Having left behind the ‘dad-rock’ sound that permeated through their two previous albums in favour of an impressive mix of upbeat Elvis Costello-style rockers, sombre ballads and more experimental wig-outs, Chicago’s Wilco have played a blinder.

The Whole Love was preceded by the fantastic single "I Might", a stomping glockenspiel-tinged marvel. Other tracks in this vein are executed with similar energy and volume, such as the fast-paced "Standing O", featuring the most infectious hand-clapping since Kool and the Gang, as well as "Born Alone", a song which perfectly serves as a showcase for the singer’s unique skill for melody and the virtuosic guitar-playing of Nels Cline.

Cline’s presence is felt far more strongly on The Whole Love than on either of his previous records with the band, delivering an Earth-shattering solo on the stunning opener, "Art of Almost", a sample-laden slice of psych-rock. While such a degree of experimentation isn’t achieved again on the rest of the album, "...Almost" serves as an extremely potent musical display of one of the best bands working today.

Meanwhile, much of the album is made up of tracks like "Sunloathe" and "Capitol City": subdued but supremely melodic songs that wouldn’t have felt out of place on The Beatles’ Abbey Road. The latter of these packs in a clarinet solo, slide guitar and more glockenspiel but stays distinctly unironic, one of the qualities that makes Tweedy’s songwriting so compelling. Without such earnest composition, the 12-minute closer "One Sunday Morning" would be laughable. It instead is one of the most captivating songs here, based around a beautifully delicate guitar motif and hushed confessional vocals.

With this record, Wilco are undoubtably back to their best, having made a great-sounding album. That said, what makes this album sound impressive never gets in the way of how enjoyable Wilco’s music is. For fans, this is of course a must-have but equally to those who have never heard them, The Whole Love serves as a perfect introduction and, crucially, a very fun listen.

[4/5]