Last year, Kurt Vile released Bottle It In, which was one of the finest and most esteemed albums of 2018. Getting an album ready for release is one thing, but once that process is finished, a new one begins: The artist next has to get ready to promote the album, meaning they have to master performing the songs live, and prepare for the months ahead in various other ways. That process for Vile and Bottle It In is captured in the new documentary Bottle Back.
Press materials say of the 21-minute film from Vile’s label, Matador Records, “In early September 2018, on the eve of the announcement of his latest album, Bottle It In (celebrating its one-year anniversary this October), Kurt Vile – along with friends and fellow musicians – decamped to the Catskill Mountains in upper state New York to rehearse, prepare and ponder the year’s road ahead.”
The documentary begins with Vile saying, “We’re still definitely rusty, but rusty is good. Rusty could mean… you know, there’s a fine line between rusty and slick, and you can be too much of either one.” From there, he and his band prepare for what’s to come. The film also features a few performances, including a solo acoustic rendition of “Bassackwards,” a performance of “Check Baby” with his band The Violators, and a performance of “Baby’s Arms” featuring The Sadies.
Watch Bottle Back above, and read our review of Bottle It In here.
