Vic Chesnutt - At The Cut
Confined to a wheelchair from 18 as the result of a car accident, and fighting an ongoing battle against medical bills and follow-up treatments ever since, Vic Chesnutt has more than a few blues to relate. Yet, despite his roots in Georgia, USA, and the musical clichés that might have seemed inevitable for any tortured artist, a versatile mixture of alt-country and minimalist, angular rock has become the outlet for his sardonic and heart-breaking reflections. Once more accompanied by Guy Picciotto of Fugazi, and assorted members of A Silver Mt Zion, Chesnutt has crafted a raw, often uncomfortable, but deeply moving collection of bitter-sweet humour and pained exorcism. We Hovered With Short Wings and Chain are particularly outstanding portions of angst, while Concord Country Jubilee is a welcome moment of memorable optimism. It's remarkable how some people make even the bad stuff in life beautiful to behold.