On April 13, Built to Spill (BTS) makes its way to Santa Barbara for a night filled with shimmering guitar riffs and wistful indie rock at SOhO Restaurant & Music Club. The 22-year-old band is gearing up to release its first new album in six years with an almost entirely new band lineup to boot. In the following months, BTS will also return to the touring circuit to jam alongside acts such as Death Cab for Cutie and Brand New and play Coachella, Treefort, and Shaky Knees music festivals.
After scrapping an entire album’s worth of material a few years back, Built to Spill’s forthcoming record, Untethered Moon, is the first to include bassist Jason Albertini and drummer Steve Gere alongside lead singer/guitarist Doug Martsch. When asked about the six-year gap between the band’s upcoming album and the last one, Martsch explains, “In 2012, I was a bit burned out on my ability to make new music. We actually recorded an album that year, and then we went on tour. The rhythm section guys quit the band, so we started over … it actually felt really good to start fresh.”
But these won’t be the first shows with the band’s new members, Martsch clarifies. The current Built to Spill lineup toured together for the first time a year after the previous members left the band. “These guys have actually been in the band for two years, and we’ve been touring since then,” Martsch explains. “We toured a ton in 2013, and I’m excited about getting back on tour and playing with them. Our new drummer is really amazing. He has a distinctive style that gives our new album really exciting percussion.”