There Is No Enemy [PA]

Performer: Built to Spill
Engineer: David Trumfio; Doug Martsch
Producer: David Trumfio; Doug Martsch
Distributor: n/a

Notes: Audio Mixers: David Trumfio; Doug Martsch. Indie rock stalwarts going back to the early 1990s, Built to Spill have pleased fans for years, and their first album in three years, THERE IS NO ENEMY, occupies much the same territory as 2006's YOU IN REVERSE. Doug Martsch's absorbed and witty wordplay consistently turns lyrical convention on its head, the songs feature a parade of quirky hooks, and with their driving, accomplished backing, the band draw in a range of potential audiences, from their indie fanbase to jam bands to singer/songwriters. Martsch makes a virtue of steadfastness and reflection, the single "Hindsight" bemoaning those who wonder, "Is the grass just greener 'cause it's fake?" Besides connecting the dots between the chugging side of Neil Young and the slightly warped alternapop of the Flaming Lips, Built to Spill continue releasing some of the most affecting, beguiling indie rock of the 2000s. Indie rock stalwarts going back to the early '90s, Built to Spill have pleased fans for years, and their first album in three years, There Is No Enemy, occupies much the same territory as 2006's You in Reverse. Doug Martsch's absorbed and witty wordplay consistently turns lyrical convention on its head, the songs feature a parade of quirky hooks, and with its driving, accomplished backing, the band draws in a range of potential audiences, from its indie fan base to those who rock out to jam bands or don the headphones to dig into singer/songwriters. The always literate Martsch makes a virtue of steadfastness and reflection, the single "Hindsight" bemoaning those who wonder, "Is the grass just greener 'cause it's fake?" Meanwhile, the band attacks most of these songs, giving Martsch's reflective songwriting a little more bite, even on "Good Ol' Boredom" (which would descend into tedium if it were a ballad). Besides connecting the dots between the chugging side of Neil Young and the slightly warped alt-pop of the Flaming Lips, Built to Spill continue releasing some of the most affecting, beguiling indie rock of the 2000s. ~ John Bush

Rolling Stone (p.70) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "Most songs sprawl near five minutes or longer. But their components are all about simple melodic beauty, writ large -- prog-rock for pop purists." Spin (p.74) - "[T]hey still flourish in a languid, EVERYBODY KNOWS THIS IS NOWHERE comfort zone." Alternative Press (p.112) - 3.5 stars out of 5 -- "[T]he band once again marry that guitar-hero aesthetic with their restrained, romantic side on songs like 'Nowhere Lullaby'..." Billboard (p.33) - "On the country-rock flavored single 'Hindsight,' frontman Doug Martsch sings in a wistful tenor over a mix of languid and urgent guitar riffs..."

Who would have guessed that one of the more influential indie rock bands of the 1990s would emerge from Boise, Idaho? That's exactly what happened in the case of Built To Spill, who started out as a somewhat ragged, lo-fi outfit. By '97, though, they had graduated to the majors and adopted a drastically more sophisticated sound incorporating a strong '60s influence. Concurrently, leader Doug Martsch also worked with Beat Happening's Calvin Johnson in the Halo Benders. Martsch released his first solo album in 2002, by which time Built To Spill had inspired tons of younger alt-rock and emo bands.

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