If "A" has always stood for anarchy in punk circles, perhaps now "B" may solely represent
Broken Bottles, one of the West Coast's more invigorating musical battalions of late. Played in the same fun but barbaric style that made 1982 bands like
the Anti-Nowhere League so great, the tunes on
In the Bottles also owe a royalty check or two to
Social Distortion for the snot-nosed anthem "Afterlife." Amid the moderately fast blast of songs like "Gothic Chicks" and "Kelly Osbourne,"
the Bottles display a welcome sense of humor. It's a good thing, too, considering that the group's cover of
the Box Tops' "The Letter" is downright laughable. Sometimes they take it too far, delivering absurdities about "gay Nazis from the valley" ("Pink Swastika") and sexual conquests with
Mariah Carey ("Bloody Mary"), but
Broken Bottles are largely capable of giving listeners -- provided they're not too faint of heart -- a smashing good time. ~ John D. Luerssen