Out in support of their first full-length in six years, Untethered Moon, seminal Idaho indie rockers Built to Spill are sounding better than ever, and will be bringing their bombastic live show to Nashville for the first time in three years, tonight, May 7 at Exit/In, with Wooden Indian Burial Ground and Clarke and the Himselfs set to support. Tickets are still available for this show, so grab ’em now and read on for full details below!
BUILT TO SPILL
With their immeasurable influence from, and, subsequently, on the sound of the Pacific Northwest, it’s sometimes easy to forget that indie rockers Built to Spill actually hail from Boise, Idaho. Led by enigmatic and supremely talented frontman Doug Martsch, the lineup-change-prone band’s only constant, the group have released eight excellent full-length releases (plus a variety of EPs, compilations, and live albums) over the last two+ decades, and have operated in a practically revolutionary way, technically signed to a major label, but more or less autonomous in their every action. Just last month, Built to Spill dropped their latest effort, Untethered Moon, flexing a renewed energy and focus, fostered, in no small part, by a brand new rhythm section. Never ones to allow themselves to be put into a box, the band weave between the sounds of punk, alternative, and indie, and seem to pull from an even broader palate of influences; their only constant is to make whatever record is representative of their current state of mind. One of indie rock’s premiere live acts, Built to Spill are a certifiable modern legend, and you should see them live any chance that you get.
WOODEN INDIAN BURIAL GROUND
Formed as a duo in Portland, Oregon in 2008, and now a quartet, fuzzy, lo-fi indie rockers Wooden Indian Burial Ground are a natural fit for this lineup. Self-described as taking influence from “grey skies, early sci-fi novels, fuzz pedals and homemade drone boxes,” the synth-laced, psyched-out group operate as a fiercely independent unit, and have earned buzz through appearances at festival like CMJ. The band’s eponymous full-length was released in 2012, so we suspect some new tunes might be right round the corner.
CLARKE AND THE HIMSELFS
Hailing from Built to Spill’s home of Boise, Clarke and the Himselfs is the “sad scene garage rock” musical outlet of Clarke Howell. Buzzy, lo-fi, and hypnotic, it’s easy to see why this under the radar performer was selected for the tour, and easy to hear how he’s been influenced by Built to Spill’s sound.
Built to Spill, Wooden Indian Burial Ground, and Clarke and the Himselfs will perform Thursday, May 7 at Exit/In. The show is 18+, begins at 9 p.m. (doors at 8 p.m.), and tickets are available for $22-25.
