Politics isn’t the only endeavour that makes strange bedfellows. Music creates its fair share too. Look no further than this tribute album to late, great American indie-folk singer-songwriter Daniel Johnston. Guitar hero Doug Martsch and the Idaho rockers of Built to Spill might not be the first people you’d expect to pay tribute to the Austin oddball — but they do a first-rate job here, turning down their volume and their indie-rock intensity to celebrate Johnston’s endearingly eccentric and heartfelt ditties. It’s so warm and comforting you’ll want to get under the covers and snuggle up with it.
THE PRESS RELEASE: “In 2017 Built To Spill was invited to play a few shows as Daniel Johnston’s backup band. This is what those rehearsals sounded like — 11 tracks of Johnston’s fractured pop presented through the eyes of Built To Spill. The band recorded these songs in August 2018 as a trio with Dough Martsch, Jason Albertini and Steve Gere. Daniel Johnston sadly passed away in September of 2019 while this album was in the final stages of production. Daniel does NOT play on this record.”
