Date: Wed, 17 Sep 1997 13:27:27 -0400 From: Michael Borum Subject: Re: Curve Jason Cuadra: >If I were to buy just one Curve CD, which would it be? (I love "Coast >is Clear") Just one? I'm afraid that would be impossible, once you'd heard a full-length album. I would have to recommend "Pubic Fruit" -- which is actually a compilation of their first 3 EPs plus a remix of the single "Fait Accompli". "Pubic Fruit" features songs from "Blindfold", "Frozen" and "Cherry" ["Coast is Clear" is from off "Frozen"]. If not "Pubic Fruit", I would say definitely buy "Doppelganger", their first full length LP. The singles for "Doppelganger" -- "Fait Accompli" and "Horror Head" -- are amazing and have great b-sides, but are hard to find. "Cuckoo", their second full-length, as well as its EPs -- "Blackerthreetracker" and "Blackerthreetrackertwo" are all excellent, showing a slightly different, more complex and darker direction for the band. The pre-Cuckoo work ("Doppelganger") is more HEAVY rhythm and blow-your-hair-back guitar with Toni's satin voice sliding all over the place. "Cuckoo"-era work has more discernible lyrics and focuses on darker sounds and atmospheres, especially via samples and electronica. "Cuckoo" also has an acoustic guitar piece. "Blackerthreetrackertwo" features remixes by Nine Inch Nails, The Future Sound of London, and The Drum Club. "Pink Girl With the Blues", their latest non-soundtrack effort, is pretty good. It's more of a blend of sounds heard on the first two albums, but not as slickly produced. The next single, as has been announced here recently, is "Chinese Burn", due out in October. They have a song on the soundtrack to Gregg Araki's film "Nowhere" entitled -- um, "Nowhere" -- but it's not that great IMHO. I much prefer "Test", a track featured on the recent Volume 17 compilation. So, to summarize, go for "Pubic Fruit". Mike iceblink@tiac.net