Right now, somewhere in this land, someone is lying on a couch listening to a Built to Spill album with his headphones on and the lights off. He's letting a deluge of cascading guitar chords and harmonies wash over his senses. After a while, the album will end, and that person's going to ask himself, "Who says guitar rock is dead?" What he should be thinking about is how Built to Spill challenge the belief that classical arrangements are missing from contemporary music.

Unlike most other acts in the land, Built to Spill - the brainchild and repository of the fertile imagination of Doug Martsch - make use of arrangements more in touch with Irving Berlin, George Gershwin and Cole Porter than one might think. The band rely on smoothly flowing harmonies and simple, lyrical storytelling. Their basic beats give listeners a cornucopia of sounds that recall the rich textures of classical arrangements and a lyrical density more poetic than poppy. The band have been known to use waltzy arrangements - on Perfect From Now On's "Velvet Waltz" - and rhythms reminiscent of Cole Porter - on Keep It Like A Secret's "Center of the Universe."

Originally, Built to Spill was an opportunity for Martsch to experiment. After the breakup of the Treepeople, he began working with numerous musicians who would come and play on tracks. Folks like Brett Netson, Calvin Johnson, John McMahon, Robert Roth and others had a hand in helping Martsch develop expansive new sounds. The results were albums that played like tight jam sessions and improvosational discussions. As the music progressed, things got more interesting. Martsch was on K Records when he was approached by Warner Brothers. He eventually left K and accepted Warner's deal. But Martsch had a few strings to attach to the deal. He obtained, among other things, guaranteed time off from touring and recording as well as full creative control of his music. Before Keep It Like A Secret was released in 1999, the line-up solidified to include Martsch, Brett Nelson and Scott Plouf. The result was tighter and more disciplined than any of their previous albums.

Martsch's lyrics discuss what he feels, not just what he thinks he perceives. His songs are emblematic of the raw emotions and confusions we deal with, not the crude fantasies we retreat to. By welding his voice to this bullet of truth, Martsch is able to write powerful and touching songs that give voice to his powerful music. Amazingly, Martsch writes his lyrics after the music is put together. Instead of revising notebooks crammed full of thoughts, he composes with stream-of-consciousness. His words are amplified by spontaneous outburst of emotion and logic. Martsch has admitted to not knowing what his lyrics mean until after he's heard them a few times, and even then he claims their meaning is everchanging. Built to Spill are one of the most critically acclaimed acts in the country simply because of their musical diversity, lyrical quality and creative ability. While the band will never be a huge seller or a marketable commodity, Built to Spill could be one of the most influential acts of the next ten years.

Check out these Built to Spill features: Interview with Doug Martsch, Built To Spill Photo Gallery

Read these Built to Spill reviews: The Normal Years, There's Nothing Wrong With Love, Perfect From Now On, Keep It Like A Secret

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