Built to Spill - There Is No Enemy

Original-indie-rockers Built to Spill have been going since the mid-90's, and since then, their 'sound' has stayed relatively the same. But I guess that's okay, because luckily they only release and album about every 3-5 years. My prediction for future Built to Spill albums is that they aren't going to bring something new, or shockingly-different to light. Does this make them a bad band? No. And here's why:

The thing that makes Built to Spill a really "good" band, is the singer. The guy that sets them apart from any one else. You could hear him sing one sillable, and you'd know what band you're listening to. What is his accent, anyway? That really thick accent, very American. Apparently, they come from Boise. I guess that's the accent of Idaho. I don't know, I've never heard of any other band from that state. Anyway, his voice makes up about 75% of the band's originality. Any other singer would just not make sense with this music. I'm trying to imagine Conor Oberst, or M. Ward singing with the music. It's not coming out right, is what I'm saying.

And here's what makes There Is No Enemy a relatively good album:
1. Songs vary enough to keep you entertained, like on Aisle 13, a steady, strong kick-start for the album, or Oh Yeah, a reverb-filled, distant-sounding slow-jam.
2. It clocks in at just under an hour long, like any BTS record, letting in enough rock-out time, or fake-jam/pretend-you're-built-to-spill time. We all need that.

I don't think I like it as much as You in Reverse, and definitely not as much as Perfect From Now On, but it has its 'oohs' and 'ahs'. It's very well-produced, but I still don't understand why it took them three years.



-Julian