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Cursive

Mama, I'm Swollen

  • AMG Review of Mama, I'm Swollen

    Amg
    Jason Lymangrover
    All Music Guide

    After the stellar Happy Hollow album, Tim Kasher and bassist Matt Maginn questioned whether they wanted to move in the same direction under the Cursive name. A few cards were stacked against them. Cursive's drummer Clint Schnase, the main man responsible for much of the group's appeal -- their mathy time changes -- was out of the picture. The rest of the band lived in different cities. Also, Kasher had just finished his fifth solo album under the moniker the Good Life and was becoming increasingly comfortable making softer rock. After some debate, he and the remaining founding members (Maginn and guitarist Tim Stevens) decided to move forward anyway. Decidedly toned down, Cursive's sixth album, Mama, I'm Swollen, marks a radical departure for the group. Songs share more in common with the Good Life's Help Wanted Nights than anything in Cursive's catalog. Instead of fractured fairy tales there are straightforward singer/songwriter jingles, likely penned by Kasher on acoustic guitar before getting fleshed out with other instruments. However, Kasher remains a cunning wordsmith, and as usual, his lyrics are filled with uncertainty -- especially when debating religion, as he's done on more than a few songs now. The album jumps around from country rock to indie and Americana, with tinges of hard-hitting emo rock here and there peeking out from behind the slick pop ballads. Fortunately, Kasher's deep running concepts are still entertaining, even though the songs are in a tamer style. "Let Me Up" maintains some of the guts and angular chops of early releases, "In the Now" has the garage rock edginess of Superchunk, and "I Couldn't Love You Any More" succeeds as a catchy indie pop number.

Cursive: Mama, I'm Swollen
8 months ago

You think you know. . . what's to come. . . what you are? You haven't even begun! If there's one consistency throughout Mama, I'm Swollen, it's Cursive's complete and utter disregard for consistency. A feat accomplished without falling victim to genre-hopping, but through the sheer thrill of unpredictability.

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Cursive: "Mama, I'm Swollen"- Album Review
8 months ago

I'll admit that I really haven't paid much attention to Cursive in the past.  It's not that I had anything against the band, it's just with so many acts out there I can't be on top of them all.Well let me tell you that's changed with the band's new album Mama, I'm Swollen (out March 10th).  It's the Omaha band's seventh full length.The album kicks off with "In The Now", and explosive punk

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New! Stream Cursive's "From the Hips."
8 months ago

New Cursive track off the new album, Mama, I'm Swollen." You can get the whole album as a digital download for $2 today at the Saddle Creek site:http://www.saddle-creek.com/

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Cursive: "Mama, I'm Swollen"- Album Review
8 months ago

I'll admit that I really haven't paid much attention to Cursive in the past.  It's not that I had anything against the band, it's just with so many acts out there I can't be on top of them all.Well let me tell you that's changed with the band's new album Mama, I'm Swollen (out March 10th).  It's the Omaha band's seventh full length.The album kicks off with "In The Now", and explosive punk

More >
Cursive’s new video features one of LOST’s actresses
5 months ago

“I Couldn’t Love You” is the 2nd official video from Cursive’s album Mama, I’m Swollen. The video was directed by Danny Drysdale, & stars Tania Raymonde… Alex Linus in ABC’s hit series LOST (Ben & Danielle’s daughter, for those of you who don’t watch the show)!Cursive | Myspace | Schedule | Buy

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Cursive announces new tour dates
6 months ago

Fresh off the release of its sixth studio album Mama, I’m Swollen and its network television debut on Letterman, Omaha’s Cursive have taken to the road for its spring tour with stops on the east coast, midwest and UK. Today the Saddle Creek veterans announced the tour will be stretching into the summer for 11 more stops out west.New dates:JUNE 13    DENVER, CO            WESTWORD M

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Cursive; Mama, I'm Swollen
8 months ago

"I'm at my worst when it's not rehearsed, I don't want to know the goddam words."Anyone even remotely interested in the late 90's post punk offerings from seminal labels such as Saddle Creek or Deep Elm will have some kind of feelings about Omaha's equally seminal Cursive. Since its first release back in '97, the band has consistently offered up some of the very best indie-rock of its day.  Th..

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I Got Mine for 2 Dollars......
8 months ago

Tracklisting:1. In the Now2. From the Hips3. I Couldn't Love You4. Donkeys5. Caveman6. We're Going to Hell7. Mama, I'm Satan8. Let Me Up9. Mama, I'm Swollen10. What Have I Done?From the latest in new music promos comes Cursives marketing plan: What would Radiohead think of this? Today's official statement reads: *Yesterday, Saddle Creek and Cursive began offering the band's new album Mama, I'm ...

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Cursive: Mama, I'm Swollen
8 months ago

You think you know. . . what's to come. . . what you are? You haven't even begun! If there's one consistency throughout Mama, I'm Swollen, it's Cursive's complete and utter disregard for consistency. A feat accomplished without falling victim to genre-hopping, but through the sheer thrill of unpredictability.

More >
RFC TV: Cursive's "Let Me Up"
about 1 month ago

The third video off Cursive's latest, spring's Mama I'm Swollen,is the most cinematic 5 minutes the band has released thus far. Thefilm noir feel makes it a perfect companion to "Let Me Up"'s darklyrics and is certainly worth a glance.

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Video: Cursive – Let Me Up
2 months ago

Cursive’s latest video from Mama, I’m Swollen. Still slowly starting to like Mama…

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Cursive Premier “Let Me Up”
about 1 month ago

A few days ago Cursive premiered their latest video off their latest album, ‘Mama, I’m Swollen‘.The music video for the track “Let Me Up” made an exclusive premiere on Stereogum and was directed by Evan Glodell.“Mama, I’m Swollen” is out now via Saddle Creek.

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Daytrotter Sessions: Cursive
2 months ago

You know Daytrotter always come through with the goods. They recently got a chance to sit down with Tim Kasher of Cursive. Tim covers The Cure’s “Lovecats” , David Bowie’s “Modern Love” and spins renditions of Mama, I’m Swollen’s standout track “What Have I Done?” as well as Domestica’s “The Casualty”. You [...]

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New Cursive for $3 Today
8 months ago

Cursive [Myspace] have been very strongly on my personal list o’ bands that “rule harder than most” since my purchase of The Ugly Organ in the spring of 2003. I wasn’t the biggest Saddle Creek fan yet (that transformation occurred about a year before this review here: Bright Eyes - Lua & Take It [...]

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[video] Cursive - "I Couldn't Love You"
5 months ago

The first single from Cursive‘s Mama, I‘m Swollen, “From the Hips”, was such a rip that sharing the second is kind of a no-brainer. Spinner premiered the video today for “I Couldn‘t Love You”, and Lost fans should get a kick out of this one. It features Tania Raymonde (Alex, Ben’s daughter) as a runaway bride with a pissed-off, shotgun-toting groom hot on her heels. Mama, I’m Swo

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Video: Cursive – Caveman (Studio Recording)
2 months ago

Cursive – Caveman – Luxury Wafers Sessions from Luxury Wafers on Vimeo.Thanks to the good people over at Luxury Wafers for the clip. The song’s called Caveman and it’s off of Cursive’s latest release Mama, I’m Swollen. Head over to Luxury Wafers site to get free MP3’s of some other songs Cursive did [...]

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