Review Summary: A densely layered record of guitar-heroics and existential musings that almost lives up to its name.
Chock-filled with Pavement-esque lo-fi slacker anthems, Built to Spill’s sophomore effort There’s Nothing Wrong With Love saw the Doug Martsch lead indie-outfit begin to emerge as unlikely underground heroes. On their follow up and major label debut, 1997’s Perfect From Now On, Martsch and co. essentially abandon the hook-heavy pop sensibilities of its predecessor, instead opting for an 8-track, 54 minute record comprised of spacious soundscapes and gradual crescendos that ebb and flow into powerful climaxes and jagged indie rock choruses. Multiple guitar tracks weave their way in and out of every song, while broodingly atmospheric cellos and pulsating mellotron lines enhance the existential tone of the LP. Released to critical acclaim and commercial success, circumstance lead to Perfect being recorded three times. The final result is stunning; with bassist Brett Nelson and drummer Scott Plouf as back-up, Martsch was able to construct his magnum opus, that not only stands as an indie rock masterpiece but as a landmark album in a decade rife with musical creativity.
Experimenting with longer song-structures and with a heightened reliance on tension and release, Perfect sees layer upon layer of guitar tracks integrated throughout into every song. In lesser hands this would result in a disharmonious mess; Martsch, however, is able to carefully craft each song in a way that is never overbearing, as each guitar line perfectly complements every other instrument in the mix. This is perhaps best exemplified in album highlight Velvet Waltz. A symphony of wailing guitars provide back-up for Martsch’s philosophical ponderings, as reverb-laden and distortion drenched guitars are piled upon one another before exploding into a glorious cacophony of screeching guitar leads, all as the front man postulates “A grave mistake/but how could you have known/the temperature, the distance of the sun”. Elsewhere, Out of Site demonstrates the levels of variety on display, juxtaposing densely melancholic verses with an explosively fast-paced chorus, before the breakdown provides the albums heaviest musical moment and immediately follows it with its poppiest refrain. The song culminates with Martsch’s most impassioned vocal performance, climaxing in a gradual fade-out of distortion-heavy guitars and driving drums.
The slow burn of album opener and instant highlight Randy Described Eternity perfectly encapsulates the essence of the record, both musically and lyrically. “Every thousand years/this metal sphere/ten times the size of Jupiter/flies just a few yards past the past the Earth” Martsch asserts, as the musical backing exhibits restraint, constantly threatening to burst into a wall of sound climax but never quite following through with its promise. The haunting cello in I Would Hurt a Fly gives way to a ferocious finale, while the three minute intro in Stop the Show builds itself to a crescendo of pounding drums and typically brilliant guitar leads. Penultimate track Kicked it in the Sun shows another side of Built To Spill, as shimmering psychedelic guitars give way to a jubilantly uplifting coda of “We’re special in other ways”.
The existential ponderings of a disillusioned front man hardly break new ground lyrically, but Martsch’s lyrics are clever enough and delivered with such conviction that they remain captivating throughout. Album closer Untrustable Part II is the lyrical highlight, with its soaring refrain of, “And I’d love to see but its something you just feel/and I’d like to feel but it just isn’t real/and God is whoever you’re performing for/and God is whoever you perform for” before culminating with the question, “Can you feel the darkness shining through/what are you gonna do?”
While their subsequent releases were never quite able to live up to the title’s promise, Perfect From Now On is the closest Built to Spill ever got to being, well, perfect. With arguably the greatest guitarist in indie rock history at their helm, the band is able to create a record that is musically dynamic and lyrically intriguing. For whatever reason, they never quite managed to attain the long-term popularity the quality of their music deserved. For those fortunate enough to listen to this masterpiece, however, they’ll find themselves rewarded with the beautiful sound of an ambitious band at the top of their game.
4.7/5
