Red House Painters songs are long and Medicine Bottle is no exception. It's representative of their particular style which is a slow, bleak and plodding blend of folk and classic rock. But rather than being dull, RHP had a knack for making music that was uplifting, engaging and captivating. Singer/ songwriter Mark Kozelek sounded perpetually heartbroken and, at the same time, clinically depressed. But his melodic and literal grace, clouded with a nostalgic air and vulnerability, made you enjoy the pathos.
Medicine Bottle was one of RHP's and Kozelek's finest songs. It's haunting guitar line and lush textures win my wife and I over every time. This is one of those songs we enjoy together, usually on repeat, which can equate to listening to the same song for over half an hour! But it never feels like a waste of time. Like most RHP songs, Medicine Bottle transports you to somewhere in West Coast America - maybe a remote beach house on a hot summer's night. I'm sure that the song shouldn't feel this romantic but it does.
I'm also a big fan of this type of genre which I tend to associate with two other bands - Low and Codeine. Although all three of these "slowcore" bands were distinct in their own ways, they were stylistically similar and created an indie aesthetic that's timeless and classic.
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