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8 out of 10
Cutaways are a 3-piece hailing from Belfast who creates synthy-indie-boy-girl-jangle-pop. Their album, Earth and Earthly Things, is 12 tracks making full use of this formula to craft an album that smacks of originality and oozes a quirky charm.
The album kicks off with lead single Mio of Kroton, the perfect taster for what is to come. The song showcases the dual vocal style that epitomises the band and is really their secret weapon. Grace McMacken and Paul McIver's vocals effortlessly weave in and out of each others to allow many songs on the album to be lifted to the next level.
Wrong Case, Right Words is a good example of this, changing tempos as often as an annoying pre-teen girl changes her Facebook status, the song bounces and sways, stops and starts and generally leaves you with no idea where it is heading. Not done in an overly arty or pretentious way, it never takes away from the enjoyment of the song. Perhaps the best part of this tempo changing is that on any given song on the album there will always be at least one section that is truly special. For me Lovers Are Lunatics starts off poorly, but quickly shifts into a great song, one of the best on the album.
While attention is easily drawn to McMacken's stunning vocals or the constantly shifting soundscape, it is easy to gloss over the lyrics which are often charming, funny and clever. However, they do on occasion, turn a bit twee, something that some of the songs can be accused of as well, noticeably I Don't Understand What You Say. Also the use of the synths is not at the expense of some decent guitar lines at points in some of the songs, which increases their appeal.
This is a solid album with slick production, originality and full of good songs. It is unlikely you will have anything like this in your collection, and you will be missing out if you don't add it.
Listen: www.myspace.com/cutaways
Tracklist:
1. Milo of Kroton
2. Weapon of Choice
3. I Spilt Your Drink So You Broke My Heart
4. Hey Map My Way
5. Wrong Case, Right Words
6. Earthly Things
7. A Better Paul
8. Lovers Are Lunatics
9. I Don't Understand What You Say
10. Secret Distance
11. Lights
12. Fight To The Death
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