By Chris Hoge

Mention the band Wilco to a group of hip Mac students and chances are good that at least one of them will use the phrase “dad rock.” Dad rock is basically a genre that somebody made up to describe rock music that is mild, unoffensive, and traditional – in other words, music that your dad heard on NPR. Wilco probably deserves this reputation (most of the band members are actually dads themselves), but their music hasn’t always been bland. Early Wilco albums in the late nineties and early naughts were great because they balanced familiarity with experimentation; songs that felt like pure American folk were then reconstructed into something challenging and beautiful. The Whole Love is the first Wilco record in almost eight years to recapture the inspired spirit of albums like Yankee Hotel Foxtrot and A Ghost Is Born. Standout tracks include “I Might,” “Dawned On Me,” and the title track. Pick up a copy, and one for your dad too.