SOUNDTRACK: BUILT TO SPILL-Live (2000).
Soon after releasing “Carry the Zero,” Built to Spill released this, their first (and so far only) live disc.
This disc shows a jamming side of the band that their records up to now hadn’t really displayed (sure there was some evidence of the jam band within, but who would have guessed 2 songs on this disc would stretch to 20 minutes?).
The live set also shows a rather contrarian spirit in that there are only 9 songs in 70 some minutes and only 5 of the songs are actual Built to Spill songs.
The disc opens with “The Plan,” a great version of their most recent disc’s opener. Then they jump right into Perfect from Now On’s opening track “Randy Described Eternity.” That song has a lot of parts and sections, and they do them perfectly. They follow it with another song from Perfect, “Stop the Show” which also has multiple parts and again, they nail it. These three songs were recorded in New York. Brett Netson joined them for “Randy,” and “Stop” which really helps to flesh out those songs.
The next song is a cover of The Halo Benders’ “Virginia Reel Around the Fountain.” And if it sounds very fitting for Doug, he was in The Halo Benders with Calvin Johnson before he started Built to Spill. Then comes the centerpiece of the record–a 20 minute version of Neil Young’s “Cortez the Killer.” And it is amazing. He sounds enough like Neil to be totally respectful, without just being a rip off. It’s probably the best version of this song I’ve heard (until I saw Neil do it this summer).
They switch gears to their first single, “Car,” a delightful 3 minute song. And then, to fill out this almost all covers section, they play “Singing Sores Make Perfect Swords” a song originally done by Love as Laughter. I don’t know the original, but it fits in with Doug’s style. These four songs were record in Seattle.
There’s one song that was recorded in Denver, “I Would Hurt a Fly,” which is yet another song from Perfect, and is one of my favorite songs of theirs. It does not disappoint.
The final song on the disc is a nineteen minute version of the song “Broken Chairs” (which is 8 minutes long on Secret). They do the whistling section and a ton of solos. Indeed, the way they stretch out the song out with guitar solos and noise (and the way the song ends with feedback) is really cool. Netson joined them for “Fly” and “Broken Chairs” (which is why that ending solo is so intense.
It’ s a great live collection of songs and the sound is outstanding. You’d never know it was recorded in different venues, either.
[READ: October 4, 2015] Pablo
Judging this book by its cover you would be correct in assuming that it is about Pablo Picasso. But rather than being a simple history of the Art Master (the title of the series), this is a thorough recounting of Picasso’s life. And what’s even more interesting is that the story is told from the point of view of Picasso’s lover and model Fernande Olivier.
And Fernande’s diary entries make up the bulk of the story and allow for a very personal look into the man and the stylistic choices that Picasso made over the years. As the book says on the back, the authors show “how Picasso’s style developed in response to his friendships and rivalries.” And of his rivals none was greater than Henri Matisse. (The book also covers Picasso’s life before she met him too, of course).
The original work was published (in French) in four volumes. This edition was translated by Edward Gauvin.
I especially like the way the book begins from the point of view of Fernande as an old woman, still alive and reminiscing about her life. (And yes, it’s amazing to realize that Picasso died in 1973…in my lifetime!). (more…)
I Just Read About That... 