bluebottle kiss

Bluebottle Kiss
Come Across
Non Zero Records

Bluebottle Kiss delivers again. Come Across is a disc chock full o'
stunning musical moments, edgy emotions, distressing dilemmas, and powerful poetry. The maturation process is evident. The songs contain more creative arrangements that allow them to turn corners unexpectedly without losing pace or the listener. While Revenge is Slow displayed Bluebottle's ability to meld melody with artfully-noisy post punk, Come Across puts the band's incredible mastery of the pace and delivery of the song in the forefront. The way the band wields silence and space alongside the noise and feedback is deadly.

Other musical influences are also more evident as waltzes, country, folk, traditional pop, and standards show up to widen the distance between Bluebottle and just about every band you can think of. "Scouthall" starts off the disc plaintively in 3/4 time with a seductive arrangement that wraps itself around Jamie Hutching's vocal and leaves plenty of room to ponder the lyrical tale that ends, "and when I see her I'll have something to say-I'll probably just look the other way."

The next track appropriately raises the bar and was released as the first single off the disc. "Everything Begins and Ends at Exactly the Right Time" starts off burning slowly and picks up steam with every line until the train hurtles off the track into a twisted, angry, iron heap of feedback, reverb, distortion, and drums. It's definitely the perfect single to encapsulate the dark and divine Come Across. The band, along with Hutching's voice, exudes energy and power by the metric ton, giving the music irresistible weight while slowly building to the boiling point.

Bluebottle Kiss is like nothing else in popular music. In fact, lumping the band and its sensational songs into popular music seems a bit demeaning. Songs like "Last Playboy in Town," "Can I Keep You?," "Slow Train to a Comfy Jail," and "Sisters Head On" contain stories, emotions, and music that are leagues beyond what most bands attempt even once in an album, much less tune after tune.

Few bands are ever this good at achieving their musical vision with such power and accuracy, which puts BBK in rare territory. Australia is too small of a country to contain these musicians for much longer-cross your fingers and pray they touch down in your home town soon. Until then, snuggle up with Come Across and your headphones and content yourself with its dazzling darkness.

—Ryan Conrad, 3/22/2004 - www.adequacy.net

EVERYTHING BEGINS AND ENDS AT EXACTLY THE RIGHT TIME
(Nonzero/Shock)

If one thing can be said of Bluebottle Kiss vocalist Jamie Hutchings, it’s his ability to tell a story while unashamedly wearing his own emotion on the outside, be it angst, anger or (ok, rarely) jubilation. This first single off the recently released Come Across album sees Hutchings fly from melancholy to burning revulsion, helped enormously by Ben Fletcher’s ravaging guitar solo. Just another in the bag for these kings of Aussie rock. (AC) - Brisbane's TimeOff

Kylie will probably sell more records by lunchtime than Bluebottle Kiss will in a year, but those who prefer the slow-burning beauty of Come Across will be investing in one of the best rock albums of the year.

The Sydney band has been making atmospheric rock music for a decade, eventually incorporating their youthful noisy streak with maturing melodic strengths on last years' wonderful Revenge Is Slow.

There's no drop in quality with Come Across, where the band assists singer and songwriter Jamie Hutchings to create an album that deserves to sit on your shelf alongside other classic Australian rock albums such as The Triffids Born Sandy Devotional or Nick Cave's The Boatman's Call.

Hutching's lyrics (poetic but never overblown) aren't particularly located in Australian settings yet, as with the Triffids, this is music with a strong sense of wide open spaces, shimmering mirages on the horizon, the ebb and flow of slow breakers on a distant beach.

Just check those evocative, glistening guitars on tunes such as the pivotal "So Slow," which pairs a troubled relationship with strong, colourful brushstrokes, while building up the kind of sonic intensity the Neil Young and Crazy Horse conjured on last weeks' tour.

Bluebottle Kiss can be tender, bruised, as on the waltz, "Scouthall" ("There's the sea where you've left us no trace"), or the haunting ballad, "Can I Keep You." And they can whisper and rage in the course of a song, as they do in the magnificent "Everything Begins and Ends at Exactly the Right Time," on which Hutchings' guitar floats then stings.

There can't be too many bands around whose name so accurately reflects their sound. - Brisbane Courier Mail

"Bluebottle Kiss released a couple of EP's, Gangsterland and Ounce of your Cruelty, and together with strong live performances and radio airplay, people are tipping (long overdue) big things for them next year."
—Mark Neilson, Drum Media

"The group constantly taunt equilibrium, pushing forward with lead-heavy force and pulling back at those just-perfect moments. Often charming at their loudest, Bluebottle Kiss sprinkle harmonies on the peaks of fierce crescendos."

