Cursive (band)

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Cursive

Cursive performing at the 2007 Siren Music Festival
Background information
Origin Omaha, Nebraska, USA
Genres Emo,[1] post-hardcore,[2][3] indie rock
Years active 1995–1998, 1999–present
Labels Saddle Creek, Big Scary Monsters
Associated acts Bright Eyes, Commander Venus, Lullaby for the Working Class, Mayday, Okkervil River, Slowdown Virginia, The Good Life, Tim Kasher
Website www.cursivearmy.com
Members Tim Kasher
Matt Maginn
Ted Stevens
Cully Symington
Past members Clint Schnase
Gretta Cohn
Steve Pedersen
Matt Compton

Cursive is an American indie rock band from Omaha, Nebraska,[4] on Saddle Creek Records/Big Scary Monsters (UK).[5]

History

The band was formed in 1995 by Tim Kasher, Matt Maginn, Steve Pedersen (all formerly of Slowdown Virginia), and drummer Clint Schnase. In 1997, they released Such Blinding Stars for Starving Eyes. After a couple years of touring, the band broke up in 1998 due to Kasher moving to Oregon and Pedersen going to law school.[6] They "posthumously" released The Storms of Early Summer: Semantics of Song in the fall of that year. A year later, in the summer of 1999, the band re-formed with Ted Stevens (formerly of Lullaby for the Working Class) joining the band on guitar. In 2000, their album Domestica, a concept album, gained them much attention from fans and critics.

Cursive added Gretta Cohn (on cello) in 2001; the strings added complementary sounds to that summer's Burst and Bloom. In 2002, the band toured on the Take Action! Tour.

Saddle Creek Records released The Ugly Organ in 2003. Music magazine Rolling Stone gave the album a 4-star rating,[7] while alternative music magazine Alternative Press rated the album a perfect 5 out of 5.[8] In 2004, The Cure selected Cursive to tour with them on their Curiosa tour, alongside Interpol, The Rapture, Mogwai, Scarling., and The Cooper Temple Clause. Afterwards, the band went on hiatus, with no specified return date.[9]

The label put out a compilation album of unreleased songs and B-sides, The Difference Between Houses and Homes, on August 9, 2005. In mid-2005, Gretta left the band to pursue other musical opportunities,[10] and has since formed the Brooklyn, NY-based band Twin Thousands. Instead of replacing her, the band remained four-piece.

After Cursive's hiatus, Saddle Creek announced that Kasher had temporarily stopped his work on his side project, The Good Life, to start recording an album with Cursive. The album, Happy Hollow (named for the Dundee-Happy Hollow Historic District in Omaha, Nebraska), was released on August 22, 2006. Its first single was Dorothy at Forty, released on July 11, 2006. With this album, Kasher turned his focus away from self-reflective lyrics to concentrate on what he thought were bad politics, empty suburban lives, and religious hypocrisy[citation needed]. Music Magazines Spin, URB, Time Out New York, and Blender gave the record a 4 star rating, and Rolling Stone gave the album a 3.5-star rating[citation needed], while alternative music magazine Alternative Press rated the album a perfect 5 out of 5,[11] saying “Cursive haven't just redefined their sound—they've transcended it.” Happy Hollow features a five-piece horn section, adding new texture and redefining the band's sound.

In October following the release, the band revealed plans to bring audience participation to its catalog, offering fans a chance to remix its song "Bad Sects" through a competition on the website; the finalist is scheduled to appear as a B-side on an upcoming Cursive single.[12]

Cursive's Mama, I'm Swollen was released on March 10, 2009 on Saddle Creek Records. Three days later, the band made their network television debut on Late Show with David Letterman, playing "From The Hips".

On the 16th November 2011, they announced that the follow-up to Mama, I'm Swollen would be called I Am Gemini; it was released on February 21, 2012. In May Cursive started its European tour which included Birminghams O2 Academy 2 on 9th June, where they were supported by Kevin Devine and local band Only The Good.

Band members

Current
Touring
  • Patrick Newbery – trumpet, percussion, organ, piano, mini moog, keyboards, synthesizers, other instruments (2006–present)[13]
Former

Discography

Main article: Cursive discography

References

  1. ↑ Cursive (band) at AllMusic
  2. ↑ "Video Premiere: Cursive, 'Big Bang'". Spinner. 2007-03-06. Retrieved 2011-07-17. 
  3. ↑ D'Angelo, Peter J. "Cursive - Biography". Allmusic. Retrieved May 12, 2011. 
  4. ↑ Ambrose, Anthony. "inTuneMusic Online: Cursive / The Love Language @ Hoboken 8/6". Retrieved 2009-08-08. 
  5. ↑ http://www.bsmrocks.com/artist.php?id=10
  6. ↑ "Solving a Million and One Philosophical Dilemmas with Tim Kasher of Cursive". welcometoflavorcountry.com. 2013-02-11. Retrieved 2013-02-24. 
  7. ↑ Sanneh, Kelefa (2003-04-03). "The Ugly Organ : Review". Rolling Stone (919). Retrieved 2008-01-17. 
  8. ↑ "The Ugly Organ : Review". Alternative Press. 2003-04-01. Retrieved 2008-01-17. 
  9. ↑ "Saddle Creek Records". saddle-creek.com. Retrieved 2006-12-27. 
  10. ↑ "Cellist Gretta Cohn leaves Cursive". punknews.org. 2005-08-24. Retrieved 2008-01-17. 
  11. ↑ Karan, Tim (2006-12-05). "The Da Vinci Code for Indie Rockers". Alternative Press. Retrieved 2008-01-17. 
  12. ↑ "Bad Sects Remix Contest". badsects.com. Retrieved 2008-01-17. 
  13. ↑ http://www.threeimaginarygirls.com/features/2009jun/interviewwithmattmaginnofcursive

External links

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