Mama, I'm Swollen
Mama, I'm Swollen is the sixth studio album by the American indie rock band Cursive, on Saddle Creek Records.[1] It was released on March 1, 2009 digitally, March 10 on CD, and was released on LP on May 19, 2009. The entire album was played through as a preview at Subterranean in Chicago on June 27, 2008. On February 24, 2009 the band released "From the Hips" on their website.
Mama, I'm Swollen | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Studio album by | ||||
Released | March 1, 2009 | |||
Recorded | December 2008 | |||
Genre | Emo, indie rock | |||
Length | 40:47 | |||
Label | Saddle Creek | |||
Producer | A. J. Mogis | |||
Cursive chronology | ||||
|
Background
In December 2008, the band had finished recording and mixing their next album.[2]
Release
In January 2009, the band went on a tour of the US.[2] On February 2, 2009, Mama, I'm Swollen was announced for release the following month; alongside this, its artwork and track listing were posted online.[3] "I Couldn't Love You" was posted online on February 23, 2009, followed by "From the Hips" two days later.[4][5] On March 1, 2009, the album was released digitally in 320kbps MP3s with a PDF booklet and cover art at the cost of $1.00 USD, with a one dollar increase in price until its release day.[6] Each CD digipak and 180 gram red vinyl/CD gatefold package order will come with a bonus download card with other songs, demos, and videos. It was supported with a handful of releases shows across the country, with support from Ladyfinger and Little Brazil.[7][8] The trek also included an appearance at the South by Southwest music conference and a performance of "From the Hips" on Late Show with David Letterman.[9][10] A music video was released for "From the Hips" on March 30, 2009.[11]
For the 2009 Record Store Day event, the band released a split with Ladyfinger, which featured Cursive's "From the Hips" and "Universal Shrug", while Ladyfinger contributed "Little Things" and "Old News".[12] In April and May 2009, the band went on a US tour with Man Man.[8] They went on a tour of the UK to close out May 2009, before embarking on a US tour until July 2009.[13] Further shows were added, extending the trek into August 2009.[14] During this, a music video was released for "I Couldn't Love You". Kasher said it was a "gross exaggeration of the 'trophy wife' concept -- grooms hunting down brides, hanging wedding pictures over the mantel next to a deer head".[15] They went on a short tour of Japan in October 2009; they closed the year with a US tour in November and December 2009.[16] Between February and April 2010, the band went on a US tour with Alkaline Trio, with support from the Dear & Departed.[17][18]
Reception
Aggregate scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
Metacritic | 65/100[19] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [20] |
Drowned in Sound | (9/10)[21] |
Blender | [22] |
Entertainment Weekly | (C+)[23] |
Pitchfork Media | (5.2/10)[24] |
PopMatters | (5/10)[25] |
Rock Sound | [26] |
Rolling Stone | [27] |
Slant Magazine | [28] |
Tiny Mix Tapes | [29] |
Initial critical response to Mama, I'm Swollen ranged from mixed to positive reviews. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album has received an average score of 65, based on 14 reviews.[19]
Track listing
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "In the Now" | 2:34 |
2. | "From the Hips" | 3:55 |
3. | "I Couldn't Love You" | 3:21 |
4. | "Donkeys" | 3:58 |
5. | "Caveman" | 3:23 |
6. | "We're Going to Hell" | 4:53 |
7. | "Mama, I'm Satan" | 4:28 |
8. | "Let Me Up" | 4:47 |
9. | "Mama, I'm Swollen" | 3:20 |
10. | "What Have I Done?" | 6:11 |
Bonus Material Download Card
CD and LP versions of the album came with a Bonus Material Download Card to enable the customer to download five bonus tracks and 14 tour videos not included on the album by going to http://saddle-creek.com/mamaimswollen and entering the code found on the card. The code only works once.
Bonus Tracks
- "All I Know"
- "Mama's Baggage"
- "I Couldn't Love You (demo, alternate lyrics)"
- "What Have I Done (demo, extra verse, alternate lyrics)"
- "In the Now (demo, alternate lyrics)"
References
- Cursive's Latest Album. Noise Press. Retrieved 2009-02-26
- Paul, Aubin (December 4, 2008). "Cursive wrapping up album, plan dates". Punknews.org. Retrieved June 20, 2022.
- Paul, Aubin (February 2, 2009). "Cursive set release date for 'Mama, I'm Swollen'". Punknews.org. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
- Paul, Aubin (February 23, 2009). "Cursive: 'I Couldn't Love You'". Punknews.org. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
- Paul, Aubin (February 25, 2009). "Cursive: 'From the Hips'". Punknews.org. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
- Paul, Aubin (March 1, 2009). "Cursive selling new album for $1". Punknews.org. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
- Paul, Aubin (January 13, 2009). "Cursive (March)". Punknews.org. Retrieved October 2, 2022.
- Paul, Aubin (March 12, 2009). "Cursive / Ladyfinger / Man Man". Punknews.org. Retrieved October 3, 2022.
- Paul, Aubin (January 15, 2009). "SXSW with The Queers, Rival Schools, TAAS, This Bike is a Pipe Bomb, Teenage Bottlerocket". Punknews.org. Retrieved October 2, 2022.
- Paul, Aubin (March 15, 2009). "Cursive: 'From The Hips' live on Letterman". Punknews.org. Retrieved October 4, 2022.
- Paul, Aubin (March 30, 2009). "Cursive: 'From The Hips'". Punknews.org. Retrieved October 4, 2022.
- Paul, Aubin (April 17, 2009). "Cursive to release split with Ladyfinger for Record Store Day". Punknews.org. Retrieved October 6, 2022.
- Paul, Aubin (May 1, 2009). "Cursive". Punknews.org. Retrieved October 8, 2022.
- Paul, Aubin (June 19, 2009). "Cursive". Punknews.org. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
- Paul, Aubin (June 12, 2009). "Cursive: 'I Couldn't Love You'". Punknews.org. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
- Paul, Aubin (October 15, 2009). "Cursive". Punknews.org. Retrieved October 12, 2022.
- Paul, Aubin (December 22, 2009). "Alkaline Trio / Cursive". Punknews.org. Retrieved October 15, 2022.
- Yancey, Bryne (January 7, 2010). "The Dear and Departed tapped to support Alkaline Trio / Cursive tour". Punknews.org. Retrieved October 16, 2022.
- "Cursive:Mama, I'm Swollen (2009): Reviews". Metacritic. CNET Networks, Inc. Retrieved 2009-03-19.
- Mama, I'm Swollen at AllMusic
- "Drowned in Sound review". Archived from the original on 2009-03-11. Retrieved 2009-03-14.
- "Blender review". Archived from the original on 2009-03-16. Retrieved 2009-03-13.
- Entertainment Weekly review
- Pitchfork review
- PopMatters review
- Kellehar, Rachel (June 2009). "Cursive – Mama, I'm Swollen." Rock Sound (123): 82. ISSN 1465-0185.
- Rolling Stone review
- Slant review
- Tiny Mix Tapes review