Rarely, you can sum up a live album by what songs appear from what albums. Wilco, however, is a band that lives by its albums; each has such a unique sound, sometimes it's hard to bring the picture together. So really, a live album is perfect for them, highlighting how they're really the same band despite lineup changes and a diverse set of styles. In this case, A Ghost Is Born is improved. "Heavy Metal Drummer" is looser, and "The Late Greats" is in a context where it doesn't sound like a throwaway at the end of a long album. Yankee Hotel Foxtrot seems less like an aberration to their general sound when placed next to Summerteeth and Being There songs. "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart" sounds natural coming between "Handshake Drugs" and "Shot in the Arm." Summerteeth mixes effortlessly with the aforementioned albums, and the songs chosen from the more roots rock-driven Being There unexpectedly feel at home. Their debut, 3AM was not invited, but a couple songs from their Mermaid Avenue project complete the picture. Until a "Greatest Hits" set is compiled for them (and maybe even after that), Kicking Television works best as a summary of where Wilco were in 2005.
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