The Curtain Society
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The Curtain Society

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"Every Corner of the Room - Review"

On the new release, Every Corner Of The Room, The Curtain Society boys have progressed to a more open pop sound, but have maintained the sonic edge that set them apart from so many of their contemporaries eight or so years ago. Duncan Arsenault's drumming is still as splendid as ever, not only moving the songs forward at each beat, but managing to sound fresh and vibrant on every song. Ron Mominee lays down solid bass grooves that help to accomplish the solid foundation on which all of these songs are built, while Roger Lavallee plays all the tricks with his guitar that recall the glory days of early 'gazer rock. The perfect example is "Two Wonderful Stars", with its amazingly sonic guitars and captivating loops all afloat upon a bed of rocksteady rhythm, and some of the finest use of the ride cymbal I've heard in ages. This is the kind of song that Swervedriver was turning out in their heyday, only a bit cleaner around the edges.

On tracks like "Chemical", the band develops a tight groove and offsets the rhythm with interesting keyboard bits and tremeloed guitars that build tension, while the vocal production keeps the ear focused, waiting for that next important bit of information. A completely different sound comes out on "Diver", a beautiful acoustic track that finds Lavallee's vocals sounding much more like the old days, hitting falsetto notes effortlessly and carrying the emotion of the words to their full. The title track has a bit of a jangle-pop sound, with cleaner guitars scrubbing away underneath a more open sound that breathes a bit more relaxedly than much of the record. Getting a bit trashy near the end of the record the band pulls out all stops on the excellently produced rock track "Motorcycle Baby". This song sits somewhere between middle era Love And Rockets and early Sparklehorse, but with a decidedly keyboard-heavy groove that moves the song along nicely. The final track, "Anchor", could be lifted from any number of Brian Wilson productions, as the melody lines are light and airy, while the sound is definitely that of a shoegaze band gone a bit more acoustic and opening up the spectrum of sounds at their disposal.

This record breaks enough musical ground to be accessible to all but the most fickle of musical tastes, but the focus of the songs remains a somewhat slowed sonic hullabaloo that would really appeal to fans of Ride, Slowdive, The Autumns, Starflyer 59, Swervedriver, and the like. If you're new to The Curtain Society, then here's your plan of action: Hunt down your own copies of the band's earlier releases, 1995's Inertia and 1996's Life Is Long, Still. Then you can make an able comparison on your own and begin to realize exactly the type of talent that has lain hidden from so many for so long. But know that you've read this review, you have no reason to not find this new record, at the very least, and get a glimpse of what is still possible outside the sphere of top 40 rock.

-Embo Blake
www.hybridmagazine.com - Hybrid Magazine


"The Curtain Society"

HE CURTAIN SOCIETY - "EVERY CORNER OF THE ROOM"
(Produced, Engineered, and Mixed by The Curtain Society at Tremolo Lounge West Boylston, MA; Mastered by Jonathan Wyner at M Works Studios Cambridge, MA)

The Curtain Society work at their own pace, whether it’s the speed at which they play their songs or release their albums. In this case they’ve waited almost a decade between albums. Much of this album sounds familiar because a few of these songs were released as singles or on compilations. That’s the case with the opener "No Wonder." With its clanging guitars, reverb heavy drums, and distorted vocals it’s unique, but familiar enough that it could be called The Curtain Society’s signature sound. A listen to the rest of the album shows that it’s just one of their many moods. "Cave In" drifts in to a slow moving ambient groove. It’s the song with the greatest contrast between the lyrics and music as it’s the mellowest song about throwing a temper tantrum that I’ve ever heard. The production stands out on it, with guitar sounding backwards for a psychedelic effect and the vocals at times sounding close up and at others sounding many rooms away.

"Beautiful Song" and "Two Wonderful Stars" are both familiar tunes, both having been on local compilation record in the past few years. "Beautiful Song" is one of their most accessible and catchy tunes, progressing at a head nodding pace and full of spiraling guitars. Teenage Fan Club comes to mind a little. "Slowberry" has a pace that matches it’s name, and a mellow feel to it. Cerebral bands like Swervedriver come to mind, sort of like psychedelic music for people that don’t do drugs; although it works for people who do. "Two Wonderful Stars" has similar swirly guitar effects and psychedelic effects along with propulsive drums and a gleefully floating baseline , but it’s the lyrics that set it apart from the rest of the record. Though I’m overly familiar with the song it excites me every time I here it. The lyrics are of nostalgia and lamenting past dreams, but still come across as so optimistic.

"Chemical" is about as close as the Curtain Society gets to a Radiohead mindset. The beginning of it is filled with hollow hip hop sounding percussion. The high pitched guitar almost imitates a piano and lead singer Roger Lavallee’s voice sounds like it’s running through a bullhorn. "Marigold Girl" is another familiar sounding tunes that’s been around for a few years. Along with "Two Wonderful Stars" it’s the standout love song on the record. The squalling guitar and driving drums combine to make a groove you won’t be able to avoid dancing to. It’s a song that stresses the urgency of love as Lavallee reminds you to "Kiss someone, while you’re still young."

