Five years passed between Michael’s last solo album, Fluid, and this album. A few compilations, live recordings, and demos were released as Michael Knott albums, but this was Michael’s first all new solo album in that time. Michael returned with a more mature and introspective sounding album. Apparently, this album was recorded first as a surf rock album. Michael wasn’t happy with how it turned out, so he re-recorded the whole album.
According to Knott, “The Bitterness” is about “being a human being and dealing with life as it comes at you, and understanding that we can learn from the hard times that can make us better. If we didn’t have the hard times, and we only had good times, we couldn’t become a better person. That’s why ‘I love the bitterness’. You gotta love the hard times because they’re gonna grow you as a person, a more loving person and a more whole person.”
Other information:
This album was also an enhanced CD-ROM that included a Bible viewer and a short intro video with Michael explaining the album (see below).
Label: | Metro One |
Format: | CD |
Released: | 2001 |
Genre: | Alternative Rock |
Producer: | Chris Lizotte |
Executive Producer: | Brian Ray |
Recorded by: | Chris Lizotte @ The Velvet Elvis, Laguna Niguel, CA |
Mixed by: | Chris Colbert @ The Green Room, Huntington Beach, CA |
Mastered by: | Gavin Lurssen |
Michael Knott: | Vocals, Acoustic & Electric Guitar & Wurlitzer |
Jyro Xhan: | Bass |
Josh Lanting: | Drums |
Rich Nibbe: | Electric Guitar |
Shawn Tubbs: | Electric Guitar |
Dicky Ochoa: | Wurlitzer |
Daniel Fairbanks: | Pedal Steel |
Frank Lenz: | BGVs |
Chris Lizotte: | Electric Guitar & Percussion |
01) | Cast Me Away | 3:52 | Knott | |
02) | Shoe Gazer | 4:51 | Knott | |
03) | Chameleon | 4:21 | Knott | |
04) | Into Your Heaven | 3:58 | Knott | |
05) | Sorry | 3:54 | Knott | |
06) | Deception | 3:30 | Knott | |
07) | The Bitterness | 2:25 | Knott | |
08) | Candle Killing Light | 4:27 | Knott | |
09) | Halo | 4:01 | Knott | Re-recorded version of “Hell No” from the Industry Demo |
10) | Hospital | 2:03 | Knott |
Everyone has an album or two that just touches their soul and will always be “that album”…for me, this is it. I loved Knott’s material and considered him one of my favorite artists at time of this release, but this album broke me in all the best ways.