the good life
the good life started as a solo project for cursive frontman tim kasher (though cursive drummer clint schnase played drums on several songs on the first good life LP, novena on a nocturne). their first album was released in 2000 on CA indie label better looking records.
the competition.
what we fall for when we're already down.
the next good life album, black out, was released in 2002 on saddle creek. this album found him being joined by bandmates landon hedges (on loan from bright eyes side project desaparecidos), jiha lee and roger lewis. it was recorded, like most cursive albums (most saddle creek releases, in fact) at presto! recording, by mike and AJ mogis.
i am an island.
some bullshit escape.
early out the gate.
next up was 2004's lovers need laywers EP. on this release, the good life lineup was shifted to include second guitarist roger fox and bassist stefanie drootin, with roger lewis remaining behind the drums.
leaving omaha.
entertainer.
friction!
2004 also saw the release of album of the year, a 12-track LP. the packaging for the record was based on a calendar, and the first pressing of the CD included a bonus disc of kasher's acoustic home demos for each song on the album. it's a concept album (something kasher seems to enjoy making), chronicling a romantic relationship.
album of the year.
you're not you.
october leaves.
the most recent good life LP is 2007's help wanted nights, an album based on an unpublished screenplay kasher wrote after moving to LA the year before.
here is the 'mean version' of the video for 'heartbroke.'
and here is the 'nice version.'
some tragedy.
the white octave
after cursive split in 1998, stephen pedersen moved to chapel hill, NC, to attend law school. studying to be a lawyer didn't sate his urge to rock, so he formed the band the white octave, who released two albums, style no 6312 on deep elm records, and their final LP, menergy on the now-defunct label initial records.
appeals for insertion.
the house is flatlined.
criteria
after finishing law school, pedersen moved back to omaha. the other members of the white octave stayed in chapel hill (drummer robert biggers and guitarist finn cohen started the group the nein), and pedersen found himself wanting to make music again. with the help of drummer mike sweeney, he wrote and recorded ten songs in his friend's basement, and released the first criteria LP, en garde on initial records in 2003.
mainline life.
play on words.
me on yr front porch (live in 2012).
for criteria's second LP, pedersen enlisted AJ mogis on bass and aaron druery on guitar. the resulting album, when we break, is a triumphant blast of math-rock-y guitar, shout-along choruses and other rock god moves.
kiss the wake.
prevent the world.
ride the snake (live in 2012).
criteria are reportedly working on a new album, slated for release in 2014 or '15.
lullaby for the working class
when cursive reformed in 2000, they tapped ted stevens, formerly of omaha indie groups polecat and lullaby for the working class to play second guitar.
here are two tracks from polecat's cassette dilly dally.
lullaby for the working class released three albums on bar none records, with saddle creek handling the vinyl releases, as well as releasing three EPs. their first album, blanket warm, was released in 1996.
good morning.
the wounded spider.
their second LP, i never even asked for light, came out in 1997.
hypnotist.
jester's siren.
descent.
lullaby's final LP, song, was released in 1999, after which they broke up.
inherent song.
still life.
mayday
mayday evolved from a yearly barbecue hosted by ted stevens and mike mogis on 1 may every year (hence the band name). the band featured several lullaby for the working class alumnus, as well as other omaha scene luminaries. their first album, old blood, was relased in 2002 on saddle creek records. 2003's follow-up, i know your troubles been long, was released on portland label greyday, and their final LP, bushido karaoke, came out in 2005 on saddle creek. unfortunately, there are no mayday tracks on youtube, so here is the saddle creek info page on the band, who i recommend highly (ted stevens is one of my all-time FAVORITE songwriters, he just has a way with chords and melodies that can't be beat).
slowdown virginia
slowdown virginia were the precursor to cursive. they started when matt oberst and jim robino left a group that tim kasher and steve pedersen were playing in called the march hares. kasher and pedersen recruited bassist matt maginn and drummer casey caniglia, and, from 1993-95, played shows in and around omaha, releasing their album dead space in 1994.
supernova '75.
whipping stick.
dave mustang.
ted stevens unknown project
in january, 2013, ted stevens released a one-song single on bandcamp.com under the name ted stevens unknown project. so far, there have been four songs released through the bandcamp, and ted has played some shows.
songs from ted stevens unknown project are available here.
tim kasher
in 2010, tim kasher released his first solo album, the game of monogamy on saddle creek records.
cold love.
there must be something i've lost.
2013 saw the release of kasher's second solo album, adult film, again on saddle creek.
you scare me to death.
truly freaking out.
*
p.s. Hey. As presaged yesterday, I'm off today helping finish the shooting of what will eventually be the 4th scene of Zac's and my upcoming feature film. But my absence should be no big because you have the second half of Rewritedept's Cursive post to explore all day, if you like. Enjoy, thanks, and biggest thanks to Rwrdt! I'll will see you in my usual form tomorrow.