Nowadays, Built to Spill is considered one of the original mainstays of indie rock, with a trio of mid-to-late-‘90s albums under their belt considered indie-rock classics. But they were fairly unknown back when those albums were released, even among those who were fairly hip to new underground releases. I certainly knew nothing about them until I picked up 1999’s excellent Keep it Like a Secret, the last (and probably best) of that trio.
Frontman Doug Martsch’s sweet, slightly pinched voice is reminiscent of Neil Young (or maybe the Flaming Lips’ Wayne Coyne), but more traditionally “competent.” With that voice, he’ll never be a pop star, but he fits in great with the scruffy alt-and-indie rock crowd. His masterful guitar work is perhaps even more indebted to Young; he is his generation’s version of the guitar savant who gives the music exactly what it needs—able and willing to crank out an aching, beautiful solo or simply accompany the band, as the song dictates. No showing off or virtuoso wanking here. (Torch passed from Young via Mascis to Martsch.) And even a cursory listen to Martsch’s lyrics shows a certain richness of expression, a genuine contemplation of the complexities of life.
Built to Spill is a band very much worth knowing.
Playlist 1
Built to Spill’s There’s Nothing Wrong with Love (1994), Perfect from Now On (1997), and Keep it like a Secret are all considered indie-rock classics. I find the middle one by far the weakest of the three, but there are plenty of folks who consider it their best. It seems to have accumulated a sizeable cult following among the 21st century indie-rock crowd.
Playlist One takes some of the best tracks from these three releases; this is their essential stuff.
Playlist 2
For those who want more, Playlist Two pulls from some of their more recent albums.
I seem to remember pretty mixed reviews for Ancient Melodies of the Future (2001), and I didn’t pick it up at the time, but in retrospect it’s got some good songs. You in Reverse (2006) was heralded as a comeback, and it’s legit, a very good album. There is No Enemy (2009) got great reviews and was their best-selling album to date. People who like it do so for its somber tone—but I find it a snooze. Not for me.
Cover Art:
- Keep It Like a Secret (front cover and inner sleeve): Source, Discogs.com, Fair use.
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