The last gig I attended this year had Savage Cut on the bill. The first time I’d managed to catch the band live, and I have to say I was blown away. It will have to live long in the memory as it may be one of the only gigs I get to in 2020. The band are a three piece with no singer. Instead their songs feature a line-up of inspired choices of guest vocalists or samples.
The gig in Sleazys featured a cast of distinguished guests including the legendary Jimbo McKellar and rapper Hexstacy (review of the gig here). Other vocalists appearing on the night feature on this tremendous mini album. The album may be mini, but the songs are colossal. In the main, vast driving blasts of crunching guitars and a titanic rhythm section. The main reference points I can give you are things like Babyteeth, the first Therapy? mini album, complete with its sample heavy tracks, mixed with the energy and darkness of Killing Joke, along with a bit of gothic majesty. Each track takes on its own personality depending on the outstanding array of individual vocalists.
Serenity
The album’s opener, I Don’t Know (How We Know), has us dreaming of the times we could go out and enjoy the nature around us with the intro of waves lapping on the shore. The track itself showcases the vocal talents of Jordan Stewart. the dramatic driving energy of the music providing a perfect platform and foil for the serenity of Jordan’s beatific voice.
The energy and grittiness are notched up for the first of the two tracks featuring samples from two legends in their own right. Teen a Ga Go features the one and only Alex Harvey with samples from an interview where he reveals the background to the Vambo character. Essentially, we are all Vambo. Vambo rules…
There are exceptions to every rule. Take Making Up Lies, with vocal provided by Garlands frontman Gordon Harrow. On this one the band have pulled back on the intensity and the forceful urgent guitars, giving the track an altogether different feel. More of a vibe of Scottish/American alt-rockers like Idlewild/REM.
Powerful & Soaring
Curse of Code 13 is a powerful soaring instrumental showing off the full extent of the bands extensive repertoire before Doug Molloy adds his richly resonant vocals to the expansive melodies on penultimate track My Final Solution, the band adding mandolin to add another texture to the moody goth-like guitars.
Thanks to the final track, I found myself watching The Great Dictator for the several thousandth time. I’ve heard a few bands use snippets in their songs of, what I believe is, the most powerful speech ever to be made in a movie. Even more so when you realise the film was made and released while the Second World War was still underway. Charlie Chaplin’s first talkie was a work of unfettered genius. How can you decide what parts of the speech you want to use when it is all so inspiring? Savage Cut have taken it in its entirety and given it a perfect compassionate and considered rock backing complementing the pace and intonations of the words. You don’t need any lyrics when you have a speech like this to work with.
If you’ve never experienced Savage Cut before, this is an ideal introduction. Take it all in, then make sure you go and seek out a Ricochet of the Moon too…
Head over to their Facebook page to order now.