Album:
You in Reverse

Artist:
Built to Spill

Lable/Year:
Warner Brothers, 2006

How I Came by It/Why I Purchased It:
This may well be the last major label released I’ve purchased new. If not it was certainly among the last.

At one time Built to Spill might have presented a quandary in my boycott of all major label releases. I can think of a few other releases I might have picked up (Decemberists) if it weren’t for the fact that I can’t in good conscience support major record labels at this time. But I enjoyed Built to Spill as much as I have enjoyed any band and a lot more than some. I thought their music was so superlative that I even saw them more than I’ve seen most non-local acts, and if you’ve ever seen a BtS show you know what I mean. There’s really not a lot to, you know, see. Though they can be mighty in concert.

My Feeling at the Time of Acquisition:
I don’t know. I was kind of done with guitar rock when I got this. But I’d listened to so much Built to Spill by this point it’s hard for me not want to own it. But I probably listened to it in the car a few times and that was it. My heart wasn’t into it.

My Feeling about It Now:
It’s Built to Spill. The consistency of their records is indeed impressive. Doug Marsch must write guitar licks without thinking about it. Really, really a tremendous player. I often say that I hate guitar solos. In truth, I only hate 90% of guitar solos. And D. Marsch falls pretty regularly into that %10. But beyond his usually melodic solos, it the playing throughout the song that makes him so amazing. There is something completely effortless about his playing, that makes it seem like these complex, structured guitar parts are something he hardly thinks about. I can still listen Perfect from Now On and marvel at the complex structure of multi-layered guitars. On the best Built to Spill tracks the “solos” aren’t so much that in the conventional sense, often a way to pad out songs to three minutes, but instrumental sections of the songs that are just as elemental as the lyrics and an integral part of the arrangements.

So, yeah, it’s more of that. I don’t love it like I loved any of the earlier albums, and certainly not as much as Perfrect from Now On. But that may be more of where I am now. But listening reminded me why at one time I really loved this band. Even at their most slack they run circles around other guitar bands.

Standout tracks:
“Wherever You Go” reminds me of a Drive-by Truckers southern boogie stomp – not quite so unhinged but similar – so you know I like that. “Saturday” is a nice nod to their music circa There’s Nothing Wrong with Love. And for a guitar wank-a-thon the last track “The Wait” is pretty impressive.

Duds:
But speaking of wank-a-thons, “Mess with Time” climbs right up my ass. A stupid half-step riff that no amount of complex production and rhythmic shifting (ska!) can make interesting. So Doug busting out the minor key improvisations only make it more insufferable.

Album/CDs/MP3s Fate:
I can’t see being attached to this the way I am with most other Built to Spill.

Capricious Digital Lo-Fi rating:
If you’re a fan of Built to Spill you’re gonna love this. If not, well, this probably isn’t the one to try to sway you with.