Sonic Wave Love

Specializing in a kind of swooning post-Pearl Jam, sincere alt-rock, the Cutters make an earnest — if not altogether original — musical statement on their one and only release, Sonic Wave Love. The 1999 release, recorded in Bloomington, IN, suffers in the production department, which greatly impedes the disc. Pete Wilhoit's drums sound flat and distant while Bill Maki's keyboards and vocalist/guitarist Tommy Berry's instrumental contributions occasionally lack clarity. Along with bassist Rob Calder, the above-mentioned musicians have a knack for writing catchy mid-tempo rock that just isn't given fair treatment on Sonic Wave Love. Song highlights include the ballad "Freedom Runs" and the mellow rocker "Gilgamesh." Perhaps too many of the tracks rely on a rolling musical effect (achieved via triplet-based time signatures and a particular kind of upbeat rhythmic emphasis) that sounds elegant at times, but becomes monotonous about five songs into the record. The talented Cutters could have used a producer and a larger recording budget on Sonic Wave Love; perhaps then these 12 songs could have had a chance to shine.