Review

They can be a frustrating band, Cutaways. Capable of moments of sublime indie-pop delirium, they also have an occasional tendency to write songs that just don’t hang together as a whole. First the good news, though. This self-released debut album features all four tracks from last year’s excellent Start Stop, Start Stop! EP, and while they count among the highlights, the band prove that there’s more punchy exuberance where they came from. The excitable single ‘Milo Of Kroton’ follows the formula set by ‘Lovers Are Lunatics’ and ‘Weapon Of Choice’, with its sci-fi synths, piston drumming and huge, scything chorus. ‘A Better Paul’ and the happy/sad closer ‘Fight To The Death’ are the other non-EP highlights, but the nervous energy displayed throughout the record is almost its detriment, as the band refuse to settle on a good hook and instead snatch it away before it has a chance to develop. There is gold here, but it requires a bit of sifting. Chris Jones

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DOWNLOAD: ‘LOVERS ARE LUNATICS’, ‘WEAPON OF CHOICE’, A BETTER PAUL’.
FOR FANS OF: LOS CAMPESINOS!, BLACK KIDS, OPPENHEIMER.

Posted on: 27th January 2010

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