Built to Spill

Doug Martsch | Guitar Hero & Poet

Doug Martsch and his bandmates play the Uptown Theatre tonight in Napa. I'm guessing that their rocking reverb will rattle the renovated walls of this intimate theatre (capacity 863). Built to Spill was (and is) a go-to band for me. They were a fixture during those formative high school years, helping me develop a sense of what was cool. There's Nothing Wrong With Love is an all-time great album and one that I listened to heavily in my teens. For over two decades and counting, Built to Spill has been (by far) one of the best American rock outfits. Powerful energy was woven around brilliant lyricism when they unleashed Perfect Form Now On, their major label debut from 1997. Following that album they continued to wow with Keep It Like a Secret. Those two records need to be heard; they only demand that you play them uninterrupted. Rarely does a recording artist tackle such monumental ground on two consecutive albums (Dylan, Stevie Wonder, and Radiohead come to mind). To date, they've released eight full-length records. I know it may be the day-of, but if you have the extra time and money, tonight's show will be worth it. I have yet to attend an Uptown Theatre show. It looks beautiful, so my excitement is two-fold. Even though I've seen Built to Spill many times, Doug's canon of songs are sure to strike a chord with me. It's been too long since the last time. See you there.

Built to Spill | "The Plan" | Keep It Like a Secret



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