"…the Sydney icons… twist melody and weave all manner of styles into their fabric, from ravaging riffs to shifting moody calm. "
—Luke Goodsell, Drum Media

"…Some of their build-ups sound simply enormous, but there's welcome subtlety to be found here too."

"Revenge Is Slow is an intense, multi-layered collection of songs with enough captivating rough edges to jolt any listener out of their aural malaise."

"In essence, Revenge Is Slow is a successful hybrid, with songs that move from power pop ("Last Cinema," "Hasten the Blows") through to inventive, slow building earnest tracks that are lyrically strong and delicately embellished."
—Sandra Bridekirk, The Weekend Australian

"Revenge might be slow but it will also be sweet, judging by the quality of their excellent fourth album… their songwriting, melodic flair and sense of dynamics have developed so that they are now making music with much wider appeal… They can still work up the intensity of old… but this is now matched with tunes that are built to last… 4 stars"
—Noel Mengel, Brisbane Courier Mail

"Revenge Is Slow (Rating 100%) is so masterful, so special, and just so so amazing that to try to put it's breathtaking quantities into words is intolerably difficult."

"It takes risks, experiments and paints from a big palette, but it hangs together superbly, with each song needing the other to carry it. It's the sort of record that you just don't want to turn off when it's over."

"It has all the magical qualities that sheer passion brings."
—Andrew Weaver, Electric Newspaper

"I was shocked that BK could be sweet and soulful as well as dark and jagged…BK were far more complex than I had assumed, a mix of mesmerising, melodic pop, with moody breaks into a much heavier rockier sound."
—Simone Greentree

"Bluebottle Kiss' critically acclaimed album, Revenge Is Slow spawned three hit radio singles and a sell out national tour."
—Beat, 24/7

"There's an honest quality to the recording, with an emotional tension that comes across effortlessly."
—Dermot Clarke, The Scene

"If ever there was a band that really wears their hearts on their sleeves musically and plays with an all-out passion and intensity that draws you in from the first moment and then spits you out to reality at the end of the set, Bluebottle Kiss are it."
—Ann Marie Sosnowski, db

"Bluebottle Kiss has been around almost 10 years now and has maintained a reputation as a four star and with their last album 'Revenge Is Slow' a favourite with Triple J and various music mags. Their unique melancholy music accompanied by the strong and evocative vocal talents of Jamie Hutchings has most likely struck a chord with all of us."
—Sofia Ham, The Scene

"Bluebottle Kiss have been doing their thing for almost ten years now and with the recent addition of Ben Grounds on bass, there's more depth to their sound than ever."
—Inpress

"Single of the Week, Bluebottle Kiss, 'Father's Hands'… That is quite simply a beautiful, understated pop song performed with a quiet intensity… You rock Bluebottle Kiss, even when you don't."
—Revolver

"…for fans of original music - another fantastic release ("Ounce of Your Cruelty") from one of Australia's most criminally neglected outfits, Bluebottle Kiss… It is a unique swirl of feeling that subsumes the back end of their songs."
—Pat Whyte, Scene

"Since their noisy beginnings in 1993, Bluebottle Kiss have continued to bravely forge their own musical path by playing all over Australia with everyone from Beck to the 3D's and Silverchair… the Ounce of Your Cruelty single is the final prelude to the eagerly awaited fourth album, Revenge Is Slow, by far their most sophisticated offering."
—Rip It Up

"This was as purposeful and urgent a performance from a band as has been seen anywhere in recent times… It was raw and beautiful and noisy and sad. Jamie Hutchings and Bluebottle Kiss are the complete package."
—Simon Tracey, Revolver

"BBK attack tonight's set with precision, building their songs and tugging at emotions like few other bands can."
—Darren Swan, TimeOff

"…Their already rich sound grows thicker with the release of their new long player, Revenge Is Slow… a distinctive sounding mix of amped up raw rock and deeply embedded passion."
—Peter Marsden, Rave

"The band's fourth album, it finds Bluebottle Kiss exploring a more melodic rock bent, ethereal guitar riffs underlining Jamie Hutchings' stories."
—Eileen Dick, TimeOff

"…They're thoughtfully melancholic, often delivered with an unexpected delicacy… they leave room for some more aggressive guitar scenarios… And actually it's that kind of well-planned dynamic which shows how developed this band's sound has now become, making this (Revenge Is Slow) their most satisfying work to date. 4 stars."
—Rave

