Matt's Track of the Week: "Carry The Zero"

Song: Carry the Zero

Artist: Built to Spill

Album: Keep It Like A Secret

Year: 1999

In the spirit of the weather getting warmer, it seems like a good time to highlight one of my summertime favorites.  "Carry the Zero" has a vibe that's extremely unique in the Built to Spill catalog.  Although the band's sound has included small dashes of island-influence since some of their earliest releases, no song brings that element into the forefront quite like this one.

Right away, the bold opening guitar lines knock you off your feet.  Then, the sweeping, punchy guitar solo carries you off to a scene of blue skies and palm trees with a hint of melancholy.  The song relies heavily on its instrumental aspects throughout, but still delivers some of my favorite Doug Martsch lyrics in between drawn-out interludes.  It's catchy, and seems to hit all the right buttons at all the right times.  It's one of the best examples of Built to Spill's strong sense for creating vivid imagery in their music.  Check it out below.