11 Cutting Edge Cut Songs | Playlist 🎧

11 Cutting Edge Cut Songs features music courtesy of 6LACK, Fiona Apple, J. Cole, Moses Sumney and Tink among others.

According to Cat Stevens (and later, Rod Stewart and Sheryl Crow), “The First Cut is the Deepest.” Ever heard that one – it’s a classic! Okay, okay, OK! Rather than try to craft some clever introduction filled with cutting edge cut songs, why not just cut right to chase, shall we?  Every song from 11 CUTTING EDGE CUT SONGS features some form of the word ‘cut’ in its respective song title.  Furthermore, every song explores cutting in some respect.  While you may argue against some of these ‘cut’ songs actually being ‘cutting edge’ as is game changing, all 11 are worth checking out. 11 CUTTING EDGE CUT SONGS features tunes courtesy of 6LACK, Fiona Apple, J. Cole, Moses Sumney, and Tink among others.  Without further ado, tune into this cutting-edge action y’all!

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1. Fiona Apple, “Fetch the Bolt Cutters”

Fetch the Bolt Cutters • Epic • 2020

Fiona Apple only releases an album “once in a blue moon.” It’s true; there is a gap of at least three years between every album in her discography. After releasing The Idler Wheel…, her sole album of the 2010s, her fifth album, Fetch the Bolt Cutters, arrives nearly eight years later! Who knows when we’ll get another new studio album from Apple at this rate, sigh.  The good news? Fiona Apple never releases a bad album and Fetch the Bolt Cutters ranks among the best albums I’ve heard in years by any musician.  The title track that graces this cutting edge playlist is pretty awesome in its own right.

Jazz plays a sizable role on the brilliant “Fetch the Bolt Cutters.” Instrumentally, it’s perfect, with the percussive sounds, the timbre added with string bass, and the elegance of vibraphone.  Fiona Apple serves up another playful performance, sometimes speaking and other times singing in traditional melodic fashion.  She enlists Cara Delevingne on background vocals, as well as dogs apparently (at the end).  There’s a rawness about Fetch the Bolt Cutters as a whole and the title track exemplifies it perfectly.  Per Vulture, Apple describes this song as a late addition to the project, with the following takeaway: “Fetch the fucking bolt cutters and get yourself out of the situation that you’re in — whatever it is that you don’t like.”

2. Conan Gray, “The Cut That Always Bleeds”

Kid Krow • Republic • 2020

After much anticipation, rising pop artist Conan Gray released his highly anticipated debut album, Kid Krow in March 2020. Kid Krow marked a big milestone for the 21-year-old California-born artist, who gained attention early on as a YouTube personality.  Ultimately, he’s quite impressive throughout the course of the album, showing off compelling vocal and songwriting skills. Kid Krow, hence, is a must-hear pop album. Also, it’s pretty cool that Gray gives us a record that’s a ‘cut above the rest’ you might say… well, rather, “The Cut That Always Bleeds.”

Within the context of Kid Krow, “The Cut That Always Bleeds” continues on with ‘matters of the heart’ fueling Gray’s fire.  The lyrics are darkly poetic – thoughtfully penned to say the least.  A prime example occurs on the first verse when he sings, “‘Cause you keep me on a rope / And tied a noose around my throat / You’re gone then back at my door.” Gray contradicts himself at times, essentially painting the perfect picture of the plight of love – liking someone, yet knowing it’s best to move on, yet not being able to move on, etc.

3. Selena Gomez, “Cut You Off”

Rare • Interscope • 2020

“Cut You Off” is the sole culprit for the ‘parental advisory, explicit lyrics’ classification of Rare, the sixth studio album by Selena Gomez.  Rare marked Gomez’s first album in more than four years (Revival, 2015).  Notably, throughout the album, she steps up her game simultaneously conveying emotion and honesty and dropping pop bops. The cutting-edge song at hand ranks among the crème de la crème.

So, what caused Selena Gomez to be labeled as explicit?  Well, the offending lyrics are as follows:

“Professionally messin’ with my trust
How could I confuse that shit for love?”

