Category: Music

Cursive have always been a bit of a dark horse. Never really breaking through to mainstream prominence in the UK, their raw and slightly wonky approach to indie rock has spawned many a copycat act and their brutally honest music-making has clearly inspired many. Vocalist Tim Kasher has rather an unusual tone which is smooth and abrasive in equal measures. When he really lets rip on the higher notes is when you really feel his pain / joy but there is such a wide range of dynamics and nuances in his vocal that he really encompasses every emotion known to man.

‘Mama, I’m Swollen‘ sees the band revert somewhat to the days of ‘Domestica‘ with a slightly less shiney production. Having said that, lush instrumental sections such as the one implemented in ‘From The Hips‘ are still present echoing the musically ambitious parts of previous albums ‘The Ugly Organ‘ and ‘Happy Hollow‘.

Knowing how to write a catchy melody is one thing but the ability to corrupt this with wonky time signatures and unusual pauses without losing the vitality or appeal of the melody is an entirely different thing and one that only few bands are able to do effectively. This is what Cursive do so well, subverting perfectly good melodies with nuances of vocal, instrumentation or rhythm. ‘I Couldn’t Love You‘ is the perfect example of this knack of making the simple slightly more complicated yet still just as effective. Cursive also have the knack of crafting lyrics that are half abstract and half very easy to identify with. A line every now and again will make you think ‘oh yeah, I feel like that’ and then Kasher will sing ‘we may be donkeys but at least we have a tail to tell’ and you’ll be like ‘what? I didn’t quite catch that…’ So, it’s safe to say that this is a band who know how to engage listeners, create a tune AND keep things interesting both musically and lyrically.

‘Mama, I’m Swollen‘ is Cursive at their best, playing on heartstrings, evoking pain and joy, playing out a rollicking good tune – these are all things exemplified on the record and what is safe to say is that this band could clearly go on to write another 10 records. Their musicality and originality is not about to leave them any time soon. Wonderfully dark and perfectly crafted ‘Mama, I’m Swollen‘ is a must for fans and those who may not have heard of the band but like their indie-rock to have a touch of the bizarre about it. Cursive – truly emotional before the word emo became as sullied as it is today.

Sarah Maynard.

The popularity of ADTR has got to have a huge amount to do with those gang vocals and handclaps. There’s nothing quite as immediate or engaging than an emphatic group-chanting session or strategic, punchy handclaps. And indeed these devices work well in a live setting as audiences can shout along to their hearts’ content – case in point being ADTR’s recent and raucous sold out couplet of Barfly and Underworld shows (both completed in the same night, I might add). Well ‘Homesick’ opens with a veritable waterfall of gang vocals and handclaps proving that this band have a handle on how to please their fans.

This record was produced by Chad Gilbert of New Found Glory fame and he’s done a stellar job in realising the band’s potential as ‘Homesick‘ packs more than a punch. ADTR’s trademark gutteral growl vocals mixed in with supreme melody-making kick in to the max on ‘I’m Made Of Wax Larry…‘ However, this band’s take on sing vs scream works so much more efficiently than a whole host of other bands attempting similar things and ADTR never lose their sense of fun with ‘wo-oaahs’ abounding and even little sound effects like ‘polite coughs’ interrupting guitar chugs thrown into the mix.

But the fact remains that ‘Homesick‘ is packed full of chugging, melody-fuelled monster tunes that many an audience will be only to happy to sing their hearts out too. It’s a heady mix of pop-punk, hardcore and straight-up rock. Gilbert was perhaps the perfect producer pick in that sense, considering his current musical leanings and how he started out in the much more HC Shai Hulud. Just when you feel like you’ve had about all the chugs you can take on this album, a song will take a turn as at the end of ‘Mr Highway’s Thinking About The End‘ where the band bring out their softer side and strip it back to simple, gentle vocals.

This is clearly the sound of a young band growing up on the road. ADTR tour a lot and have spent much of the last couple of years on the road. Many of the songs pertain to this bizarre way of living and this makes for a cohesive collection of tracks. This record is the perfect setup to continue the camaraderie of ADTR’s live performances. And it’s a damn good album in itself. Time for a singalong follwed by a beatdown!

Sarah Maynard.