Vic Chesnutt
At The Cut

THE REVIEW

Keeping up with the abundant production of Vic Chesnutt is no simple task. And so, two years after the beautiful "North Star Deserter," "At The Cut" is released; an album that does not differ much from the previous one, but draws an even sharper line on the fascinating union between songwriter and post-rock orchestration. Indeed, Guy Picciotto from Fugazi and various artists orbiting around Godspeed You! Black Emperor and Silver Mt. Zion are still present.

"At The Cut" moves on the usual mournful and decadent tones of Vic, never overshadowed by the epic nature of the educated accompaniment from the aforementioned artists. There are certainly more energetic and nervous moments, such as "Coward" and "Philip Guston", fascinating crescendo tracks, as well as the splendid outburst of "It Is What It Is", or the heartrending "Chinaberry Tree"; but the album primarily unfolds through calm ballads with a regretful and plaintive flavor, which only rarely give way to moments of measured sweetness, as occurs in "Concord Country Jubilee". It is also the intimacy that often recurs during the listening, take tracks like "When The Bottom Fell Out" or "Granny", the latter being real showcases of a style like "only the guitar is left and I sing over it".

And it is precisely this thought that our dear Vic wants to convey to us; the strength to go on, as he does, captured in that wheelchair where indeed, only the voice and melody are free.

An album full of pure humanity, destined to become a gem of good music.