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The Difference Between Houses And Homes (Lost Songs And Loose Ends 1995-2001)
2005
Saddle Creek

Cursive - The Difference Between Houses And Homes (Lost Songs And Loose Ends 1995-2001) (Cover Artwork)

Cursive - The Difference Between Houses And Homes (Lost Songs And Loose Ends 1995-2001) (Cover Artwork)

Review by: Brian
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Published on August 12th 2005

After a good handful of releases and one breakup, Cursive is given the singles collection treatment by flagship label Saddle Creek in the form of The Difference Between Houses And Homes (Lost Songs And Loose Ends 1995-2001), and results are quite mixed.

With this type of release, the biggest obstacle in listening is usually the cohesion, and here, it's no exception. Cursive definitely show some different strides of themselves throughout the compilation, but mostly early on. Opener "Dispenser," an unreleased track from 1995, resembles that of similar-era At The Drive-In (I'm thinking Hell Paso / Alfaro Vive, Carajo!, here). It's an inherently sardonic-sounding but upbeat track with Steven Pederson sounding brattier than ever with his backup additions in the breakdown, and the moods here are far sunnier than later material would rely on. We cut to three years later on the next song, "Pivotal," taken from the Icebreaker 7", and immediately we hear the same guitar tone as used on the introduction of Domestica's "The Martyr," with the band relying on their trademark inclinations, that being vaguely cynical with the subdued angularity musically. Its follower, Zero Hour's "Sucker & Dry," sounds comparitively chastened with Tim Kasher gravelly bouncing over the low-key collaboration, save for the chorus where there's a bit of upswing in his voice. "Icebreakers" is the quietest offering yet, occasional guitar picking with the expected pickup in the chorus and off-key, throaty yelling from Kasher. And that's just the first-third of the disc.

However, the last few tracks of the aforementioned section set the blueprint for the rest of the compilation. It's certainly a bonafide guarantee for Cursive to strangle the line between energy and lethargy, and they've certainly been successful with this practice on releases like Domestica and Burst And Bloom, but far too often on Houses And Homes they're tightening their grip on the latter and the compositions hurt thusly, offering little in terms of interesting moments. Mid-album placeholders "And The Bit Just Chokes Them" and "There's A Coldest Day In The Year" are some prime examples of this, with acutely dragging tempos and Kasher never really extending beyond one singing note. "A Disruption In The Normal Swing Of Things" couldn't be titled more appropriately, though; a bouncy, still raw chorus actually helps exhibit the pensiveness in the track, with Kasher singing so unusually fast for the album it sounds like he's stumbling over his lines, but it's a standout for sure, as is the singluar post-1998 offering of Houses And Homes, 2001's "Nostalgia," with its transition towards the end of ragged riffing and muffled, chanted "heys" lying under. "A Disruption In Our Lines Of Influence" has some Oriental-sounding chords throughout, notably in the beginning, and it's one of the better songs served up as well.

What's really been astonishing about Cursive's last few releases has been the artlessly strong, thematic nature of the albums in themselves. So while it's expected for a singles collection such as Houses And Homes to be completely void of that, it's still hard to get past the severe disconnection of the track listing with a majority of songs that seem to follow the near same exact format regardless. There's certainly a few interesting tunes offered up on the roughly produced Houses And Homes, but it's diamonds in the rough at best.

MP3
Dispenser [clip]

STREAM
Sucker & Dry

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Posted by wearestillalive on 2007-01-20 10:46:33

worth it for the story in the liner notes alone.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, August 19, 2005 at 7:35 PM (EDT)
My Score:

good collection. for fans only.

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, August 17, 2005 at 12:18 AM (EDT)
My Score:

Cursive Rocks. So does THE NEW LOWS. I saw them last night in NYC. Simple amazing. Can't wait for the full length.

Posted by piratasmuertas on 2005-08-15 23:35:56

That's pretty inane. I mean, you are allowed to like the older stuff better, but to say they are a parody now is way off. "Burst and Bloom" is one of my favorite EP's ever.

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, August 15, 2005 at 10:10 AM (EDT)

>>"with the exception of "nostalgia", these are the best cursive songs. fuck their post-breakup records."

for using the cliche "[band name]'s older stuff is great. fuck their later (read: more successful) material" you get 5 scene points.

congratulations. don't spend 'em all in one place.>>

people obviously can't have opinions without just wanting indie cred. don't blame me because cursive became a lame, slick parody of what they used to be after they reformed.

Posted by sickboi on 2005-08-15 09:20:31

I just saw that Nissan commerical with CIV...weird.

Posted by theundergroundscene on 2005-08-13 16:30:57

Shunned again oh my god man!

