Built to Spill - Untethered Moon (2015)

In 20 years of listening to BTS this one is a little underwhelming. Hopefully, it's a grower and not a shower.

 

I want to love this record so much, but so far, I have to agree.

As an aside, I'm not a DR freak, but good lord, this one is squashed to death, even on vinyl.

 

Keep It Like a Secret was the first BTS I ever heard after recommended by a co-worker based on my tastes, and I absolutely loved it on first listen and still do today. Otherwise, I have really loved the first half of the song Conventional Wisdom, but nothing else of theirs has resonated with me. Based on the two tracks posted, I would never say the new album is near the quality of 'Secret'.

 

Few albums are on the same level as Perfect From Now On or Keep it Like a Secret, however I'm enjoying the new album more than anything since Ancient Melodies of the Future.

 

Pretty good interview with Martsch at grantland. He talks about the new record, the cosmos and playing basketball against Stephen Malkmus, among other things.

Doug Martsch interview

 

Another longtime fan here. I really didn't care for it on first listen – I was really let down. But it's definitely proving to be a grower – liking it more with every listen.

 

This is definitely a grower , but please don't expect anything like "Keep it like a secret"..
This can be in the same level as 'You in reverse', pity that it's so much compressed,
what about the pono high res download, is it any better?

 

I've given this a bunch of spins now and liking it about on par with the last couple albums but it will take more time to really shake out. Early returns has "On the Way" as my favorite track so far.

My only nitpick is the last song "When I'm Blind". I feel this is one of the rare instances where Doug's drawn out guitar solo actually detracts a bit from the song. I like the vocal melody and find myself wishing this one was a more concise 4+ minutes instead of the 8 and half that it is.

One thing's for sure, it's nice to have some new BtS to listen to after 6 years.

 

I am happy too to have some fresh BTS and so far after a couple spins I am more than satisfied with what the band has come up with. The only other album I know really well is Perfect From now On, while that has probably more deeper well composed songs I like this one even better .. nothing that stands out too much but nothing sub-par neither-just a nice flow of vocals, melodies and great guitar leads over a fine jamming background. Never gets tedious or tiresome, let alone bring. A solid effort, that did not let me down each time I pressed play (last time this night) !
. 8/10 or 7.5/10

 

I just discovered this band after seeing them play on the TV coverage of Coachella. They only showed one song, but it blew me away. I think it was the opening song from Untethered Moon. I've pounced on their back catalog, like I do with any newly discovered established band. How could I have missed them all these years? And I just missed them playing in Phoenix last month!

It will take me a while to really sort out their discography, but so far I like You In Reverse best. I also really like Untethered Moon. All of their albums have appealed to me. I will gladly dig in and get to know them better.

 

I saw them this past weekend as part of a festival in Brooklyn. They sounded great but only got to play for about an hour which was disappointing. I was wondering why they weren't headlining their own show in NY and then they just announced more dates. They're keeping busy for sure.


