There Is No Enemy

Built To Spill | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 6, 2009)
• Original Release Date: 2009
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: WEA/Reprise
• ASIN: B002KVSJEQ
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #10,339 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

When making the new album There Is No Enemy, Doug literally lived in the studio working all day and night. He spent hours and hours laying down guitar tracks he realized he couldn't use since the first live takes had the best tone and feel. He had to undigitally remix the record. It has the sound and feel of the album that every Built To Spill fan has been anxiously awaiting.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Built to Spill - There Is No Enemy, October 6, 2009

By 

Andrew Vice (Plano, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: There Is No Enemy (Audio CD)

There Is No Enemy is something of a return to form for a band that practically invented that form in the first place. Built to Spill's 90's albums pretty much set the standard for what indie rock could and should be: sprawling, elegant, aggressive. At the turn of the century, the band seemed to lose their way, producing a couple of decent albums in 2001 and 2006, but ultimately failing to achieve the sheer perfection that they did on their earlier works. Fortunately, it seems like Doug Martsch has found some new inspiration, because this is an excellent set of songs that sound like classic Built to Spill, with all the riffage and confounding lyrics that go with that.

The album on a whole is a really strong set of indie rockers, but one of my particular favorites is "Hindsight," which is something of a midtempo ballad that manages to cover a ton of ground in its mere three minutes and some seconds. I think it's safe to say that Built to Spill fans will love this record and the lack of indulgent sprawl that marred some of You In Reverse's best moments.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A Solid Album That Fits In With The Bands Work, October 12, 2009

By 

Jonathan Bechtel "Book Reviewer Enthusiast" (Columbus, OH) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: There Is No Enemy (Audio CD)

I think most BTS fans will find 'There Is No Enemy' to be a decent but unspectacular album in the band's lineup. Its place in the band's heirarchy has more to do with BTS's consistently good output over the last 15 years than any serious shortcomings the album has.

In production quality, the album has a similar feel to 'You In Reverse' but it lacks some of the previous album's excess, and has a more laid back, melodic feel. Most of the songs sound as if they originated from Doug's pen first, with jams put around it instead of the other way around. Aside from minor instrumentation additions, there's nothing really new for BTS. The biggest difference is that Doug's lyrics seem more straight forward than in album's past, he sings openly about things like love and disappointment throughout most of the album.

For me the high points were the first 5 songs on the album and the closer 'Tomorrow', which I thought was very good. I was not elated when I first heard this album, but I'm not disappointed either. Built To Spill sounds like a band that has refined its sound into something unique and enjoyable, but has also taken it as far as it can go. I imagine I'll continue to enjoy the work of Built To Spill, but I will no longer be surprised by anything they do. As long as they continue on their current track, I'm okay with that.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars It's a great album, October 18, 2009

By 

David N. Knottnerus "Commander_Jodo" (Somewhere in Iraq) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: There Is No Enemy (Audio CD)

First, I love the album, I just deployed to Iraq, last month, so I just happened to be checking if there was anyhting new out from BTS, and sure enough there was! I began crying, and held my hands up to heaven, thanking god and all his glory. well it wasn't quite like that but I was pretty stoked. I downloaded it off our great internet connection that took me about an hour.
So far I've listened to it about 10 times and it seems to get better after every play through. "Things Fall Apart", and "Tomorow" are great tracks, so's "Boredom".Yes it sounds like typical BTS but it also sounds different, with little flourishes here and there, horns and what not.
Now as for the audio quality, I don't know if it's my computer, or my crap headphones, but if I turn it up to much, it starts to distort, I don't normally get this on other albums. I just ordered a new set of SONY V6 Studio Monitor headphones, so I'll see if it still happens on those. But I think it might have been mixed a little HOT. I ordered a copy on vinyl for my wife, and I'm going to test it against that when I go home on leave. for now I'll just enjoy what I got.
Bottom line, it's a good album, with great songs.
****UPDATE****
I got my new headphones, and it sounds perfect through them, So I would change my review to 5 stars but it won't let me.