The Cut Ups might well be England’s politest punk band. This outfit doesn’t scream and shout, nor do they have a tumultuous musical outpouring. No, these Devonians favor a more considered and rational delivery played out over a mid-tempo, melodic accompaniment. The secret of this band’s success is in taking on its targets in a positive and measured way, but without losing any impact in terms of getting messages across. I recently saw lead vocalist/guitarist Jon Curtis play two of the songs off this record on his own and I was dumbstruck by how moving they were. With the full band in play, those songs have an even bigger presence, none more so than “Thomas Orchard Is No Longer Around,” the story of a young man who died after being taken into police custody. Remarkably, the song has an uplifting and optimistic feel to it. For me, this is the key to why I enjoy this band so much. –Rich Cocksedge (Banquet, [email protected], banquetrecords.com)