The acoustic based "Diver" slows things down as Lavallee pulls out a falsetto voice for this sing along love song. "Feather" stands out in it’s starkness as the short tune lamenting love lost sounds like it’s backed by a sparse keyboard sound and nothing else. They bury the captivating title cut at the tale end of this record. Angular guitars kick off the tune that some how has as much an alt-country feel to it as an alt-rock one. The spacey effects are all there, but Ron Monimee’s lackadaisical bass lines and Duncan Arsenault laid back, but captivating drumming style conjures visions of Midwestern plains as much as urban angst. It drifts seamlessly into "Not Very Long," a soft acoustic tune that’s backed with violins and orchestral sounding horns.

The Curtain Society hit the home stretch with "Motorcycle Baby," kicking off the tune with oddly recorded hip hop break beats and a wash of guitars that soar into other worldly noises. Lavallee’s echoing vocals bring the '90s Manchester scene to mind without sounding like any one vocalist in particular. While the Curtain Society occasionally run in to the problem of lingering on a little too long, when "Motorcycle…" ends I’m left saying, “Hey - what happened, I wanted to hear more of that?” "Anchor" makes for a pleasant finale and while it goes on over five minutes, on the last song it’s allowed. "Who’s rule is that?," you may ask. I don’t know, I just figured that if someone keeps listening to the very end, they’re true blue fans who will be OK with however it ends. On this album The Curtain Society figure out a way to accentuate the best parts of their sound and managed to reign in the over lengthiness of past record’s songs. That’s definitely something worth celebrating. - wormtown.org


"Embo's Favorite Shoegaze recordof 2005"

Embo's favorite shoegaze records of 2005:

The Curtain Society - Every Corner Of The Room
"Even though the band has grown a bit more towards a rock sound, they remain rooted in the finest shoegaze traditions. Some very fine moments of Ride-like glory." - Hybrid Magazine


"TCS - Mix Tape Daily"

The Curtain Society’s newest disc, Every Corner Of The Room is solid end to end, and is a work that plays best when listened to as such. The songs are woven together so tightly, with sounds so perfectly and subtly varied, that it is nearly impossible to skip a single track as you meander through the entire work. Indie pop rock at it’s best with catchy hooks and shades of Radiohead at times, Every Corner Of The Room will take over your CD player for weeks on end.

Stand Out Tracks: Two Wonderful Stars, Every Corner Of The Room, Feather - Mix Tape Daily


"Society raises curtain on new album"

Society raises the curtains on the long-awaited album



Scott McLennan

Before Tuesday, The Curtain Society’s “Every Corner of the Room” was something of a myth among those tuned into the Worcester music scene.

The band’s formidable fan base has been waiting ... and waiting ... and waited some more, teased here and there since 2000 by the release of songs on EPs and compilation CDs.

But the masters of dreamscape pop pulled the trigger, and on Tuesday the full-length “Every Corner of the Room” came out on Orcaphat Records. The album is available through various online sources and at record shops, with details available at the band’s Web site, www.curtainsociety.com

Guitarist Roger Lavallee, bass player Ron Mominee and drummer Duncan Arsenault built upon the familiar fare of “Two Wonderful Stars” and “Motorcycle Baby” to create a seamless flow of 13 songs that blend melancholy and hope.

The contrast of moods is well reflected in the band’s sound, which patiently lures and cajoles the listener with methodically built melodies and hooks. Yet, such patience does not lead to restraint, as the music spikes and bursts every so often amid the otherwise lush headiness of the arrangements.

Moreso than previous efforts, “Every Corner of the Room” works best when consumed whole. Though any one of the songs sounds great on its own, the record cumulatively builds, or rather unwinds as songs go from the propulsive opening tracks “No Wonder” and “Cave In” to the more psychedelic turns of “Motorcycle Baby” and “Anchor.” Drum-stoked tunes in the middle of the record — “Chemical” and “Marigold Girl”— supply a nice bridge between the different moods at the beginning and ending of the album.

The Curtain Society will surely have a big record-release show or two in the area once the holidays pass. And with “Every Corner of the Room,” the band (and its fans) truly have something to celebrate. - Telegram.com


Discography

Every Corner of the Room
Volume Tone Tempo (ep)
Life is Long, Still
Inertia

full discography including compilations and singles available at www.curtainsociety.com

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Bio

Constructing masterful junctions in between pop, shoegazing, Dream pop and the most alternative options of rock & roll, the Curtain Society formed in Southbridge, MA, in 1988. Pursuing their own road on the music scene and building a mystified career since they first got together, the band managed to blend the best of established guitar rock with their very own interpretation. The Curtain Society's first releases were a series of EPs and cassettes through Apostrophe Records, a label directed by singer/guitarist Roger Lavallee. It was not until 1993 that The Curtain Society, Roger Lavallee, Ron Mominee and Duncan Arsenault decided to sign with Washington, DC based label Bedazzled Records. Inertia, the unit's first full-length record appeared in 1994, enjoying a consistent success. During the following three years, TCS appeared on a series of compilations on Bedazzled Records before Life Is Long, Still, their second album, hit the record stores in 1998.
After the release of “Life is Long, Still” they took time to record, recharge and reinvent, they expanded on their signature mesh of swirling guitars, gnashing rhythms and sometimes sad, but always sweet melodies and harmonies. Their music now is exponentially more confident, powerful and punchy. They followed up the release of "Life is Long, Still" by releasing some singles and a 4 song EP titled "Volume, Tone, Tempo" - Bedazzled, 1999). 2005 brought the release of the full length CD “Every Corner of the Room” - Orcaphat Records. The CD was featured on multiple episodes of “One Life to Live”(ABC), on radio across the country, and is now making its way into peoples hands.