Former Treepeople frontman Doug Martsch formed Built to Spill in 1992 with Brett Netson and Ralf Youtz as the band's original members. In an interview with Spin magazine, Martsch stated that he intended to change the band's lineup for every album, with Martsch being the only permanent member. After the band's first album, Ultimate Alternative Wavers (1993), the lineup changing idea held true, as both Netson and Youtz were replaced by Brett Nelson (not Netson) and Andy Capps for 1994's There's Nothing Wrong With Love. A compilation album called The Normal Years, consisting of recordings by both the first and second trios, was released in 1996. Between recording albums in 1995, the band gained notoriety by playing on the Lollapalooza tour.
Martsch signed Built To Spill to the Warner Brothers label in 1995. Unlike many artists signed to major labels, however, the deal the band brokered with Warner allowed it to retain a large degree of creative control over future albums. Built to Spill produced its first major label release in 1997 with Perfect From Now On. By this time, the band consisted of Martsch, Nelson, Netson, and Scott Plouf. Perfect From Now On met with critical success and caused Built To Spill to become one of the United States' most recognizable indie rock bands. Before releasing another album, Martsch made Nelson and Plouf permanent members of the band. In 1999, the band released Keep It Like a Secret to continued critical success, and for the first time, significant commercial success. In response to fan requests, the Live album was released in 2000. The band's fifth studio album, Ancient Melodies of the Future, was released in 2001. Martsch also released Now You Know, a solo album with both blues and folk elements, in 2002. After 2002, Warner Bros. records signed the band to another album.
Built To Spill did not tour as a band in 2002 although Doug Martsch performed numerous solo concerts in support of his solo album. From 2003 to 2005, Built To Spill toured extensively with over 150 live performances, playing new songs live as early as 2004. In 2004, the band confirmed rumors that they had recorded another studio album in Portland, OR, titled You In Reverse. The album was not released in 2005 due to difficulties associated with the use of a new recording facility, inefficiencies associated with self-producing the album and time constraints. You In Reverse, the first studio album in five years, was released on April 11, 2006. The band's official lineup for the album featured Martsch, Nelson, Plouf, and Jim Roth, who was formerly a touring guitarist only. Former band member Brett Netson provided guitar work on several songs, Quasi's Sam Coomes provided keyboard work and Steve Lobdell, the owner of the Portland studio, plays on almost every song for the album including guitar, piano, vibes and percussion. Netson rejoined Built To Spill as an official member in 2006 after touring with the band in 2005.
The band announced an April/May 2006 tour in February 2006 in support of the new album. In late March 2006, however, frontman Doug Martsch suffered a detached retina that required surgery, causing the band to cancel its appearance at the South by Southwest music festival and postpone several of their tour dates. The band rescheduled the April and May tour dates in the fall, but most June dates on the West were not postponed. At their June 3, 2006 show, their first of the 2006 tour, Built to Spill played four unreleased songs that were not included on You In Reverse. This show also included the dedication of the song "Car" to former band member Andy Capps who had passed away a few weeks earlier that would continue throughout the tour.
In July 2007, Built To Spill released a new 12" vinyl single with two reggae-esque tracks, "They Got Away" and "Re-Arrange". According to Doug Martsch, BTS is not becoming a reggae band, they just "love to play it".
In 2009 Nelson replayed and recorded one song off of each full length Built To Spill album in ""New Wave circa 1982" style with analogue synthesizers and a drum machine having Martsch resing all of the songs and released it July 2010 through CDBABY,Itunes and Junketboy as The Electronic Anthology Project.Nelson's son (Nicholas) did the art/layout with the titles reworked as anagrams by his wife (Stephanie) he plans on future projects under the same moniker redoing other bands music.
Doug Martsch and original BTS drummer Ralf Youtz are also founding members of the much-loved, but short-lived, band the Halo Benders, with Calvin Johnson.
Youtz and Martsch are also brothers-in-law. (Martsch is married to Youtz's sister).
Ralf Youtz was leader of the Portland, Oregon band Ape Shape. He went on to pursue a Ph.D. in Mathematics.
Bret Netson is leader of the influential art/metal Boise band Caustic Resin, which put out a split 10" with BTS in 1995. That album has two different cover photos because a found photo was used without permission for the original version, but the photographer later found out and objected.
