It's amazing that with Wilco's tour schedule and release of their recent double live album that Jeff Tweedy, drummer Glenn Kotche and producer/honorary member Jim O'Rourke had any free time whatsoever to pay a visit to their Loose Fur side project. Released back in 2003, the first Loose Fur affair was steeped in such ridiculous amounts of experimental self-indulgence, one might have guessed that they'd gotten it out of their system for good. Surprisingly however, this Loose Fur album is much tighter knit.

The title of the album is very tongue in cheek but don't worry yourself, it's not a Bruce Springsteen covers record; even though this album has more of a classic rock feel than recent Wilco releases. Though it's far from the free-form "off-the-left-field-wall" avant-garde nature of the first Loose Fur record, with someone as experimental as Jim O'Rourke on board, there are gonna be those kinds of spaced out Post-Rock type moments. If that's what revs your motor, move directly to the 10-minute shambling ramble of "Wreckroom" or the completely instumental "An Ecumenical Matter" and call it a day. But fans that have clamored for Wilco to return to their roots will find surprise and solace in the first two tracks on Born Again, "Hey Chicken" and "The Ruling Class;" both sung with upbeat passion by Tweedy. Even O'Rourke (whose vocals usually bug the hell out of me) does an adequate job with the songs he sings; none better than "Answers To Your Questions" and "Thou Shalt Wilt." While Born Again In The USA isn't as instantly memorable as anything from the Wilco canon, it's a substantial improvement over their previous Loose Fur release and makes me hope that these three will once again re-convene when they find another gap of nothing better to do.