Stavesacre – How to Live with a Curse
Abacus Recordings – ABA0023 – April 18th, 2006
By Jason Jordan
I’m 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. Salomon’s vocal lines convey emotion, and his tone is as unique as it’s always been. The quartet’s musical abilities have been under scrutiny before, yet I’ve 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 (“I’m not looking for a reason to buh-leave!”), the down-n-dirty “It’s Beautiful (Once You’re 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,” “…We’ll 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 don’t 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 you’re a fan of them, but aren’t a completist, then you might be on the fence with this one. While better than
Friction and
Absolutes, I don’t think
How to Live with a Curse is quite as consistent as
Stavesacre, nor does it replicate the brilliance of
Speakeasy, and naturally I’m excluding the
Split EP with
Denison Marrs,
Bull Takes Fighter EP, and their best-of
Collective. So if you’ve been stacking those CDs in your mind, then you’ll 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
UM’s Review Rating Scale
Official Stavesacre Website
Official Abacus Recordings Website
