Press
Selected press for Ring
“There’s something irresistible about the juxtaposition of Janet Simpson’s gorgeous voice and Kevin Nicholson’s dancing fiddle that makes the Cutters sound quite unlike anyone else around at the moment.”
“The Birmingham, Alabama four-piece brighten the darkness in Simpson’s songs, with the fiddle of Kevin Nicholson adding drama and occasional folky flourishes.”
“The real treats are on the ‘Drang’ side, notably the wistful closer ‘Resurrection Fern’.”
“The record is a stunning piece of production—every note seems to have been given lengthy consideration to get the most out it. Delicate Cutters have achieved a new level in their music, making them certainly a band to watch out for.”
“Artfully blending elements of indie folk, pop, and rock into a beautifully brooding and atmospheric mix, the strong melancholy vibe conveyed on this album pulls the listener in and makes one hell of a potent lasting impression.”
“Moreover, the songwriting cuts right to the touching heart of the matter with a winning directness and a refreshing dearth of pretense. A really haunting and moving little jewel.”
“This won’t be out for a few months, but it’s something you should all put on your ‘must buy’ list. Delicate Cutters are a Birmingham, Ala.-based band that plays rich, lyrically solid rock music that draws from country and folk traditions without yukking it up. Head Cutter Janet Simpson writes haunted, wide-eyed ballads of losing and longing, evoking alt-rock legends like Kristen Hersh, while fiddler Kevin Nicholson weaves intricate, highly individualized melodic lines around and inside her strong, compelling vocals. Ring is their latest and greatest. Highly recommended.”
“Showing much promise as it is already, Ring could possibly be one of those albums that brings the band to the next level.”
“The result is a hauntingly gorgeous album, so ripe with sorrow it hangs heavy, yet never moping, always forward moving.”
“Ring is their (Delicate Cutters’) third record and they keep getting better with each release.”
“Simpson’s vocals sound hauntingly gorgeous on the equally haunting/gorgeous “Precious Stone” while “You Want Her” is an upbeat, acoustic number with Simpson delivering her most confident vocal set yet.”
“With the strength of these songs, I can only imagine what record #4 will be like.”
“While the tunes are a bit more polished it is chock full of all the things that made their previous records so damn good. Janet Elizabeth Simpson’s haunting vocals are at the forefront as she delivers tunes loaded with Southern imagery and down home ”
“Delicate Cutters are an example in how substance wins over style every time. They have put together an album full of songs about love,
longing and loss using dark lyrics and haunting melodies to drive home their point. Their music puts the ‘Southern’ in ‘Southern Gothic’.”
longing and loss using dark lyrics and haunting melodies to drive home their point. Their music puts the ‘Southern’ in ‘Southern Gothic’.”
“Delicate Cutters are a Birmingham, Ala.-based band that plays rich, lyrically solid rock music that draws from country and folk traditions without yukking it up. Head Cutter Janet Simpson writes haunted, wide-eyed ballads of losing and longing, evoking alt-rock legends like Kristen Hersh, while fiddler Kevin Nicholson weaves intricate, highly individualized melodic lines around and inside her strong, compelling vocals.”
“Ring is a landmark record for Southern Rock-Americana folk outfit Delicate Cutters”
“There are surprising but ingenious musical pairings, like youthful, wailing vocals layered over Kevin Nicholson’s excitable, old-timey fiddle playing.”
“And there are displays of great power: strong musicianship, clever songwriting, and powerful vocals…”
“True to form for a band now in the adolescence of its career, Ring is built out of the volley between control and chaos.”
“Simpson who sounds like Lindsay Fuller plus one quart of maple syrup, wields the most developed instrument on the album in her voice.”
Selected press for Some Creatures
“Birmingham’s Delicate Cutters pull together expressive fiddle, lively piano, and frontwoman Janet Simpson’s gorgeous vocals into malleable indie-folk that glides gracefully between the uptempo and the melancholy. They eschew the overly mannered style favored by too many of their NPR-ready peers in favor of messy, recognizable emotion, and the music is all the better for it.”
“What really makes the Cutters fly is the complex arrangements by Simpson, who plays guitar and piano, and her other cohorts, Brian Moon (bass, accordion), Kevin Nicholson (fiddle), and Chance Shirley (percussion). The instrumental mix allows the band to color their tunes with swatches of sound not exactly common to the average indie rock ensemble. In particular, Nicholson’s fiddle can take the music in country or classical directions that work well with Simpson’s rhymes.”
“Avoiding flagrant confessionalism for narrative detail, Simpson can project anger or irony or uncomfortable intimacy with equal ease, but more than that, she simply projects a personality on Some Creatures, reminding you that every song derives from a single, unique perspective.”
“I had no expectations for this one, listened to it first thing yesterday morning, and it blew me out of the water. You can’t stay asleep listening to this album, you can’t stay still, and it’s likely to end up in my end of the year top 15, without competition.”
“The title track is a supple combination of sweet melody, piano, synthesized rhythms and trans-planetary strings. It closes the album, a bittersweet coda to one of the more interesting—and intriguing—DIY records of 2011.”
“When Delicate Cutters front woman Janet Simpson sings, her warm, inviting tone pulls you into her troubled and emotional world.”
“The Birmingham, Alabama quartet plays a warm and interesting mix of string-accented, folk-influenced indie-pop and rock. Lead singer-songwriter Janet Simpson’s haunting voice and atmospheric melodies coupled with the album’s intimate, low-fi recording style are reminiscent of Patti Smith’s more melancholic side.”
“In all honesty, there are very few female vocalists I actually enjoy. Janet Simpson has found her way onto this list.”
“It is this blend of voice, complex song structures and beautiful accompaniment that makes Some Creatures shine and Delicate Cutters a band that could easily emerge and rise quickly on the NPR scene, which after just one listen through you will know it would be much deserved.”
“The Alabama based troupe has a penchant for bearing their souls, ala the fiddlers stroke; their honesty becomes further apparent through rough-shod production, and ad-hoc imperfections.”
“Delicate Cutters have a very skilled violinist. Really! Kevin Nicholson is a master of his craft.”
“Delicate Cutters encompasses a blend of raw folk-influenced indie pop as frontwoman Janet Simpson provides intimate lyrics filled with restrained emotion. Simpson’s vocals go seamlessly with the warm harmonies and one can’t help but just become immersed in the songs.”