Keep It Like A Secret
by Built to Spill
User Score
8.7

Universal acclaim- based on 39 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 35 out of 39
  2. Mixed: 1 out of 39
  3. Negative: 3 out of 39

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  1. deadbank
    Mar 8, 2019
    6
    While I certainly wouldn't say this is a bad record, there's hardly any memorable moments on it. I sure can't think of one, and I just listened to the thing.
  2. builttospilt
    Apr 30, 2015
    10
    One of the greatest albums of all time. Equally as good as PFNO. Every song is brilliant. Carry the Zero, Time Trap, and Else are simply godly. It still blows my mind how good this album is. Some bands are lucky enough to create a timeless, masterpiece album. Some truly exceptional bands have made more than one of these albums. Built to Spill is one of them.
  3. j30
    Aug 19, 2013
    10
    It is nice to know good rock music was being made during a time of laughably bad, rap/rock music (Limp Bizkit, Kid Rock, etc). Built To Spill's 1999 gem "Keep It Like A Secret" is an essential indie rock album and one of the best rock albums to come out that year.
  4. Dave
    Feb 7, 2007
    10
    Truly an outstanding, fully realized, elegant recording. Perhaps the best ever "indie-pop-rock" album. The lower meta score is a bit perplexing. I notice that White Stripes' Elephant and TV's Return to Cookie Mountain have very high scores; I have and enjoy both of those records and do not really understand why this BTS record was not as widely acclaimed. Perhaps critics prefer Truly an outstanding, fully realized, elegant recording. Perhaps the best ever "indie-pop-rock" album. The lower meta score is a bit perplexing. I notice that White Stripes' Elephant and TV's Return to Cookie Mountain have very high scores; I have and enjoy both of those records and do not really understand why this BTS record was not as widely acclaimed. Perhaps critics prefer the edgy punk-metal sound of Elephant or the unusual new sound of Cookie Mountain. Keep It Like A Secret is no less creative, complex, brilliant and moving than those two records, or anything else out there for that matter. Highly recommended!… Expand
  5. jimh
    Sep 7, 2006
    10
    The low rating of this album is proof of how jaded and cynical critics can be. This is one of the most quintessential rock albums of the 90's.
  6. TomB
    Jun 20, 2006
    10
    My favorite album of all time. I've listened to atleast a track off this album about once a week for the past 4 years. It's good to pop into your car stereo or put on headphones and pick apart song layers--like eating a layer cake: sometimes you want to eat some frosting, sometimes you want to eat some strawberry filling, and sometimes you just want to eat hunks of forkfulls of My favorite album of all time. I've listened to atleast a track off this album about once a week for the past 4 years. It's good to pop into your car stereo or put on headphones and pick apart song layers--like eating a layer cake: sometimes you want to eat some frosting, sometimes you want to eat some strawberry filling, and sometimes you just want to eat hunks of forkfulls of it all. Each layer of each song goes down so smoothly and is so dumbfoundingly incredible. It's so beautiful , thought- provoking, timeless, earnest, genius... It's basically the album I use to tell if people have an ear for good music or not. Ranks up with the great artworks of this millenium. Perfect.… Expand
  7. [Anonymous]
    Nov 20, 2005
    10
    best cd and yet it didn't receive a high rating. o well i dont want them to go mainstream and sell out so its ok that ppl dont like them.
  8. BobDole
    Oct 19, 2005
    10
    why the heck isn't the rating for this album higher? amazing.
  9. yaright
    Jan 10, 2005
    10
    one of the best records of the 90s in my opinion. sounds alot like their first great record theres nothing wrong with love. simply amazing!!
  10. RichC
    Dec 5, 2003
    10
    It didn't take long for me to grow to love this album as one of my favorites. One of the most rewarding albums I have ever listened to.
  11. ShafT
    Aug 1, 2003
    10
    One of the best albums of all time, with Carry the Zero the perfect pop song, not to mention amazing gems like Time Trap, Else, Broken Chairs, the Plan. It's amazing and sad how much of the buying public and the mainstream media don't know about or appreciate Doug M.'s genius and greatness (guitarwork and words and sense of melody).

Awards & Rankings

7
#7 Best Album of 1999
7
#7 Most Discussed Album of 1999
6
#6 Most Shared Album of 1999

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 17 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 17
  2. Mixed: 3 out of 17
  3. Negative: 0 out of 17
  1. Pitchfork
    93
    Recalls last year's fine Halo Benders release, The Rebels Not In, the album Martsch recorded with Beat Happening's Calvin Johnson and former Spinanes and current Built to Spill drummer Scott Plouf. And that's not a bad thing at all.
    Read full review
  2. AllMusic
    90
    In a sense, this is Built to Spill's pop album: every song is direct and clean, without the long, cerebral jamming that characterized their earlier albums.
    Read full review
  3. Ink Blot Magazine
    90
    Perhaps the secret they're trying to keep here is that Built To Spill quite frankly write some of the most original, interesting and catchy pop songs you'll ever hear.
    Read full review
See all critic reviews »