Chicago rock band Wilco returns to Bend, performing Tuesday, Sept. 20, at Hayden Homes Amphitheater.

When Wilco first played Bend’s outdoor amphitheater — then named after local tire magnate Les Schwab — the Chicago band was touring behind its album “Sky Blue Sky,” a collection of shimmering, sighing folk-rock songs.

When they returned in 2015, they did so just a few weeks after surprise-releasing their ninth album, “Star Wars,” an unruly set of art-rock songs that buzz and knock and bumble and skronk, tunefully but noisily — that’s the Wilco way, sometimes.

This week, the band is back again, this time touring behind its 12th album, “Cruel Country.” Touted as Wilco’s return to its twangier early days, its 21 tracks do have their country moments, but mostly they simply showcase the top-shelf songwriting of frontman Jeff Tweedy.

That’s three trips to Bend after releasing three albums that are quite different from one another, stylistically, which is a pretty good summary of Wilco, one of the more adventurous American bands of the past 25 years.

Wilco, with Kamikaze Palm Tree: $45-$79.50, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 20, doors open 5 p.m., Hayden Homes Amphitheater, 344 SW Shevlin Hixon Drive, Bend, bendconcerts.com.