Editing Wilco (section)

===''Sky Blue Sky'' (2006–2008)===
[[File:Wilco Matters.ogg|thumb|right|[[John Stirratt]] discussing making ''[[Sky Blue Sky]]'' in 2007]]
Wilco returned to their loft in Chicago to record a sixth studio album in 2006. Influenced by [[The Byrds]] and [[Fairport Convention]], the band considered ''[[Sky Blue Sky]]'' to be less experimental than previous releases.<ref name="Cohen"/> Also unlike on previous albums, the songs were created as collaborations.
[[File:Wilco - Roskilde Festival 2007.jpg|thumb|right|Wilco performing at the [[Roskilde Festival]] in 2007]]
Wilco streamed the album online on March 3, 2007, and offered the song "What Light" as a free MP3 download.<ref>{{cite web|last=Crock |first=Jason |url=https://pitchfork.com/features/interview/6602-wilco/ |title=Wilco |publisher=Pitchfork Media |date=May 7, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070608173247/http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/feature/42415-interview-wilco |archive-date=June 8, 2007|access-date=December 6, 2021}}</ref> Further publicizing the album, Wilco licensed several songs from the ''Sky Blue Sky'' recording sessions for use in a [[Volkswagen]] advertising campaign. The move was criticized by both critics and fans; Wilco responded by noting that they had previously done advertising campaigns with [[Apple Inc.]] and [[movistar|Telefónica Móviles (Movistar)]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wilcoworld.net/news/index.php|title=Wilco–News|date=February 3, 2023 |publisher=wilcoworld.net}} Last accessed July 16, 2007.</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last=Cohen|first=Jonathan|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/wilco-takes-a-spin-with-volkswagen-for-tv-ads-1051724/|title=Wilco Takes a Spin with Volkswagen for TV Ads|magazine=Billboard|date=June 5, 2007}}\</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Caro|first=Mark|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-2007-06-10-0706080716-story.html|title=Does VW Deal Make Wilco a Sellout?|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|date=June 10, 2007|access-date=December 6, 2021}}</ref> The album was released on May 15, 2007, and was a commercial success: it sold over 87,000 copies in its first week and peaked in the top five in the U.S. album charts.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Hasty|first=Katie|url=https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/linkin-park-scores-years-best-debut-with-midnight-1051972/|title=Linkin Park Scores Year's Best Debut with 'Midnight'|magazine=Billboard|date=May 23, 2007|access-date=December 6, 2021}}</ref> It was a top forty hit in seven other countries.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://acharts.us/album/26043|title=Wilco–''Sky Blue Sky''–Music Charts|publisher=acharts.com}} Last accessed July 16, 2007.</ref>

Reviewer James Brubaker says that Wilco "shine[s] on a handful of the songs" on ''Sky Blue Sky'', such as the "light, and straightforward" songs. While he calls it a "great traditional rock and folk album at times,...the rest of the record comes off at times as dull, and forced."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.30music.com/rev.php?mode=revrec&rev=2030 |title="Sky Blue Sky" (CD) |last=Brubaker |first=James |date=May 15, 2007 |work=30music.com }}{{Dead link|date=November 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }} Last accessed February 28, 2008.</ref> A review in ''allaboutjazz'' also had mixed comments. While praising the album as "deceptively insinuating, almost intoxicating to listen to" and noting its "impeccable sound quality," the review said that "''Sky Blue Sky'' becomes the first Wilco album that sounds too careful for its own good."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=25762 |title= Sky Blue Sky |last=Collette |first=Doug |date=June 9, 2007 |work=Allaboutjazz.com }} Last accessed February 28, 2008.</ref>

