Now approaching 30 years since their inception, St. Louis icons The Bottle Rockets returns with the thirteenth album of their working class sounds and expansive roots rock. This time frontman Brian Henneman takes songwriting help on four of the tunes present (past releases had Henneman writing the entire LP).
Although it was never meant to be a concept album, Bit Logic mostly does surround living in today’s modern world. Opening track “Bit Logic” discusses the vanity that often comes with technology while the music flows with catchy Americana. This continues on the more country rock influenced “Highway 70 Blues,” while later on “Maybe Tomorrow” brings some of the best singing on the album with breezy acoustic strumming. “Bad Time To Be An Outlaw,” one of the album highlights, is an upbeat bar rocker that takes jabs at the music industry before the softer, introspective “Saxophone.”
The second half of the album continues the formula with sturdy roots rockers like “Human Perfection,” the Nashville sounding “Knotty Pine,” and the aptly titled “Way Down South” where warm Southern rock in present and sounds cozy, comfortable and oh, so timeless. The record ends on the calm, soft “Silver Ring,” certainly the ballad of the bunch and a track that demonstrates just how versatile this outfit can be.
The Bottle Rockets is nothing if not consistent. For decades now, one well thought out album after another comes down the pipe, and while they’re probably not destined for any sort of mainstream success, those of us who appreciate organic, humble and authentic sounds from hardworking, earnest musicians will certainly hold them up as heroes.
If your interests lie anywhere between Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Clash, Steve Earle or even late-period The Replacements, this criminally overlooked band most definitely needs to be in your collection.
