When I put the CD “I Am Gemini” by Cursive into the laptop, the player I use said that the genre was punk. What I heard when it played was not what I would ever consider to being punk. In fact it’s far from being punk, more like it’s alternative rock, but there’s no edge, grit, or energy that would make “I Am Gemini” punk music. Even calling it punk rock would be pushing it.
There are times that I thought that the band was trying to sound punk, like when Time Kasher (or maybe it was Ted Stevens consider both are listed as vocals and I’m not sure who was siging at the moment in the song), in the song ‘Wowowow’ starts to do a little yelling while the instrumentals were playing some fast, hard, tempos that would make for a decent punk song. However, the moment only lasts for a few seconds before the vocals goes back to the low key alternative rock tempo and levels that’s being used on all 13 songs. For me punk music are songs that have this rough edge to them, songs that are going against the machine, where the band just has the drums, guitar, a bass maybe, and the vocals. With “I Am Gemini” I’m hearing songs that have no edge, the songs sound smooth, well rehearsed, the vocals are song with tempo and ease, while a mixture of instruments are being played.
So Cursive’s album doesn’t make for a punk album but don’t take that as the CD being bad. I actually liked listening to the album, the vocals are smooth where at no time did I hear any off key or out of pitch from Tim Kasher or Ted Stevens. What I liked the most about this album is that the songs give a nice change in sound and rhythm throughout the 13 tracks. The lyrics are easily understood which allowed me to actually understand what might be the songs meaning and there is enough energy in the songs to be fun. Though I don’t believe the group is punk they are a good alternative rock band that has put out 13 songs that are an alternative to what is actually being played by popular demand and they play it quite well.