Last June, Wilco unwrapped an unexpected musical gift for fans attending their biannual Solid Sound Festival. On the second night of the festival, the band performed their acclaimed fifth studio album A Ghost is Born in its entirety midway through their set. The performance marked the album’s twentieth anniversary and served as a celebration of the band’s longevity, the musical community that their music inspires, and songwriter Jeff Tweedy’s survival.

The festival set whet the fans appetite for the next installment in Wilco’s extensive reissue series. Wishful thinking paid off when the deluxe edition of A Ghost is Born hit shelves on February 7. Offered as a 9 CD or 9LP set, this deep dive into Wilco’s most experimental album presents countless musical revelations in stunning sound quality. The deluxe package includes a newly remastered version of the original album, two discs of outtakes and alternates from the recording sessions, a live performance from Boston’s Wang Theater on October 1, 2004, and four jam packed cd’s of improvisatory, composition in real time titled “Fundamentals”. These discs provide a fly-on-the-wall vantage point into the band’s creative process at this point in their artistic evolution.

The 48-page hardback book delivers insight into the recording process, the state of Wilco during the sessions, and meticulously detailed breakdowns of each track. The comprehensive essay by best selling author Bob Mehr is the articulate explication that this enigmatic album deserves. Never-before-seen photos and documents from Wilco’s archives create a truly immersive experience for longtime fans and new converts.

A Ghost is Born was recorded over a tumultuous two-year period from 2002 through 2004. Between the album’s gestation and release, Wilco would part ways with key collaborators LeRoy Bach and Jim O’Rourke, and recruit keyboardist Mikael Jorgensen, multi-instrumentalist Pat Sansone and guitarist Nels Cline. Cline and Sansone joined after the album’s completion and were inaugurated into the group during rehearsals for the following tour.

During this period, Tweedy’s addiction to prescription opiates worsened and he began to contemplate his own mortality. The recording sessions and hectic touring schedule were punctuated by a vicious cycle of migraines, self-medication and panic attacks, which left Tweedy doubting if he would survive his addiction. As he immersed himself in the creative process, he envisioned Ghost as an aural document of his mental state that his young children could listen to one day to better know their father. “Remember to remember me, standing still in your past” Tweedy sings poignantly on the chorus of “Hummingbird”. In 2004, Tweedy would enter rehabilitation and emerge clean, sober and artistically rejuvenated, ready to take the new songs and the new Wilco on the road.

The remastered album is a reminder of why fans are eager to upgrade their favorite albums for optimal fidelity. Wilco has been famous for exemplary sound quality on each of their releases for three decades. This new version of A Ghost is Born accentuates the fine details of the recording and does justice to the band’s riveting performance and production. Tweedy’s blistering guitar outro on “At Least That’s What You Said” has never sounded so urgent. The solo’s piercing tone serves as the exclamation point to one of Tweedy’s most vulnerable vocals on record. When stunning dynamics bolster raw emotion with this much power, even the most jaded listeners will feel goosebumps.

Jorgensen’s emotive piano on “Hell is Chrome” and Tweedy’s baritone 12-string on “Muzzle of Bees” both dispel the notion that digital recordings cannot convey warmth. The strings on “Hummingbird” underscore the songs perfect tonal balance of melancholy and joy. After listing to the master of “Handshake Drugs” one will understand why John Stirratt is known as one of the great melodic bassists of modern times. His Hofner bass cuts through the mix like a marathon runner’s heartbeat on mile twenty-six.

Wilco’s ability to use the studio as an instrument is evident on each track, leading to a riveting climax on “Less Than You Think”. The album’s penultimate track begins as another beautiful Tweedy ballad before dissolving into a sea of entrancing feedback. The soundscape was intended as a representation of the debilitating migraines that plagued Tweedy since childhood. That’s not to say that the piece is an unpleasant listen. On the contrary, the new remaster reveals many layers of instrumentation that keep the listener engaged and challenged. After the meditative and cathartic feedback fades out, the album concludes with “The Late Greats” an ode to artists who persevere without wide recognition. A fitting end to an album fueled by raw creativity.

The two discs of outtakes and alternates are a phenomenal audio documentary of Wilco as a band in flux. The earliest recordings from 2002 would not sound out of place on their preceding LP, Yankee Hotel Foxtrot. Tracks such as “More Like the Moon”, “Bob Dylan’s 49th Beard” and an early version of “Handshake Drugs” were originally issued on a bonus ep shortly after Yankee was released. The acoustic power pop of “Diamond Claw” and an early, guitar and drum driven version of “Hummingbird” are a fascinating glimpse into the band’s direction between two albums. Other surprises include early versions of “Impossible Germany” (titled “Improbable Germany” originally) and “Leave Me (Like You Found Me)” which wouldn’t appear on record until 2007’s Sky Blue Sky.

An early performance from the current Wilco lineup from Boston’s Wang Theatre is an exciting document of the band’s live prowess. New members Cline, Jorgensen and Sansone gelled almost immediately to bring the songs on A Ghost is Born to life onstage while adding new dimensions to an already extensive back catalogue. This performance showcases a band with renewed enthusiasm and intuitive interplay. Highlights include the dynamic opening duo of “Muzzle of Bees” and “Company in my Back” and a tight and evocative reading of “Theologians”. The explosive version of “Spiders (kidsmoke)” includes Cline and Tweedy trading guitar parts, stretching the song into uncharted territory. The band breathes new life into older tunes such as “A Shot in the Arm”, “Ashes of American Flags”, “Poor Places” and “She’s a Jar”. After the latter number, Tweedy’s dry humor elicits laughter when he expresses guilt for receiving applause for such an easy harmonica solo. Wilco is clearly elated to have survived the previous year’s obstacles, and the audience reciprocates their energy.

This energy exchange transpired again at Solid Sound twenty years later. Wilco proved once again that artists can overcome challenges and age gracefully without losing their fire. The band continues to experiment with new sounds and perform old favorites with enthusiasm. Never a group to rest on their laurels, Wilco’s journeys into the past always provide inspiration for the future. Where will they take us next?