These guys have been around forever, and I need something to listen to. Congratulations, you’ve finally had one of the many Swole Ear record selection processes revealed to you.
But seriously, that’s all that went into this pick. Anyone that listens to music has heard the name Built To Spill, even if (like me), they know nothing about the band. With a name like that, I pegged them as a fairly standard indie rock band even before pressing play on Keep It Like A Secret, their fans’ most beloved album.
My prediction was spot on.
The singer-guitar-bass-drum set up is there in full force, and this is textbook indie rock, ladies and gentlemen. Frontman Doug Martsch sings mostly about frustration and love, two classic indie standbys. It’s not that the lyrics are bad; it’s that they’ve been done before. My music timeline is fairly skewed, so my brain’s subconscious decision to ignore that this album came out in 1999 may be flawed. I’ve got to think that plenty of bands were making music just like this before B2S, though.
Sure, the lead singer does have a unique voice, but it hardly stands out against the unspectacularness that backs it up.
I’ll be honest with y’all, Built To Spill does sound like plenty of other bands that I’ve got in my music library. I like indie rock, but I think my tolerance for the genre has reached its capacity. I’ll still accept the stuff that both originally got me into the genre and held my interest, but it’s as if I’ve reached a point where, unless it’s really got something to set it apart, I’m going to find it very boring.
Swole Ear 
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