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When making the new album There Is No Enemy, Doug literally lived in the studio working all day and night. He spent hours and hours laying down guitar tracks he realized he couldn't use since the first live takes had the best tone and feel. He had to undigitally remix the record. It has the sound and feel of the album that every Built To Spill fan has been anxiously awaiting.
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Reviews:
still solid after all these years
so many great bands start to disappoint this late in the game, but not built to spill, if you like their other albums you WILL LIKE this one, it is solid classic song writing, great lyrics, well executed, nuf' said. thanks for another Doug.
It's a great album
First, I love the album, I just deployed to Iraq, last month, so I just happened to be checking if there was anyhting new out from BTS, and sure enough there was! I began crying, and held my hands up to heaven, thanking god and all his glory. well it wasn't quite like that but I was pretty stoked. I downloaded it off our great internet connection that took me about an hour.
So far I've listened to it about 10 times and it seems to get better after every play through. "Things Fall Apart", and "Tomorow" are great tracks, so's "Boredom".Yes it sounds like typical BTS but it also sounds different, with little flourishes here and there, horns and what not.
Now as for the audio quality, I don't know if it's my computer, or my crap headphones, but if I turn it up to much, it starts to distort, I don't normally get this on other albums. I just ordered a new set of SONY V6 Studio Monitor headphones, so I'll see if it still happens on those. But I think it might have been mixed a little HOT. I ordered a copy on vinyl for my wife, and I'm going to test it against that when I go home on leave. for now I'll just enjoy what I got.
Bottom line, it's a good album, with great songs.
****UPDATE****
I got my new headphones, and it sounds perfect through them, So I would change my review to 5 stars but it won't let me.
A Solid Album That Fits In With The Bands Work
I think most BTS fans will find 'There Is No Enemy' to be a decent but unspectacular album in the band's lineup. Its place in the band's heirarchy has more to do with BTS's consistently good output over the last 15 years than any serious shortcomings the album has.
In production quality, the album has a similar feel to 'You In Reverse' but it lacks some of the previous album's excess, and has a more laid back, melodic feel. Most of the songs sound as if they originated from Doug's pen first, with jams put around it instead of the other way around. Aside from minor instrumentation additions, there's nothing really new for BTS. The biggest difference is that Doug's lyrics seem more straight forward than in album's past, he sings openly about things like love and disappointment throughout most of the album.
For me the high points were the first 5 songs on the album and the closer 'Tomorrow', which I thought was very good. I was not elated when I first heard this album, but I'm not disappointed either. Built To Spill sounds like a band that has refined its sound into something unique and enjoyable, but has also taken it as far as it can go. I imagine I'll continue to enjoy the work of Built To Spill, but I will no longer be surprised by anything they do. As long as they continue on their current track, I'm okay with that.
like it
As someone else mentioned this album is a bit more like what B2S was doing before they did You in Reverse. I like that album and all B2S albums actually. I think most B2S fans will be pleased with this album...very good stuff.
bad audio quality
Inexcusably poor audio quality. Was this recorded in 1991? Actually, I have albums from decades ago that sound better. In fact, every other BTS album sounds better than this. How does this happen? Do your ears not bleed on Pat or the closer? How is a band that has been around this long not able release a better sounding product? Inexcusable.
