Well, per that, I generally like guitar solos, too, but I've never heard any BTS solo stuff that terribly impressed me, compared to, say, the epic solo on Temple of the Dog's "Reach Down." But then, as much as I respect Mike McCready as a guitar player, there are lots of times I wish he would just chill out. Doug's playing imo is best used in service of hooks, not soloing.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 30 January 2018 22:40 (six years ago) link
I'm always confused when people bring up guitar solos when talking about Built to Spill. I don't think of them as a guitar solo band at all, but the way people talk you'd think Doug Martsch was up there shredding in the mixolydian mode like Yngwie or something.
I mean, of course they're a guitar band, and they do play extended jams, but those jams don't typically involve guitar solos in the classic sense. They usually involve layered, pre-written parts, and little variations within the parameters of those parts, maybe some leaning on the wah pedal for atmosphere, but not the sort of improvisational up-and-down-the-fretboard action you usually think of as a rock guitar solo. At least on the two albums this thread is about, which are the ones I know best.
― JRN, Tuesday, 30 January 2018 23:14 (six years ago) link
yeah, exactly. they vamp and rearrange, but not a lot of solos per se.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 30 January 2018 23:15 (six years ago) link
and it's awesome
― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Tuesday, 30 January 2018 23:28 (six years ago) link
we're talking indie rock
we've defined soloing down
― j., Tuesday, 30 January 2018 23:32 (six years ago) link
Motion denied on the grounds that J Mascis exists
― JRN, Tuesday, 30 January 2018 23:38 (six years ago) link
Mixolydian is beneath a man of Yngwie's talent, Phrygian or bust
― bhad and bhabie (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 31 January 2018 00:04 (six years ago) link
imo, perfect from now on could have been such a better record with a little brevity. then again, the whole thing was recorded three times (they were unhappy with first takes, and second time around the master tapes melted). the songs are so strong, but sonically it's a fucking racket.
there's nothing wrong with love and keep it like a secret are stone cold gems, though.
wonder how they are live as just a three piece, now, since interweaving guitarplay was fundamental to their sound. then again, jason from helvetia is playing bass, and he is a badass musician.
go and listen to duster if you haven't already, he was the drummer in them. wonderful slowcore, some of the best guitar tones i've ever heard on record. label mates of BTS back in the day.
― meaulnes, Wednesday, 31 January 2018 02:45 (six years ago) link
Ha, I had no idea Nelson and Plouf were no longer in the band.
Wait, Brett Nelson and Brett Netson are two different people?! WTF, BTS? TS: bands with two members name Brett vs. bands with two members named Chad.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 31 January 2018 14:34 (six years ago) link
sonically it's a fucking racket
This is certainly an opinion about PFNO.
― Simon H., Wednesday, 31 January 2018 14:37 (six years ago) link
wonder how they are live as just a three piecebest BTS show i've seen (in 1998-ish?) was with a three-piece lineup ... was cool to see Martsch figure out how to play those intricate parts effectively.
― tylerw, Wednesday, 31 January 2018 16:29 (six years ago) link
Keep it like a secret and there’s nothing wrong with love are both stunningly brilliant but perfect from now on has this ineffable quality/innigkeit about it that makes it forever my favorite bts
― Winter. Dickens. Yes. (Jon not Jon), Wednesday, 31 January 2018 17:54 (six years ago) link
yeah, i agree!
