Such Blinding Stars for Starving Eyes

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.