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The Bottle Rockets - Blue Sky |
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06 August 2005 |
The Bottle Rockets Blue Sky (Sanctuary) After announcing their return with the outstanding tribute CD Songs Of Sahm (the man would be proud), The Bottle Rockets make another return. This time, it's to all original material - something we haven't heard since Brand New Day. Well, let's just say that Blue Sky is up to Henneman and company's high standards. The sound is mighty clean on Blue Sky, and that's due to the production efforts of Warren Haynes and Michael Barbiero. While the rough-n-ragged side of The Bottle Rockets is represented less than usual here (notable exceptions include "Pretty Little Angie" and the rollicking "Man Of Constant Anxiety"), Henneman's genuine vocal and the band's obvious skill are all over this one. "Lucky Break", a song noting the brighter side of work-related injuries, offers the sort of wit and honesty that The Bottle Rockets are known for - able to find slices of life that haven't typically been song subjects. Even when we do get into somewhat cliched territory, there are differences that make the band stand out, typically by way of the band's lyrics. Take "Men And Women" for example. It's only the 12,000th song to cover the differences, but the wordplay here is bound to bring a smile to anyone's face (except for the most militant of gender police, perhaps). More affecting is "Mom And Dad". Again, it's a theme we've heard a million times but Henneman and The Bottle Rockets always find a way to do things a little differently. Not only do we buy into Henneman's vocal all the way, but Haynes' dobro adds a more authentic feel here, making the song fall somewhere between a blues and a prayer. The Bottle Rockets are sometimes referred to as an "ultimate bar band" - at least that's sometimes implied. That's a shame, really. I mean, some of us know that's a compliment - meaning that diversity and quality go hand-in-hand. The down side is that there's an implied notion that the band really don't do anything that different. Needless to say, that'd be seriously shortchanging the band. If this is a mere "bar band", then please send directions my way as soon as possible. Sounds like a place I'd love to hang out in.
7.5
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