Lee's Listening Pile

by Lee Zimmerman
Goldmine Magazine

Hey! Drink Up, by Mark Cutler and The Dino Club

...While there's still a strong streak of Petty-like intonations, especially on the opening track, "The Day After," and the optimistically titled "High Song." Cutler clearly seems intent on broadening his musical horizons. Songs such as "She's Spinning" and "Blackout" sound darker and moodier than anything offered before; the latter track in particular, with its churning rhythms and muddled melody, is unusually eerie by Cutler's standards. "The All Stars" even incorporates a hint of rap, at least in its Americana attempt to attain the same effect. However, the set does have the usual treasures, among them the memorable and melodic "Drinking In The Afternoon" and what could become an alt-country classic, "The Hideaway."

Sadly, you won't find Cutler's album in your local record store (then again, you won't find a lot of albums in our local record stores -- but that's another story... ) However, as previously stated, these CDs deserve to be heard. Order from Cutler's website at www.mcutler.com and thank me later.