Holes in the Mind is the latest album from the creative hive mind of trio of Brian, John and Liam otherwise known as Savage Cut. I say trio, but more often than not, they bolster their number with a carefully chosen guest vocalist to perfectly match the sound and feel of their remarkable music.
This latest selection of tunes is nothing short of genius, an inspired mix of styles, with some extraordinary adventures in sound here; ingenious samples, emotive instrumentals and a perceptive choice of guests all coming together to create what is both an eclectic but cohesive collection of songs, all unquestionably sealed with the indelible mark of Savage Cut.
There is surely something for everyone here, the album opening and closing with majestic and diverse cuts. Holes in the Mind kicks off, literally and metaphorically, with a huge Square Go. This deep groove can only be described as a bangin’ floor filler, understated funky guitars and chic dance rhythms are complemented by a glorious vocal from Laney Mallon. This is Savage Cut’s Groovejet/Murder on the Dancefloor. Skip to the end and your lugs are treated to the multi-sensory beautifully textured instrumental in the form of the incredibly stirring Virus, the guitar riffing brining tingles to the spine.
Sandwiched between these dramatic bookends are nine slices of aural pleasure, no filler in this sandwich though, Holes in the Mind is packed to bursting with prime cuts. The album title may be Holes in the Mind but there are no gaps in the content here, each sublime slice of auditory brilliance bringing a different element of ingenuity and inventiveness to the a mix.
How do you follow an inspirational opener like Square Go? Quite simply, you introduce the Welsh language drama of Ionawr (January) an atmospheric slow burner which despite me trying various translator apps, I still am none the wiser as to the lyrics, but does it really matter? This song is all about the feeling, the all pervading mood and aura created by the moody instrumentation. The vocal delivery reminds me of the darker spoken moments of Eurythmics Annie Lennox, not in tone or vocal style but in the likes dramatic delivery of the verses of Beethoven (I Love to Listen To) and the starkness of some of the 1984 songs.
They Didnae Tell me That (featuring Jim Drummond) brings a breathless driving energy to the mix introducing classic rock riffs, while on the likes of Blood on the Dancefloor they bring the tempo right down, but lose none of the spirit or energy with its cutting, scathing political commentary from McDermott.
Previously Savage Cut sampled the powerful speech from The Great Dictator, one of the great cinematic moments of all time. This time around they have bolstered their track Villa 29 with snippets from another important moment in cinematic history, utilising samples from the controversial Clockwork Orange, unavailable on these shores for 26 years after being withdrawn a year after it initial release by director Kubrick and only available again after his death in 1999. These clips are scored by a suitably darkly sinister soundtrack.
Talking of important moments in cinematic history, one of the highlights (in an album packed with highlights) for me is Littlefeather, a fiercely effective crunching, thunderous instrumental topped with the (in)famous Marlon Brando Godfather (non) acceptance speech delivered by Sacheen Littlefeather, who herself became a bit of a controversial figure having been accused of being a “pretendian” after her death.
Elsewhere Bob Fairfoull bemoans fighting “the punk wars for this” in the furious spoken word rant that channels the spirit of The Filthy Tongues/Richard Jobson collaboration on Leith Bus Shelter. If you’ve missed the dulcet tones of Outstandifold and the Wettygrippers/Southern Approach frontman David Munro Orr, fear not The Debt is the song for you it’s upbeat bass driven bouncing melodic rhythm the foil for Munro’s richly resonant vocal, while Paul Souness Miller provides the vocal to the addictively hypnotic (For My) Indiscretions which sits somewhere between an infectious 1970’s syncopated funk groove and the 1990’s baggy scene a La Stone Roses, but with a vocalist who can sing…
A last note is a special mention to the greatly missed Shug O’Neill who lends his passionate vocal to the brilliantly powerful live version of Konsul Miklan, from the bands earlier album A Ricochet Off the Moon.
Holes in the Mind, to my mind, is the pinnacle of Savage Cut’s releases to date, one to be cherished by long term fans of their music, and a great starting point for anyone who is dipping their toe in the water for the first time.