From the maniacal opening notes and carnival barker howl that launch the album, The Ugly Organ wasted no time searing itself into a listeners ears and quickly established Cursive as a musical force with which to be reckoned. A self aware examination of artistic constraints (or lack thereof), relationships, sex, and the intersection of all three, The Ugly Organ wowed critics and audiences alike with its cerebral, cathartic blend of songs. Fiercely intelligent and cohesive the liner notes laid the songs out like a play, complete with stage directions across its diverse sonic landscape, the album landed Cursive on the Sunday Arts & Leisure section cover of The New York Times (which also called it a marvelous collection of riddles and left turns, conceived as a single piece of musical theater) and earned accolades from Rolling Stone (a brilliant leap forward), Entertainment Weekly, Billboard, Alternative Press, MAGNET (The best punk record youll