It may come as something as a surprise, initially, that
Star Time International Presents Supercuts features absolutely no tracks from the label's small but perfectly formed roster, which includes
Brendan Benson,
the Walkmen,
the Natural History, and
Northern State. However, the same quality that defines the label's signed bands also applies to this compilation, which, although it was culled from the piles of demos sent to Star Time, plays like a very solid set of indie rock radio programming. Some of the better-known artists on
Supercuts include the Mood Elevator, whose "Guilty" features
Benson on drums and a muscular '60s pop aesthetic;
the Realistics, whose "Why Didn't You Stay" mixes shimmery, Anglo influences with propulsive rhythms; and
the Witnesses, whose mod-inspired "Everybody" is one of the collection's most raucous tracks. The stomping snarl of
the Capitol Years' "Japanese Store" epitomizes the Star Time sound, while one of the label's most recent additions,
the Joggers, bring the post-punky, angular quirkiness the label is known for with "The Devil Wears Earplugs." Other bands, such as
Salako and
Pas/Cal, have made a strong impact on their local scenes and are just beginning to branch out from there; the charming chamber pop of the former's "Hull's Too Good for England" and the sparkling indie pop of the latter's "I Wanna Take You Out in Your Holiday Sweater" are two of the loveliest songs that appear here. Other highlights include the jaunty, lo-fi garage pop of
the High Strung's "Wretched Boy"; the sweetly loopy, acoustic "Tropical Ice-Land" by Oblivia Fit2battleaxe; and the breezy pop of the Tah Dah's "Temporary." A surprisingly strong and consistent collection,
Star Time International Presents Supercuts is definitely one of the hippest indie rock and pop collections released in recent years. ~ Heather Phares