a heart squeezed for every last drop

Has this band come a long way! Not that their debut, Inertia, wasn't tasty, but, in terms of progress, this is the difference between a college senior and a high school one. This Boston-area trio still betrays a menu of early '80s Brit classics; many of the slow, slower, and slowest tracks are an accomplished update of Siouxsie & the Banshees and their aural niece and nephews the Cocteau Twins, covering Faith and Pornography era Cure, only with more of the House of Love's scary, frozen guitar sweep. But most of the textures are their own — and the snatch of "Magnet's Coil" from Sebadoh's Bakesale at the end of "Apnea" is a hint of more rounded influences — and, moreover, the harder, louder, bigger songs (be)dazzle the ear. The standout jumps off three-quarters through, when "Stealing Shakespeare" arrives with a glorious rumble. Guitarist/singer Roger Lavallee twists an uneasy, restless knife into the pre-shoegaze precedent, with a might and a newfound, forceful sonic overdrive. His vocals (and especially the much deeper, powerful production) are the biggest change; whereas before he cooed plaintively, as if forced into the job, Life Is Long finds him flowered into a singer, making the more ambitious tracks batter more than tease. Kudos on that spindly-guitar driven opener, "Mouthwithout," the tremolo-infiltrated "Je Regrette Rien," and the psychedelic churner "Chevelle." If, on future efforts, they stick more to the hard stuff, the double-scotch instead of the red wine, Curtain Society will prove to doubters that post-MBV, post-goth, post-dream pop rock can be mean, powerful, and breathtaking, some of the best American music, instead of wan, fey, and ridiculous. With half the tracks here, they already do, and, overall, this is excellent.

Chevelle

Just Give In / Never Going Home

Buy 2xEP

Hazel English - It's Not Real

'Hoops' EP out August 26th via Fat Possum Records

iTunes pre-order: smarturl.it/Hoops.iTunes
FP store pre-order: smarturl.it/Hoops.CDLP

Track listing:
1. Cool 2
2. Yeah
3. Going Strong
4. Give It Time
5. Gemini

Follow Hoops:
facebook.com/hoopsband
twitter.com/hoopsband

Hoops Tour Dates:
08/24 Bloomington, IN @ The Bishop +
09/08 Minneapolis, MN @ Triple Rock Social Club *
09/09 Madison, WI @ The Frequency *
09/23 Cincinnati, OH @ Midpoint Music Festival
09/24 Champaign, IL @ Pygmalion Festival
09/29 Green Bay, WI @ Meyer Theatre (Backstage) ^
10/03 Nashville, TN @ Exit/In *
10/04 Atlanta, GA @ The Earl *
10/05 Durham, NC @ Duke Coffeehouse *
10/06 Washington, DC @ DC9 *
10/07 Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church *
10/09 Allston, MA @ Great Scott *
10/10 Brooklyn, NY @ Music Hall of Williamsburg *
10/11 New York, NY @ Bowery Ballroom *

* w/ Whitney
^ w/ Car Seat Headrest
+ w/ The Pills & Nice Try

Tickets: bit.ly/Hoops_TourDates 

iTunes

Hoops - Cool 2

Newcastle dream pop outfit Seeing Hands have announced the upcoming release of their debut single ‘I Knew You’. Recorded in their hometown, the track is the first in a series of releases planned over the next twelve months and sparks immediate comparisons to the likes of The War On Drugs and Wild Nothing.

Comprising of Kev Curran (vocals, guitar), Nick Hodgson (lead guitar), Jon Varty (bass) and Liam Guillan (drums), the quartet’s jangly guitars and dreamy vocals have already earned them airplay on Radio X and their profile is sure to be enhanced further following this first single release.

Produced by Jack Boyle and John Elliott (Loft Studios, Newcastle), Seeing Hands’ ‘I Knew You’ is released on 5th August and will be available to purchase on iTunes and Spotify.

Artwork by Mark Buchanan.

Video now on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nqLOkuO3iF8

Chevelle

The Curtain Society

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