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, August 13, 2005 at 1:34 PM (EDT)

makoto records makes me miss michigan fest. does anyone know if they stopped putting it on because of the dude from sweep the leg johnny crashing through the ceiling in 2002? michigan fest was amazing...they should look into putting it on again, i bet it's a lot to undertake, though.

Posted by Marlon on 2005-08-13 09:37:50

Old Cursive makes me want to listen to Braid.

Posted by swingline on 2005-08-13 01:53:57

gay in the butt.

Posted by Anonymous on Saturday, August 13, 2005 at 1:10 AM (EDT)
My Score:

cursive are butt

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, August 12, 2005 at 11:20 PM (EDT)

There was also that lexus commercial with the broken spindles song.

Posted by Dante3000 on 2005-08-12 22:51:33

There was a car commercial (Xtera I think) that used a Bellrays song. That blew my fucking mind.
-Dante

Posted by stevejonestherealbones on 2005-08-12 20:50:40

its a nissan commercial using civ

- jones

Posted by Archangel on 2005-08-12 12:10:44
My Score:

This band can do no wrong.

I'm surprised that no one has commented on the insert yet. I thought it was pretty neat.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, August 12, 2005 at 11:32 AM (EDT)

"i just heard civ on a commercial"

Still not as weird as the Wynona Riders K-Mart add.

OC

Posted by lou on 2005-08-12 11:08:28

so even though i've heard more bad than good about this i still will buy it. but probably not until i'm moved back to school.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, August 12, 2005 at 11:05 AM (EDT)

"with the exception of "nostalgia", these are the best cursive songs. fuck their post-breakup records."

for using the cliche "[band name]'s older stuff is great. fuck their later (read: more successful) material" you get 5 scene points.

congratulations. don't spend 'em all in one place.

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, August 12, 2005 at 9:45 AM (EDT)
My Score:

with the exception of "nostalgia", these are the best cursive songs. fuck their post-breakup records.

Posted by Timis on 2005-08-12 09:41:06

oh yeah scott. i think we talked about this whole makoto records thing once before. which sucks because i was hanging out with wick a month or so ago at the constantines show - and totally forgot to ask him.

Posted by Timis on 2005-08-12 09:39:10

"Ted Leo and Radio 4 "

i know wick is good freinds with both these bands. i guess he is trying to get leo to come to kzoo in the fall. anyway, i will ask him about that as well (recorded songs).

he pretty much dropped off the map with the label and booking shows which sucks. he use to do a great job with bringing bands to kalamazoo, treating them good, etc. not sure what exactly happened with him.

Posted by maverick on 2005-08-12 09:33:58

Ask him for me, too. I loved the four 7-inches that he eventually got around to putting out, but I am also pissed that I spent all that money for virtually nothing, too.

I know Ted Leo and Radio 4 were supposed to participate in that series, too, and those were two of the biggest reasons I subscribed in the first place. Does anyone know if the bands actually recorded the songs for it or not?

-Scott

Posted by Timis on 2005-08-12 08:39:30

hey wyzo,

i live in kzoo and see joel wick from time to time. when i do, i will bring up the fact that you spent 70 bucks and basically got jack shit.

Posted by sickboi on 2005-08-12 08:08:10

Weird Jonesy, I just pulled that cd out and started listening to it last week, its a great disc.

Anyone think they'll play some CIV tunes at the Gorilla Biscuits show?

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, August 12, 2005 at 5:07 AM (EDT)
My Score:

It's a rarities collection, not a singles collection. And there's not supposed to be any cohesion. Although, to me, it all holds together fairly well.

If you're not a fan of earlier Cursive albums (pre-Domestica), you probably won't be much of a fan of this.

Posted by stevejonestherealbones on 2005-08-12 04:14:08

i just heard civ on a commercial. not sure what for though, it was as i walked in the room. anyone know? it was thheir radio song "one minute more" or something

- jones the bones

- stevejones8770@yahoo.com

Posted by psychoos231 on 2005-08-12 03:47:04
My Score:

snore

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, August 12, 2005 at 2:15 AM (EDT)
My Score:

so whatever happened to the 7 inch club that "nostalgia" came out under? The small brown bike song on that split was great too. And the record label that put it out that fell under without any 'sorry' or 'hey guys youll never guess what...'

Cause I paid my 70 bucks and got jackshit.

And I'm still pissed off cause no one ever answered any emails about it.

Not even gossip. I chose that over the fat records club, their was to be an honor system one, and all sorts of great records.

I am such a bitter man.

wyzo

Posted by Anonymous on Friday, August 12, 2005 at 2:05 AM (EDT)

first yeooo

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