― tylerw, Wednesday, 31 January 2018 18:01 (six years ago) link
we can all at least agree that TNWWL has the only actually funny hidden/joke track of the period
― Simon H., Wednesday, 31 January 2018 18:07 (six years ago) link
look for the record with ME on the cover
― tylerw, Wednesday, 31 January 2018 18:10 (six years ago) link
Cause baby you know I’m a REBELI’m a RAMBLER...(Waxes poetic on axe)
― Winter. Dickens. Yes. (Jon not Jon), Wednesday, 31 January 2018 18:20 (six years ago) link
― Simon H., Wednesday, January 31, 2018 11:07 AM (twenty minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
― tylerw, Wednesday, January 31, 2018 11:10 AM (seventeen minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
lmao it really is actually funny
― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Wednesday, 31 January 2018 18:28 (six years ago) link
re: concerns about the three-piece lineup & how doug could manage to make up for missing guitars... this arrangement of Else from a couple years ago is really beautiful
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4JxIYuVwKw
― flappy bird, Wednesday, 31 January 2018 19:05 (six years ago) link
That is nice! You know what would make it better? Second guitarist.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 31 January 2018 21:04 (six years ago) link
Lol yea but still, good version. There was a sweet pro shot video of a full show from 1999 at some theater in Boulder that’s disappeared off YouTube for some reason unfortunately. Amazing version of Else with lap steel
― flappy bird, Wednesday, 31 January 2018 22:52 (six years ago) link
― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Wednesday, January 31, 2018 1:28 PM (yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
This and Sebadoh showtape 91
― YouTube_-_funy_cats.flv (Jimmy The Mod Awaits The Return Of His Beloved), Thursday, 1 February 2018 05:25 (six years ago) link
this seems like the more recently active Built to Spill thread so I'll bump this one... BTS sign to Sub Pop! tour dates! new album!
Pacific Northwest rock band Built to Spill have singed with Sub Pop, the Seattle-based label announced today (October 7). In celebration of the news, Built to Spill have shared a string of North American tour dates kicking off in Seattle on December 16 and wrapping up in San Francisco in February of next year. They’ll be joined by Dinosaur Jr., Team Dresch, Prism Bitch, and more on select dates. Find their full schedule below.In addition to the tour announcement, Sub Pop revealed that Built to Spill—comprised of Doug Martsch, Melanie Radford, and Teresa Esguerra—are currently working on their debut album for the label. The LP is due out next year, and will mark the band’s follow-up to 2015’s Untethered Moon. Last year, the group issued Built to Spill Plays the Songs of Daniel Johnston.
In addition to the tour announcement, Sub Pop revealed that Built to Spill—comprised of Doug Martsch, Melanie Radford, and Teresa Esguerra—are currently working on their debut album for the label. The LP is due out next year, and will mark the band’s follow-up to 2015’s Untethered Moon. Last year, the group issued Built to Spill Plays the Songs of Daniel Johnston.
― a superficial sheeb of intelligence (jon /via/ chi 2.0), Thursday, 7 October 2021 21:09 (two years ago) link
said dates:
12-16 Seattle, WA - The Showbox at the Market =12-17 Portland, OR - Revolution Hall =12-18 Olympia, WA - Capitol Theatre =12-19 Tacoma, WA - Spanish Ballroom at Elks Temple =01-26 Seattle, WA - The Crocodile ^ !01-27 Seattle, WA - The Crocodile ^ !01-29 Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom ^ !01-30 Portland, OR - Wonder Ballroom ^ $01-31 Eugene, OR - Sessions Music Hall ^ ! $02-02 Sacramento, CA - Harlows ^ $02-03 Santa Ana, CA - The Observatory ^ $02-04 Las Vegas, NV - Brooklyn Bowl ^ #02-05 Pioneertown, CA - Pappy & Harriet's (Outdoors) ^ $02-07 San Diego, CA - Belly Up ^ $02-08 Los Angeles, CA - Echoplex ^ $02-09 Los Angeles, CA - Echoplex ^ $02-10 Santa Cruz, CA - Rio Theatre ^ $02-11 San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore ^ $02-12 San Francisco, CA - The Fillmore ^ $= w/ Team Dresch^ w/ Prism Bitch# w/ Dinosaur Jr.! w/ Oh, Rose$ w/ Itchy Kitty
= w/ Team Dresch^ w/ Prism Bitch# w/ Dinosaur Jr.! w/ Oh, Rose$ w/ Itchy Kitty
Doug has been in a sort of strange - maybe transitional, it seems now - zone recently, playing backyards and tiny venues in Portland and elsewhere in the Northwest. It's cool that he has switched up the lineup to include two women, though I generally would rather see BTS as a quartet.
― alpine static, Thursday, 7 October 2021 22:10 (two years ago) link
I saw a pretty great trio show back in the 90s (and also a terrible one!). He's definitely a cool player, I like the idea of him doing a little more heavy lifting. Glad he's still at it!
― tylerw, Thursday, 7 October 2021 22:17 (two years ago) link