#Cursive Vitriola Review

[themusicenthusiast]

Single Review: “Under The Rainbow” by Cursive

Cursive hasn’t been totally absent from the music realm, though it has been quite some time since the group last released a record; vocalist Tim Kasher focusing on some other projects since the release of their seventh studio album back in 2012. Six years is a long while for any band to go without offering up new material, but perhaps it was necessary for what is to come, as it allowed events around the globe to play out and provide ideas for Vitriola (due to be released on October 5th via 15 Passenger), which is shaping up to be a socially and politically charged record. It also seems as if it will usher in a return to the form to Cursive’s early days with material rooted in primal emotions that aim to get people to assess the state things. The second single from the upcoming album is a prime example of that, “Under the Rainbow” being electrifying as it attempts to remove the veil from the eyes of people who still have their vision restricted.

“The one percent live in high rises. They block out the sun for all the denizens under the rainbow…” That first verse instantly sets the tone of the track that illustrates the vast differences between the wealthy and elite and the droves of people that do whatever they can to make ends meet, probably even struggling while trying to get by. And cleverly at that, using the rainbow to represent unlimited possibilities that are just out of reach for those on the ground. Right off the bat “Under the Rainbow” highlights the clear differences between the average citizen and the privileged few and only adds to it from there, Cursive pushing the narrative that they are the ones in charge of creating and implementing rules, every single one done to favor their interests, and all the while most go on oblivious to those facts. Possibly because they’re unaware of the true power those people wield, or maybe it’s blissful ignorance, wanting to believe that the control isn’t as one-sided as it really is. It’s definitely a political song, though it pulls it off without ever displaying any sort of partisanship. Rather, it comes from the perspective of a person completely disillusioned with the entire structure of power, additional verses attesting to that. (“…Boy, I shook myself awake so long ago… We’ve been fed lies, we’ve all been duped. And we don’t want to know the truth…”.) It’s written exceptionally well, the blunt remarks and primal emotions painting a bleak picture, one where the average person has been left to fend for themselves, reality diminishing their hopes and dreams as they’re left feeling isolated from those they entrusted with the ability of acting in their best interest. The result is someone who has become jaded and outright angry. Kasher embodies that persona. At times it’s more of an underlying component, though he is constantly seething, at times even channeling his frustration by shouting the lyrics, as if mourning the promises that have been broken, those of an idyllic world where everyone has an equal voice and gets a fair opportunity. The song is similar to those of Cursive’s earliest works, though they’ve brought in the refined sound they’ve honed over the last couple of decades or so. Because of that “Under the Rainbow” possesses somewhat of a DIY quality but with a polished flare. It’s brash demeanor hints at some punk rock influences, the guitars frequently being bold and chaotic, while the percussion hits like a jackhammer. At the same time, their indie rock flare is also present, yielding a track that offers the best of both worlds, the intricacies of it pairing well with the fact that it’s a force to be reckoned with. It’s still too early to tell, though Vitriola seems to be shaping up to be the strongest release from Cursive in years, if not ever. One that’s presumably going to be rooted in the plights faced by the modern human being, of which there is a rich trove of subject matter to draw upon. If so, then that would be a perfect album for the times we’re in thanks to evolving technology and rapidly changing societies; and if the other songs can live up to the standard that has been established so far then it will be a serious contender for album of the year. Pre-order Vitriola on: iTunes | Google Play | Amazon MP3 Visit Cursive’s websites: Official Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter Current Shows: 2018 October 18--Kansas City, MO--The Record Bar 19--St. Louis, MO--Off Broadway 20--Louisville, KY--Headliners Music Hall 21--Nashville, TN--The Basement East 23--Tallahassee, FL--The Wilbury 25--Fort Lauderdale, FL--Culture Room 27--Orlando, FL--The Social 28--Jacksonville, FL--Jack Rabbits 30--Atlanta, GA--The Masquerade 31--Charlotte, NC--The Underground – Fillmore November 1--Carrboro, NC--Cat's Cradle 2--Washington, DC--9:30 Club 3--Philadelphia, PA--Union Transfer 4--Asbury Park, NJ--Stone Pony 6--Amityville, NY--Amityville Music Hall 7--New York, NY--Irving Plaza 8--Boston, MA--Paradise Rock Club 9--Hamden, CT--Space Ballroom 10--Buffalo, NY—Tralf 11--Pittsburgh, PA--Rex Theater 12--Columbus, OH--Ace of Cups 13--Cleveland, OH--Grog Shop 14--Detroit, MI--El Club 15--Chicago, IL--Thalia Hall 16--Madison, WI--High Noon Saloon 17--St Paul, MN--Turf Club 18--Omaha, NE--Waiting Room Lounge 2019 January 18--Denver, CO--The Bluebird Theater 19--Boulder, CO--The Fox Theatre 21--Salt Lake City, UT--Metro Music Hall 22--Boise, ID—Neurolux 23--Spokane, WA--The Bartlett 24--Bellingham, WA--Wild Buffalo 25--Seattle, WA--The Crocodile 26--Portland, OR--Doug Fir Lounge 28--Redding, CA--The Dip Redng 29--San Francisco, CA--August Hall 30--Fresno, CA--Strummer's Bar & Grill 31--Los Angeles, CA--Regent Theater DTLA February 2--Pomona, CA--The Glass House 4--Las Vegas, NV--Bunkhouse Saloon 5--Phoenix, AZ--Crescent Ballroom 6--El Paso, TX--Lowbrow Palace 7--Lubbock, TX--Jake's 8--San Antonio, TX--Paper Tiger 9--Austin, TX—Mohawk 10--Houston, TX--White Oak Music Hall 11--Dallas, TX--Trees

