Built To Spill
Ancient Melodies of the Future
Warner Bros.
Eclectic spinster Doug Martsch re-introduces us to the irresistible melodies of his Built To Spill project. As the opener, “Strange,” beams up into Pixies-ish territory, with searing keyboard tweaks thrown in for good measure, it is comforting to see the charm of this band has not diminished. Sure, it barely hits 40 minutes, but armed with seemingly plenty of substance, the indulgence factor of Ancient Melodies is not lost on these ears.
Rarely abiding by traditional rock archetypes, Martsch and Co. instead opt for post-punk wallowing and bent lyricism to consistently provide refreshing listening. Everything seems minor-chord tinged, but that is perfectly fine by this writer. At times reminiscent of Sunny Day Real Estate without most of the heart wrenching emotion, Ancient Melodies is rock n’ roll for the radio-unfriendly and punk rock for the poet in all of us.
Warner Bros. Records, 3300 Warner Blvd., Burbank, CA 91506-4694; http://www.wbr.com
