Built to Spill
albums
genre (if you acknowledge genres; I don't). At most, they were among the top five bands of the 1990's, and of all
time really. They made two albums that both have consideration for greatest record ever made, Perfect from Now
On which is my personal favorite, and Keep it Like a Secret, another flawless record. Beyond that they have other
great works as well, and what is amazing is their evolution. Like all great bands they evolve, and looking at each
album it is another page in re-writing rock history. Led by the singer/songwriter Doug Martsch who is not only one
of the most original guitarists in rock music, but also one of the best lyricists. His songs do not tell stories in a linear
fashion, they make universal statements and teach life lessons as they go. One of the most interesting bands
around, Built to Spill will no doubt go down in history as legendary.
Band Members: Doug Martsch - Guitar, Vocals
Scott Plouf - Drums
Brett Nelson - Bass
Best Albums: Perfect from Now On and Keep it Like a Secret
Biggest Influences: Neil Young, Dinosaur Jr., Television
1993
Ultimate Alternative Wavers - 5/8
Ultimate News Wavers is the first jump out of the muck into something formative. It's kind of a mess, but that is
part of this band's charm. There are definitely some outstanding songs: "Three Years Ago Today" is their most
forward looking song, while "Hazy and "Get a Life" are also great examples of a hopefully growing band. The thing
is, most of this material is merely "good not great" and that can wane on a fellow after a while. Though "Nowhere
Nothin' Fuckup" is as clever as everything and "Shameful Dread" (why does it change 7 minutes in like that?) has
some intriguing parts, they aren't exactly mind blowing or future oriented. As far as openers, closers, and crafting
an album, the band is juts not there yet. The record shows off a lot of cool influences (Neil Young and Velvet
Underground most of all), but Ultimate News Wavers is more of a fans only record. Still, there is a certain joy to it
that expresses free experimentation and interesting guitar lines to say the least; its just not done well enough to
recommend. - Trevor e.y.
1.the first song- 3
2.three years ago today- 4
3.revolution- 2
4.shameful dread- 2
5.nowhere nothin' fuckup- 3
6.get a life- 4
7.built to spill- 2
8.lie for a lie- 3
9.hazy- 3
10.built to long parts 1, 2, & 3- 2
1994
There's Nothing Wrong With Love - 7/8
On their second record, the band hasn't really "improved" as much as "changed their approach to
songwriting". Whether this album is better than UNW depends on what kind of Built to Spill fan you are; the band
has many different modes. To me this is a great record, one that uses nostalgia and good timing with a very
positive vibe (songs like "Twin Falls" and "Distopian Dream Girl" show this off). This also stands as some of the
most influential "indie" rock records ever made. Whether its a Crosby, Stills, Nash, and Young sing along like "Car"
or Fling", or a great little ditty like "Reasons" or "Stab", the record has its devoted followers. The only time the
record falters is the mess of "Cleo", "Some", and "The Source", that not only are mediocre songs but don't fit the
tone of the record at all. But oh well, with most of the record being so light hearted and fun, it is hard to complain,
and very easy to enjoy as a great album. - Trevor e.y.
1.in the morning- 4
2.reasons- 4*
3.big dipper- 4
4.car- 4
5.fling- 4
6.cleo- 2
7.the source- 2
8.twin falls- 4
9.some- 2
10.distopian dream girl- 4
11.isreal's song- 3
12.stab- 3
1997
Perfect From Now On- 9/8
Going from their last album to this masterpiece, Built to Spill may have created the most ambitious album ever
made. The songs on this album are not even in the same universe as There is Nothing Wrong with Love; not that
there was anything wrong with that sound, but this shows an ever evolving band. Every song on Perfect from now
On is over five minutes except one, but that shouldn't turn any listeners off, because every song one here seems
like more than one song blended together with melodies abound. From the opener "Randy Describes Eternity"
through the shifting "Untrustable pt. 2"", the songs have these melodies that just flow together so beautifully that
the listener doesn't even notice that the same song is still going on! "Out of Site" and "Stop the Show" are the best
examples of this kind of writing. The thing is, even if the styles of the different segments of songs differ, they just
flow together so well.
The lyrics are so powerful too, especially in the centerpiece "Velvet Waltz". This song is the hardest to like at
first, but once you notice that you like it (by about the tenth listen), it will not matter how many times Doug Martsch
says 'sun'. "In a world that's not so bad, in a world time is killing in the suuuuuun." This album could be someone's
whole life, there is so much meaning and so much beauty. It pressures rock music to be something more,
something different. Another lyric samples states, "After a while you know the style and that's enough to know you
suck." Not delivered like pretentious know-it-all's or anything, this music deserves to be held above all others as
examples of where rock music should go, and it will stand the test of time well. Even songs that might be deemed
weaker ("Made Up Dreams", "Kicked in the Sun") are made great by either lyrics or songs shiftings; nothing less
than great tracks exist here. One of the two Built to Spill albums that defy all musical conventions, one of the best
albums ever. - Trevor e.y.
