by Tim McMahan,  Lazy-i.com

It’s been awhile since we heard from Cursive. Their last album was 2019’s Get Fixed, released on their very own 15 Passenger Records label. Then, out of the blue yesterday, stories began popping up on the usual indie rags (Stereogum, Brooklyn Vegan, Under the Radar, Treble, etc.) announcing Cursive will be releasing their new album, Devourer, Sept. 13 on long-running indie label Run for Cover Records.

Boston’s Run for Cover has been around since 2004 when it was founded by then 17-year-old Jeff Casazza, whose early releases included LPs by Tigers Jaw and The Wonder Years, among others. These days, Run for Cover’s roster includes such indie heavy-hitters as Horse Jumper of Love, Runnner, Young Guv, Sun June and Rival Schools, with past artists including Alex G, Pinegrove, Nothing and Pity Sex. 

It’s a curious move to go from your own, sort-of established record label to another mid-sized label, especially when Cursive’s original mid-sized label, Saddle Creek Records, likely would have welcomed them back with open arms, but I’m sure there’s lots more to that story… 

After a prolific few years of new signings (Feeble Little Horse, Palm, Indigo De Souza), Saddle Creek has slowed its output, having only released a handful of singles this year along a new LP by Young Jesus and reissues of The Faint’s Doom Abuse and a couple old Land of Talk EPs. Who’s handling A&R at Saddle Creek after Amber Carew left the label in May 2022?

Ah, but I digress from the topic at hand…

According to the Stereogum article, most of which was likely taken from a press release (which I didn’t receive – COME ON, CURSIVE!), the 13 tracks on Devourer were culled from 69 (?) songs written by Cursive frontman Tim Kasher for the album. Kasher said the album’s title has to do with his “devouring” of art, music, film and literature, which he then digests, followed by outputting his own unique version, which isn’t the most flattering metaphor for what we’ll be hearing on the new album.

Actually, we got the first scent of Kasher’s creative excretions yesterday when the band/label released the video for the first single, “Up and Away,” directed by Brea Grant, a veteran director who’s appeared on episodes of Friday Night Lights and Dexter, and directed 2022’s 12 Hour Shift, according to IMDB. Check out the video below. 

According to Northern Transmissions, the band now weighs in at a hefty 7 members. “We seem to be collecting band members over the years,” Kasher said in the article. Beyond the core trio of Kasher, bassist Matt Maginn, and guitarist/vocalist Ted Stevens, the band includes keyboardist and multi-instrumentalist Patrick Newbery; cellist Megan Siebe; and recording/touring drummer Pat Oakes and founding drummer Clint Schnase.

But maybe the biggest news of all is that Cursive will launch its 2024 U.S. tour right here in Omaha with two dates at The Waiting Room Oct. 18 (with Little Brazil) and 19 (with Criteria). Also on the bill both nights will be Cursive tourmates Gladie, a Philly 5-piece whose last release was 2023’s Purple Year EP (Plum Records). 

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2024 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.