[rating=3.50]
Rarely do you get the chance to listen to a finished product 30 years in the making. Even rarer is when it’s any good. But Bill Cutler’s Crossing the Line is just that – a nice piece of work; it’s solid enough to make you wonder what took so long to get these songs — six of which were recorded with Jerry Garcia — released. The record features other stalwarts from the San Francisco psychedelic scene including – Bob Weir, Jorma Kaukonen, David Nelson, Matthew Kelly, Michael Falzarano, Mark Karan and Barry Sless.
But before you go thinking this is a long lost Grateful Dead album, think again, because the credit here should go to Cutler. Although it may sound a bit like In the Dark’s long lost cousin, Cutler is front and center with his vocals, which are what I found most impressive, along with the crisp production that screams old-school glory. There are many keepers here, including “Ridin’ High,” “Starlite Jamboree,” and “Rockingham Mill,” all of which dance to their own groovy beat. Don’t let another 30 years pass you by before giving this one a spin.
