Normally, I'd be sickened and bored by Cut City's self-titled debut EP. Dance-punk with a twist of new wave? Oh, please--that's sooooo 2002. But here's the odd twist--there's something undeniably thrilling about Cut City. This Swedish group's sound is really, really compelling, even if it's not particularly original. To the cynical listener and lazy music journalist, Max Hansson might sound like Ian Curtis, but such a comparison doesn't give Hansson the credit he deserves, because he can write some really catchy pop music. Hansson sounds more like Marc Almond than he does Ian Curtis, and songs like "The Postcard" and "This Exile Reads Me" are thrilling because they not only have a catchy beat, but they show that Hansson possesses actual singing ability.
It's easy to be cynical about Cut City's sound. Suspend such cynicism for a few minutes and you'll discover that Cut City is a thrilling little record. Get past the post-punk comparisons and you'll discover that Cut City's a lovely little gem. Let's hope they can do just that for their upcoming full length.
--Joseph Kyle
Artist Website: http://www.deletedart.org/cutcity
Label Website: http://www.goldstandardlabs.com
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