Built to Spill’s frontman, Doug Martsch, sings with a delicacy that seemingly couldn’t work with indie rock… yet it does. Perfectly. Going from foot-tapping, driving rock songs, to melancholy 6/8 time ballads, Martsch’s voice is the common denominator. His resonant bell-like tone is both soft and focused at the same time and BTS’ vocal melodies soar over the roar of three Fender guitars with grace. At Tuesday night’s show at the Pageant, his lines like, “You were right when you said, we are all just bricks in the wall. And when you said manic depression’s a frustrating mess,” were sharp enough to cut glass but warm enough to feel like a letter written in longhand.
(Video after the jump)
(Sorry for the poor audio)
In their 17 years, Built to Spill has seen their share of days on the road; played their share of dives and halls alike. This was apparent from their first note, as their songs’ entrances, breaks, and endings were effortlessly coordinated. Even with their backs to each other, they knew exactly when to play a tricky stop-time bridge, or how long a guitar solo should last. At times, it was as if the songs were playing themselves. (Take this how you will; they still play material from the early days) But though they were extremely professional in how they played their set, one thing that seemed missing was interaction with the crowd. There was honestly silence between every song, only interrupted by an occasional enthusiastic “whoop” or “yea” from a brave fan. Four songs went by before lead guitarist, Brett Netson, grabbed the mic and said, “I talk about stuff. How’s it goin’?” And though this didn’t take away from the music, I expected a bit more from the guys. Isn’t there more to a show than saying “Thank you” after songs?
Highlights from the set were the aforementioned “You Were Right” and “The Plan” from 1999’s Keep it Like a Secret as well as the eight-minute epic “Goin’ Against Your Mind,” from the newer album You in Reverse. These songs all boasted layers of effect-savy guitar work, interesting song structures and Martsch’s signature vocals. And that’s what matters, because with a cult following like Built to Spill’s, it really is all about the music.
BTS always plays great shows in St. Louis. Great video, too!