Built to (NOT) Spill

Arriving just in time for my weekend road trip, Built to Spill's latest There is No Enemy provided the perfect relief from the upteenth time through They Might Be Giants' Here Comes Science. While it's cute hearing your four-year old singing about the elements and circulatory system, the wife and I needed some Doug Marsch guitar redemption.

At first There Is No Enemy is kind of lulling, but slowly but surely, moments arrive, melodies burrow and before we knew it, the album has already become a staple. In advance of the street date release next Tuesday (October 6), there's a couple tracks streaming.

"Things Fall Apart" is the kind of sprawling workout that we've come to expect from the Boise band, if a bit more focused than past releases, that is right up until the guitar solos kick in.

Meanwhile, "Hindsight" is the rare efficient pop song from the band, clocking in at just over three minutes, getting it's point across quickly while still leaving enough space for Doug's axe to work its magic, via slide or arpeggio melodies up the guitar neck. And then the repeated refrain "What about Canada?" comes on, and everything seems so connected.

You see, we were North of the border for the wedding of our good friends and neighbors Chad & Lindsey, up the Sunshine Coast at Rockwater Secret Cove Resort (Halfmoon Bay). Many in the music blog circle know Chad as the drummer for Friday Mile, as well as being largely responsible for putting together the Doe Bay Fest lineup the past two years. Since we're always soundtracking, might as well point out the lovely couple chose M. Ward songs for the ceremony.

Oh, and yes... it was my birthday as well... happy birthday to me.