The Curtain Society 'Inertia' and 'Life is Long, Still' have been re-released digitally on iTunes, MSN Music, Rhapsody and Napster among many others. These were the first two full length CDs by us. Originally they were released in the mid '90s on the now defuct Washington DC label 'Bedazzled Records' and through the beauty of the internet they are available again.

Here are a few photos from the sold out Inertia release show at the Middle East in Boston, back in 1994!

Duncan

Setlist

Roger and Ron

Here are the links to download on iTunes

The Curtain Society - Inertia
1994

The Curtain Society - Life is Long, Still
1996

The Big Takeover - Life is Long, Still Review
by Jack Rabid

Has this band come a long way! Not that their debut, Inertia, wasn't tasty, but, in terms of progress, this is the difference between a college senior and a high school one. This Boston-area trio still betrays a menu of early '80s Brit classics; many of the slow, slower, and slowest tracks are an accomplished update of Siouxsie the Banshees and their aural niece and nephews the Cocteau Twins, covering Faith and Pornography era Cure, only with more of the House of Love's scary, frozen guitar sweep. But most of the textures are their own -- and the snatch of "Magnet's Coil" from Sebadoh's Bakesale at the end of "Apnea" is a hint of more rounded influences -- and, moreover, the harder, louder, bigger songs (be)dazzle the ear.

The standout jumps off three-quarters through, when "Stealing Shakespeare" arrives with a glorious rumble. Guitarist/singer Roger Lavallee twists an uneasy, restless knife into the pre-shoegaze precedent, with a might and a newfound, forceful sonic overdrive. His vocals (and especially the much deeper, powerful production) are the biggest change; whereas before he cooed plaintively, as if forced into the job, Life Is Long finds him flowered into a singer, making the more ambitious tracks batter more than tease. Kudos on that spindly-guitar driven opener, "Mouthwithout," the tremolo-infiltrated "Je Regrette Rien," and the psychedelic churner "Chevelle."

If, on future efforts, they stick more to the hard stuff, the double-scotch instead of the red wine, Curtain Society will prove to doubters that post-MBV, post-goth, post-dream pop rock can be mean, powerful, and breathtaking, some of the best American music, instead of wan, fey, and ridiculous. With half the tracks here, they already do, and, overall, this is excellent.

Winner of the Alternative/Indie Rock category
 
The Curtain Society is arguably one of the best-known bands on the local scene. With a new disc out, the trio � Roger Lavallee, Ron Mominee and Duncan Arsenault are playing some dates to promote Every Corner of the Room soon (including Friday night at Tammany and next weekend at Ralph’s).

 A talk with Roger Lavallee, the band’s frontman:

I know you guys prefer to shun labels, but your aesthetic definitely has some beautiful shoegazer-esque influence. Besides My Bloody Valentine, do you have any particular favorite albums in that genre?

I think one might be surprised at the diversity of what we actually listen to in The Curtain Society, as opposed to what we might sound like. I personally will admit that I was pretty smitten with Swervedriver’s Mezcal Head, Pale Saints’ In Ribbons and Catherine Wheel’s Ferment CDs back in 1992. That was a really long time ago. Now I just listen to Kelly Clarkson all day.

Compare your songwriting process to what’s going on in Iraq right now.

It takes forever to get things done, and there’s no sign of it ending soon. That, and we can’t afford armor plating for our vehicles.

So, what does your band name mean?

For us to know and you to ask.

Define the experience of living in Worcester in one word. No, two words. Three.

I’m from Fitchburg. There’s three.

link to interview