Built To Spill are indie gods who’ve lived on a major label for years and years. That doesn’t quite sound right, does it? With a singer like Doug Martsch who can craft songs that revive a sound long forgotten, you understand why Warner Bros. won’t let go. Martsch has become a major influence to many current rock stars, and while his peers make it big, his group still lives in relative obscurity. Could Ancient Melodies Of The Future break them?
“Strange” isn’t going to be a hit single, at least not a hit with radio, but something about it strikes you like a hammer. “The Host” doesn’t overpower you, yet there is this magnetic, almost epic quality. “Trimmed And Burning” comes complete with a nifty riff that brings the boys deep in distorted ways.
Built To Spill has their sound and I won’t knock it. Their occasional twists, like the tender “You Are” and the almost happy REM-ish “Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss”, break up their album nicely. Even though this release sounds remarkably fresh, track after track tends to bear down on you. Ancient Melodies Of The Future is a good album, but not as great as expected.
+ rae gun
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