Like a well-fitted suit or a little black dress (and, some might argue, argyle socks), classic harmony-laden pop never goes out of style.

If you needed a document of that, look no further than the latest offering from Seattle band Curtains For You. Power pop has a cult following for a reason – there’s usually a genuine darkness lurking underneath those deceptively sunny melodies, and “After Nights Without Sleep” is exceptional in its exploration of both ends of the spectrum.

Harmonies and heartbreak, the twisted euphoria that comes on after tormented nights with nary a wink of rest – it’s all there, waiting to charm those argyle socks right off you. Consider it the latest piece of evidence that our hearts and minds have a more complicated relationship than most people care to admit. Consider it an honest documentation of hoping for the best when you know the worst; of having the courage to look uncomfortable truth right in the eye and hug the living daylights right out of it.

Of embracing life in all its glorious messiness and creating something beautiful.

And make no mistake, “After Nights Without Sleep” is beautiful. Melodies and harmonies abound in undeniably infectious combinations, buoyed by the talents of multiple songwriters who are each others’ biggest fans. The camaraderie and charisma are palpable. The songwriting is impeccable. Their socks are pretty good, too. Sartorial status aside, the band’s been making some impressive headway in the year and a half since they released their last record, including handpicked slots on sold-out shows with The Posies and The Head And The Heart, as well as making the list of Seattle’s Top 10 new artists in City Arts magazine.

So go on – give it a listen. From the opening notes of the impossible-to-remove-from-your-head “Daisy” through the bouncy “What Good Am I Now?,” all the way to the sweeping “Wasteland”, the jaunty “Bronx Zoo Hobo” and the swooning closer “Photographic Memory,” these are songs that are as fun as they are emotional, as dark as they are light. Like argyle socks, it’s the contrast that makes them pop – and stand out as genuine classics.

SOUND ON THE SOUND:
“Their new record What A Lovely Surprise To Wake Up Here, for which the night’s show was a CD release party, has a number of radio ready songs, retro-pop that’s as primed to melt hearts as it is to put a bounce in one’s step.”
- Abbey Simmons, Sound On The Sound

THREE IMAGINARY GIRLS:
“What A Lovely Surprise To Wake Up Here has honestly restored my faith in real, well-played, sizzling good post-teenage pocket symphonies to God. It’s in my own top ten of the year for sure.”
- Chris Estey, Three Imaginary Girls

REVOLT MEDIA:
“Curtains For You once again takes your attention for their ability to fuse everything they’ve gained from their influences and make it work in pop brilliance.”
- Matthew Colwell, Revolt Media

POPDOSE:
“Right from the start — specifically, the loping melody, stacked harmony, and galloping electric guitars of opening track “Nuclear Age” — fans of fallen pop heroes like Jellyfish, the Greenberry Woods, and the Gladhands will experience the spine-tingling rush of a band that understands classically forged hooks (and layered, baroque-tinged arrangements) and isn’t afraid to use them.”
- Jeff Giles, Popdose

EXAMINER:
“[What a Lovely Surprise to Wake Up Here] is a collection of 10 uptempo songs that are bound to get you moving your head and your feet. Even if I have never seen your music collection, I feel pretty comfortable saying you don’t have anything quite like this on your shelves.”
- Gary Schwind, Examiner

ROCK AND ROLL REPORT:
“This Seattle based, five-piece retro-pop outfit Curtains For You have the delicious melodies and intricate three- and four-part harmonies that make the hair on the back of your neck stand up.”
- Aaron Kupferberg, Rock and Roll Report

MORE PRESS:
Powerpopaholic
Popdose
Popwreckoning
Aidabet
Fensepost
Sound on the Sound (11/14/09)
Sound on the Sound (10/12/10)
Sound on the Sound (2/7/11)
Rock and Roll Report
G Pop
Blog Revolt Media
Present Magazine
Groupee
Examiner
Examiner
Examiner
Three Imaginary Girls
City Arts Magazine
ESD Music
Racket Mag
Tyrannosaurus Records