The Force is with Wilco’s ‘ Star Wars’

When Wilco dropped its new album, Star Wars, by surprise Thursday night — without charging fans a penny for it — frontman Jeff Tweedy declared on the group’s Facebook page that “the biggest reason” for the release, “and I’m not sure we even need any others, is that it felt like it would be fun.” Star Wars is, in execution, certainly that. With 11 tracks clocking in at just 34 minutes, the album has the breezy, unforced feel of a midsummer jaunt. Call it an anti- opus if you will, the work of seasoned musicians having fun in the studio, but not without some purposeful experimentation in mind.

The album announces itself with the brisk instrumental EKG, driven by dissonant, spiraling guitars. The axes grind with similar force on More ..., though Tweedy’s distinctly thin, ragged vocals set a dreamier, more wistful vibe. Random Name Gener

ator gets the band pumped up again, building to a dizzying, charging exit.

Throughout, we’re reminded of the punk and classic rock influences that have always informed Tweedy’s work. His voice assumes a Lennonesque slouch and twang on The Joke Explained, which ends with a lyrical flourish that sounds like a wink. Cold Slope is crisp and crackling, but with lush, atmospheric interludes. Pickled

Ginger is more consistently stark, with fuzzy textures and a relentless groove.

The group’s alt- country roots also show. The droll Taste the

Ceiling has a sturdy, rootsy foundation embellished by subtle, spooky chirping effects. The lovely, earnest Where Do I Begin? is driven by the simple jangle of a guitar, until it jumps to a looping coda.

Whatever the strategy behind it, Star Wars offers a quick and exhilarating ride — one that is, obviously, well worth the cost of the trip.

ZORAN ORLIC Wilco — Nels Cline, John Stirratt, Jeff Tweedy, Glenn Kotche, Mikael Jorgensen, Pat Sansone — surprises fans with a new album, which it also gives away.