Shower Curtain have officially opened a new door. The New York-based band, originally a project of Brazilian-American artist Victoria Winter, are having a huge Tuesday today (August 6), pairing news of their signing to Angel Tapes (an imprint of Fire Talk Records) and their debut full-length words from a wishing well with the release of the album’s first single, “wish u well.”
Building on the bedroom pop of their 2021 EP Something Instead and last year’s single “edgar,” “wish u well” swerves gently into shoegaze territory, adding more teeth and grit to their DIY sound. The track tells the tale of a relationship gone awry — ironically enough, the whole thing clocks in at 3:33, which the numerologically inclined will notice is a number symbolizing open communication.
Heart-wrenchingly bittersweet at times, “wish u well” never loses its cool, instead letting its lyrical agony simmer below layers and layers of distorted guitar and a bounty of subtly vocal harmony. Long instrumental interludes let the song stretch out comfortably; the tail end of the track suggests a segue into its album neighbor that we’ll have to wait until October 18 to truly appreciate.
Reflecting on how the band has grown since she first started it, Winter says that “‘wish u well’ is about the feeling of having the rug swept from underneath you. In a lot of ways, I think this song is a lot of what my teenage self wished the project could create. […] Its production is unmatched and next level between Ethan [Williams, guitarist] and I.”
Boston fans won’t have to wait too long to catch Shower Curtain in town, either — the band rolls through on Thursday (August 8) for a show at the DIY Allston venue The Tourist Trap with Philly peers Bleary Eyed.