Cutty: “Cutty” (2019) Vinyl Review

Kyle Spleiss is a singer and songwriter based in Los Angeles, now performing under his own name. But back in 2019 when this record was recorded, he used the name Cutty, which as he explains is “Bay Area slang for sketchy.” Ah, but there is nothing uncertain or dishonest about the music on this album. In fact, it has that great raw blend of folk, country and rock sounds that will be familiar to fans of The Band and also groups like Buffalo Springfield and The Allman Brothers Band. The record contains mostly original material, written by Kyle Spleiss. The group is made up of Kyle Spleiss on vocals, acoustic guitar and fuzz guitar; Dan Marks on lead guitar and vocals; Jason Hiller on bass and vocals; Steve Kerwin on drums; Ian Morland on piano and organ; Sean Billings on trumpet; and Sam Robles on alto saxophone and baritone saxophone. The music is presented without pauses between songs.

Side A

The album opens with “Only Way I Know Best,” which has a delicious country rock sound, in the same realm as The Band, the similarities heard particularly in the vocal work. “And all my problems turn out the same/I never knew a man could fall so hard on his knees/I spent my whole life searching for that easy money.” This track features some nice stuff on organ. Then “Shaky Alibi” establishes a good, enjoyable groove, one to get your body swaying. This is a fun one, featuring some good work on acoustic guitar. The horns soon come in to add another wonderful layer, and a classic soulful touch. “For the first time in years I’m not stressing out about the money that’s not coming in/I thought that by this stage I would have conquered life.” I think a lot of us can relate to those lines. The song changes gears a bit just before the end, the band delivering a cool instrumental section, led by guitar, to conclude the track. This is one of my personal favorites.

“Ridin’ Dead” has a solid, meaner, slower groove, with more of a blues rock edge. There is certainly a 1970s influence here. The horns add some nice touches, raising things a bit from that raw, mean atmosphere. “And yet still here I am/Riding the rails all the way down.” That’s followed by “Bald Man’s Dream,” which begins with some good work on acoustic guitar, feeling like it might head more into the traditional folk realm. It then soon kicks in. This song, like the first track, will certainly appeal to anyone who is a fan of The Band. And honestly, who isn’t? Here Kyle sings, “I want to live off the grid,” an idea that holds more and more appeal. “‘Cause if I keep staying around here/It’s a one way ticket to the loony bin.” Ah yes, I think we are all in touch with that feeling. And again, the idea of getting back to nature is something that was prevalent in the very early 1970s, and the music here has that vibe. “There’s no more room for a man like me/Stuck in the past, twentieth century/While everybody’s moving ahead/I’m sitting, convinced I’m better off dead.” And yet this song has kind of a sweet vibe. It is another of my personal favorites. The first side of the record then concludes with “Hope Your Plans Include Me.” A lack of money is a theme that recurs in some tracks, and on this one Kyle sings, “I’m drowning in debt/Just to scrape by/I’m selling my soul/So you can stay dry.” There is a great energy to the vocals, and this track features some good work on both guitar and piano.

Side B

The second side opens with “California Avocado Blues,” and there is a bit of a funky edge to the groove as the song opens. I love that bass line. “One of these days when I’m old and wise I’m going to look back and laugh/But that day will never come if I keep heading down this path.” And the theme of lacking necessary funds continues, with Kyle singing “Had no money to pay for school, so I went straight to work” and “I told myself when I left this place, I’d never show my face again/Work my life living check to check is no way, no way to live.” Indeed. He stresses the point, repeating “No way to live.” Oh yes, you can hear the frustration in that final line. This track contains some good work from the horns. That’s followed by the album’s only cover, The Ramones’ “Pet Sematary,” a song written for the 1989 film adaptation of Stephen King’s novel. It was never one of my favorite Ramones songs. I thought it was kind of dull. Well, this rendition, featuring an arrangement by Steve Kerwin and Kyle Spleiss, gives the song a 1970s sound, which actually gives it the fresh life and vibe it needed. This is a track for your Halloween play list, with lines like “Ancient goblins and warlords/Come out of the ground, not making a sound/The smell of death is all around.” These guys are certainly having a good time with this song, and there is some excellent work on guitar, particularly toward the end.

“Woman Of Mine” has a soulful vibe as it begins. It is an interesting sort of love song. Check out these lines, which touch on that theme of poverty: “You don’t care that I have no money/Or the fact that I failed at all my dreams.” Those lines are excellent, as they are simultaneously depressing and sweet. And isn’t that what life is like? Later in the track Kyle sings, “When it all falls to chaos,” another line that stands out because it has seemed like we’re on the edge of chaos for a while. This is another of the album’s highlights. It is followed by “Orange Line Fever.” Early in the song, there is what seems to be a reference to Airplane!, “Picked the wrong day to stop sniffing slime.” This track features a cool instrumental section that focuses on bass and drums. I love it, and wish they jammed on that groove a little longer. The record then concludes with “Four In The Morning,” that magical time in the land of song, a time mentioned in Leonard Cohen’s “Famous Blue Raincoat,” Roger Daltry’s “Milk Train,” The Everly Brothers’ “Do You,” The Carpenters’ “I Need To Be In Love,” Josh Lederman Y Los Diablos’ “Four In The Morning (Or, Love Streams),” Sam Llanas’ “4 A.M.” and many others. The opening line caught me by surprise, and I found myself laughing: “About four in the morning, realized I was in love.” That’s a damn good opening line. This song also touches on the poverty theme that runs through this album: “And with my half tank of gas/And my pockets filled with no cash.”  This song has a surprising final line too, but I will leave that for you to discover and enjoy.

Record Track List

Side A

1. Only Way I Know Best
2. Shaky Alibi
3. Ridin’ Dead
4. Bald Man’s Dream
5. Hope Your Plans Include Me

Side B

1. California Avocado Blues
2. Pet Sematary
3. Woman Of Mine
4. Orange Line Fever
5. Four In The Morning

Cutty was released on October 27, 2019.