Well SHIT – that was the cause…. Anyways, despite exhibiting a ‘potty mouth,’ Gomez is quite effective on the feisty cut, without losing to much of her chill.  David Pramik gives her a relatively soulful backdrop to end – rather “cut off” – the relationship.

“So, I gotta get
You out my head now
I just cut you off
You out my head now
I just cut you off
When I’m without you
I don’t overthink it, I just carry on, get
You out my head now
I just cut you off.”

4. Marilyn Manson, “God’s Gonna Cut You Down”

“God’s Gonna Cut You Down” • Loma Vista • 2019

“Go tell that long tongue liar / Go and tell that midnight rider / Tell the rambler, the gamble, the back biter / Tell ‘em that God’s gonna cut ‘em down.” “God’s Gonna Cut You Down” is a traditional song that has been covered by numerous musicians.  Famously, Johnny Cash recorded a version of the song that was released posthumously as the second track on his 2006 album, American V: A Hundred Highways.  The cut is quite chilling in Cash’s hands.  Now, imagine “God’s Gonna Cut You Down” in the hands of Marilyn Manson – wow!

Manson released his take on “God’s Gonna Cut You Down” in October 2019.  There are similarities in the arrangement to the Johnny Cash version, maintaining the same chilling sensibility.  Even so, the Tyler Bates production sounds more contemporary, even with its retro sensibilities.  The guitar lines are particularly eerie, with some ‘in your face’ distortion playing a role later in the song as well. This is worlds apart from what we’re accustomed to hearing from Marilyn Manson characteristically.  That said, he remains true to himself – eerie AF.  At times he pulls back, while at others, he is more assertive.  Consistently, he sounds hellish and quite anti-religious to say the least!

All in all, Marilyn Manson delivers nothing short of a unique, twisted take on “God’s Gonna Cut You Down.”  Bates’ production shines, particular the contrasts to the Cash version, while Manson is, well, Manson! While the success of “God’s Gonna Cut You Down” isn’t an endorsement of MM turning to country/folk music, it is quite intriguing to say the least.  “God’s Gonna Cut You Down” previously appeared on the playlist 11 Secular Songs from 2019 That Reference Jesus or God.

5. Tink, “Cut it Out”

Hopeless Romantic • Winter’s Diary / WD / EMPIRE • 2020

“Don’t tell me you love me, tell me you love me, cut it out / Don’t tell me you need me, tell me you need me, cut it out.” Rapper/singer Tink fittingly released her album, Hopeless Romantic, on Valentine’s Day 2020.  Tink previously appeared on the playlist, 25 Colorful Songs, Clearly For Under Consent of the King, thanks to the potty-mouthed “Fuck Around.” She’s still edgy on the cutting “Cut it Out,” the sixth track from Hopeless Romantic.

On “Cut it Out,” she sings about how she’s over the bullshit one particular man, and men in general serve up. From the onset, it’s clear Tink is unhappy:

“You don’t touch me the way that you used to
Something is missing, see all of this distance is very unusual.”

Of course, Tink goes on to detail all of his wrongs and accurately asserts, “So fuckin’ stupid, in love with a fraud.” All of her frustrations are delivered over a slow tempo and lush, but rhythmic production work courtesy of 30 Hertz. In other words, there an element of schadenfreude here – her pain is our listening pleasure.  Also, worth mentioning – the memorable chorus:

“I don’t wanna be with a man if he ain’t gon’ have my interest
I don’t want your love anymore ‘cause you don’t take this serious
I don’t wanna talk things out, I’ve already heard your story
It’s the same old lies
You know you niggas ain’t right, gotta cut you out my life.”

6. Moses Sumney, “Cut Me”

Græ • Jagjaguwar • 2020

Sometimes, it’s easy to cry foul about a lack of experimentation and innovative spirit in popular music.  Conformity runs rampant and so many songs and musicians sound like carbon copies of one another.  That certainly isn’t the case for Moses Sumney, who ranks among the more distinct musicians, unafraid to try new things.  Sumney is a blend of multiple styles, best placed under the umbrella of music’s most eclectic genre, alternative. “Cut Me,” the ‘song of the hour,’ appears on his 2020 album, Græ.

