Review Summary: Nothing new, everything right
Thank You For Being Here makes a great case as to why the expression ‘reinventing the wheel’ should have more positive connotations. Sure, the wheel already exists, but shouldn’t it be applauded when you spend a lot of time crafting… another wheel? Wheels are cool. After all, it seems rather difficult to achieve such a nice and round shape; I surely don’t know how to, eh, shave a rock into vehicle-ready form. Anyway: cursetheknife may not be a very unique band, but they
sound really, really great. The band knows how to transform rock (heh) into the perfect graze (
ɡreɪz, noun, when something grunges and gazes simultaneously), knocking out riffs, grooves and introspective vibes in a highly competent and undeniably enjoyable manner.
While the intro track feels a bit unnecessary, all is forgiven once ‘Feeling Real’ kicks in. The song boasts the best riff Hum and Narrow Head haven’t quite gotten around to recording yet. As the distortion hits you, the immensely produced record reaches out, attaches, and refuses to let go. Crashing through waves of sonic density, each instrument is equal parts surprisingly distinguishable and entirely focused on strengthening
Thank You For Being Here’s impact. From ‘Too Solid Too Flesh’ boasting a highly opaque, driving bassline to ‘Filter’s classically swaying shoegaze guitars, there is not a single moment where the band don’t appear fully dedicated to making the best music they can. ‘Low’ presents one of the record’s most enthralling choruses, where distant, vaguely monotone vocals transform repeated cries into a highly memorable melody. Expertly complemented by its pensive verses, the song blends the abstractly beautiful and charmingly immediate into
graze perfection.
Yet, the album’s very best track can be found in the six-minute microcosm ‘In Dreams’. The song layers cursetheknife’s typically heavy and dense brand of music over a simple, repetitive beat. While it’s not a new or particularly exciting trick, the band seem highly self aware and revert any potential dismissals with a quality batch of ethereal melodies and captivating elements: drums take a backseat or soon find themselves intertwining with the track’s backbone, the sonic mass increases in intensity as the song progresses. Not a single moment is left lingering without explicit intention or effect, from the record’s final three tracks being tied together by a gentle buzzing to closer ‘Cursetheknife’s post-metal inflections;
Thank You For Being Here is an incredible record that doesn’t do anything new, but gets everything it does do exactly right. Graze.
