Over the last thirty years and ten or so albums, Built To Spill has been a revolving cast of characters, alumni of the independent music scene, and bold and adventurous musicians.
Through it all though has been singer / guitarist and principle songwriter Doug Martsch, who has commanded the ship as benevolent leader or welcoming collaborator. He has woven his narrative, ever-unfurling guitar style and yearning, heartbroken voice through all the different line-ups and sound changes from collegiate indie rock to expressive longform drama via sunny sixties-influenced pop.
For the latest album, the first of new material since 2015’s Untethered Moon, Doug finds himself once again with two new players, this time moonlighting from Brazilian psych band Orua. Unexpectedly, Lê Almeida and João Casaes bring yet another different feel to the ever evolving Built To Spill narrative. The album artwork is of a definitely tropical psychedelic hue and the tracks inside have some mind-expanding elements that fit the imagery perfectly, all tied together with that unique vocal and guitar style.
That overblown guitar flurry is very familiar, with full-bodied thrums that really resonate; opener “Gonna Lose” is a reminder of what we have been missing, the facets he shares with J Mascis, guitar as conversation picking up where the words can no longer fully express the sentiments. Tunes turn on a sixpence, forcing the songs into abrupt changes, rendering the nine tracks presented here to feel like so much more. The guitar solos expanding in frustrations, fleshing them out, while on the slower tracks the tremolo is expressive and plaintive, the semi-acoustic psych folk of “Fool’s Gold” the antidote to the opener.
The circular riff of “Elements” gives an air of distance and intrigue, the vocal diffuse and gentle while the synth is warm, lending welcome texture. The track is a real emotional journey which continues slightly abstracted in the wild squiggles of “Rocksteady”, swarming around his thoughtful yet frustrated wordplay.
“Spiderweb” really chimes like classic indie rock, replete with juddering solo, a reminder of the road on which he is travelling; the line “Talking doesn’t make it go away” somehow encapsulates a lot of the feelings, while “Never Alight” has the kind of urgency that makes you sit up and notice. The changes of tempo through the album are well judged and “Alright”‘s refrain of “Why can’t we just get along” feels like another encapsulation of the inherent mood. It is slow but familiar and leaves the way open for the final blow-out of “Comes A Day”.Every Built To Spill album needs an epic and this is it, the swaggering rhythm trying to prevent the guitar deluge tramping off alone through the undergrowth, hiking into unknown territory and then launching itself from the highest peak. The fact that it fails is testament to Doug’s vision and desire.
When The Wind Forgets Your Name is a great return from one of those artists you don’t realise you are missing until he is back among us. Let’s hope it is not so long next time.-Mr Olivetti-
