SPEED LIMIT – Cut A Long Story Short

Austrian band Speed Limit has put together their 5th full-length album after playing together on and off since the early 80s, titled Cut A Long Story Short on DRT Records. It’s surprising how some bands from back that far are finally getting together again, and working to revive their musical careers, some with more success than others. Speed Limit seems to be more focused on continuing their sound and style from 1984, than trying to advance and update to a more modern version for the times.

80s To Today

Cut A Long Story Short includes eight new tracks, a single from 2019, and three live cuts that may have been better left off of the record. The vocals on the live songs tends to go slightly off key at moments, with a mix that leaves a lot to be desired. The new songs are definitely better than the live ones, if still sounding dated with early 80s sounding mixes of more a demo quality than a modern produced record. The muffled sound leads listeners to wonder why the band didn’t opt for a cleaner, more modern mix that could have possibly shined up the overall product.

Final Notes

With the advent of affordable home recording solutions that many bands take advantage of these days, especially since the pandemic, it’s puzzling that this band, who’ve had decades together to hone their craft would release a product that feels very much like a demo made on a shoe string budget. A few of the songs show some real promise, but getting past the production can be a road block to today’s listener, especially with so many options and bands vying for ear time. Hopefully these veterans can put a little more spit and polish into their next endeavor, showing us what their passion for music really should sound like.

Speed Limit – Lineup

• Hannes Vordermayer – Lead vocals & drums
• Chris Pawlak – Bass Guitar & vocals
• Chris Angerer – Guitars & vocals
• Joe Eder – Guitars & vocals

Cut A Long Story Short – Tracklist

1. Shine Brighter Than The Sun
2. New Horizon
3. Eye On You
4. The Lady Is On Fire
5. Notorious
6. Destiny’s Calling
7. The Wind Blew In A Memory
8. Hit The Wall
9. Sweet Morphine (Live At Seeham)
10. Retired Hero (Live At Seeham)
11. Ways And Means (2019 Version)
12. Head Over Heels (Re-Recording)