by Stephen Thomas Erlewine For their second album, Bottle & Fresh Horses, the Refreshments wisely decided to move away from the smirk-rock that made their debut Fizzy, Fuzzy, Big & Buzzy a minor post-grunge hit. With the assistence of producer Paul Leary (Butthole Surfers), the Refreshments have strengthened their sound, adding layers of guitars and muscular beats. Their songwriting has also improved, as the group now blends alterna-rock with country-rock and jangle-pop. They still have a tendency for irksome, "ironic" lyrics, but Bottle & Fresh Horses is undeniably a leap forward for the Refreshments.