Built to Spill
You in Reverse

To gather, intensify, and summarize an ordinary day. The "24-hour" format enclosed in a simple disc, in a cover with surreal shapes, and in a title that is a whole agenda: "You In Reverse", you in reverse, and at least with me, it hits an open door. I might be down to the bone, but listening to this album inevitably brings a foolish smile (pardon the rhyme) to my face, and I don't know why; perhaps it's just the pleasure of listening to certain melodies while waiting at a red light, under the porticoes, through the foggy streets of the morning, in the shadow of olive trees on the way home.

Under "Protagonists," several elements appear: the singing of Doug Martsch, a bearded singer/guitarist with a subdued and melancholic voice that somewhat betrays his tough-guy look; the vaguely post-rock musical echoes, accentuated in the frequent instrumental rides; the rhythm, the melodies of each track, because even though these are not simple radio pop-songs, they manage to stick the tune in your head, and after a couple of listens, you're already hooked.

And once "Goin' Against Your Mind" starts, your foot begins to follow the drum's tu-tump rhythm, while your mind becomes familiar with the guitar passages, sometimes raw and distorted, sometimes dreamy, but always magnificently blended. And you realize that you will hardly stop the album prematurely, because it's impossible to say no to the following "Traces"; in the end, it seems like Martsch's guitar only lacks words.

"Daylight can never really hide what's alive
I know it's hard sometimes
For you to tell where you end
And where the world begins"
(Traces)

One wonders how songs like "Conventional Wisdom" have never been heard on the radio, deluding oneself that the problem is only the excessive length of the track. Indeed, the average track exceeds 5 minutes, yet they flow by as if they were nothing, because the musical recipe is very varied: ranging from quality pop ("Liar") to harder and more driving rock ("Mess With Time"), all sprinkled with psychedelic bursts and jamming finales, just to give that sparkling touch to an album that one cannot fault at all. 

A true pleasure for the ears, believe me.