SPILL ALBUM REVIEW: VARIOUS ARTISTS – BOTTLE MUSIC FOR BROKEN PEOPLE

Various Artists
Bottle Music For Broken People
Bottles To The Ground

Bottles To The Ground, the latest imprint to emerge from Fat Mike (NOFX) and Fat Wreck Chords has launched their first release, Bottle Music For Broken People. The compilation album features an array of artists that fall outside the classic Fat Wreck Chords sound, most notably including Codefendants, Melvinator, The Meffs, The Skints, and the first new Fishbone track to emerge in over six years.

Bottle Music For Broken People opens with a pair of contrasting singles. The first takes the shape of a gritty track inspired by both ska and hip-hop. “Def Cons” by Codefendants is an absolute gem among the compilation album as the band delivers a hard, yet laidback, sound that feels as though a reggae band was commissioned to soundtrack noir cinema. The Meffs follow this up with “No Future”, a solid punk rock banger driven by distorted guitars and lo-fi fuzz, reminiscent of the ‘90s. Together, the pair of songs reflect a bright future for not only Codefendants and The Meffs, but also Bottles To The Ground.

Among the 12 tracks, there are a number of highlights that make Bottle Music For Broken People a cut above most other compilations of its like. Songs like Doom Scroll’s “Silver Lining”, The Skints’ “Where Does She Go”, Sitting On Stacy’s “I’m Not Dead Anymore”, and Fat Mike Gets Strung Out’s “Total Bummer” shine while ultimately showcasing a number of artists you’ve likely never heard of. At the heart of Bottle Music For Broken People is “All We Have Is Now”, the latest track from Fishbone and their first song to feature keyboardist, trombonist, and vocalist Christopher Dowd in 29 years.  The reflective ska track delivers the best of Fishbone – a tight rhythm section backing funky horns and Angelo Moore’s vocals – in an upbeat, albeit simple, fashion that, like a Fishbone concert, is genuinely fun to listen to. There is a sense of revelry, true joie de vivre, in Moore’s voice that is simply contagious.

Acting as a teaser from what is to come from the eclectic Bottles To The Ground Roster in 2023, Bottle Music For Broken People is an equally fun as it is exciting sampler of what the new label has to offer. Specialising in punk and ska, Bottle Music For Broken People is a template for independent labels to showcase their talent. It is clear that Bottles To The Ground has a value for alternative artistry and their latest compilation should leave fans eager for what is to come.

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