Built to Spill - There's Nothing Wrong with Love

I didn't get much sleep last night.  I got in just before 3 am and everyone got back to the office before 11 am.

Calendar days continue to slip away and our conversion day continues to get closer and closer...  brought in a favorite album to listen to at the office.

This was the second Built to Spill album I ever purchased...  I had picked up Keep it Secret a couple of months earlier and I decided to check out some of their earlier stuff.

When I heard the song "Car" I was pretty convinced that this band could never do any wrong...  Doug's guitar work and lyrical compositions managed to win me over in record time.  

There's something about Built to Spill songs that bend and turn unexpectedly at times.  He finds ways to bend notes and words in ways that are unlike any other artists in my library.

If you've never heard this album, I can't stress how good it is.

Standout Tracks:


Built to Spill - Ancient Melodies of the Future

The weather has taken a little bit of an unexpected turn today...  the skies are grey and puddles are abound, due to non-stop-drizzles.

This type of weather is pretty uncommon in San Antonio...  the sun is typically out and if it does happen to rain, it doesn't really do so for hours on end.   I kinda like it because it sorta fits the gloomy demeanor.  

It also allows me to reach into the stacks and pick out stuff that you can soundtrack appropriately.   I've settled on Built to Spill's - Ancient Melodies of the Future.

Known to many as the album that came out after Keep It Like a Secret.   Is it as good as Keep It Like a Secret?   In a word... no.  But you'd be hard pressed to really find any examples of an album that is.

I'm of the opinion however that this album is sorely under praised....  its kinda hard to talk about this band without mentioning Modest Mouse.   Modest Mouse had released Moon and Antarctica the year before and the two bands had released albums that seemed to counter punch one another - reaching incredible new nights.

I think this one didn't connect like previous Built to Spill albums.   It does however have the finest pairing of songs to close out any album that I have ever heard.

Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss & The Weather

Two songs that insist be played in that order.

Artists: Built to Spill
Album: Ancient Melodies of the Future
Producer: Phil Ek, Doug Martsch
Label: Up Records (Warner Bros.)
Recorded: Bear Creek, Avast! Recording Co, The Manhouse