Built To Spill: Perfect From Now On

Built To Spill records are characteristically all over the map, with hooks that don't so much jangle as wobble unsteadily and collapse at your feet. Power solos amble along, just off the beat, until they either trail off into vapor or explode into carefully charged fury. On his past records, frontman Doug Martsch (Treepeople, The Halo Benders) showed signs that he's either a meticulous pop craftsman or very easily bored. Perfect From Now On proves one thing: He's definitely not easily bored. BTS's third full-length spreads its eight tracks out over 54 minutes, giving Martsch time to play with shoegazer hums and drones, warbling space-rock, and earnest Jon Anderson-style prog. There's a bit too much of the latter, but it's thankfully infused with the giddy melancholy and acidly sweet riffing that made previous Built To Spill releases such a joy to hear. In a music world seemingly ruled by the anger of the moment or insipid sentimentality, Perfect From Now On is a welcome relief.