Curtains

finds exploring the same dark, string-drenched territory as their first two albums, and while it shares a surface similarity with its predecessors, there are subtle differences that make it a rewarding listen. The tone of is slightly brighter than that of the second album, with the songs unfolding into lush, affecting laments that recall at his finest. Though the sound is seductive, what is most impressive about is the songwriting. have become more assured writers, letting the songs gradually develop into intimate epics. ' lyrics are similarly textured and subtle, with alternating layers of pathos and humor. , in many ways, functions as the culmination of what set out to accomplish with their first two albums, and the results are appropriately stunning. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine