IN REVIEW: Built to Spill - "When the Wind Forgets Your Name"

 

Forming in the immediate aftermath of the alternative explosion emanating from Seattle, Built to Spill entered the scene with a pair of albums that earned enough recognition and showed enough promise to land them a three album contract with Warner Bros. Records. Naturally, Martsch celebrated the achievement by creating Perfect from Now On, a critical success and fan favourite but commercial non-starter, in 1997. This third record saw Built to Spill delve further into their progressive rock-adjacent sweet spot, penning sprawling songs that ran counter to the post-grunge that was the style of the time. 

A couple of less adventurous, more streamlined records (1999's Keep It Like a Secret and 2001's Ancient Melodies of the Future) followed, but they weren't the breakthrough that the suits would have hoped for. At this point most unconventional bands that had yet to prove their marketability would be unceremoniously tossed aside by their label; however, in a rare case of artistic endeavors trumping corporate politics, Warner would in fact re-up the group and keep them under contract for another fifteen years or so. That said, we'd only see another three albums during this period; expanding to a quartet for You in Reverse in 2006 and keeping the lineup intact for follow-up There is No Enemy in 2009, a six year gap and a reversion back to a trio would lead to the revitalized Untethered Moon in 2015.

Seven years later (not counting a Daniel Johnston covers album in 2020), Built to Spill emerge signed to the legendary Sub Pop, bringing their indie-prog sound to a true kindred spirit label for the first time in over a quarter century; in turn, ninth album When the Wind Forgets Your Name picks up where right where Built to Spill left off. This is of course largely down to band leader Doug Martsch's instantly recognizable style; it has to, since he's the only original member (and has been known to switch up his rhythm section frequently to keep things fresh). 

All of this is to say that, as much as things have changed surrounding Built to Spill, things have more or less stayed the same in terms of sound, creation and quality. Boasting a slim nine songs across its 45 minutes, When the Wind Forgets Your Name maintains the core of what makes the group so beloved, even as it sees its energy sapped somewhat in places; being a creative force for 30 years will do that to you. Still, there's a fiery undercurrent on the laid back, scorching opener Gonna Lose, as well as the scrappy back-to-back B-side numbers Spiderweb and Never Alright.

The bulk of the album sits in the hazy, expansive rock fans are well accustomed to at this later stage; Fool's Gold sets the stage nicely with its "just a dream" refrain and easy melody, while midpoint tunes Elements and Rocksteady are afforded ample room to stretch and reflect. Ditto closer Comes a Day, which acts as a noisy, sprawling culmination of the album's ingredients, resulting in an epic conclusion.

Not everything quite hits the mark and, if you absolutely must find a tangible difference between this album and what came before, When the Wind Forgets Your Name is just a little lacking in excitement. Still, this is undeniably a Built to Spill record and, with the gaps between releases growing, who knows how many more albums Doug Martsch has in him? Keeping that in mind, if this were to be the final Built to Spill album, I think that it would make a suitably pleasant punctuation to a highly influential career that has always been flying under the radar.

September 9, 2022 • Sub Pop

Highlights Gonna Lose • Fool's Gold • Never Alright