Cut Worms – Transmitter

Since his 2018 debut Hollow Ground, Max Clarke has built a reputation for sharp songwriting and smartly observed retro stylings. Collaborating with other late ’60s aficionados like the D’Addario brothers (the Lemon Twigs) and producer Jonathan Rado, Clarke’s compositions have characteristically exuded enough period features to sneak onto a Numero Group compilation without raising any eyebrows.

2023’s Cut Worms was arguably the pinnacle of Clarke’s first phase; a warm, pared-back distillation of his charms, confidently self-produced, and devoid of any significant missteps.

On Transmitter, however, Clarke has opted for a sonic refresh, entrusting Wilco’s Jeff Tweedy with production responsibilities. At times, the record, which was recorded in Wilco’s famous Loft Studio, almost feels like a collaboration between Clarke and Tweedy, who also lends bass and guitar to the mix. There’s a sense of symbiosis in this; Clarke sounds re-energised and more willing to trust his voice, which is noticeably clearer this time out. Tweedy, too, seems to be having a great time, and his brilliantly judged guitar lines are a delight to experience after a run of uneven Wilco records.

Early singles “Evil Twin” and “Windows on the World” are obvious highlights, but Transmitter’s quality runs deeper than that. “Long Weekend” delivers a swaggering brand of power pop that evokes the genre’s 70s heyday without descending into pastiche—no mean feat. Elsewhere, summery opener “Worlds Unknown” employs the sort of bright guitar phrases that wouldn’t be out of place on George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass, while the fragile finger-picked “Walk in an Absent Mind” recalls Elliott Smith’s wonderful late-career work. “Barfly” and “Shut In” aren’t quite as compelling, but Transmitter moves at a brisk enough pace to overcome a few relative lulls. 

Clarke could easily have returned with another set of vintage rock jams—we know he can execute that formula in his sleep. To his credit, he’s opted to change things up subtly, without compromising what made Cut Worms so special in the first place. While Transmitter doesn’t sound like a late ’60s artefact, it still sounds like Clarke—a refresh rather than a revolution, and a perfectly satisfying one at that.

Transmitter is out now via Jagjaguwar.