Cursive
Happy Hollow
Label: Saddle Creek
In stores: August 22, 2006

Dear Mom,
Life’s been tough in Omaha. I’ve had another year of drunken debauchery, broken dreams, religious indifference and yes, more girl problems. Luckily I’ve put my musical genius to work crafting a 14 “hymn” narrative about a small town and typical small town problems. Those guitar lessons sure are coming in handy.

Do you remember how Cursive’s last album, The Ugly Organ, opened with a macabre welcoming into a twisted circus carnival with organ and cellos? Well for this new disc, Happy Hollow, we’ve traded the cellos for a four part horn section, and I’ve carried over some of my recent Good Life success with down to earth folky songwriting.

But don’t worry that your son has gone all Conor Oberst on you (he says hello, by the way). We’ve still got plenty of edge to our melodic indie rock sound, and in fact, I’ve read four reviews that reference our “brash swagger” - although I have no idea what that means.

Personally, I think Happy Hollow has the accessibility of Domestica, although this is definitely a huge step forward for our sound overall. Our songwriting is better than ever, and I can’t wait for you to hear it. I’ll send you a copy when it comes out August 22!

Love, Tim Kasher

MP3: “Dorothy at Forty”

MP3: “Bad Sects”

p.s. We’ll be playing Minneapolis’ First Avenue on September 23, 2006.