Fingerprints Music

Reviews:

What happens when you cross indie rock with country blues? The seeming mismatch("hey, you got your chocolate in my peanut butter") is a common enoughexperiment in this day and age, resulting in upbeat sounds like the North MississippiAllstars' 51 Phantom or Twenty Miles' Keep It Coming...But trust Doug Martsch to do something completely different. On Now You Know,the latest from the Built to Spill frontman, he focuses on the nasal slash-and-dronefound in country blues, expanding Fred McDowell's slide guitar riffs intospacey, rock-oriented songs.

Now You Know is an ambitious, carefully thought-out album. Martsch elegantlystraddles the gap between musical genres, playing in an open G tuning that'sreminiscent of the late John Fahey, who was a master of transcendent folk-bluesguitar. While there's no heady "Twin Falls" melody to sing alongto on this album, Martsch ultimately satisfies with his somber vocals, gentlysuggestive of Neil Young in his softer moments. Cello, hand drums, and occasionallya full band round out the mix.

Not completely sold? Cue up "Window," the album's fourth track.This effervescent tune should get your foot stompin' every time. Afteran extended instrumental intro, Martsch sings "Open up your window to theworld/ if you want the world to bring you happiness," with infectious joythat's impossible to resist. Or try "Jesus," Martsch's takeon McDowell's signature tune. Dark and desolate, it will nevertheless staywith you long after the song is over.