missing the complex electric guitars of Nels Cline, for example, but Together At Last is a worthwhile and satisfying musical exercise even if not particularly original or essential. (6/10) (Ed Biggs)

Listen to Together At Last here via Spotify, and tell us what you think below!