elf-described as a glam-rock band, Cursive is an Omaha-based group of four guys and a girl who have made many musical innovations. Lead vocalist Tim Kasher and fellow vocalist Ted Stevens formed Cursive in 1995. Since then, Cursive has produced three records, the most recent being The Ugly Organ, released in March of this year. The steps taken to produce The Ugly Organ have resulted in the addition of a sole female performer, Gretta Cohn, along with the addition of two new instruments, the cello and organ.

Cohn is the remarkable cellist whom the original guys in Cursive sought out to help change the music of the band. Bassist-vocalist Matt Maginn said that the motivations behind the addition of two rather odd instruments for a rock band stem from the band’s desire to “broaden our sound. We were looking for a way to add another dynamic and dimension without using traditional rock instruments.”

	Glam-rock band Cursive added new members on cello and organ for a new sound on its latest CD.

Maginn revealed that the cello and organ allowed for “things to turn out even better than we had hoped.” Since the release of its third CD, the band has received numerous positive reviews. According to Maginn, the band members’ strengths come from their attention to detail: “We try to keep it interesting, rhythmically, melodically and lyrically. We try to not follow an easy formula. We try to represent ourselves in a number of ways rather than sort of playing the same sound 10 different times in a row.”

Though the band is happy with The Ugly Organ and the changes that aided in its creation, Maginn said, “We didn’t really expect anybody else to be. Just because it was kind of our own cut creation in a sense. The reaction is better than we hoped. I hope it’s because of our evolution as a band and change in our sounds and trying to broaden our range and what kind of genres we can touch with our composition.”

The persistent efforts of the band to represent itself differently from how it had been in the past have resulted in much success. Cursive’s music yearns to be described as indie because it’s not mainstream, but doesn’t quite fit into the definitions of any genre. Kasher’s voice is rather jagged and harsh, and often sings of remorse and personal sadness on the new CD. Cohn’s string interludes do well in promoting the sadness that often emanates from Kasher’s voice. The deepness of the cello and its dramatic sounds nearly wound the listener.

The cello accompanied by various bits of organ should not deceive fans. The Ugly Organ is a dynamic record that surprises and pushes its listeners to start the disc over as soon as it has finished. The sound is new, and this alone is reason for individuals to give the band a chance.

Cursive played in Salt Lake City last night to fans already hooked on the group’s sound. However, the band members are excited to finish their tour and according to Maginn, “go home and cozy into our new practice space, write some songs and start figuring out the next record.” They hope to become more involved in different genres, and as Maginn says regarding their music, “spread it out rather than bring it back together.”
autumn@red-mag.com