With a band such as Cursive, whose extensive back catalog spans the past 14 years, it’s fair to say the band knows what fans expect when it comes to their sixth studio LP.
Cursive’s 2006 release, Happy Hollow, didn’t exactly receive the same critical acclaim as its predecessor, 2003’s The Ugly Organ.’ All things considered, chief songwriter Tim Kasher didn’t exactly reinvent the band’s sound on Mama, I’m Swollen. Rather Kasher just tightened up loose ends from previous efforts.
Mama, I’m Swollen is positively a straight, no-chaser record. The album’s opener, ‘In the Now,’ is in essence one of the most punk-rock influenced songs Cursive has written to date, as it trudges through a formulaic song structure with distorted bass and guitar riffs. The song’s repetition of ‘I don’t wanna live in the now / I don’t wanna know what I know’ is a signature Tim Kasher line, penned with the vague tenacity that has only increased throughout the band’s career.
Mama, I’m Swollen revels in its ability to be inconsistent, a common trait among nearly every Cursive effort. Songs such as ‘From the Hips’ and the downtrodden ‘Let Me Up’ are classic examples of Kasher’s storytelling abilities, one of his best and most celebrated assets as a songwriter. Kasher remains as vulnerable as he’s ever been, and the tracks ‘Mama, I’m Swollen‘ and ‘We’re Going to Hell’ are some of the most introspective on the album.
Since the departure of cellist Gretta Cohn in 2004, the band has dealt with the loss by replacing her with a horn section, which was a singular effort on Happy Hollow by Nate Walcott. In 2007, Cursive lost its original drummer Clint Schnase, who was replaced by Cornbread Compton, former drummer for Engine Down. Compton does an exceptional job of picking up where Schnase left off.
Compared to the rest of their discography, Mama, I’m Swollen may be the most accessible Cursive release to date, but that’s still not saying much. The most perfect attribute of Cursive is its ability to be imperfect. The inconsistencies and diversity permeating its discography has kept the band afloat among longtime listeners and has roped in new fans as well. The band has only improved upon every missed step from Happy Hollow, and their songwriting ability has reassured itself once again through the celebrated insecurities of Kasher.
