(Music) Built to Spill: "You In Reverse"

The men of Built to Spill have taken 5 years to create an album. After such an extended haitus, we should expect nothing less than brilliance...right? Right. Well thankfully, we have not been let down. Built to Spill's latest album, "You In Reverse" is an amazing display of talent and guitar "goddotry." From start to finish, the album grabs you by whatever spare appendage you have and pretty much forces you to listen.

As the album unfolds, you realize something: there's not a whole lot different on this album than other Built to Spill albums. Yeah, pretty much. However, this should not discredit the album at all. Any hardcore Built to Spill fan (they exist) will not be disappointed by "You In Reverse." On that same note, any casual Built to Spill listener may be a bit upset that the formula has remained essentially the same. Regardless, it would be insane to just brush this album off as a death rattle from a band that, by all logic, should have died years ago. This is a solid, solid album!!

Everything you've grown to love about Built to Spill is here. The guitar-driven songs are all here, the "how-do-you-do-that-on-a-guitar" guitar riffs are still here, Doug Martsch's poignant lyrics and strangely gratifying vocals are still here. This IS a Built to Spill album. So now that that's out of the way, let's talk about the tracks. They are amazing. They are brilliant. The album begins with the near-9-minute "Goin' Against Your Mind," which, if anything, proves that Built to Spill is far from dead. The album then careens in and out of composition and composition, giving you the aforementioned familiarities and a huge chunk of creativity and musical genius.

The song "Mess With Time" is particularly enchanting and is definitely a standout track. It begins very heavily, with one of the coolest guitar riffs of recent memory with a latin flair and what I can only describe as a "Secret Samadhi" influence. It then slowly builds and, for lack of a better word, spills into a heavily Santana-ish latin outro that both surprises and delights. It is the perfect example of what this band is capable of and how much work they put into this album.

This album very well could be Built to Spill's best album yet. It is solid, inspiring, and worth dozens of repeat listens. Sure, "You In Reverse" isn't a revolutionary album. It will not redefine Built to Spill or bring them to new levels of rock and roll stardom. However, at 7 albums and 13 years into their career, this album is an amazing statement and showing from the little band that could. And make no mistake about it, Built to Spill definitely can.

Recommended for Built to Spill fans and anyone who needs guitar inspiration .


Key Tracks:
1. "Goin' Against Your Mind"
2. "Traces"
3. "Wherever You Go"
4. "Conventional Wisdom"
5. "Mess with Time"

4 out of 5 Stars