The Curtains
Encyclopedia
History
The Curtains are a CaliforniaCalifornia
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
Pop music
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
group that was founded by Chris Cohen and Trevor Shimizu in San Francisco, California in 2000. The first three Curtains albums are mostly instrumental music which uses electric guitar, analog synthesizer
Analog synthesizer
An analog or analogue synthesizer is a synthesizer that uses analog circuits and analog computer techniques to generate sound electronically. The earliest analog synthesizers in the 1920s and 1930s such as the Trautonium were built with a variety of vacuum-tube and electro-mechanical technologies...
and drums (see [ Fast Talks] and [ Flybys]). Initially influenced by film soundtracks, TV jingles, West Coast jazz
West coast jazz
West Coast jazz refers to various styles of jazz music that developed around Los Angeles and San Francisco during the 1950s. West Coast jazz is often seen as a sub-genre of cool jazz, which featured a less frenetic, calmer style than bebop or hard bop. The music tended to be more heavily arranged,...
and early electronic music
Electronic music
Electronic music is music that employs electronic musical instruments and electronic music technology in its production. In general a distinction can be made between sound produced using electromechanical means and that produced using electronic technology. Examples of electromechanical sound...
, the Curtains have slowly gravitated towards melodic vocal-based rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
music.
The Curtains lineup changes often and has included members of bands such as Deerhoof
Deerhoof
Deerhoof is a musical group consisting of Satomi Matsuzaki, John Dieterich, Ed Rodriguez and Greg Saunier.-Origins:In 1992, Greg Saunier, having recently graduated with a degree in music composition from Oberlin Conservatory of Music, joined a short-lived San Francisco quartet called Nitre Pit, on...
, Old Time Relijun
Old Time Relijun
Old Time Relijun is a band founded in Olympia, Washington, United States and a longtime member of K Records. Current members are Germaine Baca on drums, Aaron Hartman on upright bass, Ben Hartman on saxophones, and Arrington de Dionyso on electric guitar, vocals and bass clarinet...
, Nedelle, Half-Handed Cloud
Half-handed Cloud
Half-handed Cloud is a band from Berkeley, California. It was started as a one man band by John Ringhofer, who created the band name based on an occurrence in the Old Testament. Half-handed Cloud is under Asthmatic Kitty Records. His previous band was Wookieback with Matthew Vollmer and Brandon...
, Subtle
Subtle (music)
Subtle is a music group consisting of Adam Drucker, Jeffrey Logan, Dax Pierson, Jordan Dalrymple, Alexander Kort, and Marty Dowers. Although both Adam and Jeff have strong ties to the anticon. music collective, Subtle is not on the Anticon roster. Subtle started as an Oakland-based band in 2001...
and The Mae-Shi. Principal songwriter and guitarist Chris Cohen is the only continuous member of The Curtains. Cohen also plays in the band Cryptacize
Cryptacize
Cryptacize is a California pop band founded by Nedelle Torrisi and Chris Cohen in 2006. Cryptacize, along with Cohen's other project The Curtains, records for the Asthmatic Kitty label. Nedelle has released two cds on the Kill Rock Stars label, one as a solo performer and one as a member of the...
and has played guitar with Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffitti
Ariel Pink
Ariel Pink is a Los Angeles-based recording artist who is sometimes associated with the freak folk scene.-Biography:...
, Cass McCombs
Cass McCombs
Cass McCombs is an American songwriter and performer. Called "unobtrusively brilliant" by John Peel, he has received widespread critical acclaim for his five LPs and one EP.- History :Cass McCombs was born in Concord, California...
, Danielson,
and drums with the band White Magic
White Magic
White Magic may refer to:* White magic, healing or "good," as opposed to Black magic; see also magic * White Magic , an American rock band* White Magic , album by Swedish musician ceo...
.
Discography
- CalamityCalamityCalamity may refer to:* A disaster, a terrible event* Al-Qaria , the 101st sura of the Qur'an* Calamity Jane, a nineteenth century American frontierwoman** Calamity Jane , a 1953 film based on the person...
CD/LP(Asthmatic Kitty, 2006) - Vehicles of TravelVehicles of TravelVehicles of Travel is the third album by California Pop music band The Curtains, released in 2004 on the independent, San Francisco-based Frenetic Records label...
CD (Frenetic, 2004) - split-CD w/Maher Shalal Hash BazMaher Shalal Hash BazMaher Shalal Hash Baz is the artistic alter ego of Tori Kudo, a Japanese naivist composer and musician. The name is taken from Maher-shalal-hash-baz in the Book of Isaiah verses 8:1 and 8:3, and translates roughly as "Hurrying to the spoil, he has made haste to the plunder." Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz...
(Yik Yak, 2004) - split 7" w/Ghost to Falco (Collective Jyrk, 2004)
- FlybysFlybysFlybys is the second full-length album by California Pop music band The Curtains, released in 2003 on the independent, Los Angeles-based Thin Wrist label...
CD/LP (Thin Wrist, 2003) - Fast Talks LP (Thin Wrist, 2002)
- "Athletes In the Stars" b/w "Watch for the Eliminator" lathe-cut 7" (Snowy Visitor, 2000)