Have you been to a Built to Spill concert during the last two tours? I've seen BtS the most of any band live. Several years ago, after a couple of lackluster shows, I was ready for them to hang it up. And, I think Doug felt the same way. He dumped the band and started touring and recording with other combos, starting with a punk band from Brazil and currently he's playing with Melanie Radford - bass and Teresa Esguerra - drums. It was so cool to see Doug re-energized, with these two young women, who clearly love the music, just going for it and rocking out. It is hard to overstate how much more energized these well worn songs sound when turbo-charged with a drummer and bassist who just kill it. Doug even talked once or twice.
It got me thinking about aging rock stars, who almost always end up overstaying their welcome. Somehow Doug has found a way to stay engaged without trying to be something he's not. Probably a life lesson there.
Also, thinking... did BtS have the best career arc of all the 90s alternative bands? Like some sort of last-man-standing?
I haven't seen them since 2016 when Doug was touring with Steve Gere and Jason Albertini. It was an amazing set though. I was following who he performed with though and I really liked that album Íngreme by Oruã which I found when I was looking into the members he toured with. I'd love to see him with Melanie and Teresa though. And yeah their career is incredibly consistent and long running, one of the greats for sure.
Jawbreaker might the only band where I can distinctly remember where I was when I first heard (and/or bought) each of their records. Hard to pick a favorite when they're all so good (even Dear You).
Bivouac is a 50 minute catharsis. I could prattle on and on, but it just...resonated with me. Still does, really. And if nothing else, "Donatello" absolutely rips.
It's cool that you're doing this Dan. It looks like I'm 22 years older than you. My list would look completely different (I know a very small percentage of the albums you mention.) I've been progressing through my own list of Top Ten songs from every year of my life. I'm currently working on 2011 - so I'm getting closer to the present time. Most of my lists were completed at the end of each actual year (except for the first 14 years which I created many years later.) As such, my lists reflect what I was truly into at the time. How much of that did you consider when putting your albums list together? I'm also reflecting on my life during each year. Here is my most recent post: https://open.substack.com/pub/danpal/p/a-top-ten-memoir-2010-so-magnetic?r=lru5s&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
doing Top Ten songs for every year is an awesome idea! for me, choosing albums years pre-2009 or so was a mix of: viewing the "top albums of [year]" charts on Rate Your Music and scrolling through pages and pages and making note of albums I love from that year, adding any albums I knew off the top of my head that I loved, and checking my Rate Your Music reviews to see what albums from that year I've already written about. Then I'll do the actually hard work of trying to decide which 2 to pick 😂
I love it. It'd be cool to pace a project like that out, I couldn't help but bite it all off at once but doing one post per album over the course of a longer period of time would be really neat!
Pretty interesting, esoteric and cool list. Dots and Loops is one of my fave albums of all time. I'd pick Propagandhi's "How to Clean Everything" (1993) over the one chosen here (although that is still a pretty fuckin' rocking album)
thank you! one day I should do a list with more of a focus on what I listened to when I was a kid haha. there'd be more, I dunno, Big Shiny Tunes 2, Eve 6 or Chumbawumba on there lol
Killer idea, and great picks—I've never listened to that Fugazi album, and now I think I should. I think now for my own sake, I want to do something similar, as an exercise in how my taste my have (d)evolved since those original years.
Full Disclosure! Argument is their Abbey Road - the most restrained, acoustic guitars even. But still 100% them. The 12” mixes from Parade are amazing too, if you haven’t heard them.
Have you been to a Built to Spill concert during the last two tours? I've seen BtS the most of any band live. Several years ago, after a couple of lackluster shows, I was ready for them to hang it up. And, I think Doug felt the same way. He dumped the band and started touring and recording with other combos, starting with a punk band from Brazil and currently he's playing with Melanie Radford - bass and Teresa Esguerra - drums. It was so cool to see Doug re-energized, with these two young women, who clearly love the music, just going for it and rocking out. It is hard to overstate how much more energized these well worn songs sound when turbo-charged with a drummer and bassist who just kill it. Doug even talked once or twice.
It got me thinking about aging rock stars, who almost always end up overstaying their welcome. Somehow Doug has found a way to stay engaged without trying to be something he's not. Probably a life lesson there.
Also, thinking... did BtS have the best career arc of all the 90s alternative bands? Like some sort of last-man-standing?
