Cursive - Burst and Bloom (Colored Vinyl) ((Vinyl))

Their combination of melody and technical madness continues on Burst and Bloom, a five-song EP that not only reflects that familiar intensity, but also introduces us to a new aspect of the band and coincidentally a new member as well.

Gretta Cohn is a welcome addition; adding her cello expertise to the songs of Burst and Bloom. The strings are an amazing complement to the frenetic intensity at the core of the band's sound. Ted Stevens, from Lullaby for the Working Class, continues to add his songwriting and vocal presence to the mix as well.

The EP starts out with 'Sink to the Beat', a self analytical song from the perspective of Cursive as a whole. Tim breaks down the "marketing scheme" of the EP and the "DC sound" of the band not long before they break into a mantra of "Hit song, let it burst and bloom". This theme sets the mood for the EP, giving insight into where the band is coming from, and where they are headed.

• Internal ID: JITRE