My Top 1000 Songs #854: Virginia Reel Around The Fountain

[I've been writing up my Top 1000 songs on a daily basis--you can see them all in descending order by hitting the All My Favorite Songs tag.]

The Halo Benders were an indie rock supergroup of sorts, a lo-fi side project from Built To Spill's Doug Martsch and Beat Happening's Calvin Johnson. Their records were a little difficult, appealing to those with an appreciation for both artists, who made an equal imprint on the music (IMHO, Johnson's raw baritone is an acquired taste). But their third and final LP, 1998's The Rebels Not In, stepped things up with the rather stunning "Virginia Reel Around The Fountain." Its title drawn from the Smiths for no apparent reason, it's perfect for those who love Built To Spill's driving, distorted, Neil Young/Crazy Horse guitar-on-fire epics, albeit joined by a spoken-word counter-narrative from Johnson. And while I think Johnson's contribution is fine, at least the first time through, the song is probably best heard on Built To Spill's terrific 1998 live album (simply titled Live), which leaves the wondrous guitar din and Martsch's forceful delivery intact while eliminating the Johnson part, sounding simply like a stand-out BTS epic. It's a striking 90s indie anthem that stands firmly alongside other purveyors of massive guitar sprawl like Sonic Youth, Yo La Tengo, or Dinosaur Jr.

Halo Benders original:

Built to Spill, Live version:

Built to Spill, live in 2022: