Throughout their career, The Curtains have always made it their goal to create a new musical language. Long ago, in their live and demo recordings, these attempts were quietly successful and very exciting. Structure and tempo dangled precariously, often on the verge of collapse and briefly coalescing in bursts of synchronicity, like stray iron filings brought to order by the switching on of an electromagnet. Since that time, they've grown into another thing entirely.
To call them a Deerhoof side-project has never been totally accurate, but with Vehicles of Travel it has never been more believable. At this stage, The Curtains do contain half of Deerhoof, or one quarter if you consider that Greg Saunier, Deerhoof's drummer, plays synths here. Joined by Chris Cohen on guitar and Andrew Maxwell on drums and vocals, it's a sparse sound, calmly pacing through alien melodies and fractured time signatures. Listening to The Curtains is like trying to write with your other hand: something that isn't inherently nonsensical, but terribly aggravating. As tempting as it is to call their music "abstract," it's easy to see that this is due to its utter unfamiliarity, and that it is, in fact, very grounded. It is rather like the ordinary, conventional pop you might hear at the mall in some parallel universe.
There are earthly touchstones, however, and their overtness is jarring. "The Gadabouts," for instance, is built around a catchy(!), snarling guitar riff that evolves into a high-noon pistol duel theme. Or rather, a high-noon raygun duel them. It's these few moments of comfort and familiarity that leave you deeply resentful of the rest of the album, which is not the least bit inviting. But this sour-grapes attitude is what The Curtains are really all about. You're supposed to be frustrated. They agitate you not through noise and volume and inanity, but through their calm resolve not to adhere to your most modest expectations. Likewise, the vocals, in barely more than a speaking tone, recite lyrics that are genuinely maddening; we're used to the stream-of-consciousness abstractions that come out of the mouths of some of our favorite bands, but the awkward pun about beer and soap in "Soopeaters!" embarrasses everyone involved, yourself included.
If only it were as simple as "hate to love" or "love to hate." The achievement of Vehicles of Travel is its total unattainability. So is that good or bad? I don't know.
1. April Gallions
2. Medallion Arrangement
3. Fletcher's Favorite
4. A Sudden Prospect
5. Kites for Rookies
6. Won't Make It
7. Personal Resources
8. Feeling Station
9. Ringmaster's Reverie
10. Observation Towers
11. Crooked Weapon
12. Cops in Cologne
13. The Cobbler's Key
14. Nite Crew
15. Hooligans
16. City of Paris
17. The Gadabouts
18. Seabreeze Melody
19. Soopeaters!
20. Pagoda Defenders
21. The Bronx Zoobreak
22. Unmentionable
23. Chestnut Kid Returns
More about: The Curtains
