official website
 Built To Spill [rank: 35] based on users subscribed
|
Users who like Built To Spill also like:
In 1992 Doug Martsch formed Built To Spill after playing with his garage punk band Treepeople. After their first album Ultimate Alternative Wavers, which came out in 1993, Martsch swapped a couple of his band mates for new ones, which he intended to do after each album he released in the future. Within the next sixteen (!) years, Built To Spill released six more albums, four EPs and handfuls of singles and compilations. They signed to a major (Warner), but secured their creative freedom before signing the contract, and teamed up with label ATP for their European contract.
Today, Built To Spill is an internationally renowned "indie" rock group, and Doug Martsch has not done too bad for himself, either. Martsch released a solo album, Now You Know under his own name. The album is an acoustic blues album that has an odd and slightly creepy flare to it--though it is definitely a great album. Martsch has also teamed up with Calvin Johnson of Beat Happening to form the amazing indie rock group, The Halo Benders. The Halo Benders are a pretty clear combination of Built To Spill's melodic and technical instrumentals and Beat Happening's lo-fi, old school indie style.
Built To Spill tends to make songs whose introductions are enticing and perfectly drawn out until they build up to a splash of rock 'n roll. Of course, not all their songs are like that--some are more minimalistic ("Car", "Girl"). Generally, Martsch's almost offensively amazing talent for the guitar and his unique, youthful but not boyish vocals fall perfectly on top of the band's meticulously placed drums and bass to create an utterly amazing and unique sound that sits in its very own category of indie rock. Their ability to play with speeds within songs, so effortlessly and seamlessly changing from quick and catchy to pensive and dainty within seconds. They also know how to make good songs that *last*--no 1-minute songs that you wish lasted a bit longer. Their tunes have healthy lengths, but never waste any time; every second of every one of their songs seems to a particular purpose. Their sound is really, out of this world.
[talia]
|
 |
Listen and buy at iTunes »
