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<\/a>St Louis, Missouri alt\/country dudes The Bottle Rockets return with their 13th<\/sup> long player, the follow up to 2015 album \u2018South Broadway Athletic Club\u2019, and it\u2019s got a bit of a theme going on. The frustrations of modern life and technology are explored by main man Brian Henneman and his band of outlaws; John Horton on guitar, Mark Ortmann on drums and Keith Voegele on bass.<\/p>\nRecorded in 3 separate 4-day studio sessions, in their native St Louis with long-time collaborator Eric Ambel at the production helm, \u2018Bit Logic\u2019 sees a more collaborative approach than the last album which was primarily written by Henneman.<\/p>\n
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\u2018Bit Logic\u2019 is an album that\u2019s rich in Americana, simple honest songwriting and observations of the modern world. For me, the Tom Petty and Dan Baird feels are all over this album. From the cool as you like groove of \u2018Doomsday Letter\u2019, to the acoustic-based chillax that is \u2018Saxophone,\u2019 onto the simple observation of a pretty girl in \u2018Human Perfection\u2019, there is much to savor.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy music\u2019s good but my income sucks\u201d drawls Hanneman on \u2018Bad Time to Be an Outlaw\u2019 and that pretty much sums the situation up. I mean, Outlaw Country has never sounded so current in 2018. Albums by the likes of Sarah Shook & The Disarmers and Hellbound Glory are certainly doing it for me right now. And while Nashville\u2019s pop-obsessed hipsters continue to churn out meaningless, over-produced drivel, a small band of outlaws are keeping it real, writing and singing about how fucked up things are and touring their asses off across the world, playing bars to every man and his dog that will sip a beer and be content to listen to a good tune or two.<\/p>\n
The Bottle Rockets have been doing it for nigh on 30 years and Brian Hanneman has every right to come across as a grumpy old man. Lyrically, he always tells it like it is and \u2018Bit Logic\u2019 is no different. Whether he\u2019s complaining about the traffic on \u2018Highway 70 Blues\u2019, admitting he\u2019s resorted to listening to music on his telephone rather than enjoying the glorious tones of his old vinyl collection on \u2018Lo-Fi\u2019, or simply reminiscing about simpler times, there\u2019s a \u2018no bullshit\u2019 approach to The Bottle Rockets music.<\/p>\n
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Yet, he\u2019s trying to embrace the modern world, he truly is. \u201cYou better be looking out the windshield, not the rear-view mirror\u201d drawls Hanneman in the opening title track to assure the listener of his intentions to move forward in every sense.<\/p>\n
Elsewhere he is full of sentiment. \u2018Lo-Fi\u2019 transports the listener back to simpler times, with just an AM radio and the muddy river banks for company. Laid-back, countrified goodness with picked guitars, a fuzzy solo and Hammond accompaniment.\u00a0 \u2018Knotty Pine\u2019 is pure, old-school country, laced with John Horton\u2019s twangy Telecaster licks. An ode to Hannemen\u2019s songwriting retreat. \u201cThat room gives me hugs better than drugs\u201d he quips.<\/p>\n
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With an \u201cif it ain\u2019t broke, don\u2019t fix it\u201d attitude, The Bottle Rockets release yet another collection of mighty fine songs that will be a welcome addition to any collection. These countrified outlaws are tough, gritty survivors, and while The Bottle Rockets will never be embraced by Nashville, (would they want that anyway?) or mainstream radio, they will continue to keep it real, tour and produce music from the heart and soul. Now, get down to your local independent record store and ask them for the new album with Clint Eastwood on the cover!<\/p>\n