Family Average: 5/7

Have you ever done a Curtsy? Do you know what a Curtsy is? I am going to link a video demonstration here for those who do not. Wow do’t we all just feel great now that we learned something.

Now then Curtsy is also the name of this incredible rock band from the land of California. On their album “Tell Me How This Ends'“ they inform us on the coming of the end-times. As well as include important essential survival techniques.

None of that is true, but it is a fantastically energetic album.

Listen along on Their Bandcamp and read on to find out:

Alrighty so these guys got a nice vibe. Before I looked at the band info I had a feeling they’d hail from California. It’s got that soft wave quality that a lot of bands there tend to pick up. That’s not a bad thing though. They aren’t just hitting al the standard marks and phoning it in. You can feel the emotion. Every time a new song came on I’d feel myself do a mental nod like, okay cool something new. Each track has a different feel that sets it apart from the others, so it’s hard to confuse one for the other. Some are rooted in rock, others are slow and calm. I think my favorite was “10.25.” The driving energy, creative wordplay and instrument choices mixed together to make a sound that really got my attention. However, there are some that I found a bit lacking. “Mapping” was probably the most nondescript of the songs. And “It’s Not My Fault” probably could have been a minute or two shorter.
The album starts out with “Stack Overflow” which has an alternative indie sound, quirky and a bit dreamy. I didn’t know if there were gonna be words but as I kept listening I realized it didn’t need them. It was nice short intro to let you know what you were getting into. The rest of the tracks have vocals, and at first they sounded how I figured they’d sound. Kinda Passion Pit-ish. They’ve got their voice down pact though, it seems like they know their range and ability and play to their strengths. I liked the female singer in particular. She’d vary from soft and smooth to like a No Doubt era Gwen Stefani.
I had a stressful day today, but this was an enjoyable listen to help me wind down.

5/7

With a definite 90s shoegaze influence, Curtsy has a very distinct take on a sound that has been done before. However, unlike a lot of shoegaze-influenced acts, they maintain a crispness rather than descending into that sort of smudgy, layered distortion. They've rendered a soft soundscape complete with dreamy textures, where the rhythm is rich and driving, the percussion is strong, the keyboard is light, and the guitar licks are sweet. Weaving and blending around each other in perfect harmony, the ethereal vocals are the cherry on top. Every moment feels precise and considered. Despite its immense complexity, it feels effortless, natural, and a bit ebullient. At times it skewed rather pop for me, but overall it's a tight production and solid indie rock showing.

5/7

Now these are some good tunes that I can really appreciate. Like Seany said when he introduced this album to me, this band definitely sounds like the Strokes, although younger in some songs. I also hear many other artists/bands in different songs. I would really like to know who their major musical influences were. The beats are catchy and instantly get you hooked. I really like this whole collection of songs and I would certainly classify this as alternative, rather than rock. I feel the lyrics are spot on and I really like the female vocals. I very much enjoy all the stories they tell. This band has a lot of energy and I will for sure continue to listen to this album. I can’t wait to listen to their future music.

 6/7

Well kiss my grits. This band is the perfect match for a laser light show. Allow me to distill their sound to help support that previous statement. First off it is punchy. The snare drums have that sound you hear in all the Steven Spielberg movies when people are getting hit in the face. Not even joking go right now and listen to the punch sound effects from Indiana Jones. Next, there is the way they structure their songs. These breathy ethereal verses build up the tension until the chorus explodes on to the scene. This would be the optimal moment to flick on them laser lights. Catch all the people jumping around, and screaming the chorus. The band just has that big stage presence sound. Another great example of a band like this would be Phoenix.

Also apparently almost every member of this band is a pretty talented singer. I was trying to nail down why there were so many distinct voices, and sure enough, those are all different people doing different things. Good on ya guys.

On the whole, the album is an energetic explosion. All the while it is clear that they run a tight ship, sounds do not tend to swell on this album, instead, they come and go in short bursts.

A lot of the songs on the album deal with romantic interest in one form or another. Anyone who has ever been more emotionally involved with a relationship than your partner will know how much it sucks. Now there is a great song to capture this awful feeling. Look to “Careless Affairs”, and feel all those feelings.

It did get to be a little exhausting for me. The album could have ended at “Don’t Wake Up”. The song was a welcomed change of pace and got me ready to get off the ride. Instead, it is followed by two really long songs. Two long songs with a lot of sounds that are already shown to you in the previous half of the album.

Great music to drive really fast and also not crash.

5/7

I loved the artwork on the cover before even listening to the album. When I did listen, I was not disappointed. They strike me as Alternative/Indie Pop/Rock.  Some tracks felt ver pop, like “A Better Pet”. “It’s not My Fault” struck me as more Indie Rock with beautiful John Mayer type vocals

I love the constant snare drum on most all the tracks. It really gives each song a “live” quality. It seems they all sing which would explain the amazing harmonies.I liked that the songs varied in style but never compromised quality.  Changing up lead singers on different tracks definitely kept me interested all along the way.

All the singers did an excellent job, however I was more drawn to the female singer on “Mapped” and “Don’t Wake Up”. On the second song mentioned here her unique tone and performance really capture the audience. I bet this is a great song to hear live.

Over all I must say this was a very pleasant listening experience. I could see having this play in the car while I’m driving, riding the train or maybe even mowing the lawn.

5/7