Such Blinding Stars for Starving Eyes

• Artist: Cursive
• Rating:
• Release Date: September 09, 1997
• Type: Contains explicit content, Lyrics are included with the album
• Genre: Rock

Review

After a handful of 7"s, the first full-length record from Omaha, NE's Cursive serves as a fitting precursor to the band's later body of work. Such Blinding Stars for Starving Eyes lays down the framework for the Cursive method: delicate guitars that erupt into frenzied explosions, a rhythm section that consistently keeps each track barreling forward, and the harrowing vocal contributions of Tim Kasher, whose powerful voice personifies the emotional turmoil that the record encapsulates. Unlike some of Cursive's later work, Such Blinding Stars for Starving Eyes does not rely on a singular concept to tell its story. Nonetheless, tracks like "Ceilings Crack" and the unyielding "Downhill Racers" tell tales all their own, though the topics do tend to concentrate on subjects like retribution and a sense of being overwhelmed. The latter track also features one of the record's most striking moments, during which Kasher's cacophonous screams are met by the harmonious background vocals of original guitarist Stephen Pederson in an exercise in contrasts that the band would continue to develop as time went on. At points stark and hollow but always building toward something more engaging and momentous, this record features the first hints of a great band ready to emerge, and shows that while they moved on to more complicated things, Cursive was originally run on nothing but raw power. ~ Peter J. D'Angelo, All Music Guide

Tracks

Track Title	Composers	Performers	Time
After the Movies	Cursive	Cursive	(4:26)
Downhill Racers	Cursive	Cursive	(4:36)
Ceilings Crack	Cursive	Cursive	(3:40)
The Dirt of the Vineyard	Cursive	Cursive	(4:09)
Target Group	Cursive	Cursive	(4:26)
Eight Light Minutes	Cursive	Cursive	(2:24)
Vermont	Cursive	Cursive	(3:42)
Dedication to Desertion	Cursive	Cursive	(3:11)
Warped the Wood Floors	Cursive	Cursive	(3:48)
Retirement	Cursive	Cursive	(3:50)
The Farewell Party	Cursive	Cursive	(3:52)

Credits

Iain Whitmore (Photography), Evren Göknar (Mastering), Tim Kasher (?), Clint Schnase (?), Cole Gerst (Artwork), Ian Whitmore (Photography), Matt Maginn (?), Justin Kozisek (Design), Stephen Pedersen (?), Gene Paul (Mastering)