Built to Spill

Built to Spill are an American indie rock band from Boise, Idaho, formed in 1992 around singer, guitarist and songwriter Doug Martsch, the group's sole constant member. Martsch had previously played in the bands Treepeople and Halo Benders before starting Built to Spill, and the band's supporting lineup has shifted from album to album while his songwriting and guitar work remain the through-line.

The band helped define the sound of 1990s indie rock, mixing melodic, hook-driven songwriting with extended, exploratory guitar passages influenced by classic rock and jam-band traditions. Albums such as «Perfect from Now On» and «Keep It Like a Secret» established Built to Spill as a critical favorite, admired for pairing plainspoken, often melancholy lyrics with ambitious, multi-part arrangements and long instrumental sections rare in indie rock at the time.

Songs including «Carry the Zero», «Car» and «Twin Falls» became signature tracks, showcasing Martsch's distinctive high, weathered vocal tone alongside layered guitar interplay. Built to Spill signed to Warner Bros. subsidiary label after years on independent imprints, a rare major-label move for a band of its scene, and continued releasing albums and touring for decades while remaining rooted in Boise rather than a larger music-industry hub.