"…Power and originality… tough, sometimes abrasive, sometimes beautiful guitar, driving but unpredictable bass and tight complex drumming… the band's sound has swollen to truly epic proportions… they played with such intensity and emotion…"
—Brett Collingwood, Rave

"With their fourth album more accessible onair than ever, Bluebottle Kiss have retained their unique, critically acclaimed songwriting finesse."
—Joel Waddell, Tsunami

"Bluebottle Kiss are back with a vengeance and are quick to remind us exactly how good it is they're still with us."
—Darren Swan, TimeOff

"The intensity of their music was amazing, bouncing off the walls and into the enthralled crowd. Each band member seemed to be completely in tune with each other, and the audience."
—Uturn

"Revenge Is Slow. More defined than previous albums, the band have apparently done some soul searching and come up with their most eclectic, yet cohesive album to date."
—Matt Watson, Inpress

"A collection of songs that waver through consciousness like a thief in the night… Jamie's vocals are the perfect tone of calmness amongst the musical madness and draws you irresistibly into each song. It's wonderful to see that the dynamics and atmospheres this band can invoke in a live situation can translate so utterly successfully to a recorded medium. 4 stars."
—Craig New, Revolver

"Certainly the band's finest work to date, Revenge Is Slow takes the listener through layers of delicate acoustic guitars and piano, knitted together in silk, but never fearing to slip back into corduroy for some fine distorted rock."
—Julian Tompkin, Xpress Mag

"Bluebottle Kiss' latest album 'Revenge Is Slow' is already gathering critical acclaim from the likes of Rolling Stone, from whom they received a four star review. On top of that, all three singles lifted from the album have received high rotation on Triple J, drawing new fans into the spell that Bluebottle Kiss weave with their music. The combination of singer/ guitarist/songwriter Jamie Hutchings' soulful lyrics and sweet melodies makes this album a benchmark in the band's almost decade long career."
—Ann Marie Sosnowski, dbMagazine

"Revenge Is Slow, their fourth album, is a storming piece of work. Beautifully composed… (BBK) meld turbulence and atmosphere with classic songwriting… It's an extraordinary sound, the work of a band really going for it. 4 stars."
—David Olivetti, Rolling Stone

"The band's latest album Revenge Is Slow is an earnest, sprawling mix of the sweet, melodic, intense and bleak."
—Sun Herald

"With their new album, Bluebottle Kiss has once again shown their ability for crafting epic songs… Revenge is Slow, has been garnering rave reviews from the press and fans alike."
—Stephanie McDonald, Uturn

"Revenge Is Slow is undoubtedly one of the best releases for 2002… Bluebottle Kiss have the rare capacity to capture delicate and vulnerable sounds… Hutchings' vocal talents underpinned by soothing then soaring guitars… Simply put, Revenge Is Slow represents a remarkable band at the high point of their career thus far."
—Scott Berry, dB Magazine

"Sydney's Bluebottle Kiss have a collection of superbly eclectic tracks receiving wide acclaim from media and fans alike."
—Matt Hayman, Inpress

"'Ounce of Your Cruelty' is a tiny glimpse of the guitar and vocal moods Revenge Is Slow offers, with "Hasten the Blows" the immaculate heart-wrenching number that prove Bluebottle Kiss are some of the most important songwriters this country has seen, with the greatest melodic vocal line the band has penned to date. So open your eyes to Bluebottle Kiss - it just might redefine you."
—Julian Tompkin, Xpress

"Ambitious, restless, grand in scope and ultimately a rather dark affair, Revenge Is Slow makes easy melodies seem complex without making them unlistenable… Revenge Is Slow is always reaching for a higher plateau, a place where intense emotions are the norm, and where rock means something more… Bluebottle Kiss hit that plateau more than enough times to make Revenge Is Slow required listening."
—Neala Johnson, Beat Magazine

"Revenge Is Slow has once again placed [BBK] smack-bang in the middle of local music industry interest."
—Dino Scatena, Daily Telegraph

"…This is a collection of rich lyrical content, classic but original songwriting, attractive harmonies and some really nice guitar work… hints at further greatness to come."
—Paul Berwick, BMA

"…Their music was monumental, unpredictable and riveting… stunning and solid. There were sweeping plangent hooks, chiming angular melodies, and tempestuous climaxes… revenge may be slow, but a fiery punch is long lasting and immediate."
—Lee Tran Lam, Revolver