Hindsight
Built to Spill Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Too much memory
There's too much never seen
But it's always there
It's everywhere
Taking my own advice
Worked out for me nice
The tricks we play
With human brains
They don't wanna think about the other side
Is that grass just greener 'cause it's fake
'Cause that's all we've been told
Since we were five years old
Is that all we'll ever know
Hindsight brings me down
Keeps me on the ground
Though I'm never proud
I wouldn't dare if you weren't there
Think we're getting up
Feels like giving up
Feels like not enough
You eat a crumb and waste a loaf
They don't wanna talk about the other side
Where the grass was greener than they said
This doesn't bring to mind
What I'd expect to find
They must be colorblind
What about Canada
What about Canada
This paradise with pines and ice
Morning comes in freight ships while you're sleeping
Batting two ideas with no surprise
Wait 'til the wild has rights
Then never lock doors at night
Kiss all those wars goodbye
The song Hindsight by Built to Spill talks about the power of memory and the tricks our brain plays on us. The lyrics mention how hindsight gives too much memory, and it becomes challenging to forget all the things never seen or experienced. The chorus questions whether the grass is really greener on the other side or is it just an illusion. The song points out that the tricks we play with our brains result in us not wanting to think about the other side, where the grass may indeed be greener.
The song has a melancholic tone throughout it. It talks about how hindsight can bring us down, and we're expected to remember things we'd expect to find, but it doesn't. It's a poignant observation that leaves the listener feeling helpless. The song's last part talks about Canada and how it's a paradise with pines and ice. There's a sense of resignation and hopelessness, combined with criticism of the society's norms and values.
Line by Line Meaning
Hindsight's given me
Looking back at things, I feel like I have too many memories that are haunting me
Too much memory
I have too much past to look back on
There's too much never seen
There are things that I was not able to witness, and that disappoints me
But it's always there
No matter how much I avoid it, my past is still present
It's everywhere
My past is all around me, and I cannot seem to escape
Taking my own advice
I gave advice to myself and followed it
Worked out for me nice
The advice that I gave to myself led me to a good result
Now I've come to find
I have discovered something about myself
The tricks we play
The games that we play with our own minds
With human brains
The human mind is not easily understood or deciphered
They don't wanna think about the other side
People often avoid thinking about things from a different perspective
Is that grass just greener 'cause it's fake
People often question whether things they desire are worth pursuing
'Cause that's all we've been told
We have only heard one side of the story
Since we were five years old
From an early age, we were taught to believe things without questioning them
Is that all we'll ever know
Will we ever discover the truth about things?
Hindsight brings me down
Looking back makes me feel bad about myself
Keeps me on the ground
The past is holding me back and preventing me from moving forward
Though I'm never proud
Even though I have regrets, I am not ashamed of myself
I wouldn't dare if you weren't there
Without someone else to support me, I wouldn't have the courage to move forward
Think we're getting up
We feel like we are making progress
Feels like giving up
Despite our progress, we feel like giving up
Feels like not enough
We don't feel like we are doing enough to succeed
You eat a crumb and waste a loaf
We often waste our resources and don't make the most of our opportunities
They don't wanna talk about the other side
People often avoid talking about things from a different perspective
Where the grass was greener than they said
People often discover things that were better than they were led to believe
This doesn't bring to mind
This doesn't remind me of anything meaningful
What I'd expect to find
I was expecting something different
They must be colorblind
Others don't seem to see the same things that I do
What about Canada
What about exploring new places and experiences?
This paradise with pines and ice
Let's explore the beauty of Canada
Morning comes in freight ships while you're sleeping
Our opportunities can come to us when we least expect them
Batting two ideas with no surprise
We often struggle to make decisions when presented with multiple options
Wait 'til the wild has rights
Let nature take its course and see what will happen
Then never lock doors at night
We will feel safer when we trust our world and those around us
Kiss all those wars goodbye
When we trust others and allow nature to guide us, we will live in peace
Lyrics ยฉ O/B/O APRA AMCOS
Written by: Scott Plouf, James Roth, Brett Netson, Douglas Martsch, Brett Nelson
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Joshua Patterson
Oh wow, Bob Odenkirk directed this? Very well done!
Benny Jones
Nahhh deadass?!
IndianaPwn3s
He even filmed it at Sandpiper Crossing
thingstodo645
This is a great video and by far my favorite band. I go into a trance every time I listen to their music. Sometimes it's the only thing that keeps me going.
Marisa H.
Man Doug Mโs voice will forever be beautiful and stick in my brain! I LOVE BUILT TO SPILL
Built To Spill Tapes
This song always brings a sense of nostalgia that I canโt quite explain. I think especially with the ending which always makes me tear up
Susana Ventura
I โค๏ธ DUG and B. T. S. ๐ฅณ๐ keep at it!! Youโve rocked me since 1994!! Cheers to you! ๐๐ค
Andrew Moss
nicely done Mr. Odenkirk! thank you.
Cricket Horton
so amazing i love this band soooo much, they are so kind!
Lopey
Love knowing Jimmy McGill (Bob Odenkirk) is a huge fan of this amazing band. Great video Bob!