Perhaps an attempt to modernize or “get with the program,” Built to Spill (BtS) members Doug Martsch and Brett Nelson have doubled-back to revamp se7en classic BtS tracks. Under the moniker The Electronic Anthology Project (EAP), their mission is simple…techno-synth face lifts.
Released on July 7, 2010, the self-titled album’s tracklist (shown below) consists of names anagrammed from the original song name (in parenthesis). Very clever, guys. (Check the Myspace link below to listen to a few select tracks)
- I Dim Our Angst In Agony (Goin’ Against Your Mind)
- Age I Felt (Get a Life)
- At The Where (The Weather)
- Eels (Else)
- What If Your Dull (I Would Hurt a Fly)
- A Gloss Siren (Israel’s Song)
- Far Path Tall Sign (Things Fall Apart)
In a post-Postal Service world, it seems that every offering in the genre is merely lip service to Ben Gibbard and Jimmy Tamborello’s landmark electro pop album, Give Up. However, given Martsch’s contributions to indie music dating back to the early 80’s nobody will dare call bullshit like some other, more recent synth pop acts…. *cough*owlcity*cough*
But as much as I want to adore the creative overhaul, the album versions haunt my mind and don’t allow me to listen without extreme bias. I would feel bad, but the fact is, techno pop is not what these two are born to do. It’s like putting Wayne Gretzky on a skateboard and expecting Greatness. The unpolished beats prove a clunky fit and conjure images of Doug standing over a cheap Casio keyboard, banging out classics over store-bought presets; a disservice to the masterfully crafted originals.
The idea of artists reinventing themselves is nothing new, and neither is the concept of pet projects, so don’t discount BtS as a whole. This is simply a case in which the old adage rings true, “you can’t teach an old Doug new tricks.”