Built to Spill -- 2015 Tour Dates
Jul 08 Edgefield Amphitheater Troutdale, OR
Jul 09 Les Schwab Amphitheatre Bend, OR
Jul 10 Harlow's (w/ Death Cab For Cutie) Sacramento, CA
Jul 11 Greek Theatre Berkeley (w/ Death Cab For Cutie) San Francisco, CA
Jul 12 The Catalyst (w/ Death Cab For Cutie) Santa Cruz, CA
Jul 13 Troubadour (w/ Death Cab For Cutie) Los Angeles, CA
Jul 14 Troubadour (w/ Death Cab For Cutie) Los Angeles, CA
Jul 15 Troubadour (w/ Death Cab For Cutie) Los Angeles, CA
Jul 16 Pappy & Harriet's (w/ Death Cab For Cutie) Pioneertown, CA
Jul 17 Belly Up Tavern (w/ Death Cab For Cutie) Solana Beach, CA
Jul 18 The Observatory (w/ Death Cab For Cutie) Santa Ana, CA
Jul 19 The Observatory Los Angeles, CA
Jul 20 Humbrews Arcata, CA
Jul 21 WOW Hall (w/ Death Cab For Cutie) Eugene, OR
Jul 22 Wonder Ballroom (w/ Death Cab For Cutie) Portland, OR
Jul 23 Wonder Ballroom (w/ Death Cab For Cutie) Portland, OR
Jul 24 Capitol Hill Block Party [July 24th-26th] Seattle, WA
Jul 25 Commodore Ballroom Vancouver, Canada
Jul 26 Phillips Backyard Weekender Victoria, Canada
Aug 29 NIFI Fest [Performance Date TBA 8/28-8/30] Sparta, KY
Sep 09 Pub Station Billings, MT
Sep 11 Vega Lincoln, NE
Sep 12 Codfish Hollow Maquoketa, IA
Sep 14 The Bluebird Bloomington, IN
Sep 14 The Bluebird Bloomington, IN
Sep 15 The Basement Columbus, OH
Sep 16 Grog Shop Cleveland, OH
Sep 17 State Theatre State College, PA
Sep 18 Toronto Urban Roots Festival Toronto, Canada
Sep 19 Club Soda Montreal, Canada
Sep 20 City Folk Festival Ottawa, Canada
Sep 21 Town Ballroom Buffalo, NY
Sep 22 Chameleon Club Lancaster, PA
Sep 23 Bowery Ballroom New York, NY
Sep 24 Bowery Ballroom New York, NY
Sep 25 Bowery Ballroom New York, NY
Sep 26 Brooklyn Bowl Brooklyn, NY
Sep 27 College Street Music Hall Hamden, CT
Sep 28 Asylum Portland, ME
Sep 29 Brighton Music Hall Boston, MA
Sep 30 Brighton Music Hall Boston, MA
Oct 01 Brighton Music Hall Boston, MA
Oct 02 Union Transfer Philadelphia, PA
Oct 03 9:30 Club Washington, DC
Oct 04 Mr Smalls Pittsburgh, PA
Oct 07 Bottleneck Lawrence, KS
Nov 07 Voxhall Aarhus, Denmark
Nov 08 Rockefeller Oslo, Norway
Nov 09 Debaser Medis, Ballroom Stockholm, Sweden
Nov 10 Loppen, Christiania Copenhagen, Denmark
Nov 11 Enjoy Jazz Festival Heidelberg, Germany
Nov 13 Gebaude 9 Cologne, Germany
Nov 14 Crossing Border The Hague, Netherlands
Nov 15 Bi Nuu Berlin, Germany
Nov 16 Strom Munich, Germany
Nov 17 Mocrava Zagreb, Croatia
Nov 18 Corcolo Magnolia Milan, Italy
Nov 19 Kaserne Basel/Rosstall 1 Basel, Switzerland
Nov 21 Barcelo Madrid, Spain
Nov 22 Bikini Barcelona, Spain
Nov 23 La Maroquinerie Paris, France
Nov 24 Trix Antwerp, Belgium
Nov 25 Electric Ballroom London, United Kingdom
Nov 26 Concorde 2 Brighton, United Kingdom
Nov 27 The Art School Glasgow, United Kingdom
Nov 28 Brudenell Social Club Leeds, United Kingdom
Nov 29 ATP 2.0 Nightmare Before Christmas [Nov 27 - 29] Prestatyn, United Kingdom

 

Is bts opening for death cab for cutie, or is it the other way around...?

 

BTS is opening for Death Cab. Yes, the world is unjust.

 

It has taken longer than usual, but I've really warmed up to this.

(I know you were all sitting on the edge of your seats waiting for this pronouncement)

 

The two July dates in Portland at the Wonder Ballroom are not with Death Cab

 

My recording of the solana beach show earlier this month is available via bit torrent here...

A couple of tracks are streaming from my soundcloud here...