I'm still undecided. I've seen them many, many times and I think I'm a little worn out on the 12minute saga that every song has become. And yet, I think You in Reverse is the best album they've put out since Perfect from Now On despite the fact that most tracks seem to trail off or are ready-made for the jamming. I love all of the things Doug has going on in Ultimate Alternative Wavers, and yet it still had a more structured feel (except for Built Too Long).

Also, as a bonus for caring to discuss the finer points of their artistic development, the first eligible person to email me (address in profile) can have a ticket to tonight's BTS show at the Warsaw in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. I won't be there until 9:15pm though, so we'd have to coordinate. My partner had to cancel.

By eligible, I just mean you'll actually show up on time to get in. You don't even need to stand by me.

I guess that means I'm for the earlier work, though the new stuff is not unpalatable. Damn, how's that for being a soft critic?

By the by, preference give to people with a username on this site or metafilter. De-lurk music lovers! See what you're missing?!? one-sided conversations?

BTS is one of those bands in my folder labelled "listen to these guys some time, people keep talking about them". The folder contains Keep It Like A Secret, and Perfect From Now On.

If I were in NYC I'd take the ticket, but... you know. I'm not.

I'd love to go to a show with you but i obviously can't make it, and i'd have to say earlier stuff because that's all i've really heard from ages ago--
--out of the loop me has to stop circling metachat, but i had to address the fork. Have fun.

I have a list kind of like that. I carry it in my wallet in case I'm in a record store and can't think of anything to buy off the top of my head or through browsing. Oddly enough, it only has a couple of things crossed off of it. I guess I don't have that much trouble. The moral of the story, agro, is....

Hi, eth!

Safetyfork, you need to look up "HOTROD" over at Vox. He loves BTS too!!!

"Time Trap" is one of my favorite songs ever.

So which does that mean I prefer?

(Also, I almost wish I still lived in Brooklyn, because I'd have loved to have been able to see Built to Spill for free...)

Umm, does that answer your question?

(By the way, I'd have more to say if you were asking about Sunny Day Real Estate, instead...)

dersins: please elaborate on how you feel about the unrecognized genius of the second (pink) album versus the obvious genuis of Diary.

I blame the increase of typos on my adoption of firefox on the mac. Genius!

I never really thought about it that way. Perfect From Now On will always be their most perfect album for me. I'm not a musician so whether I love a record depends more on the "feeling" for me of the way the music flows and fits together, rather than what I perceive as the more technical distinction you are drawing.

They are amazing live.

Well, safetyfork, it's funny you should mention just those two records, since, not only are they the only SDRE ones I like, they're also the only two things that Jeremy Enigk has ever done that I actually like, (with the minor exception of some guest-screaming he did on a thirty-ought-six song...).

I must be "obvious," though, because I prefer "Diary" to the pink record / lp2.

It's just...Beautiful without being "beautiful." It's almost a perfect record. There's not a throwaway track on the whole thing. As I check my "frequently played" tracks in my iTunes, I note that "In Circles" is far and away my most played song.

Although I've always loved the record, I was re-introduced to it only in early 2005, when I got an iPod for the first time, and began buying, borrowing, and ripping digital versions of records I hadn't listened to in years.

For some reason, "Diary" became my soundtrack every time I went to Central Park and walked around marvelling at the Gates.

It just worked, somehow.

the pink record (lp2) is great too, of course, but it's no Diary.

And everything went to hell after Jeremy Enigk got all religious.

Not that there's anything wrong with getting all religious-- I don't think there's necessarily a casue and effect relationship, just a correlation.

And if no-one ends up claiming that BTS ticket, my ex, who lives in Greenpoint, might want it...

Update:

She would like it, if nobody else claims it, but she's not on MeFi or MeCha, so obviously others might take priority...

matildaben: It's hard to argue with Perfect From Now On. It is simply an amazing album, and I probably was a little tough on Keep It Like A Secret and Ancient Melodies because of it. I think the new album reflects the amount of touring the band did in the interim and it feels more jam-ready and like it's a product of a different process or approach to the song writing. I don't know if participatory or democratic are really the right terms. But I would've loved to have been a fly on the wall for some of those sessions.

And, as much as everything is all epic with the songs during the live shows these days, I still treasure seeing them.

dersins: I think I agree with pretty much every word of your SDRE assessment. I prefer Diary as well, it is the better record, but am always kind of surprised at how much I enjoy the second album these days. I feel like I should get the live album, though, I think I was there!

Your ex should e-mail me. It appears that no Mechas near Brooklyn are both aware of the offer and interested.

Your ex should e-mail me

She has sent an email to the address in your profile...

I've never seen them play as to my knowledge they never played Toronto when I was a fan. Twin Falls is one of my favorite songs by anyone. I hate the Live album and haven't listened to anything since.

Look for the record with ME on the cover!

E-mail received and replied to. Thanks!

Nice quote dobbs!

PS. Your photos of GBV and the Constantines were excellent.

Which is to say: the ticket has been claimed. Now, on to the heated debate!

Wait, can you have a heated debate when everyone's pretty much in agreement with each other?

also (and somewhat off-topic), I am strongly beginning to suspect that dobbs and my brother know each other

Yeah, I was trying to stir up the embers, stoke the coals, or what-have-you... this is nothing like the thread where mikenumbers suggested that One was not only Metallica's best song, but the best metal song ever.

Well, that's because he was wrong, whereas you are right.

Objectively.

how's that for ember-stirring?

I didn't pay much attention to BTS until I woke up to the live version of "The Plan" and was blown away.

I own three of their albums, but "Keep It Like a Secret" is probably the one I spin the most.

Ancient Melodies did nothing for me.

"Keep It Like a Secret" is probably the one I spin the most.

Me too, actually. It's that guitar intro to "Time Trap." Blows me away every time. It smells like the pacific northwest coastline on a foggy day.

I know that doesn't make any sense (Boise is NOWHERE NEAR the ocean), but still, that's my little piece of synaesthesia, and you're just going to have to allow it.

"Perfect from now on," isn't too far behind, nor is "There's nothing wrong with love," but, as cliched as it may make me, I end up playing "Keep it Like a Secret" more than either of them.

I'm so predictable.

For me they peaked at Keep it Like a Secret.

It was a good show. Roughly speaking it was two tracks from Nothing Wrong With Love, two tracks from Perfect From Now On, two or three from Keep it Like a Secret, two or three from You in Reverse, two "new" songs, one Gladiators cover, one instrumental (with Calvin Johnson video spoken word about environmentalism), and I think a track (or two) from Ancient Melodies as well.

Yah, Chris said it was a great show (and she thanked you, as well, which I'm sure she did in person, too..)

I can never seem to manage to see them when they're here in portland. Either it sells out too quickly or I'm out of town.

Boo me!