Bottle It In

"Hysteria" was written en route to a recording session.[5] Both "Hysteria" and "Cold Was the Wind" reference Vile's fear of flying.[5]

Vile started writing "Mutinies" as a teenager, expanding it and rewriting sections numerous times over the ensuing decades.[5]

The album was recorded with various producers in numerous studios and cities across the United States in between Vile's touring schedule.[4] Vile recounted: "I'd go into the studio straight from tour for a day or so, sometimes by myself, sometimes with a band. Go on trips in between or combine different things, like tour into the studio, into meeting my family, into travelling across the country and back into the studio. Combining all things, not compartmentalising as much, keeping it all like everyday life."[5]

Professional ratings

Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
AnyDecentMusic?	7.4/10[6]
Metacritic	78/100[7]
Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[8]
Consequence of Sound	B[9]
The Guardian	[10]
The Independent	[11]
Mojo	[12]
The Observer	[13]
Pitchfork	7.0/10[14]
Q	[15]
Rolling Stone	[16]
The Times	[17]

According to review aggregator Metacritic, Bottle It In has received an average score of 78 based on reviews from 24 critics, indicating "generally favorable reviews".[7] Sam Sodomsky of Pitchfork deemed the highlight of the album to be second single "Bassackwards", which he called "10 minutes of warped, psychedelic folk-rock, like a long sigh in the face of existential dread". Sodomsky noted that the album has a loose structure with "more accessible tracks up front and a meditative, somewhat indulgent back-half", and summarized that the album feels like Vile is lost in an "in-between moment".[14]

All songs written by Kurt Vile with the exception of "Rollin' with the Flow" which was written by Jerry Hayes.

Notes

• "(Bottle Back)" is stylized in lowercase.

• Kurt Vile – lead and backing vocals, electric and acoustic guitars (except on tracks 8, 10, and 13), keyboards (except on tracks 1 and 4), harmonica (tracks 1 and 5), tambourine (tracks 2, 9, and 12), banjo (track 10)

The Violators

• Rob Laakso – bass, synthesizer (track 1), backing vocal (track 1), drum machine (tracks 2 and 9), drums (track 2), electric and acoustic guitars (tracks 2, 3, 6, 8, and 13), strings (track 6), sequencer (track 7), percussion (track 12)
• Kyle Spence – drums (tracks 1, 3, and 6), percussion (track 3)
• Jesse Trbovich – electric guitar (tracks 1, 3, 6, 8, and 10)

Additional musicians

• Joe Kennedy – keyboards (tracks 3, 4, 6, and 7), electric guitar (track 9), backing vocal (track 1)
• Mary Lattimore – harp (tracks 4, 6, and 8)
• Barbara Gruska – drums (tracks 4 and 9), percussion (track 9)
• Stella Mozgawa – drums (tracks 5, 8, and 11), percussion (track 5), backing vocal (track 5), bass (track 8), synthesizer (track 8)
• Vince Nudo – drums (track 7), percussion (track 7)
• Kyle Crane – drums (track 10)
• Farmer Dave Scher – backing vocal (track 5), keyboards (track 9), lap steel guitar (track 10)
• Kim Gordon – acoustic guitar feedback (track 9)
• Eric D. Johnson – backing vocal (track 1)
• Margaret Yen – backing vocal (track 1)
• Farrah Katina – backing vocal (track 1)
• Robert Robinson – backing vocals (tracks 1 and 3)
• Deb Warfield – backing vocal (track 6)
• Cass McCombs – backing vocal (track 8)
• Jess Wolfe – backing vocal (track 10)
• Holly Laessig – backing vocal (track 10)
• Hetty Marriot-Brittan – backing vocal (track 11)

Production

• Tracks 1, 3, and 6 produced by Kurt Vile, the Violators, and Peter Katis; mixed by Peter Katis
• Tracks 2, 7, and 10 produced by Kurt Vile, Rob Laasko, and Peter Katis; mixed by Peter Katis
• Track 4 produced by Kurt Vile and Shawn Everett; mixed by Shawn Everett
• Tracks 5, 8, and 11 produced and mixed by Rob Schnapf
• Tracks 9 and 12 produced by Kurt Vile, Rob Laasko, and Shawn Everett; mixed by Shawn Everett
• Track 13 produced by Kurt Vile; mixed by Rob Schnapf