Disco de Cursive: “Ugly Organ”

After hearing Domestica, I couldn't wait for Cursive's new release. While I thought it'd be impossible, Cursive has put together an album that is even stronger than Domestica. The addition of Gretta Cohn on cello has added a whole other dimension to the music. The use of piano and organ also adds more to the sound, fleshing out the sound more than on Domestica.

Most of the songs have the trademark Cursive sound which is pretty much difficult, if not impossible, to describe. Dissonant guitars laid over drums that often take unexpected changes. The cello contributes to this album in more ways than one can imagine. One of the things I like about Cursive is their ability to write challenging songs - usually you can tell where the melody of a song is headed the first time you hear it. With Cursive, they occasionally pull that rug out from under you and take an abrupt turn in the opposite direction.

The lyrics are insightful and a joy to listen to and Tim Kasher's voice, while nowhere near perfect, is perfectly suited to the music he makes. I can't really think of the words to describe this album other than perfect and beautiful. If you like Cursive, you owe it to yourself to pick up this album. If you've never heard Cursive, there's no better time than now. As someone else suggested, this may very well be one of the best albums of 2003.

So go buy it. Now.

ALLright all you whiny pretentious emo/indie scum, I concede defeat. After listening to countless albums of formulaic whine,riff,chorus,whine,riff,chorus,pretend like your on the verge of tears,riff,chorus, Cursive produces an album which all you sniffling Emocore kids can be proud of. Time to get those Dashboard Confessional and Get-Up Kids albums and toss them in the garbage like the rubbish they are. I, as you can probably tell, do not buy into the whole Emo/Hardcore whatever it is that you call yourselves sub-culture. I'm kinda sceptical of people's intentions IE: do they actually like this Emo crap, or just listen to it to be part of the "scene" So naturally, I had low expectations that fateful night when I popped The Ugly Organ into my CD player, and was in no way prepared for what I was about to experience. By the end of "Staying Alive" I felt extremely tense and yet incredibly relieved. These are two powerful and very different emotions to be feeling at once, and while my eyes felt like they were ready to burst out of their sockets, my body felt like it had lost all of its bone matter and was lying into a gelatinous heap on my bed (like in that episode of the Family Guy). Yes, this oh-so sceptical reviewer got his sorry ass blown away.

Now here's why:

1) Tim Kasher's vocals actually sounds like he has something to be upset about. Unlike the countless other Emo crooners who simply cater to the masses of depressed and disillusioned youth, and whose falseness is hard to ignore.

2) The addition of the cello was absolute genius. It adds a lot of body and texture to the songs, it complements Kahser's vocals perfectly and is instrumental in creating the dramatic theme of the album.

3) The Ugly Organ is a concept album in a genre of music that does not lend itself well to concepts. This is an album that demands to be listened to in its entirety.

4) Most importantly, and I'm afraid that most of you insecure image driven wanna-be hipsters out there are missing this, The Ugly Organ is an incredibly complex and intelligent peice of music. Just look at the layering of guitar and cello chords on top of each other, the sampled movie dialogue at the end of "Butcher the Song" and the perfect harmonious balance of beautifully fragile melodies and harsh power cords. The final track alone, "Staying Alive" is easily one of the most beautiful pieces of music I have heard in my entire life. And I've heard a lot of music. Just listen as cello, guitar and Kasher's dynamic vocals reach to a stunning, intense and amazingly beautiful polyphonic crescendo. Feels like Alex lisseing to the 9th in A Clockwork Orange. " Like a bird of rarest spun heaven metal, or like silvery wine flowing in a spaceship gravity all nonesense now" haha

Wheew, this is damn good stuff people. Pretentious as hell, but as Kasher says "Art is Hard," and he most definitely delivers.

I know it may seem a little early to make the claim that this is the best CD of 2003, but once you listen to it, you'll see that my claim is most certainly justified. The first full-length since 2000's Domestica is a wonderous piece of art. Songs such as "Art Is Hard" and "Driftwood: A Fairy Tale" show a remarkable amount of lyrical talent from frontman Tim Kasher, and the presence of Gretta Cohn's cello does wonders for the music. I had heard a lot about Cursive before listening to this album, which was the first I heard from them. Needless to say, after listening, I could easily understand why they had been so greatly hype. If you want a piece of damn-near perfect indie rock, it would be wise of you to pick up The Ugly Organ.

With "The Ugly Organ" Kasher once again resumes the role as storyteller as was done on "Domestica". The songs take classic life partly through the quality of Cohn's cello and the intense lyrics delivered throughout the album. Opening the album with, "And now we proudly present/Songs preserve and songs of lament," you prepare yourself for the melancholy and irony of the album. You need to prepare yourself because what an emotional journey it is.

With "Some Red Handed Slight of Hand", "Art Is Hard", and "The Recluse" back to back in the first half of the album the change of pace is nice. Yet I feel that with some of the strongest on the album over with so quickly the middle drags. Picking back up with "Bloody Murderer" the end closes the album strong and delivers what was missing.

The tracks are laden with metaphors and the sad tone of Kasher's heartbreak, and starting new relationships the same way that others have ended. I felt tense while listening to the record, I didn't know what to expect and there is a vibe you get with the album that does nothing for your spirits. Cursive has a good set of songs on the album but their not my style. The greatest of indie albums have covered gloomy topics and I have enjoyed them. That's what it is with "The Ugly Organ" overall it's missing something, it's not the songs, nor the tunes. After your done listening to it you don't feel relieved, just gloomy.

The Ugly Organ receives

A Bliss of 6

Two words pretty much sum up this album... Tim Kasher. This guy is INCREDIBLE. He has put together a band with so many great qualities that he is able to write such beautifully abrasive music filled with time-changes, off-kilter rhythyms, and sheer guitar brutality. The addition of Greta Cohn's cello really deepens the basslines and fills the space between the other instruments. Make no mistake, this is a BIG, deep record with many layers and a borderline inaccessible sound (ie. no singles save "The Recluse"). One of the best of 2003.