RIYL: Shoes, Spongetones, Jellyfish
There may be no better example of the sheer effusive joy power pop has to offer than that offered by the band that calls itself Curtains for You. If sheer enthusiasm could be bottled and bought, this outfit could rival any soft drink factory in terms of its turnout. Here’s a band that believes in the age-old precept that insistent hooks and catchy melodies constitute the only surefire formula when it comes to making rock ‘n’ roll that matters.
The Seattle combo’s sophomore album, What a Lovely Surprise to Wake Up Here, clearly ups the ante in terms of vivacious, uninhibited pop frenzy. From ebullient opener “The Nuclear Age” with its exuberant Beach Boys harmonies, through the unabashed hook-laden refrains of “Dumb Angel” (a subtle reference to an aborted Brian Wilson title) and the gleeful “Bop-bop-shoo-op” chorus of “Title Bout,” these Curtains consistently rise on joyful set-ups. And while the relatively subdued pace of “Chain Link Fence” and the ragtime vamp of “Small Change” seem on the surface a momentary respite, that irrepressible glow remains undiminished throughout. What a lovely surprise, indeed. (Spark and Shine 2009)
