Wilco Guitarist Nels Cline Announces Solo Album & Shares Single

Wilco guitarist Nels Cline has revealed details of an expansive new solo album entitled Lovers. More than 25 years in the making, the new record mixes solo material and songs written by an eclectic array of composers and musicians. Blue Note Records will issue Lovers on August 5.

“I have been dreaming about, planning, and re-working my rather obsessive idea of this record for well over 25 years, and it was always going to be called Lovers,” said Cline. “It is meant to be as personal in its sound and in its song selection as it is universal in its endeavor to assay or map the parameters of ‘mood’ as it once pertained, and currently pertains, to the peculiar and powerful connection between sound/song and intimacy/romance. In this, I hope Lovers offers something of an update of the ‘mood music’ idea and ideal, while celebrating and challenging our iconic notion of romance.”

The album features songs written by Cline as well as icons such as Rodgers & Hart, Henry Mancini, Rodgers & Hammerstein, Jerome Kern and a song originally done by Sonic Youth. Arranged and conducted by Michael Leonhart and produced by David Breskin, Cline employed an orchestra for the album featuring frequent collaborators such as his twin brother, drummer Alex Cline and guitarist Julian Lage, among many others.

Here’s the album track “Beautiful Love”:

Lovers Tracklist

Side One

1. Introduction / Diaphanous (music by Nels Cline)
2. Glad To Be Unhappy (music by Richard Rodgers / lyrics by Lorenz Hart)
3. Beautiful Love (music by Wayne King, Victor Young & Egbert Van Alstyne / lyrics by Haven Gillespie)
4. Hairpin & Hatbox (music by Nels Cline)
5. Cry, Want (music by Jimmy Giuffre)

Side Two

1. Lady Gabor (music by Gabor Szabo)
2. The Bed We Made (music by Nels Cline)
3. You Noticed (music by Nels Cline)
4. Secret Love (music by Sammy Fain / lyrics by Paul Francis Webster)
5. I Have Dreamed (music by Richard Rodgers / lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II)

Side Three

1. Why Was I Born? (music by Jerome Kern / lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II)
2. Invitation (music by Bronislaw Kaper / lyrics by Paul Francis Webster)
3. It Only Has To Happen Once (music and lyrics by Arto Lindsay & Peter Scherer)
4. The Night Porter / Max, Mon Amour (music by Daniele Paris (The Night Porter) / music by Michel Portal (Max, Mon Amour)

Side Four

1. Snare, Girl (music & lyrics by Sonic Youth)
2. So Hard It Hurts / Touching (music by Annette Peacock)
3. The Search For Cat (music by Henry Mancini)
4. The Bond (music by Nels Cline)