Pitchfork

[Posted Tuesday, September 2nd, 2003 02:00:00 Pitchfork Central Time]

Built To Spill are getting ready to head into the studio sometime fairly soon after their upcoming tour, according to reports from both Billboard and Rolling Stone. The album, which frontman Doug Martsch reckons might be out around this time next year, will reportedly have a similar sound to Martsch's blues-oriented solo album Now You Know, albeit with the addition of guitarist James Roth. "[There are] a few pieces where I was playing around with open tunings and slide stuff I want to use. But it's still pretty early," Martsch says. Whichever way they decide to go on their new album, one thing's for sure-- there'll be plenty of practicing. According to Billboard, Martsch's only complaint about the most recent Built to Spill record, Ancient Melodies of the Future, was that the group "under-rehearsed" the material.

However, you might not expect to hear a set chock full o' new songs on the upcoming dates, which include an appearance at the Los Angeles edition of All Tomorrow's Parties in November. This shouldn't be too surprising though, since Martsch eschewed his solo material for older Built to Spill numbers during his recent tour (his slide guitar was broken... no, seriously). He blames the focus on older tunes on drummer Scott Plouf's schoolin': "It turns out [Plouf] has been going to baking school for a year and a half, and he has school all summer, so he hasn't gotten enough practicing in [for us to play the newer stuff]." Baking school? Come on, Scott, get your priorities straight! There's a whole lot of able-bodied drummers out there who could make themselves more available (our threats, not Doug's). Plus, we hear Janet Weiss makes a mean blueberry muffin.