“Cut Me” can be described as an experimental soul song.  The backdrop hearkens back to the past, and Sumney has made clear his intentions to pay tribute to Aretha Franklin.  Even though the sound is vintage to an extent, it’s certainly not straightforward. There are plenty of surprises, even with horns, piano, and standard soul instrumentation.  As interesting as the backdrop is, nothing tops Moses, who delivers an incredibly colorful, playful performance.  Sure, he ascends into a gorgeous, ripe falsetto, idiomatic of R&B and soul, but he takes ample risks, creating something that’s actually much newer than it is so much nostalgic.

All of that and no mention of the lyrics – isn’t that at least a component of this list? Well, the lyrics are poetic, which may be cliché, but simply put, they were so thoughtfully and carefully penned.  There are no shortage of highlights, whether it’s “That’s when I feel the most alive / Masochistic kisses are how I thrive,” “Endurance is the source of my pride,” or the personal “Guess I’m a true immigrant son / No vacancies, no vacations.” As for the cutting, well, it appears on the chorus, where Sumney sings:

“Might not be healthy for me but seemingly I need
What cuts me, cuts me, cuts me, cut me, cut me, cut me.”

7. Taylor Swift, “Death by a Thousand Cuts”

Lover • Taylor Swift • 2019

“Gave up on me like I was a bad drug / Now I’m searching for signs in a haunted club…” Arguably, Taylor Swift released the best pop album of her career with Lover.  Sure, 1989 (2014) was her most important pop album, and another key milestone in her illustrious career, but Lover is arguably the more polished album.  A couple of singles released in advance of Lover made skeptics question the potential quality of the album (“ME!” and “You Need to Calm Down” specifically), but it ended up being a B-O-P overall.  “Death by a Thousand Cuts,” the 10^th ‘cut’ from Lover, is definitely worthwhile.

“‘Cause I can’t pretend it’s okay when it’s not / It’s death by a thousand cuts.” “Death by a thousand Cuts” commences intriguingly with numerous, repeated “My(s)” during the intro section.  Taylor Swift reveals the cards on another marvelous chorus, which occurs prior to verses.  The lyrics are quite nice, while the keyboards and synths are absolutely gorgeous.  What’s the premise of this sleek joint? The agony of heartbreak and breaking up.  It’s best expressed by the chorus, in full:

“Saying goodbye is death by a thousand cuts
Flashbacks waking me up
I get drunk, but it’s not enough
‘Cause the morning comes and you’re not my baby
I look through the windows of this love
Even though we boarded them up
Chandelier’s still flickering here
‘Cause I can’t pretend it’s okay when it’s not
It’s death by a thousand cuts.”

8. J. Cole, “The Cut Off”

KOD • Dreamville / Roc Nation • 2018

Hip-hop enthusiasts’ perked up ‘round the world when J. Cole released his fifth studio album, KOD on 4/20/2018.  On KOD, the North Carolinian rapper speaks about relevant societal issues including drugs, money, and sex.  He also seems to take on and school the SoundCloud rappers. The title means three different things: Kids on Drugs, King Overdosed, and Kill Our Demons. Of course, for our purposes, we’re only focusing on one song, “The Cut Off.”

“I never fantasize ‘bout murder ‘cause I’m still sane / But I can’t seem to fight this urge to make you feel pain.” Goodness!  Anyways, the dusty, soulful drums and throwback, jazzy production is a big selling point on “The Cut Off.” Notably, “The Cut Off” features kiLL edward, the only guest on the album, and he’s not even a guest to be honest… The vocals are definitely ‘rough around the edges,’ but that seems to be the vibe J. Cole intends.  There’s plenty of kiLL Edward (Cole himself, if you didn’t catch my drift), who handles the intro, pre-chorus, chorus, and bride sections.  As for Cole, on his ‘sole’ verse he asserts:

“I had to cut some people off ‘cause they was using me
My heart is big, I want to give too much and usually
I send the bread and don’t hear back for like two months now
You hit my phone, you need a loan, oh I’m a crutch now…”

Real talk J. Cole, real talk.

