Following a string of singles for Brown Rice Records and Wichita, Oscar's aptly named debut album Cut and Paste celebrates his flair for pastiche. His freewheeling combinations and juxtapositions of indie pop, dub, hip-hop, synth pop, and Brit-pop recall the most musically omnivorous experimenters of the '90s, as well as contemporaries like Dinner and Tom Vek. Oscar's singles remain some of Cut and Paste's brightest highlights: "Sometimes," with its buzzy, Blur-ry keyboards and clap-along choruses, is still an incredibly addictive earworm, along with the like-minded "Breaking My Phone," which piles on mid-'90s hip-hop beats, grungy guitars, and outer space synths for good measure. Meanwhile, the dub flirtations on "Good Things" add a twist to its lilting indie pop, a sound Oscar explores more fully on "Daffodil Days," where his baritone croon calls to mind Morrissey and Stephin Merritt. However, Oscar is a more emotionally direct songwriter than many of his influences; unlike some genre-bending artists, he's as much of a romantic as he is a stylist. Cut and Paste is filled with sweet-natured songs about winning over lovers and lingering feelings -- it's no coincidence that the album's last words are "dreaming of you forever." Oscar captures the life-or-death stakes of infatuation on "Fifteen" and the hope that a crush is mutual on "Feel It Too"; on "Only Friend," a duet with singer/songwriter Marika Hackman, their vocals circle each other like haunting memories. Here and on songs like "Beautiful Words," Oscar displays a light touch that ensures Cut and Paste is a charming, unpretentious confection of an album, as well as a promising debut.
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