Built to Spill lapse into mediocrity

Polar opposites will always be infinitely more fascinating than any piece of the long stretch of middle ground that makes up most of the world. Mediocrity is, by its nature, very boring. So when it comes to reviews, I always find myself more interested in the four star and one star reviews than the three and two-star reviews. To give a four-star or one-star (and sometimes even the dreaded half-star) review, one must have an intensely strong feeling about whatever is being reviewed. \nFor an example, let's take Lou Reed's 1975 album "Metal Machine Music." Depending on who you speak to, "MMM" is either the world's worst album ever (and I mean WORST) or a highly misunderstood masterpiece (and I mean HIGHLY). Now if you asked someone about Lou Reed's 1974 album "Sally Can't Dance," all you are going to get is a shrug and a "I guess it's OK." It is, by most standards, a mediocre album. Which finally brings us to the new album from college rock heroes (and the best band to ever come out of Boise, Idaho,) Built to Spill, Ancient Melodies of the Future.\nAs much as I hate to say it, Ancient Melodies is just a plain ol' boring album. After the complexity of 1997's Perfect from Now On and the grandeur of 1999's Keep It Like a Secret, Ancient Melodies just seems completely lackluster. Even though it doesn't have the complex guitar lines of their previous albums, it could have at least had the great pop sensibilities of 1994's There's Nothing Wrong with Love (which it simply doesn't). \nThe album opens with the song "Strange," a very odd opening choice. It is not particular catchy, nor interesting; it just sits there like your grandmother's nice but dull poodle. The first time listening to the album I was tempted to just skip to the next track after a few minutes of "Strange." With the second track, "The Host," I was once again tempted to skip to the next track after the first minute. This is never a good sign. It wasn't until the third track, the Middle-Eastern tinged "In Your Mind," that I didn't want to immediately skip ahead. \nWith the exception of the driving "Trimmed and Burning," the dark "Don't Try" and weirdly upbeat "Fly Around My Pretty Little Miss," most of the songs on Ancient Melodies just don't stick with you after the first listen (or any number of listens, as a matter of fact). It is a two-star album. \nThe fact that Built to Spill's third true album on major label Warner Brothers (not counting last year's Live album) is disappointing is both sad and disturbing. Sad, because Built to Spill is one of the most innovative and interesting bands around today. Disturbing, because Warner Brothers will probably drop Built to Spill from the label after this -- like most major labels, Warner Brothers can smell weakness a mile away. \nIt makes me almost wish that this album was a total and complete failure.