Built to Spill
Formed: 1992
Location: Boise, Idaho, USA
Genre: Psychedelic Rock, Stoner Rock
Years Active: 1993 -
Meaning of the Name: No specific meaning.
Core Members: Doug Martsch
Way of Working: Led by Doug Martsch
Associated: Caustic Resin
Essential Releases
There's Nothing Wrong
With Love (1994)
Charming indie rock with catchy melodies and guitars.
Perfect From
Now On (1997)
Epic indie rock masterpiece with longer, more complex songs and introspective lyrics.
Keep It Like
a Secret (1999)
A more concise yet still intricate album that balances pop accessibility with their signature guitar work.
For Doug Martsch, the driving force behind Built to Spill, the weight of perfectionism lay heavy on the soul. In the beginning, he was the only permanent member of the group and would write and record the songs by himself in the mountainous peaks of Idaho. By 1997, the pressures were starting to take their toll.
At this point, Built to Spill was better known for composing dense rock operas that required strict attention to fully appreciate, rather than the traditional fare usually found on the radio. Some tracks, such as 'Velvet Waltz', stretched to nearly nine minutes. Something had to give and eventually it did.
By the time Keep It Like A Secret came around, Brett Nelson and Scott Plouf had become permanent members of the band and the result was a more collaborative affair featuring shorter, more melodic, and catchier songs that came from lengthy jam sessions of up to five hours. Martsch would then go through the recordings and piece together various parts into a concrete structure. It was a painstaking process that highlighted his dedication to the project.
On this occassion, the difference was he had help. The efforts of his bandmates resulted in a less indulgent, tighter album that kept the best parts of the group's earlier work while trimming the fat from their usual long instrumental passages and keeping the depth. Despite shunning publicity, the band achieved moderate success in America by putting out consistently solid work and touring diligently. Since Keep It Like A Secret was released in 1999 the band has had five consecutive albums chart on the US album charts.
Skills
*This is a work in progress. Values are subjective.Emotional Impact
60
Mental Impact
85
Originality
80
Artistry
55
Authenticity
55
Live
90
Production
70
Musicianship
85
Textures
90
Songwriting
70
Danceability
50
Fun
50
Consistency
75
Range
75
Cool
65
Charisma
40
Commercial & Critical Success
Awards
Certifications
Charts
Critics >>>
- Pitchfork: There's Nothing Wrong with Love - Best Albums of the 90s: #24
- Pitchfork: Perfect from Now On - Best Albums of the 90s: #22
- Pitchfork: Keep it Like A Secret - Best Albums of the 90s: #41