9. 6LACK, “Cutting Ties”

“Cutting Ties” • Interscope • 2018

“Cutting Ties”, a 2018 single from Grammy-nominated rapper/singer 6LACK opens ‘faded’ – at least that’s the sound conveyed by the production, as well as the intro.  Here, 6LACK is honest, mumble-singing, “Runnin’ through my weed again.” Set in a minor key, “Cutting Ties” is ultra-moody, chocked-full of lethargy from the jump. Thankfully, he delivers clearer vocals following the ‘high ‘of his intro.  Despite running north of four minutes, the message is simple and self-explanatory – he’s breaking (cutting) things off with her.  Even so, he shows appreciation, evidenced on the first verse as he sings, “I know that you gave your best here / But I can’t figure out what’s next here.”

While “Cutting Ties” has its shallower moments (“Girl, you know I’m moving through this thang at the speed of light”), the listener gets the sense that 6LACK is also doing some soul searching.  “I pray to God I don’t have to pay for not knowing” is a perfect example of the artist being more introspective, examining life.  Yes, he’s ending this relationship. Yes, he could potentially be involved with someone else sooner than later but give him credit for tackling legitimate issues and being honest about his shortcomings.  The record is a bit long and perhaps slightly too slow, but ultimately, ‘good stuff.’

10. Twenty One Pilots, “Cut My Lip”

Trench • Fueled by Ramen • 2018

“I’ll keep on tryin’, might as well / If you decide all is well…” “Cut My Lip” is firmly tied to the ambitious concept explored throughout, Trench, which involves a fictional place called Dema. Certainly makes the fifth studio album by Grammy-winning duo Twenty One Pilots interesting to the nth degree.  Regardless of the concept, mental health and fortitude also strongly characterize the record at hand.

Tyler Joseph clearly shows fortitude on the aforementioned first verse, continuing to show it on the following pre-chorus:

“Though I am bruised, face of contusions
Know I’ll keep movin’.”

This reggae-tinged record is laid-back, yet energetic at the same time given its fortitudinous vibes. Performing “Cut My Lip” live for the first time at Sirius XM in January 2019 (months after releasing Trench), Joseph describes it as one of his favorites from Trench.  His live performance is quite a stark contrast to the original, finding him accompanying himself with just piano. The emotional effects may be more pronounced in the live format. With the chorus being key to most songs, it features the best lyrics of the song, clearly carrying a deeper meaning:

“Rust around the rim, drink it anyway
I cut my lip
Isn’t what I want, blood is on my tongue
I cut my lip.”

Yep, definitely transcends a cut… So does the whole song though.

11. Ryan Beatty, “Haircut”

Boy in Jeans • Boy in Jeans • 2018

“Wake me up when the days are over / Reminiscent of a life I had /… You have to give before you get / Another lie, another lie / I’ll get it right.” Haircut anybody? Ryan Beatty, an openly gay, former teen-pop artist, is honest about love and sex throughout the course of his stellar debut album, Boy in Jeans. While the song “Haircut,” originally featured on the playlist, 11 Songs Loosely Associated with Hair, had little to do with hair, it actually fits the ‘cutting edge’ vibe of this playlist better.

“Controlled myself, realized I couldn’t / Too special to stay on track / … I tried to fake it / But it left a bad taste in my mouth.”  Again, nothing to do with hair, but everything to do with cutting the bullshit of hiding and masking one’s sexuality.  There’s no better way to commence Boy in Jeans than the powerful ‘coming out’ statement that is “Haircut.” And here we are, concluding this cutting-edge playlist with a bop such as this – sigh! Adding to the brilliance is a soulful groove, robust bass line, electric guitar chords, and synths, which all make the backdrop stunning.  Beatty’s vocals are superb; assertive and clear. Furthermore, he delivers exceptional falsetto on the second half of the chorus.

11 Cutting Edge Cut Songs [Photo Credits: Boy in Jeans, Brent Faulkner, Dreamville, EMPIRE, Epic, Fueled by Ramen, Interscope, Jagjaguwar, Loma Vista, The Musical Hype, Pexels, Pixabay, Republic, Roc Nation, Taylor Swift, WD, Winter’s Diary]