If the guitar solo is really dead, Built To Spill frontman Doug Marsch didn’t get the memo.
With more guitar skill than his indie peers, Marsch sculpts his soundscapes with the same daring imagination that wrote the songs that made them atmospheric giants with one of the best albums of the nineties, “Perfect From Now On.”
The new BTS record resembles a greatest-hits tape in many ways. “Live” documents some of the best songs to come from their two Warner Brothers releases, as well as an excellent rendition of “Car” from their last album on K Records, “There’s Nothing Wrong with Love.”
What’s new is the brooding, tangled guitar anti-heroics that push and shove their way to the front of the music.
The explosive opener “The Plan” begins with wailing, sweeping guitar riffs that soon breakdown into a heavy, industrial bridge.
The cover songs, including Love as Laughter’s “Singing Sores Make Perfect Swords” and The Halo Benders “Virginia Reel Around the Fountain” are decent, but there are many Built to Spill gems missing from this polished bootleg.
Still, the combination of Marsch’s inspired vocals and stellar rhythm support makes “Live” swell with raw emotional currents that can’t be captured in a studio. The mix is also sensational and a credit to producer Phil Ek’s abilities.
Even though the 20-minute cover of Neil Young’s “Cortez the Killer” doesn’t translate as well on tape as it does as an epic show-closer, “Broken Chairs” is a testament to the power of an innovative band that is still exploring new territory.