[holley4734]

Sleep Deprived Music Review: Cursive

Sleep Deprived Music Review: Cursive @CursiveTheBand #musicreview @15PassengerRec #newmusic #indiepunkrock

Cursive

If I were plotting revenge or planning some sort of coup, then Cursive would be on the Coup d’état playlist. In the words of Cursive (and the Cops theme song), what are you gonna do when they come for you?

Cursive has recently released their Get Fixed album. It’s sort of a companion to their last album, Vitriola, which was released last year at this time.

Their music is…

[gbhbl]

Album Review: Cursive - Vitriola (Big Scary Monsters/15 Passenger)

Album Review: Cursive – Vitriola (Big Scary Monsters/15 Passenger)

Over the past two decades, Cursive has become known for writing smart, tightly woven concept albums where frontman Tim Kasher turns his unflinching gaze on specific, oftentimes challenging themes, and examines them with an incisively brutal honesty. But the band’s eighth full-length, Vitriola, required a different approach — one less rigidly themed and more responsive as the band struggles with…

[niallflack]

Album Review: Vitriola by Cursive

Album Review: #Vitriola by @cursivetheband

Cursive release their eighth album Vitriola on 28th September via Big Scary Monsters (UK/EU) / 15 Passenger (US). Over the past two decades, Cursive has become known for writing smart, tightly woven concept albums where frontman Tim Kasher turns his unflinching gaze on specific, oftentimes challenging themes, and examines them with an incisively brutal honesty. 2000’s Domesticadealt with divorce;…

[theindyreview]

Album Review: Cursive - Vitriola

Album Review: @Cursivetheband - Vitriola (@saddlecreek) Cursive’s first new album in six years beckons you back to the bassinet.

The murderous sound of a cello bow drawn sharply back and forth, a pounded bass drum and Tim Kasher tauntingly singing…

“So I dug deep down, deep inside myself / To the pitted heart of this scabrous shell

Oddly all I found was a nest of cells / On the hunt for some significance / The indifference of the chromosome prevailed

So I dug deep back through a fractured past / Marriage work and school…

[zarafoodrecipe]

