Cursive continues on without compromise

By John Benson

The evolution of emo bellwether to venerable indie rock act hasn’t been completely seamless for Cursive, which comes to Cleveland for a Saturday gig at the Grog Shop.

Aside from obligatory band member shifts and in-house squabbles leading to a hiatus or two, this Omaha, Neb.-based band is experiencing growing pains of a different variety. One would assume the discovery of the band’s diverse catalog — 2000’s “Domestica” and 2003’s “The Ugly Organ” come to mind — by a younger generation would be a good thing.

Apparently this is not the case for Cursive singer-guitarist-songwriter Tim Kasher, who feels his band is connecting less and less with his peers.

“Why do people have to act so old,” said Kasher, laughing while calling from Santa Monica, Calif. “The problem is we all get older, but generally for Americans — and not myself — going out to see shows becomes something younger people do, which it doesn’t have to be that way. So I think it means more to us when 30-year-olds are into [our music]. Not to dismiss teenagers: When you write and play this umbrella genre of rock ’n’ roll, that’s who listens to it, teenagers.

“We were teenagers, and now we’re in our 30s. And it’s not like we’re playing some antiquated music that we don’t believe anymore. We’re still doing the same things that we believed in then. So I guess it means more to us when there are 30-year-olds who actually have been with us the whole time. I don’t think there are many of them, frankly.”

Cursive is about to find out the makeup of its audience with its winter tour, which ostensibly is in support of its upcoming sixth studio effort, “Mama I’m Swollen.” Among the new songs Kasher said the band plans on performing from the new CD at its Cleveland show are the classic-rock-sounding title track and the dour “From the Hip.” Considering the new effort is due out in a few months, why is the band touring now?

“I think one specific point is that we wanted to play smaller rooms to kind of get better at playing the live stuff because we really haven’t had a chance at playing the new stuff as much,” Kasher said. “And we’re going to be recording some of the live stuff, specifically in Omaha where we end, but that’s basically for posterity. I don’t think it’ll be something for sale. I don’t know if we’re a live album type of band. That’s better suited for My Morning Jacket.”

In talking with Kasher, there’s a sense of modesty that dominates his conversation. Oddly refreshing to hear an artist not feel the world’s axis rests on his shoulders, the Cursive visionary makes it sound as though the band is constantly in a make-it-or-break-it mode. Perhaps such internal pressure keeps the group on it toes, which ultimately is a good thing for fans of Cursive.

“Really, I guess we keep hoping that people remain interested in what you do so you keep doing it without having to compromise,” Kasher said. “But I guess for us, the compromise isn’t really a part of it. We’d just go back to working normal jobs or normal routines. So a goal for us is just to be able to feel like we can keep surviving playing music.”