CUTBACK

Who?
Cutback, a three-piece indie-rock band from the deepest, darkest depths of Fakenham and Wells, comprising lead guitarist and singer, Chris Sammacicci, bassist, Simon Taylor and the skin pounding talents of drummer, Karl Jagger. They were signed by US label dPulse and have just released their debut album; Patriotism is not a dirty word.

They Say.
“They are a band with an incredible future awaiting them and certainly one of the most well put together, expressive and talented bands I’ve had the privilege of listening to in recent months.” – www.wohomusic.net

We Say.
After the year of pop that was 2010, where rock was proclaimed in some quarters to be dead, it is reassuring to start 2011 safe in the knowledge that Old Yella hasn’t been taken out back just yet. With their debut album, Patriotism is not a dirty word, UK rockers Cutback have delivered a much needed shot of adrenaline to the ailing genre. Wearing it’s rock influences proudly on its sleeve (Foo Fighters, Muse, 80’s Hair Metal and even Fall Out Boy and Lost Prophets, before they started to suck), Patriotism... delivers 11 tracks of high quality, radio friendly rock with a level of energy usually required only when creating the universe.

The guys from Cutback have taken obvious time and care in crafting their debut and that shows in the quality of the production and the fact that the band is tighter than a fat guy in spandex. There isn’t a dud track on the album, any one of the 11 could make it onto mainstream radio playlists and each one appears to have been forged using a mystical alchemy passed down from the rock Gods.

When the album finally eases off the throttle after the thundering, high octane, opening quartet of “Fix”, “One Last Time, “Don’t Want It” and the fantastic “Audio Suicide”, the quality is not compromised in the slightest. “Breathe” washes over the listener like a much needed breeze on the hottest of summer’s days, Sammacicci’s vocals lilting gently over an unexpectedly delightful and gentle arrangement, this is the one that will have crowds swaying and hearts melting in equal measure.

The ideas expressed may not be new but they are delivered with a quality and confidence befitting seasoned campaigners, you don’t expect it from three relative novices. Patriotism... is extremely easy on the ear, full of catchy, hook-heavy tracks that will no doubt be sung back to the band with joy and enthusiasm by large crowds of very happy rock fans.

The album closes with “Sunrise”, and aptly titled anthem in the making that rightly appears to be signalling the dawn of a great new career. Let’s hope so.

Want More?
Check out www.cutback.co.uk for news and tour info.
Follow Cutback on Twitter at www.twitter.com/Cutbackrock
Patriotism is not a dirty word is out now on dPulse and is available worldwide on iTunes. - Alphabet Bands

Due for release on the 24th January is a brand new 11 track offering from Fakenham and Wells finest - Cutback. Already creating a huge buzz since being signed by American label dPulse, the three piece rock group whose music has received a huge amount of coverage, even going so far as to be used in programming for Channel 4 and Sky Sports are all set to release the classic rock offering ‘Patriotism Is Not A Dirty Word’ later this month.

Comprising of lead singer and guitarist Chris Sammacicci, bassist Simon Taylor and drummer Karl Jagger, these UK indie rockers do not disappoint with this latest offering. The album kicks off in spectacular style with the single worthy track ‘Fix’. ‘Fix’ is a high octane mix of progressive rock rhythms and head banging beats. It’s a track I can imagine winding the windows down in my car to on a hot summer’s day and cranking up as high as it will go. As with much of this album, ‘Fix’ is an upbeat, positive number that makes for very easy listening.

‘One Last Time’ is next up, a classic rock tune, mourning the loss of a loved one that needs to be seen ‘One Last Time,’ a fantastic track and an instant rock classic. This is an album driven by catchy hooks, throbbing bass and smooth, hummable harmonies. ‘Don’t Want It’ and ‘Audio Suicide’ are given worthy spots next on the track list. I loved listening to these tracks and can’t wait to hear them performed live. There’s a definite buzz created when just playing a lot of these tunes for the first time, a genuine excitement generated from listening to well written, well executed music.

My personal favourite and another single worthy track is ‘Breathe’. As well as beautiful, thought provoking lyrics and glorious harmonies, it’s the sort of track you could just stick on repeat and never get bored of and I can’t recommend it highly enough. ‘17’ is reminiscent of band The Fratellis at their very best, it’s got an immensely catchy bass line and a ‘woah, woah’ chorus absolutely anyone can sing along to.

Another instantly catchy hit is song ‘K_E_A_T’ and like the track ‘Fire’ both have lyrics impossible to get out of your head after a single listen. Another plus point to this album is unlike a lot of new releases out there at the moment, Cutback don’t hit you with all their best new tracks within the first few tunes, the quality remains the same throughout, with every offering taking you on a new adrenalin fuelled journey. Special mention has to go to track ‘Alright’ that has the powerful addition of strings to accompany Sammacicci’s rich vocal, creating yet another future classic.

My other favourite on the album is penultimate track ‘Saves The Day’ with the lyrics ‘Hold on dreamers’ I found myself hitting the repeat button as it wound to a close. The album comes to a satisfying close with uplifting, melodic track ‘Sunrise’, another summer anthem with impressive vocals and a toe tapping bass line.

It is no surprise to me that dPulse signed Cutback. They are a band with an incredible future awaiting them and certainly one of the most well put together, expressive and talented bands I’ve had the privilege of listening to in recent times. The album is officially released on the 24th of this month and if you’ve yet to experience Cutback’s unique take on classic rock you are certainly in for a treat. - WohoMusic

Awhile ago we reviewed Cutback’s single release “Audio Suicide”. The rock band from the UK now returns with a full-length album called “Patriotism Is Not A Dirty Word”.

The band has grown since the release of “Audio Suicide”. While they already portrayed a lot of energy the energy is now more channeled and the songs sound smoother and slicker and therefore come off more convincing.

The songs are powerful and entertaining and get your juices flowing. The opener Fix is like a plane’s turbo engines blasting the energy right through you and sets the tone for the album quite well. They follow with the radio-friendly One Last Time, which is a familiar song for those who already listened to the single last year. The infectious tempo and the strong work on the drums by Karl Jagger gives this song a powerful and energetic feel that works really well for this band.

Other songs that should be mentioned are the power anthem Breathe which is more paced down and is a good example of the increased vocal control of vocalist Chris Sammacicci, but also the punky 17 and the indie-rocker Fire, which may very well be the band’s breakout song. Good vocals, excellent guitar work and pounding drums. And with the heavy infusion of indie bands into mainstream radio in the past 5 years it’s hard to find new talent, but with that song, Cutback may have very well found justification to have their name known by a much, much wider audience. The rest of the album is of a good quality as well, with another impressive track (Sunrise) to close out the disc.

I was intrigued when I heard “Audio Suicide” but with the new release, “Patriotism Is Not A Dirty Word”, Cutback delivers on their promise. In less than a year, they show real growth and improvement and with a solid album and a few excellent songs (Fire in particular) they are ready to take it to the next level! - Inner Ear Media