Music reviews: Saint Sister, Lil Baby & Gunna, Cursive, Phosphorescent and more

PSYCH FOLK-POP Phosphorescent C'EST LA VIE (Dead Oceans/Inertia) He's part-high plains drifter, part-cowboy mystic, lying somewhere on a line between Harry Nilsson's sepia-tinged '70s laments and Bon Iver's beardy soul-scraping. On the new Phosphorescent album Matthew Houck continues the sonic arc he started with 2013's Muchacho and the ubiquitous track Song For Zula, which wrapped U2-like dynamics around the central thread of Johnny Cash's Ring Of Fire. On C'est La Vie No. 2 he aims for nothing less than Dylan or Cohen. The instrumentation trickles and pumps as he assembles mirrored lines about past and present: "I stood out in the night in an empty field and I called your name, I don't stand out all night in empty fields and call your name no more." The backstories to past albums have involved break-ups, upheavals and enforced isolation. C'est La Vie is different: love, fatherhood, moving from Brooklyn to Nashville, building a studio. That may suggest settling down, but it seems to have helped Houck drill down into more elemental songwriting, while continuing to be a genre-wanderer, from the skittery calypso of New Birth In New England to the Krautrock-meets-Velvet Underground sprawl of Around The Horn. BARRY DIVOLA HIP HOP Lil Baby & Gunna DRIP HARDER (Quality Control/YSL) This sees Atlanta's brightest stars, Lil Baby and Gunna, team up for their first collaborative album. After developing a charming formula on joint singles, the young rappers have found a captive audience in jaded hip-hop fans with melancholic ballads dusted in autotune. This year hip-hop surpassed rock to become the most popular genre, but a subsequent dip in quality has made listeners weary. Lil Baby and Gunna's dexterity offers a beacon of hope. Both are proteges of Atlanta pioneer Young Thug, and while his influence is palpable, this record sees the youngsters surpass him. Features from Drake (Never Recover), Lil Durk and NAV (Off White VLONE) are a welcome indulgence for those who savour star-studded hits. But Lil Baby and Gunna shine on their own. Baby's melodic vocals are soft around the edges in parallel with Gunna's disparate flow on Business Is Business. Belly, Lil Baby's solo moment, is an infectious coupling of pop and R&B, and Gunna follows with World Is Yours, matching him bar for bar. They bounce off one another with the sophistication of a relationship that spans decades, while growing with each collaboration. Drip Harder may just be the beginning. KISH LAL INDIE-ROCK Cursive VITRIOLA (15 Passenger) Nebraska's Cursive may not be a household name in Australia, but their cult-like following in indie-rock circles has kept fans eagerly awaiting every release since their 1997 debut. They are known for their acerbic, vitriolic and cathartic lyrics from singer Tim Kasher, and Vitriola, their eighth album, comes with the added bonus of anxiety and dread linked to the world's current state. This, however, isn't a bad thing. Opener Free To Be Or Not To Be You and Me is a dense, tense listen, with Kasher's voice following the rhythm of the crunching bass, and it sets the scene for an album offering little reprieve. While the more clear-cut melodies of acclaimed 2003 set The Ugly Organ may not be immediately present, they slowly reveal themselves, first on tunes like the more down-tempo Remorse and late-album standout Ghost Writer. Kasher, who has made a career outside of Cursive with solo albums and the folk-oriented the Good Life, has always felt most at home delivering the melodrama and angst out the front of this band, and while the last few records have fallen short, it seems Trump's America is just the place to reignite the fire. BRONWYN THOMPSON AVANT-ROCK Ceramic Dog YRU STILL HERE? (Northern Spy) Is this the year's angriest record? Marc Ribot is sick of seeing his Brooklyn friends and neighbours randomly arrested by the US Immigration and Customs Agency (contemptuously known as "La Migra"). When he's not baring his punk roots in tsunamis of fury like Personal Nancy, Muslim Jewish Resistance and F--- La Migra, he can turn to caustic satire, as on the world-beat Pennsylvania 6 6666, with its spitting commentary on cosy white homogeneity. Setting Ceramic Dog apart from other post-punk operatives is the fact that Ribot (guitar, vocals), Shahzad Ismaily (bass) and Ches Smith (drums) come from the pinnacle of New York's creative music scene, so no idea is off-limits and their imaginations range just as far as their virtuosity. Yet for all the sophistication at their disposal they prefer to preserve a garage-band rawness, even when they approach the relative tenderness of the title track, with its coiling, intersecting guitars. Ultimately I prefer the extended, psychedelic-tinted blowing on the humorously titled Shut That Kid Up and the even more bewitching Orthodoxy, underpinned by Neel Murgai's sitar. Angry, brilliant and sometimes plain beautiful, this album is certainly different. JOHN SHAND https://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/music/music-reviews-saint-sister-lil-baby--gunna-cursive-phosphorescent-and-more-20181008-h16co4.html?ref=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss_feed

[fornowrecords]

https://ift.tt/eA8V8J