The combination of the songs of the late Daniel Johnston and the music of Built to Spill seems like such a natural thing that it's a wonder this wasn't dreamed up earlier. Recorded before the untimely death of Johnston, Built to Spill Plays the Songs of Daniel Johnston is the sort of release that positively warms the soul. This collection finds Doug Martsch and his crew tackle a set of compositions that seem tailor-made for their talents, and make them sound like originals, really. That sounds like the words from a press release but, in all honesty, this is the kind album that is so easy to love that my whole review should just consist of: "YES, BUY THIS!" over and over in big, bold letters.
"Bloody Rainbow" here sounds like the band wrote it themselves some decades ago, while "Heart, Mind, and Soul" rambles on the back of a quietly chugging rhythmic hook. That one's one of the highlights here, as is "Mountain Top", a (gently) forceful and straightforward number. "Life in Vain" revs up in a delicious fashion, all Nineties indie styles skittering about, while "Good Morning You" is damn short and damn catchy.
The line-up of Built to Spill here -- Doug Martsch, Jason Albertini and Steve Gere -- approaches these songs with just the right kind of good humor, continuing that Built to Spill magic where it seems as if time itself is being stretched out and then compressed as Martsch wails over a faint riff or light hook. Here on Built to Spill Plays the Songs of Daniel Johnston the only tracks that upset this approach are the funny "Queenie the Dog" and the fuzzy "Fake Records of Rock N Roll". These two did sort of surprise me, but they're not radical or anything. No, this album works as a nearly perfect set, sounding nearly more like a Built to Spill record from the mid-Nineties than it does some kind of tribute record. I think Johnston would have loved this, his compositions here fleshed out just enough to give them shapes that are unlike the original iterations. Much like the Johnston songs done by Yo La Tengo (another band that has never disappointed me), what's here on this album is exactly the kind of music that makes me happy to be above the ground and still enjoying music.
Built to Spill Plays the Songs of Daniel Johnston is out tomorrow via Ernest Jenning Record Co.
More details on Built to Spill via the band's official Facebook page, or via the band's official website.
[Photo: Big Hassle Media]