Born out of the Seattle sound, in the neighbouring town of Boise, Idaho, Built To Spill are the alternative to the alternative. Their slacker style, layer upon layer of interweaving guitar, unorthodox compositions, Doug Martsch’s nasal whine topped with existential lyrics from his stream of consciousness, has always set them off-centre. After six years in the pavilion, they’re back, out on the middle of the pitch with some new players (bassist Jason Albertini and drummer Stephen Gere), and their eighth studio record Untethered Moon.
There’s something untethered about Built to Spill, hence their namesake on this record. Their tightly woven celestial rock feels like if you pull a loose thread, it could all fall apart. It does at times, and that’s cool too, really cool. You don’t quite know where you’re going, like a misguided white water rafting adventure. It isn’t a smooth ride, it throws you around a bit, but who doesn’t want the highs, the lows and everything in between?
Opening with All Our Songs, which sounds like all their songs put together, is a good introduction to those who have never heard of Built to Spill. Martsch explains we’re all lions in cages in the Living Zoo, the record’s first single. Listen out for the tiger snarling guitar lick. On The Way marks a sombre change in pace and tone, with more psychedelic traits. Some Other Song is the dark horse of the album. It crawls under your skin, lays its eggs and you’re infected. Never Be The Same is the closest to a classic pop song, worthy of Young Talent Time. This is my pick of the record. I’m a sucker for catchy riffs. C.R.E.B and Another Day let the cat out of the bag again only to be juxtaposed by Horizon To Cliff and So. They finally come completely undone on When I’m Blind, finishingwith arresting guitar solos.
Built To Spill deliver the quality and depth you’d expect from them with Untethered Moon. The whole piece is as structurally sound as each individual song. In a word, (and a made up word) it’s unperfect perfection. There’s no Big Dipper or Car on this record, but it’s still a ripper. If you like your rock unravelling and hypnotic, this one’s for you. It’s the record to put on while having an existential crisis or smoking a doobie on a Saturday afternoon. The two go hand in hand for me.
BY LEE SPENCER-MICHAELSEN