Pabs Hernandez, a reviewer for ''Lost at Sea'', praised the album's "breezy atmosphere and pacing," and noted that it is not "easily judged upon first listen." Overall, Hernandez mentioned that it "may be no masterpiece, but at worst it's a more than worthy entry into Wilco's laudable catalogue."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.lostatsea.net/review.phtml?id=12361925304652f9100a2f1 |title=Sky Blue Sky |last=Hernandez |first=Pablo |date=May 22, 2007 |work=Lost at Sea Magazine |access-date=February 26, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071021064512/http://lostatsea.net/review.phtml?id=12361925304652f9100a2f1 |archive-date=October 21, 2007 |url-status=dead }} Last accessed February 28, 2008.</ref> Reviewer Greg Locke praised the record as "one of the best albums of the year," calling it a "timeless record, full of sweet, hopeful sophistication and class" and "a lean, mean, soulful album." Like Hernandez, Locke acknowledged that the album could not be properly judged just on the first listening.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.whatzup.com/Music/cd070507b.html |title=Sky Blue Sky Wilco |last=Locke |first=Greg |year=2007 |work=WhatzUp |publisher=Ad Media Inc. |access-date=February 26, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090113092023/http://www.whatzup.com/Music/cd070507b.html |archive-date=January 13, 2009 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }} Last accessed February 28, 2008.</ref> The NPR review also had a positive take on the record. While the NPR reviewer stated that the recording "isn't groundbreaking," they praised its "coherent musical expression" and emphasis on "solid songcraft without pretense" which created a "satisfying and melodically sound album."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=17174915 |title=The Best Albums of the Year, from KUT |last=Brown |first=David |author-link=David Brown (radio host) |date=December 14, 2007 |work=[[National Public Radio]] }} Last accessed February 28, 2008.</ref>

In anticipation of the [[2008 United States presidential election|2008 US presidential election]], Wilco released a downloadable version of [[Bob Dylan]]'s "[[I Shall Be Released]]" that they performed with [[Fleet Foxes]]. The MP3 was available as a free download from the band's website in exchange for a promise to vote in the election.<ref>{{cite web|last=Solarski |first=Matthew |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/33557-plan-to-vote-get-wilcofleet-foxes-dylan-cover-mp3/ |title=Plan to Vote? Get Wilco/Fleet Foxes' Dylan Cover MP3 |publisher=Pitchfork Media |date=September 23, 2008 |access-date=December 6, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081026090749/http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/news/145869-plan-to-vote-get-wilco-fleet-foxes-dylan-cover-mp3 |archive-date=October 26, 2008 |df=mdy }}</ref> The band also made an appearance on ''[[The Colbert Report]]'' to support presidential candidate [[Barack Obama]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cc.com/video/ugfx1s/the-colbert-report-wilco-interview|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210413190207/https://www.cc.com/video/ugfx1s/the-colbert-report-wilco-interview|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 13, 2021|title=Wilco Interview - The Colbert Report|date=October 31, 2008|publisher=Comedy Central|access-date=December 6, 2021}}</ref> Wilco released a live performance DVD, ''[[Ashes of American Flags]]'', on April 18, 2009, to celebrate [[Record Store Day]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://ashesofamericanmovie.com/ |title=Ashesofamericanmovie.com |publisher=Ashesofamericanmovie.com |access-date=October 14, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090822084036/http://ashesofamericanmovie.com/ |archive-date=August 22, 2009 |df=mdy-all }}</ref>

In December 2008, Jeff Tweedy, Pat Sansone, Glenn Kotche, and John Stirratt traveled to [[Auckland]], New Zealand to participate in [[Neil Finn]]'s [[7 Worlds Collide]] sequel project, [[The Sun Came Out]], joined by [[Ed O'Brien]], [[Phil Selway]], [[Johnny Marr]], [[KT Tunstall]], [[Liam Finn]], and [[Lisa Germano]]. They wrote and recorded several new tracks for the [[Oxfam]]-benefiting album including "You Never Know," "What Could Have Been," "Over and Done," and "Don't Forget Me." Jeff Tweedy co-wrote "Too Blue" with Johnny Marr, and Glenn, John, and Pat play on most tracks on the album.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/neil-finn-recruits-wilco-radiohead-members-for-7-worlds-collide-115602/|title=Neil Finn Recruits Wilco, Radiohead Members For 7 Worlds Collide |magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=December 6, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091206063037/http://www.rollingstone.com/rockdaily/index.php/2009/07/29/neil-finn-recruits-wilco-radiohead-members-for-7-worlds-collides-the-sun-came-out/ |archive-date=December 6, 2009 }}</ref>

The band stayed in Auckland through January recording for their next album at Finn's own [[Roundhead Studios]]. Jim Scott, who was the engineer and mixer for the Neil Finn project, stayed on in the same capacity for the Wilco sessions. Nels Cline and Mikael Jorgensen later added overdubs to the tracks at the band's Chicago Loft.