It’s been a while since Cursive put out a proper full-length (three years to be exact). Their last album, Mama, I’m Swollen, received mixed reviews, though it helped them land an appearance on The Late Show with David Letterman. But on February 21, they’ll be releasing a new record on Saddle Creek. Entitled I Am Gemini, lead vocalist and main songwriter Tim Kasher is once again writing a conceptual album. But this isn’t about divorce, debauchery, or denied dreams. Rather, he’s telling the story of twin brothers Cassius and Pollack, with a duality-based motif (such as good/evil and angels/devils).
Last month, they released “The Sun and Moon” and “The Cat and Mouse” that saw a shift in their music. In previous albums, they’ve had a more expansive sound adding orchestral arrangements such as horns, strings, and an organ. But these new songs reflect that Cursive is going towards a progressive rock sound that is more guitar-oriented. “Wowowow” continues to show that shift as the song bursts open with discordant, jagged guitars. Structurally, it has a start-stop rhythm underlying angular guitar riffs. With these characteristics, this song is teetering onto math rock territory. Kasher sings with his usual distinct howl, but he actually screams out the titular line. At around the two minute mark, the song makes a complete 180 when a female voice enters, singing over delicate piano chords and a subtle bass as twinkling keys fade out to the end. This composition reinforces the album’s running on the motif of duality.
For long-time fans of Cursive, the new material may take some time getting used to, especially “Wowowow.” There’s no doubt that the band isn’t afraid to experiment with their music and becoming more aggressive along the way. The track is definitely a surprise, but the real appeal lies within the intrigue that it presents and how far Cursive pushes their music. With the release only a couple of weeks away, it won’t be long until we see if their experiment is considered a success or a failure.
