Cutler, Ivor – “Dandruff ” – [Virgin Records Ltd.]

Thurston Hunger   10/23/2005   A Library, CD

Something about this, above the fact that John Peel (RIP)
championed this man. Something to the left of the rumour that
Ivor may be Chris Cutler’s father? Something about Mr Buster
Bloodvessl in “Magical Mystery Tour.” Something about how
Mr. Cutler’s voice can sound like the bottom of a pint. Or
maybe sounds better after hitting that bottom. Something
about his skittish Scottish quick sketches, with sloppy
precision in words. There’s that unshakeable feeling that
you’ve entered the home of a friend, and there’s his
strange uncle making these stories/recordings off the hall
in a side room. Or when he’s singing over his harmonium, it
seems it could be someone mockalizing over a church hymn
and coming up with peculiar tales regarding lemon-faced
friends, and the love of mice and belief in bugs. To me,
he’s just kept the connection open to his inner kid, with
a self-satisfied silliness in singing to “the hole in my
toe.” Evidently he has done children’s books! After awhile
his dead-steady delivery and syrupy accent make the most
peculiar nonsequitirs, sit up and sequit. I guess this
“Dandruff” just came from him scratching his head and
seeing what thoughts fell out. We need the full scalp
massage… Phyllis King pops in like a sparrow here too.