1.randy described eternity- 4
2.i would hurt a fly- 4*
3.stop the show- 4
4.made up dreams- 4
5.velvet waltz- 4*
6.out of site- 4
7.kicked it in the sun- 4
8.untrustable/part 2- 4
1999
Keep it Like a Secret - 9/8
A great album full of diverse, complicated songs and atmospheres. The album has a mellow feel to it, and it
becomes more likable with every listen. Keep it Like a Secret is never to much in-your-face-rock, and never boring
either. The opener "The Plan" is great, and the following second track "Center of the Universe" is a simple catchy
song. "Carry the Zero" and "Time Trap", along with the closing song "Broken Chairs", are the albums diverse
songs; challenging the listener but fulfilling his/her hopes. "Sidewalk", "Bad Light", and "Temporarily Blind" are the
true winners on here, some of the best songs of the 90's. "Else" is also one of the most lovely songs ever written,
and is the best example of a traveling/wedding song. Oh, it makes sense. "You Were Right" is the song to all those
bands who have gone before, from the Rolling Stones to......Kansas. All around, this album tied with Perfect from
Now On as the most consistent in Built to Spill's catalog, it takes what was done before and makes it into even
more accessible. No words can describe really - just listen. - Trevor e.y.
1.the plan- 4
2.center of the universe- 4
3.carry the zero- 4
4.sidewalk- 3
5.bad light- 4*
6.time trap- 4
7.else- 4*
8.you were right- 4
9.temporarily blind- 4
10.broken chiars- 4
2001
Ancient Melodies of the Future - 8/8
While this album at first might sound like Keep it Like a Secret left overs, it is really more in the style of There's
Nothing Wrong with Love. With the two albums prior to this one, Built to Spill set a standard they could not hope to
reach all of the time, I mean we are talking about two of the most perfect rock albums ever created here! It leaves
Ancient Melodies of the Future to be left in their wake though, and that is a pity; the inevitable "follow up to the
masterpiece". But what a consistent record this is! Yes on some level the record does not have a "unique sound of
its own", but some songs are so good it really is amazing. "Happiness" and "Strange" are rockin' and accessible;
"Alarmed" and "You Are" are the structure-shifters of the album that Martsch writes so well; "In Your Mind" and
"Don't Try" are the demented rockers. The album has one large problem: "The Host" should not be track 2 - it
halts the album in its tracks from the get go and its a very mediocre song. Also, the songs have a simple quality
that has to fit on your mood really, and that "mood" whatever it may be (I call it complicated-prettiness. Good name
huh?) is not for everybody. Chances are though, if you love this band, you'll love this; just more in a "relaxed" way
than a "challenging" way. It's similar to albums that are fan favorites by other bands, such as Like Swimming, Some
Girls, Trompe Le Monde, Let it Be, and Goo. It's just the band being itself, and being very good at it. - Trevor e.y.
1.strange- 4
2.the host- 2
3.in your mind- 4
4.alarmed- 4
5.trimmed and burning- 3
6.happiness- 4
7.don't try- 4
8.you are- 4
9.fly around my pretty little miss- 4
10.the weather- 3
2006
You in Reverse - 5/8
After a five year break, most of us fan's kinda thought that they had broken up. They haven't evidently, they
were just on hiatus and actually came back together! Martsch, Plouf, Nelson and new member Jim Roth make an
interesting mixture of the old and the new on this record - it's jangley like the previous two, but also very messy at
times like Ultimate News Wavers. The opening track "Going Against Your Mind" sets all of these styles up for the
rest of the record to complete. While that is a good song on its own, it is not THAT great, especially when
compared with things done in the past. Other semi-disappointments are the circus-pop of "Conventional Wisdom",
the easy chug of "Liar", and the Hendrix-prone guitars of "Just a Habit". While these songs are pretty good, they
are nothing great. There is plenty of greatness to be found on "Traces" which gets the new guitar emphasis just
right, "Saturday" which sounds like it could fall apart any moment but remains stable, and "Wherever you Go",
which starts off as a dead ringer for Neil Young. Some of this album grows with you on repeated listens, but not
enough of it. The last four songs, especially "Mess with Time", just suck. The album has the same problem as
Ultimate New Wavers to me, the songs are too long for their own good and too guitar soloish as opposed to guitar
melodic. Simply put, the album is spotty and badly assembled, and the band's worst so far, though that's hardly
horrible. - Trevor e.y.
Plagerism Note: Here is the problem with the record though to interject: there is a song by the Gun Club called
"My Dreams". It is found on the album Las Vegas Story. Purposefully or not, Built to Spill ripped off this song, down
to the guitar notes being the same AND being played in the same pattern for "Going Against Your Mind". Listen to
those two songs, you'll easily see what I mean. Thing like this happen accidentally all the time I know, but this is the
most interesting case I have come across and surprised someone hasn't noticed this earlier. Well, poor Gun Club
is hardly the most known or respected underground bands by the general public, though in my eyes they are one
of the all time greats. Anyway, just pointing that out.
1.goin against your mind- 3
2.traces- 4
3.liar- 3
4.saturday- 4
5.wherever you go- 4
6.conventional wisdom- 3
7.gone- 2
8.mess with time- 1
9.just a habit- 2
10.the wait- 2
An Interruption if You Will: I am not going to review Live (a good live album with some nice long 20 minute
versions of two songs, but the shorter songs kinda suffer) or The Normal Years (a compilation covering some
songs and containing a few b/sides reworkings, but nothing great; it really was put out in 1996 between second
and third albums by the label to make money). Neither is worth my time more than that; if you have to check them
out for yourself, well, do so and don't take my word for it! I just am gonna stick to the albums for now.
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