Cursive

Very few bands manage to last decades, and for the ones that do, it’s often easy to settle down and get a
little too comfortable. But there’s nothing comfortable about Devourer, the explosive new album from
Cursive. The iconic Omaha group is known for their intensity, ambition, and execution, and has spent 30
years creating a bold discography that’s defined as much by its cathartic sound as its weighty, challenging
lyrical themes. And Devourer is as daring as ever. Full of intense and incisive songs, the album proves
exactly why Cursive have been so influential and enduring–and why they remain so vital today.

Fans have come to expect heady topics from Cursive, but Devourer sets a new standard. The
glibness of the First World toward the problems of others. The eternal struggle to stay on the straight and
narrow. The eager acolytes exploited by their leaders. How anxiety can compound with age. How
self-expression can warp into self-indulgence. But as always, Cursive is here to
wail, not wallow.

While Cursive’s music hasn’t gotten any more comfortable, perhaps its being released into a world that’s
at least a little more shaped in their image. Devourer sounds urgent and fresh, the work of a band still
experimenting, still hungering to find new creative heights. On album highlight “Consumers,” the
protagonist bemoans, “I saw our future and I want to go back.” But Cursive are only moving forward.