Built to Spill

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BUILT TO SPILL

Formed: 1992, Boise, Idaho

Members: Doug Martsch, lead vocals, guitar (born Idaho); Brett Nelson, bass guitar; Scott Plouf, drums. Former members: Andy Capps, drums; Brett Netson, bass guitar; Ralf Youtz, drums.

Genre: Rock

Best-selling album since 1990: Ancient Melodies of the Future (2001)

Built to Spill is the brainchild of singer/guitarist/songwriter Doug Martsch, who changed the band's lineup many times during its first years. Martsch demonstrated his songwriting chops in the early 1990s on Built to Spill's several well-received, independently released albums. Since signing to Warner Bros. in 1996, Built to Spill has honed their combination of eccentric vocal melodies and intricately formed guitar riffs, while increasingly adding the polish of the studio.

Martsch formed Built to Spill in Boise, Idaho, after leaving his first band Treepeople in 1992. After having a fluctuating lineup on the first few releases (including, confusingly, first Brett Netson and later Brett Nelson on bass guitar), the band finally settled into Martsch, Nelson, and Scott Plouf by the late 1990s. With the release of There's Nothing Wrong with Love (1994) on the independent label Up, the band began to receive increased critical attention. Martsch then signed Built to Spill to Warner Bros. in 1996. Their first major label release, Perfect from Now On (1997), initially sold under 50,000 copies. However, Warner Bros. kept the band on board, releasing two subsequent albums and Martsch's solo debut Now You Know (2002).

Early Built to Spill albums, especially There's Nothing Wrong with Love, are filled with catchy, personal songs alternating between Martsch's quirky melodic invention and brief bursts of guitar artistry. The lyrics complement the melody's unlikely turns, as in the track "Big Dipper," where Martsch concludes the choruses with "Should've been here last night and heard what the Big Dipper said to me." There's Nothing Wrong with Love also marks the beginning of Built to Spill's longstanding relationship with producer Phil Ek. On Perfect from Now On the band stretches out the songs into six-minute tracks that remain rooted in Martsch's blend of catchy tunes and strong guitar.

With their second major label release, Keep It Like a Secret (1999), many declared Built to Spill on the verge of commercial success. Although this proved elusive, the album's shorter songs were full of memorable tunes and a new level of studio technique that matched the band's increasing instrumental polish. Rather than simply reigning in the sprawling forms of Perfect from Now On, the band compressed moments of instrumental finesse into brief outbursts. From the opening of the first track, "The Plan," the album confronts the listener with a powerful, guitar-driven sound. Their next release, Ancient Melodies of the Future (2001), continues where Keep It Like a Secret left off, increasing the stylistic diversity. Regular collaborators Sam Coomes and Netson (now of Caustic Resin) contribute additional instruments throughout both Ancient Melodies of the Future and Keep It Like a Secret.

By striving for new sounds without venturing too far from their stylistic foundation, Built to Spill has managed to hold onto their record contract without achieving blockbuster success. They have been consistently well received by critics, and maintain the respect of the independent ("indie") rock community from which they emerged.

SELECTIVE DISCOGRAPHY:

Ultimate Alternative Wavers (C/Z, 1993); There's Nothing Wrong with Love (Up, 1994); Perfect from Now On (Warner Bros., 1997); Keep It Like a Secret (Warner Bros., 1999); Ancient Melodies of the Future (Warner Bros., 2001).