"This is the fourth full-length album from this Australian four-piece band. …captivating from the first song…they make a unique sound which is entirely their own… unlike anything I've heard… and is simply breathtakingly brilliant!… If you want to try something original and in a field of its own while still retaining some structure to the songs then give Bluebottle Kiss a listen."
—Malcolm Carter, Penny Black Music

"…Energy and experimentation were immediately striking… rhythms and melodies are more complex and daring… [Hutchings'] impassioned vocals perfectly suit his songs… Bluebottle Kiss are impressive because they do their own thing…"
—Sacha Molitorisz, Sydney Morning Herald

"…Bluebottle Kiss have continued to bravely forge their own musical path… the live show already regarded as one of the most exciting in the country. A hybrid of strong dynamics, subtle experimentation and an ever-present classic sense of melody has seen Bluebottle Kiss attract a highly loyal following…"
—Sunshine Coast Daily Entertainer

"…One of the country's finest… their latest album, Revenge Is Slow, is already being lauded as one of the best of 2002… clever, melodic and dynamic, they fuse the band's drive to create something new with their finely honed songwriting talents."
—Craig Spann, The Courier Mail

"…They get into your head with their gentle melodies and haunting harmonies… Revenge Is Slow is a diverse album with songs of various speeds and moods… bound to become many reviewers favourite. There is a decent complexity to Bluebottle Kiss that will keep this album in CD players all over the world."
—Dennis Scanland, MusicEmissions.com

"…Extremely accomplished, impeccably recorded, and featuring an embarrassment of transcendent moments, Revenge Is Slow is a new release to be reckoned with… The album retains a cohesive sound while providing many moods; not an easy trick… Vocalist/ songwriter Jamie Hutchings has an admirable ability to change his voice to suit the mood of the song, which is another addition to the band's array of talents… Bursts of noise, subtle but sing-able choruses, chameleonic mood changes, and superb production make this album a real winner."
—Firesideometer.com

"…A tapestry of deceptively simple elegance… thickly layered pop that doesn't attempt to fight the emptiness. The musicianship in the album is intense and noticeable, inherently dense with clean lines and constant movement."
—Sarah Iddings, Lost at Sea

"The compositions of each song feature deeply intricate structures… and leave the listener speechless and in awe, never boring, never straying. Every song seems to have it's own personality, dripping with creativity, but all of them flow effortlessly from one to the next - a rarity in every form of music, especially when none of the songs really sound the same… they've carved their own unique personality in a world where it's very hard to be special, and that is something to be admired and treasured. 9/10"
—Timothy Golden, Decoy

"…Bluebottle Kiss were unlike any other band that I've recorded… a really artful, ambitious album which got great reviews… I had the pleasure of recording two songs for 'em."
—Jack Endino - various

Radiohead is perhaps best known recently for it: that unique sound of a band following its muse, creating music that is simultaneously beautiful and heartbreaking and haunting and poetic and symphonic and cacophonous and unlistenable. Australia’s Bluebottle Kiss is all of that, and more. In fact, I would venture to say that, given a chance at a wider audience, this band could catch fire, reaching more introspectives and inner poets and musicphiles than even Thom Yorke’s otherworldly imaginings.

In March, after ten-plus years under the tutelage of mastermind singer-songwriter Jamie Hutchings, Bluebottle Kiss finally has its chance to make a splash on this side of the Pacific, appearing as part of the Australian invasion at SXSW. On the cusp of the release of its sixth LP, Bluebottle Kiss will be previewing songs from Doubt Seeds (out next month Down Under; no U.S. release date has been set) and showing us why their time is now.

For one, Hutchings has assembled a new lineup for his musical creations. What this means, he insists, is “a more rough-hewn sound, but it’s more resolved as a result. The main thing with creative work is that it moves forward; each lineup brings a different approach. It’s just a matter of finding people you have that unspoken connection with musically, which is really happening right now for us.”

The band’s creation process, according to Hutchings, consists of first piling on the layers, then slowly stripping them back. “We’re always thinking of ways to present something in a totally unique fashion,” he says, “almost destroying it whilst trying to retain the core of what made it appealing.

“I’m a music geek to a large degree,” he continues. “I love working backwards, finding out where stuff begins, the genesis of the idea. I like to trespass through other [artists’] worlds momentarily and come back with some kind of vague memory or impression and start from there.”

Doubt Seeds is a double album, planned as an adventurous departure, a throwing to the wind of caution. “Some people may find [that] a bit grandiose,” Hutchings admits, “but in the context of making a sprawling, left-field record, we think it really works.” Based on what we’ve heard thus far, we’d have to agree. - www.playbackstl.com