I haven't seen them since 2016 when Doug was touring with Steve Gere and Jason Albertini. It was an amazing set though. I was following who he performed with though and I really liked that album Íngreme by Oruã which I found when I was looking into the members he toured with. I'd love to see him with Melanie and Teresa though. And yeah their career is incredibly consistent and long running, one of the greats for sure.
Two songs: check out The Mountain, a cover by BtS sung by Melanie, continuing the tradition of fantastic covers.
As for the Brazilian crew, check out Bike Never Die by Le Almeida.
Love that you're putting this together!
Jawbreaker might the only band where I can distinctly remember where I was when I first heard (and/or bought) each of their records. Hard to pick a favorite when they're all so good (even Dear You).
Bivouac is a 50 minute catharsis. I could prattle on and on, but it just...resonated with me. Still does, really. And if nothing else, "Donatello" absolutely rips.
P.S. Fastbacks forever!
It's cool that you're doing this Dan. It looks like I'm 22 years older than you. My list would look completely different (I know a very small percentage of the albums you mention.) I've been progressing through my own list of Top Ten songs from every year of my life. I'm currently working on 2011 - so I'm getting closer to the present time. Most of my lists were completed at the end of each actual year (except for the first 14 years which I created many years later.) As such, my lists reflect what I was truly into at the time. How much of that did you consider when putting your albums list together? I'm also reflecting on my life during each year. Here is my most recent post: https://open.substack.com/pub/danpal/p/a-top-ten-memoir-2010-so-magnetic?r=lru5s&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web
doing Top Ten songs for every year is an awesome idea! for me, choosing albums years pre-2009 or so was a mix of: viewing the "top albums of [year]" charts on Rate Your Music and scrolling through pages and pages and making note of albums I love from that year, adding any albums I knew off the top of my head that I loved, and checking my Rate Your Music reviews to see what albums from that year I've already written about. Then I'll do the actually hard work of trying to decide which 2 to pick 😂
Strawberry Switchblade mention is so peak.
I wish I could stay in this house forever, I don’t want to ever leave…
an all time fav! I picked it for my first edition of an "album of the month" club I'm trying to run in Substack chat!
Thanks for including PARADE, my favorite Prince album.
heck yea, my favourite too!!
Love this. I might have to do one myself, although it would be longer (born 1969)!
Every year of my teenage years (nearly) would be a Prince album -
Age 13 - 1999
Age 15 - Purple Rain
Age 16 - Around the World in a Day
Age 17 - Parade
Age 18 - Sign O The Times
Age 19 - Lovesexy
I love it. It'd be cool to pace a project like that out, I couldn't help but bite it all off at once but doing one post per album over the course of a longer period of time would be really neat!
Oh yes, maybe one a week? It would be (just over) a year
good idea, yeah! I’d read it for sure
you have great taste, but just the fact that you included the tyranny of distance alone makes this a winning post in my book (but i would say that!!)
Pretty interesting, esoteric and cool list. Dots and Loops is one of my fave albums of all time. I'd pick Propagandhi's "How to Clean Everything" (1993) over the one chosen here (although that is still a pretty fuckin' rocking album)
Cool idea and good pics, Dan. I was also born in 85 so it's interesting to see what other people were listening to.
thank you! one day I should do a list with more of a focus on what I listened to when I was a kid haha. there'd be more, I dunno, Big Shiny Tunes 2, Eve 6 or Chumbawumba on there lol
I went through a Chumbawamba thing too and regret not keeping the albums lol
Killer idea, and great picks—I've never listened to that Fugazi album, and now I think I should. I think now for my own sake, I want to do something similar, as an exercise in how my taste my have (d)evolved since those original years.
thank you!
yeah, you should do it!!
Parade is all-time for me. But glad to see you give The Argument some love. I agree that you can make a case for it as their best.
Yes! Parade is so so good and The Argument, in particular Epic Problem, has been a staple of mine since its release.
Full Disclosure! Argument is their Abbey Road - the most restrained, acoustic guitars even. But still 100% them. The 12” mixes from Parade are amazing too, if you haven’t heard them.
I don't think I have heard the 12" mixes? I will look into that
Omg. They are like extended performances rather than tape edits. So great
https://youtu.be/sS9s4oJir8w
this rocks!!! great idea, excited to dive in! still going through Friday's post.