Bottom
You RNext

May 2005
Released: 2005, Small Stone Records
Rating: 2.5/5
Reviewer: Waspman

Bottom is a trio of New York City ladies who have been pounding the stage boards since 1999 when they released their debut album MADE IN VOYAGE. Since then they have been consistently touring the States and the world, playing well over 1000 shows in the last five years. Throughout that time they have found a few spare minutes to release a second album (on the defunct Man’s Ruin Records) and then sign with Small Stone Records for YOU’RNEXT, their third disc. These are some busy girls to say the least!

YOU’RNEXT is a bizarre noise fest that twists and turns throughout its 51 minutes, leaping styles, emotions, and expressions, as easily as Bottom’s contemporaries (in spirit anyway) Isis. Believe you me, if you’re not immediately on board with the aged 70s kronk that Bottom spews out, it will be a LONG 51 minutes for you, for there is no mercy to be found within these howls and wrenching chords. Sina wails like a possessed banshee while all three members beat the living hell out of their instruments – listening to this disc, it’s almost too easy to think of the age old cliché of watching a car crash in spite of yourself.

While Bottom is certainly accomplished at what they do, it just ain’t my mug ‘o witch’s brew. For me there is just too much dicking around and not enough good old riff rocking. I certainly get what they are going for here, and by all means, if this kind of aural abuse is your kind of thing, jump right the fuck in and murder yourself, but I just won’t be along for the ride.