Posted: June 19th, 2009
Contributed By: Nick

	Purchase @ Amazon.com Release Date: May 12th, 2009 via Wind-Up (digital only)
	Papercut Massacre is: Joe Culver (Vocals) Darin Davies (Guitar) Shawn Morgan (Guitar) Jerry Meadows (Drums)

Overview: : In 2004, a little band from Mississippi by the name of Atomship released their debut album ‘The Crash of ‘47’ on Wind-Up Records. Within a year and change, Atomship’s ship crashed down, as weak album sales and indifference to its main single “Pencil Fight” halted the band’s plans. Then of course, there was Hurricane Katrina. After taking some time to let the dust settle and pick up the pieces, Atomship front-man Joey Culver returned with an amalgam of new solo tracks in the dawn of 2008 dubbed ‘B-Sides From A Hotel’, collaborating with the likes of Rick Beato, Bob Marlette, and Our Lady Peace’s Raine Maida on the tunes. Culver quickly shifted gears though, back-pocketing ‘B-Sides From A Hotel’ in favor of a fresh start with another band. This led JC to say bye, bye, bye to the Gulf of Mexico and hello to 747 Studios, the Memphis, TN facility of producer Skidd Mills (Saving Abel, 12 Stones). Once the duo put the goods together, Culver put his new band together, branded Papercut Massacre. Now here’s the real kicker–none other than Wind-Up Records stepped up and decided to release Papercut Massacre’s album. And on May 12th, the label did just that, unveiling eleven Papercut Massacre songs collectively known as ‘If These Scars Could Talk’ to digital retailers. Bug your local rock radio station to spin its first single “Left 4 Dead” and look for Papercut Massacre on tour this summer.

The Good: If my scars could talk, they would probably bitch me out for how bad I am at peeling a kiwi or how leaving that alluring scab on my knee alone to heal was the better option. Luckily for you and for me, the eleven pockmarks comprising Papercut Massacre’s rookie effort ‘If These Scars Could Talk’ tell much, much cooler stories than mine. After a gnarly drum spill, the procession is lanced by the surging riffs and menacing snare smacks of “Pink Lighted Suicide”, a fiery charge through pulsating verses, sweeping choruses; oh, and just wait ‘til you hear Joey Culver’s caterwaul…. The picturesque “Million Miles” is like watching an eager caterpillar gradually metamorphose into a stunning butterfly, flitting gracefully across one final sunny, delightful chorus. Atomship fans thirsting for more No. 2 graphite wars will be euphoric after diving into “Left 4 Dead”. Anchored by a strapping riff, the aforementioned jaunt and lead single strolls through atmospheric verses and soaring choruses, all glittered with super smooth transitions and a pre-chorus that’s more of a pre-hook. “Jaxon” thrives on the delicately radiant guitar play of axe-men Darin Davies and Shawn Morgan, while Joey Culver further gifts the song with his caressing delivery. The lovely rear-verse note climb is the bread of “In the Middle”, while its butter is spread all across its harmony-dipped choruses. Papercut Massacre’s true talent and detailed vision shine prominently and quite proudly on “Down”. The band takes what would normally be a hackneyed mid-tempo forget-me-please and turn the aria into gold, thanks to the implementation of savvy guitar contrast, space-making broken verses, and a raw bass roar exalted from the pocket. Warm and poignant, “Part of You” patiently ripens as each successive chorus hits a teensy bit harder than the previous, repeating several orbits of said strategy in the song’s finale before achieving a flawless pinnacle. “Come Undone” is beaming with natural theatrics, allowing you to suspend reality for a moment and empathize with the heartache of its storyline. Drizzled with tasteful flashes of Switchfoot’s smash “Meant to Live”, “Come Undone” is a sure thing in terms of overall consistency, as the band remain steadfast in their groove behind Culver’s lyrical constant. Papercut Massacre throws some heat late in the game with the galloping groove monster “Late Inning Lullaby”. The rhythm section of its second verse is downright wicked, enhanced by fatter, more focused snare hits and warm, rich bass tone; in fact, the bottom-end of “Late Inning Lullaby” is so tight and so commanding that the drum and bass duo turns the faint alliteration of the letter F in verse two into one of the most infectious few lines of the entire song. Papercut Massacre heals up ‘If These Scars Could Talk’ with the ethereal and eerie electronics and echoes which kick off “Lose My Life”. Creepy soon turns colossal as “Lose My Life” catapults into a thwacking groove, earmarked by drummer Jerry Meadows’ killer snare drum dancing and an enveloping, yet inviting chorus.

Papercut Massacre’s cicatrix that talks the loudest is “Curse of the Broken Hearted” and rightfully so. The track fades you in with the sexy staggered whispers of a haunting piano, Culver’s warm vocals, and a sensitive string accompaniment. Skidd Mills’ spooky panning is like the ghost’s scream segueing into the beefy chorus, whose tail-end riff is sickeningly catchy. What makes “Curse of the Broken Hearted” stand out is the song’s sky-high IQ, making it one of the smartest and most gifted modern rock tunes to arrive in recent time. Hey MENSA, here’s one for your iPod-“Curse of the Broken Hearted” by Papercut Massacre.

The Bad: At the start of verse two, line two of “Pink Lighted Suicide”, the snare is removed briefly for dynamic effect. Although a trusted approach, it sounds more like drummer Jerry Meadows whiffed, especially on count one. “Million Miles” doesn’t seem to fit in the album’s two spot as it shifts styles too sharply too early in the program. The main hook of “Jaxon” can’t hold a candle to the hook found in the first part of the song’s bridges, which might be more effective. Verse-to-chorus transitions of “In the Middle” come off as too drastic, and at times forcibly pasted together. “Part of You” blatantly mirrors Snow Patrol’s “Chasing Cars”, a solid mid-tempo ballad that is nothing more than that; in other words, if Papercut Massacre planned on using “Part of You” as their meal-ticket, they’re in for some hungry days ahead. “Come Undone” sort of just plods along, an easy skip to get you to the badass “Late Night Lullaby” more quickly. The chorus of “Lose My Life” sounds scary close to Sixx A.M.’s “Life Is Beautiful”, almost to the point of distraction.

Bottomline: I’m happy to see Joey Culver return with Papercut Massacre, as his voice was too good to let go to waste. No, this isn’t Atomship, but ‘If These Scars Could Talk’ still flashes Culver’s prog-tendencies, while still maintaining its mainstream rock appeal.

TuneLab Rating: 8 out of 10