Type: Lyrics are included with the album, Enhanced CD-ROM
Genre: Rock
Review
With more rock and less whine, Cursive provides an exclamation point to the emo scene with Domestica, their third release. Led by vocalists Tim Kasher and former Lullaby for the Working Class frontman Ted Stevens, Domestica explores Kasher's messy divorce through a series of clever but transparent metaphors. Domestica is a concept album harping on the ugliness and beauty of love, a treatise on the pains of divorce and romance. While the themes are nothing new, they are executed inventively. Half the songs don't even contain a chorus, replacing the classic song structure with a string of middle eights held together by the exceptional rhythm section. Despite the instrumental prowess, the true standout on this record is Kasher. His throaty voice propels the album's most satiating cut, "A Red So Deep," from a dissonant clang to an effortless whisper. From the hard rock of the D.C. scene ("The Martyr," "The Radiator Hums") to the classic Pavement sound ("Making Friends and Acquaintances"), Cursive proves they are more than the typical emo band. Kasher's marital troubles transform the selections on Domestica from mere calls for help to anthems of rejection. ~ Yancey Strickler, All Music Guide
Cursive's Domestica, released in 2000, is the third studio album by the American indie rock band Cursive. It is a concept album that tells the story of a relationship between two characters named "Sweetie" and "Pretty Baby." Both characters are mentioned by name in several of the songs on the album ("The Casualty," "The Martyr," "A Red So Deep," and "The Radiator Hums") as well as the title of "The Lament of Pretty Baby". While the ending track is ambiguous, lead singer Tim Kasher said in an interview that the couple stays together, despite their differences and fights.
While it is rightfully presumed that the album correlates directly with Kasher's divorce, additional dynamics were added to the story. Such as the theme of cheating, prevalent in the songs "A Red So Deep" and "The Game of Who Needs Who the Worst". This album is the 31st release of Saddle Creek Records and was released on CD as well as both red and black vinyl.
