Stavesacre How to Live with a Curse
Abacus Recordings ABA0023 April 18th, 2006
By Jason Jordan
Im happy for Stavesacre. I really am. After leaping from Tooth & Nail to Nitro to Abacus, I was glad they found a home they deserved, since God knows they worked their asses off for such recognition. Abacus Recordings no longer content to release records from core bands only has branched out, signing groups like now-defunct The Juliana Theory, Planes Mistaken for Stars, and last but certainly not least, these Californians. Even before I heard How to Live with a Curse, I figured it would showcase the usual éclat, but would perhaps fall short of reaching Stavesacre and Speakeasy, which is and probably will remain my favorite Stavesacre outing.
While not nearly a disappointment or a triumph, How to Live with a Curse boasts a few truly astonishing numbers. The rest are letdowns, or essentially inconsequential. First, however, the production is flawless and crisp as anyone could ask for. Salomons vocal lines convey emotion, and his tone is as unique as its always been. The quartets musical abilities have been under scrutiny before, yet Ive never had an issue with them, considering that I find their songwriting skills exceptional. Of the 14 tracks ripe for picking, the highlights are easy to pinpoint the energetic leadoff hitter A Reason to Believe brandishes lofty vocals, swirling verses, and a catchy chorus (Im not looking for a reason to buh-leave!), the down-n-dirty Its Beautiful (Once Youre Out Here) ironically features a pristine, likeable chorus, and We Say has gang shouts that invite audience participation almost explicitly. Fear and Love is subtler than its peers, but is still a refined song, which recalls the emotion of Gold and Silver (Speakeasy) or Alice Wishlist (Stavesacre). After the opening four conclude, though, the value takes a dive. The Trouble with Being Born and Future History of the Broken Hearted are filler, in my opinion, with the softer ones like Grace and Sean classifiable as the same.
Nonetheless, How to Live with a Curse improves once Lost Days, Well Sort This Out Right Now, and Kill My Darlings all solid tunes take center stage. In addition to the regular material, there are also a couple untitled interludes (tracks 6 and 13), which dont matter, hypothetically, in the grand scope of just how much you will or will not enjoy this album. Following Kill My Darlings, the 50-minute disc stops spinning, leaving you (well, maybe) with a decision. For those who have shuffled down the Stavesacre path ever since Salomon razed The Crucified, this purchase is a no-brainer. If youre a fan of them, but arent a completist, then you might be on the fence with this one. While better than Friction and Absolutes, I dont think How to Live with a Curse is quite as consistent as Stavesacre, nor does it replicate the brilliance of Speakeasy, and naturally Im excluding the Split EP with Denison Marrs, Bull Takes Fighter EP, and their best-of Collective. So if youve been stacking those CDs in your mind, then youll know their latest rests smack dab in the middle of their discography, quality-wise. The artwork is ace, though, which may be added incentive to pick this up. In short: good, but not great, overall.
7/10
UMs Review Rating Scale
Official Stavesacre Website
Official Abacus Recordings Website
Abacus Recordings ABA0023 April 18th, 2006
By Jason Jordan
Im happy for Stavesacre. I really am. After leaping from Tooth & Nail to Nitro to Abacus, I was glad they found a home they deserved, since God knows they worked their asses off for such recognition. Abacus Recordings no longer content to release records from core bands only has branched out, signing groups like now-defunct The Juliana Theory, Planes Mistaken for Stars, and last but certainly not least, these Californians. Even before I heard How to Live with a Curse, I figured it would showcase the usual éclat, but would perhaps fall short of reaching Stavesacre and Speakeasy, which is and probably will remain my favorite Stavesacre outing.
While not nearly a disappointment or a triumph, How to Live with a Curse boasts a few truly astonishing numbers. The rest are letdowns, or essentially inconsequential. First, however, the production is flawless and crisp as anyone could ask for. Salomons vocal lines convey emotion, and his tone is as unique as its always been. The quartets musical abilities have been under scrutiny before, yet Ive never had an issue with them, considering that I find their songwriting skills exceptional. Of the 14 tracks ripe for picking, the highlights are easy to pinpoint the energetic leadoff hitter A Reason to Believe brandishes lofty vocals, swirling verses, and a catchy chorus (Im not looking for a reason to buh-leave!), the down-n-dirty Its Beautiful (Once Youre Out Here) ironically features a pristine, likeable chorus, and We Say has gang shouts that invite audience participation almost explicitly. Fear and Love is subtler than its peers, but is still a refined song, which recalls the emotion of Gold and Silver (Speakeasy) or Alice Wishlist (Stavesacre). After the opening four conclude, though, the value takes a dive. The Trouble with Being Born and Future History of the Broken Hearted are filler, in my opinion, with the softer ones like Grace and Sean classifiable as the same.
Nonetheless, How to Live with a Curse improves once Lost Days, Well Sort This Out Right Now, and Kill My Darlings all solid tunes take center stage. In addition to the regular material, there are also a couple untitled interludes (tracks 6 and 13), which dont matter, hypothetically, in the grand scope of just how much you will or will not enjoy this album. Following Kill My Darlings, the 50-minute disc stops spinning, leaving you (well, maybe) with a decision. For those who have shuffled down the Stavesacre path ever since Salomon razed The Crucified, this purchase is a no-brainer. If youre a fan of them, but arent a completist, then you might be on the fence with this one. While better than Friction and Absolutes, I dont think How to Live with a Curse is quite as consistent as Stavesacre, nor does it replicate the brilliance of Speakeasy, and naturally Im excluding the Split EP with Denison Marrs, Bull Takes Fighter EP, and their best-of Collective. So if youve been stacking those CDs in your mind, then youll know their latest rests smack dab in the middle of their discography, quality-wise. The artwork is ace, though, which may be added incentive to pick this up. In short: good, but not great, overall.
7/10
UMs Review Rating Scale
Official Stavesacre Website
Official Abacus Recordings Website
