Cursive - The Ugly Organ
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Free Music Notes for The Ugly Organ
Free Music Review: The Best of 2003 So Far (Says Me)
Hit: 5 Stars
Yeah, "The Ugly Organ" is a concept album of sorts. The concept is its own creation. While some of the songs deal with standard failing-relationship themes, others express the musician's disgust with himself for using those relationships to sell records. "Here we go again / The art of acting weak / Fall in love to fail / To boost your CD sales."But in the long run, that concept doesn't matter very much. It's not what makes "The Ugly Organ" so great. While Tim Kasher certainly delivers his lyrics with plenty of sincerity, which makes the concept work, where this album really shines is the music. After a couple of EPs, cellist Gretta Cohn has found her perfect place within the band, making her cello parts just as integral to the songs as the guitar lines. At the same time, the use of cello is never remotely gimmicky - it fits naturally, and it gives the band a very distinct sound.
As for the songs themselves... Brilliant. From fast and catchy ("Some Red Handed Sleight of Hand"), to soft and beautiful ("Driftwood: A Fairy Tale," "The Recluse,"), to loud and dissonant ("A Gentleman Caller," "Butcher the Song,"), there's enough variety to keep the entire album interesting. And furthermore, it's one of those albums that seems to be the PERFECT length - it feels complete, yet does not overstay its welcome.
So forget the fact that Cursive are most often classified as "emo." I, for one, am no fan of most emo music (to say the least), but that doesn't stop me from seeing the awesomeness of "The Ugly Organ." Do you like rock music, ANY kind of rock music? Yes? Then buy this, you jerk.
Free Music Review: What an "album" should be
Hit: 5 Stars
For most of the cd's i have, i have to put my player on "random" or "shuffle" because i get tired of the same old pattern the songs are played on album. This is one of the only cd's i own that i dont dare press the random/shuffle button on. the way this album is set up, it plays like a storybook, or an epic poem. Each song runs perfectly into the next, continuing the theme of the ugly organ. This album isnt just a random collection of songs, it's a full "album" with a THEME.Ok, other than the theme thing that most bands lack, they also have one thing most other bands dont --a cellist! Yes, a frickin awesome electric cello! (cellos bring so much depth to a song, other than that, they're just frickin awesome)Some bands might put a little string quartet in a selected tune, but cursive now has a lovely little cellist who is a full time band member.
Ok, this album has turned me from a saddle-creek-geek, to an all out rabid cursive fan. This band may not be everyone's cup of tea (esp. for those who dont like tea), but if you care for any kind of indie/emo/hardcore i believe you'll find this somwhat depressing album quiet a delight (ironically).
(also check out some of the other bands from saddle creek records, they're all great and based in my hometowm of Omaha)
There isn't a song on here that is anything less than wonderful, but a few that tend to stick in my mind are Art is Hard, Driftwood, Staying Alive, and Bloody Murderer. Ok, i'm going to bed now, i hope you buy this album because i'm sure that if you're interested enough to read this, you'll absolutely love the cd. [/end strange review [/end wierd mood i'm in right now
Free Music Review: Unbelievable
Hit: 5 Stars
Right from the devastatingly catchy opener and the stingingly apt criticism of "emo" right to Tim Kasher's painful, swollen throat acceptance that life indeed goes on without the filthy ex, this album could keep my attention for the rest of my life. It seems like one trend just follows another these days...nothing latches on. The come-back rock-and-rollers like the strokes and the white stripes and the "emo" kids like dashboard confessional and taking back sunday have nothing on Cursive. Cursive is like cheesecake and coffee after a long day of office wars, gender wars, terror wars, and stupid trendy music. I just can't get across how gripping this album is. I like to criticize bands for using the oh-so-cool "scream" to signify "emotion" but Tim Kasher has it right on. Anytime he screams, he means it and you know it. Whats important about this album is that, aside from the incinerating instrumentation, the lyrics aren't just clever little metaphors and allusions. Everything Kasher sings, he means and sings it with enough conviction that, by the time your'e singing it, you start to mean it too. I read a review about this album that said "there's nothing better than an album about grudge sex--especially when its done well." I could not agree more.Way to go Cursive. Some people won't get this though. Some people are going to just think its noise. And, unfortunately, in the hipster community, Saddle Creek doesn't have tons of credit. So the hipsters ditch it from the name and the people who don't listen to this on a regular basis can't get used to it...
Well, that's expected of an album with such sting.
Free Music Review: "The sunrise is just over that hill, the worst is over."
Hit: 5 Stars
Cursive's The Ugly Organ is the definition of a grower. The first time I heard it, I thought it was pretty decent, but not the kind of thing I'd usually listen to. I'm not sure why, but over time I started liking the songs more and more, and now the album is one of my favorites.
After the strange intro, the first song is "Some Red Handed Sleight of Hand", a quickly paced rock song which is somewhat atypical for this band. What it does have in common with the other songs is its brief length, despite the final track being over 10 minutes long, the entire album is barely over 40. Although I guess brevity really is the soul of wit, as the short length allows Cursive to cram all of their ideas into a really small space, making each song a pleasure to listen to all the way through. After a few more good songs and a one minute interlude, there's "Driftwood: A Fairy Tale." It's a dark retelling of the Pinocchio story, and has one of the album's better melodies. It is followed by a couple harder songs, the decadent and enjoyable "A Gentleman Caller" and more electronic "Harold Weathervein". The interesting "Sierra", which wraps up the storyline that plays out over the course of this concept album, is followed by the great, extremely long "Staying Alive". The noises at the end go on a little too long, but the song itself is very affecting and still gives me chills.
From the singer's distinctly different voice to the unusual instrumentation, The Ugly Organ is a unique and thoroughly good album that probably anyone can enjoy if they give it a listen or two.
Free Music Review: Nearly perfect
Hit: 5 Stars
It's easy to lable Cursive as a band that panders to indie rock elitists looking for the next big bandwagon, or you may think this is a far too pretentious band trying to be "artsy" and "deep". But if you push those thoughts aside and actually listen the album, you'll probably find that a lot of thought was put into it's creation.The big difference between "The Ugly Organ" and Cursive's last LP "Domestica" is plain to anyone, the use of a full time cello. We first got a taste of a more cello dominated Cursive with their EP "Burst and Bloom", and while the songs on that were hardly realised and seemed to be more like experiments than a focused work, it still proved to be a great listen. Instead of floating in the background creating ambiance, the cello on "The Ugly Organ" acts more as a lead guitar, creating many of the melodies throughout the album, from the mellow "Driftwood" to the abrasive "A Gentleman Caller" the cello parts in the album are incredibly unique to anything else out there at the moment.
Another major factor in the album is that, by themselves, the albums songs are less than stunning, "The Ugly Organ" is certainly an album that must be listened to from start to finish to get the full extent of it. And in an age where bands seem to focus on writting that one hit single per album, it's refreshing to hear a band that is focused only on the total outcome of the album.