Built to Spill haven't released an album for five years, and the time off seems to have rejuvenated the band -- You in Reverse is full of fire and energy. The bandmembers play with a thrilling blend of abandon and sensitivity on this mix of accessible guitar rockers, twisting and turning guitar workouts, and somber balladry with enough intelligence and emotion to put groups half their age to shame (and by the looks of the gray in their beards, they are getting up there). Many of the songs on You in Reverse are midtempo allads, some quiet and autumnal ("Traces"), most trippy and bursting with wild and dramatic guitar solos ("The Wait," "Gone"). All of them are quite heart-rending, with Doug Martsch's melancholy everyman vocals and the emotion (in his voice but especially in the guitars) flowing like tears from the speakers. Most of the tracks also feature spiraling guitar solos and climaxes that conjure up images of the bandmembers on-stage at an outdoor stadium jamming their beards off as the crowd goes bananas. These songs are impressive, but the album really shines on the tracks that boost the tempo. "Conventional Wisdom" is a raging rocker that rides an inspired guitar melody into alt-rock guitar nirvana, sounding like the best tune Dinosaur Jr. never wrote (although those slackers never would have thrown a chamber music-inspired instrumental bridge into the middle of a song before freaking out with an epic solo). "Mess with Time" charges ahead like an angry rhino, kicking up guitar sparks and sounding a lot like classic Wipers in the process. Best of all is the amazing "Goin' Against Your Mind," an almost nine-minute guitar explosion that kicks off the album in breathtaking style. By the time it's through playing, you'll be hard-pressed to imagine a way the rest of the album could stand up to its intensity and drama. That the record does manage to acquit itself superbly is quite an accomplishment. Though there are no great surprises on You in Reverse, it is one of Built to Spill's strongest efforts, and anyone who has followed their career knows that this is high praise indeed.
Okay, my BtSlife. Because, I definitely haven't had the knowledge of them my entire life.after the show Brooke and I were like, wow, mellow crowd. It really was. Not sold out (tear) not much singing along. But that could be because Brooke and I were so close that our ears were ringing afterwards, and Doug's vocals were nearly impossible to hear. however. it's not the end of the world, because s...
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I've been a listening to Built To Spill since sometime after they released their 1999 album Keep It Like A Secret, a relatively short time compared to their 15 years spent together, but not too bad for a boy from Toronto - a city that Built To Spill has left out of their tour roster until now. And over the past three albums, they've slowly become one of my all-time favourite bands. Both Keep It...
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Heres a couple of shots from the show in Carbondale,Il. Such a small town for this band to come to..Makes them all that much cooler. Great set! http://mog.com/images/users/22895/1163552644.pjpeg!
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Ended up going down to the Built To Spill show at the last minute las night...glad i did! Great set, and I got a free ticket...that ruled!And my rock-photog skills are improving!
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Okay, my BtSlife. Because, I definitely haven't had the knowledge of them my entire life.after the show Brooke and I were like, wow, mellow crowd. It really was. Not sold out (tear) not much singing along. But that could be because Brooke and I were so close that our ears were ringing afterwards, and Doug's vocals were nearly impossible to hear. however. it's not the end of the world, because s...
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I've been a Built To Spill fan for a long time. I started listening to them when I was working at KJHK in the early 90s. I saw them once during that time and thought they were pretty good live, but always thought their albums were better than their live show (that goes for Doug Martsch as well). That was only reinforced when I saw them a couple of nights ago at the Troubadour. The show was pac...
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Heres a couple of shots from the show in Carbondale,Il. Such a small town for this band to come to..Makes them all that much cooler. Great set! http://mog.com/images/users/22895/1163552644.pjpeg!
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If there is any place to start for me, it Built to Spill, a band (really a man, our hero, Doug) that speaks to me on the most simple yet direct level of communication. There are dozens of songs, live and studio, that provide a full dose of BTS. Check out the nearly 9-minute jam Goin' Against Your Mind as little taste of what you get. Close your eyes and listen to that guitar work. Beware - Doug...
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Last Tuesday I caught the first BTS show of their three night Seattle stand. The band sounded good. They started with a tribute to the late, great Andy Caps, and then proceeded with further rocking from there. The most interesting thing about the show, I thought, was that they played not one, not two, but THREE new songs. From a band that took five years to relseas You in Reverse, it was good t...
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I've been a listening to Built To Spill since sometime after they released their 1999 album Keep It Like A Secret, a relatively short time compared to their 15 years spent together, but not too bad for a boy from Toronto - a city that Built To Spill has left out of their tour roster until now. And over the past three albums, they've slowly become one of my all-time favourite bands. Both Keep It...
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| Title | Lyrics | Buy |
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| 1 Goin' Against Your Mind |
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| 2 Traces |
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| 3 Liar |
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| 4 Saturday |
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| 5 Wherever You Go |
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| 6 Conventional Wisdom |
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| 7 Gone |
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| 8 Mess with Time |
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| 9 Just a Habit |
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| 10 The Wait |
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 "You in Reverse")
