Written by: Alex Green
A nervy balance of dark indie pop and rapturous, scruffy soul Golden Curtain’s Dream City confirms that this New Zealand outfit may very well be one of the very best bands on the planet.
Following up their flawless debut English Tuning, Golden Curtain’s new long player is thoughtful and riveting work that’s relentlessly rewarding with each successive listen. Singer Andrew McKenzie (Grand Prix) is one of the few singers around with real presence and he pilots each number with a dreamy blend of wisdom, disappointment and optimism. The melodic indie pop of “Let Go” suggests a more muscular version of The Chills; the garage stomp of “Sweet Louise” is an instant classic and the unabashedly honest “It Was You” sounds as much like an apology as it does someone asking for one. McKenzie is backed by a hell of a rhythm section—drummer Andrew Gladstone (Garageland) and bassist Brad Gamble—and his bandmates throw down big dark grooves that he swerves in and out of in a kind of ethereal prowl.
Elsewhere, “Network Space” is a thrilling blast of tension; the catchy “Lost Again” is nothing short of irresistible and the album closing “Conversations With The Dead” manages the kind of mystical awe that brings to mind everyone from Lou Reed to Chekov.
You can buy the album here:
