Bottle Next is a hard folk band from the French music scene. It is a tag which is maybe unique to the band not having come across it before but only partially touches on their sound. Weaving seriously engaging songs from the imaginative threads of everything from indie and pop, through progressive blues and hard rock to folk and indeed any mischievous form of rock ‘n’ roll you wish to suggest, Bottle Next make for a tantalising proposition which within debut album, Bad Horses, persistently encroaches upon rich fascination and aural seduction.
There is a real sense of fun within and with the duo of guitarist/vocalist/saxophonist Pierre Rettien and drummer/vocalist Martin Ecuer; a feistiness and devilment which openly fuels their music. From the release of their first single in 2011, the pair has drawn increasing attention and support with a pair of EPs surrounded by other individual tracks and videos as well as an energetic live presence which has seen them play across France and further into Europe; sharing stages with the likes of Triggerfingers, Lofofora, Zebda, Mass Hysteria, Didier Wampas, and No One Is Innocent as well as appearing at festivals such as Rock’n’Poche Festival, The Festival du Chien à Plûmes, Musikmesse in Germany), Belgium’s Mannrock (Belgium) and the Swiss Zikamart Festival.
Released a few weeks back, Bad Horses is an announcement for a wider range of ears and spotlights of the presence of Bottle Next; the Daniel Bergstrand (Meshuggah, Soilwork, In Flames) mixed release swiftly making the most of the opportunity with its opener Break Down the Door. The initial twang twisted strums of Rettien have an instinctive striking swing to their nature, a zeal matched in the senses rapping beats of Ecuer. That energy is equally as frantic in the delivery and character of the former’s vocals; together the duo creating a body inciting, spirit dancing slice of tenacious melodic rock as garage raw as it is hungrily infectious.
It is a thickly enticing start matched in memorable heights by next up Choices, the song a swagger loaded stroll of blues tinged rock ‘n’ roll sharing a Queens Of The Stone Age meets In The Whale like adventure. There is a rapacious essence to the grooves winding around ears and an atmospheric suggestiveness to the keys which interrupts the urgency of the canter whilst emerging folkish revelry has a funk seeded grin encapsulated by the earthily sultry lures of sax.
From one mouth-watering escapade to another as next up, Running Herd, takes ears in its grips with stabby riffs and agitated beats, both entangled in a volatile web of melody and vocal dexterity. As with its predecessors, involvement in its tenacious shuffle is instinctive; voice and hips giving quick submission to its imaginative multi-flavoured dance before Revolution shows the grittier hard rock side of the band’s sound. It too though weaves in a lure of melody and pop scented indie enterprise topped by a chorus wearing sixties/seventies pop rock catchiness.
A slightly calmer air drifts over Age of beauty; the song tempting and vivaciously crooning like a mix of XTC and Be Bop Deluxe though like all songs it never settles for one idea or style for much longer than it takes the imagination to adopt one of the moments of creative chicanery. At times it is an almost punchy encounter, the next a floating caress and consistently a captivating proposal before the outstanding Overthere grabs an already keen appetite for the release’s romp with its heavier touch and spikier climate. Again a grunge seeded essence runs alongside the song’s heavier rock instincts, colluding in a slimline, impulsively addictive temptation smoking in its shadows with a wealth of additional flavoursome scents.
The album’s title track is a more kinetic and wiry caper, guitars and drums magnetically nagging and popping as the track’s rock heart and vocals roar; pure rock ‘n’ roll its creative mantra while Machines courts a matching breeding in its mellower, blues rock tinged pop ‘n’ roll. Both offerings make swift deals with ears and imagination, More Humane matching their success with its folk/indie rock enticement brewing up from within initial suggestive smog of melodically nurtured atmospherics; funk and progressive keys born revelry growing across its enthralling body sparking canter.
The melody woven infection of The Lift off straight after is no less an inducement of physical participation, its warm and boisterous invitation a fest of inventive festivity for limbs and energy. The same equally comes with closing song The Woody Man where its folkish colour and melodic charm takes the track’s kinetic nature in hand, giving it a great layer of restraint without defusing its multi-style embracing devilry and impact on body and spirit. It is a great end to a rather fine album which it is fair to say had us leaping and grinning from start to finish, no track anything less than an imaginative galvanic romp. Bad Horses offers something really fresh in its familiar flavours and boundless enterprise in its bold and playful quest to simply rock ‘n’ roll. The best album you will hear this year, maybe or maybe not; destined to be one of the most enjoyable, without question.
Bad Horses is out now @ https://bottlenext.bandcamp.com/album/bad-horses
http://bottle-next.com/ https://www.facebook.com/Bottlenext/
Pete RingMaster 30/05/2017
Copyright RingMaster: MyFreeCopyright
Underground is no less of a temptation with a vine like groove instantly wrapping around ears as desert rock seeded melodic enticement brews around another great vocal beckon from Raphael Gatti. A definite Josh Homme air creeps across the songwriting and character of the track, its slightly tempestuous climate and energy as irresistible as its sonic dexterity and spicy melodies with Crestey’s lead enticement teasing with a Billy Idol hue. As its predecessor, the song might be missing majorly unique surprises as feet and spirit are keenly manipulated yet expectations are left empty by its adventure and fresh breath, qualities just as rampant within next up Perfect Motion. Though there is more restraint in its first touch than those before, its zeal to stomp is soon in charge and throwing rapacious grooves and boisterous rhythms at ears as vocals add their own catchy exploits. Once more Queens Of The Stone Age is an inescapable clue to the bold and potent sound inciting something which simply is a thick pleasure.
Its inescapably contagious anthemic arousal of ears and imagination is quickly backed up by the calmer waters of Marceline. Note that the track placing we were sent, and follow here is different to that on the band’s Bandcamp but no matter the order, the release fiercely rocks as the second song with its similarly reserved entrance breeds an energy and tenacity which powers a similar spirited roar to that of its predecessor, if this time unleashing it in the chorus only. Around the explosion, Whitehouse’s impressing vocals lure and involve within an equally calm temptation of melody rich sound; grooves and hooks as prevalent as in the first song and just as addictive. Those earlier comparisons are generally understandable in varying degrees but equally the second offering as in other moments within the EP has something of bands like Royal Blood and Johnny Wore Black to it.
With bassist Jacob Roos and drummer Callum Green alongside Wynen, Gelato gets down to business upon Weird with You Ain’t No Match. As jabbing beats set the tone and gait, wiry riffs lay tempting fingers upon ears, their intermittent lures soon a constant bait of intrigue loaded persuasion. As vocals join with variety and energetic persuasion, things mellow out a touch but still with drama and bite to keep the song sparking in ears. Warm harmonies and tangy grooves all add to the magnetism of the impressive opener and its web of creative seduction.
Similar textures unite for the melodic pyre that is Horrified; the track growing more inflamed and tempestuous as wiry melodies entwine tenacious rhythms but also ebbing and igniting again like a sonic fire. There is a certain Foo Fighters air to the track while its successor I Love Creationists taps into Nirvana inspirations for its outstanding and bracing punk ‘n’ roll. It is an agitated treat with the boldest mischief and imagination at play yet within Unfaith, ensuring it’s less than two minutes of devilry is unforgettable.
Is there a specific meaning or inspiration to the band’s name?
It is a stunning track awakening ears and appetite with lusty zeal and setting them up for the garage rock and blues punk revelry of Kick Out The Jam. Winding around the dark bait of Gino Caponi’s bassline, the grooves and melodic flames from Pierre Lateur’s guitar sizzle as the sticks of drummer Nicolas Scalliet land with relish. Di Troia again stands vocally astride it all with commanding dexterity and vocal zeal, a union of enterprise in spirit raising rock ‘n’ roll providing a striking cover of the MC5 classic.