I really, really wanted Rocky Bottom to be the nom de plume of a militant queer folk punk singer by the consolation prize — a collection of smart songs delivered with charm to spare by Alex Hernandez — is excellent. In American Man, Rocky Bottom thoroughly explores the common tropes of Americana music: the farm, the dreams deferred, the religion, the hedonism. Like Frank Turner, Rocky Bottom places emphasis on sharp songwriting crafted around familiar melodies that are easy to sing along to.
But not far underneath the charm is a careful observance of human nature. “Something in the Frame” is my favorite song on here: a meditation of everyone’s struggle, and the majority’s failure, to build a life around an ideal that is difficult to attain. Overall, though, American Man is a generally upbeat with a heavy twist of irony. Perhaps it’s just the coping mechanism we’ve all developed over the last few years: have fun, but keep an eye on the downturn. At least we have a great soundtrack for it.
Rocky Bottom — Official, Facebook, Spotify, Purchase from Rocky Bottom
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