The Daarts, "Cut Me Up" c/w "Beloved Stranger," Dyna D-109 (rel. 2/1961)

 

The Daarts came from Las Vegas, where they released one (or perhaps two) singles then broke up due to members being drafted by the military. Unlike most of these one-shot (or, perhaps, two-shot) artists, we have a newspaper article with actual information. The group began in 1959 as an all-male quartet. By 1960, female singer-songwriter Bobby Staheli had replaced the lead vocalist and the group made one known single for the local Dyna label. Her husband, Keith Nielsen, was the unlucky soul who was drafted. An article from the August 6, 1961 Las Vegas Sun reported that Staheli, Dale Lofthouse and Finn-American Erkki Kerttula would continue the group.

By the time of this article, The Daarts’ first release (which we’ll hear today) had come and gone with local success but a minimal impact outside of the desert Southwest. Cash Box ignored it; Billboard gave it a medium-strength review that I’ll quote from, since Windows 11’s Snipping Tool has become so enshittified that it seldom works without a system meltdown. The article mentions the imminent release of a second single, “Dream Boy,” but it doesn’t seem to have happened; the record doesn’t exist.

The group played it last gig at a Henderson, NV LDS church; after they packed up, Nielsen and Staheli drove to Salt Lake City, where he surrendered to the military for a tour of service. The Church of Latter-Day Saints plays a big role in The Daarts’ existence. Business-school student/masseur Kerttula met Nielsen when the latter worked as a missionary in Finland. The two later met up in Odgen, Utah, where Kerttula introduced him to Dale Lofthouse and the three began to perform as a band.

The trio met Bobbi Staheli at a gig at the Grand Canyon, where she was on the bill as a soloist. Sparks flew, and Bobbi joined The Daarts and married Nielsen. After this, they made today’s single—a mixture of the curious and the classic.

Its intended A side is a normal-type dramatic rockaballad. “Beloved Stranger” is much better than one might expect, due to its small-scale production. But “Cut Me Up,” the novelty rocker that Billboard touted as the side to watch, was something else.

Kerttula’s lead guitar, which shows the influence of American rockabilly and European guitar group like The Shadows, accents this close-harmony bopper. Staheli’s low-register voice is androgynous; its deep, woody tones conflict/contrast with her feminine diction and style. It’s a gripping voice that I wish we had more to hear, aside from this one single.

The song is a wild account of a jilted lover who feels each betrayal by her ex as the laceration of a knife. Were this song better-known, I’m sure some 1980s slasher flick would have used it as an ironic theme song. The hearty harmonies of her fellow Daarts adds body to this twisted-but-catchy platter which evokes the spirit of Buddy Holly’s recordings without sounding like one. Kerttula’s guitar, in best European style, adds to the emotional frenzy with its echo-plexed, brooding asides. “Cut Me Up” is a rarity in early 1960s pop: a song written and sung by a woman in a dense rock ‘n’ roll setting that explores uneasy emotions without the submissive, man-centric eye that so dominates the period. It’s a one-of-a-kind gem, like The Renowns’ 1961 “My Mind’s Made Up,” which was played here a few years ago (on Facebook).

Billboard's assessment, published February 20th 1961: Breezy rocker receives a snappy performance from the group here and the backing is bright, too. They awarded it three out of four stars.

“Beloved Stranger” achieves the David Lynch Effect—that a song, image or other artifact of daily life takes on an eerie or uncanny feeling not intended by its creators. This intense, emotional rockaballad is so much better for its down-and-dirty approach—no strings, no irksome vocal chorus, no big-band bloot. Just the four voices and instruments of the group. It’s also bettered by Bobbi Staheli’s compelling lead vocal. The other Daarts do backing vox in low, menacing tones; they take a section in unison, with Staheli’s voice in soprano counterpoint; she had quite the range.

There’s every opportunity for schlock here and the song and performance avoid that easy pitfall. Kudos to this fantastic four for that wise move. While a galaxy away from the odd vibe of “Cut Me Up,” it’s straight pop performed with sincerity and no show-biz glitz. This side has grown on me over time.

Of this side, Billboard stated: On this side the boys sing a rockaballad, but not as successfully as on the flip. Two stars were awarded; the reviewer didn't notice the female lead voice, for reasons unknown.

The newspaper article states that a new single, “Dream Boy,” was set for imminent release, but with Nielsen’s departure for military service, the group might have split up. Dale Lofthouse issued a 1982 single with The Daarts, but this local release is scarce, and it’s not certain whether the original members were involved. As with The Renowns, The Daarts suggest a promise unfulfilled. I’d love to have more recordings by both groups, but they don’t exist. I hate going through this sad story over and over, but it’s a major thread in the fabric of popular music.

Tomorrow: a supreme Soulful Sunday, with Tammi Terrell and uncredited Harvey Fuqua on a stunning 1965 Motown single that should be well-known. Oh, it’s good! Don’t miss this one, gang!