Curve
Come Clean
Universal
The much-anticipated return of Curve to album format, diehard fans will be happy to note that all the elements that made Curve such an electrifying band are still intact. Toni Halliday and Dean Garcia still have the knack for edgy, compelling songs wrapped beautifully in a psychedelic haze of distortion. Maturity has led them to mix the elements slightly differently than in the past with a greater emphasis on dance rhythms and a bit less on the headtrip-rollercoaster guitar noise. Lyrically, the album is dark and aggressive, though the lyrics occasionally get repetitive. The production is slick, and this is a difference from the older material that proves noticeable, though with Curve I suspect it may be more a question of what they want you to hear, not the production.
Don’t fall into the trap of expecting an earth-shattering breakthrough on this album. After so long, it seems many of us may have over anticipated Come Clean. It’s a damn fine album that will likely be one of the finest released this year. It’s Curve. Period. Some reviewers have been comparing Curve to Garbage recently, but Garbage cannot hold a candle to Curve’s much more intense, engulfing onslaught. Though there are similarities, there are more serious differences between last year’s upstart and critically-acclaimed Curve. Come Clean is not candy-coated pop with black eyeshadow; it’s serious dance psychedelia for club scenesters and the reality impaired. It’s Curve. Period.
