- Record Label: Ernest Jenning
- Release Date: Jun 12, 2020
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Dec 16, 2020Chugging, jangling versions of "Honey I Miss You" and "Life in Vain" are tuneful and serviceable, stripping out Johnston's idiosyncratic touch while faithfully aligning to his simple, primal songwriting style. On the other hand, their version of Good Morning You sticks to the original's scrappy melodicism, and at a minute and a half, doesn't overstate its welcome.
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Jun 16, 2020It’s a lovingly crafted tribute to a kindred musical spirit.
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Jun 15, 2020Martsch misses the opportunity to commune with Johnston’s music, or to do anything with it, really. On the 11 songs here, he resists the urge to plug in his distortion pedals and sail away.
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Jun 12, 2020The restraint and love that the band show and the overall peacefulness of the music make for a lovely, warm summer day kind of album, perfect for daydreaming and pondering the timeless genius of Daniel Johnston.
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Jun 9, 2020This lovingly covered collection will not make new fans of either act, but as a loving document to a unique songwriter, it succeeds.
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UncutJun 4, 2020The results are terrific; which is odd. in a way, given the stark simplicity of Johnston's songwriting and BTS's reputation for angular and faceted. [May 2020, p.25]
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Jun 4, 2020Built to Spill Plays the Songs of Daniel Johnston manages to do what most tribute albums aspire to, but few achieve — it stands as a testament to the songs and to the band reimagining them. Martsch spotlights Johnston’s lyrics and arrangements in a fresh, innovative way that makes us reconsider these songs while reminding us why we fell in love with them in the first place.
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Jun 4, 2020On Built to Spill Play the Songs of Daniel Johnston, Built to Spill sadly suck most of the vitality and marrow from Johnston's occasionally vexing compositions.
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Rolling StoneJun 4, 2020BTS's gentle guitar jams home in on the tender core of the Texas songwriter's starnge genius. [Jun 2020, p.71]