ArtsEtc.

Cursive discusses show in interview

Some bands write songs about their lives; others write songs that tell stories. Some bands play songs with a string section; others play songs with a horn section. Some bands sing songs in soft melodic voices; others sing songs in screaming, emotive voices. Some bands use a few of these elements — and some bands are Cursive. They use them all, and tonight at 8 p.m. at Club 770, the Omaha, Neb., indie rockers bring their eclectic live show to the city of Madison.

Since their reunion in 2000 after a breakup in 1998, Cursive has released three very distinct albums. Each album is characterized by different instrumental and lyrical trends. For example, following the straightforward post-hardcore guitar instrumentation of 2000’s Domestica, 2003’s The Ugly Organ switched gears into a sound which adopted a string section that remains prevalent throughout the album. In 2006, Cursive changed their sound once more with the release of the horn-happy album Happy Hollow.

With a catalogue as diverse as Cursive’s, covering all the instrumental bases in a live situation can be difficult. But that isn’t the case for this band, said Cursive guitarist and vocalist Ted Stevens during an interview with The Badger Herald.

“We try to do every album as full as possible,” Stevens said.

Although the band has brought a full horn section and cellist on tour with them in the past, their current tour uses a more stripped-down lineup to represent their variety of instrumental arrangements.

“This time around we’re settling on a five-piece band,” the musician explained. “What we are trying to do is consolidate the major melodies to present them with a new flair.”

But one can only speculate as to what this concise lineup could mean for the future of the band. But Stevens assured the Herald that another breakup was not a direction the band was heading.

“The reason we are trying to stay active right now is because we have a lot of new material,” added Stevens. “It’s really important to me that we try that stuff out live.”

The band is currently in the process of writing their next album, and, with songs that are still in the developing stages, it is unlikely that any additional instrumentalists would be necessary or applicable. However, Stevens also noted that when the band plays new songs, they “get a feel for what songs are going to be popular ones.” This quite clearly plays a role in selecting the band’s new album tracks, but there is also a chance that it implies that a stripped-down lineup could be the next step in the evolution — or devolution — of Cursive’s ever-changing sound.

While the future of Cursive’s sound remains unclear, one thing is definite: Tonight’s show at Club 770 should not be missed.

“We strive to perform as well as we can under any circumstance,” Stevens said.

And tonight will be no different.

Cursive’s performance tonight is sponsored by the Wisconsin Union Directorate Music Committee.