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Cursive
Domestica


4.0
excellent

Review

by pixiesfanyo USER (118 Reviews)
January 14th, 2005 | 179 replies


Release Date: 2000 | Tracklist


Cursive Presents: Cursive's Domestica

Cursive formed in Omaha in 1995. They released an EP and then a few albums. Sadly in 1998 Cursive decided to break up but only a year and half later they came back with a new guitarist and with what in my opinion is their best album, “Cursive’s Domestica"?. Domestica is the telling of a couple's relationship as it crumbles to nothing, the story carried an odd familiarity to the real life experiences of Kasher (He divorced with his wife before Cursive got back together), and the honest storytelling and addictively powerful rhythms made for a critically acclaimed and powerfully affecting underground rock record.

While Domestica isn't an essential indie album it is a damn fine one. Throughout the album the bass lines and drumming are strong and give the music a powerful bottom-end. Along with the emotional songwriting and vocals and sometimes-heavy sometimes vividly lo-fi guitars the album is beautifully written. Songs like "The Lament of Pretty Baby"? and "The Casualty"? are heavy hitters who rely on strong guitar and even stronger vocals to provide them with emotion. While the rest of the album centers around a softer guitar and vocal feel like in "The Night I Lost the Will to Fight"?. But the real beauty in this album lies in Tim Kasher's beautiful and thought provoking lyrics. They are truly pure emotion and it's pretty obvious that this album is based around him and his ex-wife. With lines such as "The butterfly pinned to the page the nightingale locked in the cage -- won't you sing for me?" it's obvious this is one of the contributors to the current "EMO? rage. But instead of doing it stereotypically Cursive created one of the most emotional non-emo albums to date based around powerful vocals and even more powerful lyrics.

Domestica is the album for anyone having a rough relationship. But also it's just a great experience if you are into lyrics or good, catchy, indie music. Domestica is the album you should check out if you are looking to get into Cursive.

4.1/5




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user ratings (773)
4.1
excellent
other reviews of this album
iarescientists (5)
Cursive creates a depressing, beautiful masterpiece of a relationship gone awry....

Slum (5)
Cursive's 2001 masterpiece is raw and phenomenal with its writing and musicianship....



Comments:Add a Comment 
pixiesfanyo
July 23rd 2004


1223 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

Er..Any Comments?

cbmartinez
July 23rd 2004


2525 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Good review. Better than The Ugly Organ?

pixiesfanyo
July 23rd 2004


1223 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

In my opinion, yes

RollerQueen
July 23rd 2004


209 Comments


It's also a great album to listen to after a breakup. Cathartic, though, hopefully. This review is very short, especially after your Second Stage Turbine Blade one, but it's more... easily digested. Kind of like what you'd see in a magazine or website review. Bravo.

As for whether or not this is better than The Ugly Organ, this doesn't have as much as a tonal variety but it feeds the theme like crazy, making the album feel more carefully constructed. The Ugly Organ is more of a scatterbrained concept album about doing a concept album so, given that, it jumps around more lyrically and musically. Pressing the random button doesn't disturb the listening experience. Domestica is more of a straight-through album and, in such, it excels that way. As for which is better, I'd say to buy both.

pixiesfanyo
July 23rd 2004


1223 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

I like The Ugly Organ..It is just I think this is a more important album to Cursive and new listeners

IsItLuck?
Emeritus
July 23rd 2004


4957 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Can someone review Ugly Organ, please?

Luxor
July 23rd 2004


166 Comments


Nice review. I would have liked a track list though, because I download a lot of my music, and sometimes I don't even know what album which songs are on.:thumb:

honkybrewster
August 4th 2004


13 Comments


yep, a track list would be nice.

lifes_a_fallacy
August 5th 2004


7 Comments


I love Cursive.

I would die for Saddle Creek.

Tangy zizzle
November 10th 2004


253 Comments


Pretty great alum.

I'm liking The Ugly Organ a bit better than this one at the moment though.

204409
Emeritus
April 10th 2006


3998 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

What a great CD this is. I hate hearing indie bands that focus on weird textures and vocal presentations to seem "interesting." Cursive is interesting by just writing good songs with awesome interweaving instrumentals and emotive vocals.

masada
May 14th 2006


2733 Comments


This is a lot more solid than The Ugly Organ, but I don't think any real standouts. They're all good.

FA
May 14th 2006


127 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

Great review and great album, cheers.

The Jungler
January 17th 2007


4826 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

The more I listen to this the more I like it. It's only my third time through and I'm starting to think it's better than the Ugly Organ (though that CD does seem to have more diversity).

IsItLuck?
Emeritus
January 17th 2007


4957 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

This CD is better as a whole compared to the Ugly Organ. But I don't think any of these songs compare to tracks 2,3, and 4 on the Ugly Organ (some red handed sleight of hand, art is hard, the recluse). Those 3 are gems.

The Jungler
January 26th 2007


4826 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

Rating raised.

CD is so fucking good.

Intransit
February 24th 2007


2797 Comments

Album Rating: 4.5

I'll be perfectly honest: I hated this album at first. I thought it was boring indie as per usual, but I have to say, this is thoroughly enjoyable. I like it alot now for some reason.

Tyler
Emeritus
February 24th 2007


7927 Comments


I hate hearing indie bands that focus on weird textures and vocal presentations to seem "interesting."

Ditto. I've been meaning to check this out for a long time now, maybe I'll finally get around to it.

The Jungler
March 6th 2007


4826 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

Everything about this is awesome, the lyrics, the vocals, the guitar, the drums. It's probably the most played cd in my collection and I've only had it for a month or two. I'm really tempted to raise this to a five.

iarescientists
March 6th 2007


5865 Comments

Album Rating: 5.0

this iz gud



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