THE BOTTLE ROCKETS
bit logic blOOdsHOT 8/10 Veteran roots-rockers glide toward their fourth decade; longtime confidant Eric ambel produces
Digging deep into the nooks and crannies of a vanishing chunk of American musical history, Brian Henneman’s quartet conjure stability in trying times. Guitarist John Horton’s hearty riffs splatter across revved-up twists on country, blues and folk, while Henneman’s resourceful blue-collar characters – farmers and ardent AM radio listeners, truck drivers and honkytonk nightclub regulars – contemplate escapism (“Knotty Pine”), simple pleasures (“Lo-Fi”) and outlaw country’s role in the 21st century. Bit Logic contains highlights aplenty, but “Highway 70 Blues” – think Del Reeves backed by Buck Owens’ Buckaroos on steroids – is most riveting. LukE Torn