Tim Kasher: The Game Of Monogamy

Tim Kasher
The Game Of Monogamy
Saddle Creek Records [2010]









Fire Note Says: Kasher's world is not a fun place to be all of the time but his music will hold you there anyway!

Album Review:
I don't think anyone will ever argue against the fact that Tim Kasher is an emotional man. It does not matter if he is fronting Cursive, The Good Life or solo, like here, Tim Kasher always has a message, a thought and a position to share. On his debut solo record The Game Of Monogamy, Kasher finds himself in an honest, self-reflecting mood that dives into his struggles with married life and everything that goes along with it. The music on the record is superb and contains the detail instrumentation you expect from a perfectionist. Regardless of the subject matter, the 11 songs here are so vibrant that they come out of your speakers and even sound better through headphones. Most of this comes from the inclusion of members from the Glacier National Symphony, which add in strings, harp, oboe, flute and trombone. If you didn't already guess, The Game of Monogamy is grandiose and over the top in every sense but Tim Kasher makes it work. Sure, it is a little self-absorbed - alright it is a lot self-absorbed but like it or not, some of the subject matter will hit a connection, as Kasher will say things out loud that you only think in your head. Unfortunately, the same material that makes this record noticeable, is also the same material that limits its replay value because let's face it - how much can you repetitively take on? If the divorce rate isn't already high enough, listening to The Game Of Monogamy easily could drive it even higher but honestly I don't think you would want Tim Kasher to tell the story any other way. He is a talented singer/songwriter that never ceases to entertain, as this solo outing drives home the point in a solid "glass is half empty" Kasher way!

Key Tracks: "I'm Afraid I'm Gonna Die Here", "Cold Love", "Bad, Bad Dreams"

Bands With Similar Fire:
Titus Andronicus
Conor Oberst
The Paper Chase

Cursive: Mama, I'm Swollen [Fire Note Review 3/6/09]
Cursive: Happy Hollow [Fire Note Review 8/11/06]

Tim Kasher MySpace
Tim Kasher Facebook
Cursive Website
Saddle Creek Records

-Reviewed by Christopher Anthony