Curve: C or D?

The first EPs were absolutely classic. Doppelganger just took that sound and spread it, rather thinly, over an album, though 'Ice That Melts the Tips', 'Already Yours', and 'Think and Act' are standout album tracks. Cuckoo is where it's at for me. The album is well-sequenced too, building up to a great finish. It's the best heavy wall of goutar album I know from that period, but there's tons of variety throughout at the same time. Come Clean worked out for me, though it's the one I listen to least. I think it sounds louder and dirtier than most of the 'rock band goes electronic' albums, and besides, they were using samplers and drum machines from day one; the technology just got a lot more sophisticated in their downtime.

SEARCH SEARCH SEARCH the 'Coming Up Roses' B-sides: 'Habit and 'Midnight and Royal'. They're some of the best material from that period. Really tense and spooky without relying on conventional big guitars or noise.
I like Gift a lot, esp. the Shields tracks plus 'My Tiled White Floor'. There was very solid material on their internet-only album in 2000, Open Day at the Hatefest, but nothing really standout. I'll probably track down the new compilation, though there are only a couple of tracks I don't have in hard form. I think they got Flat Earth back for the cover, which is good.

Oh yeah; Cuckoo had a wonderful sleeve, as did the surrounding EPs. Only the Come Clean sleeve wasn't wholly interesting.

trivia: Debbie Smith last appeared playing with Luke Sutherland in Bows, which is such an improvement over Echobelly or the totally dire Snowpony. I'm going to go revive a Bows thread now.

xpost: Ned, yes oh yes Mission From God is glorious.

Ned, what is this cover of Overground you speak of? You mean the Siouxsie track? I def. should check that out

This is deeply ludicrous, of course. The thing that initially attracted me to Curve was the juxtaposition of Toni's great melodic lines against the feedback/dance beat. Plus there are always those huge bass lines...

Damn right.

this is true. live they seemed pretty dull, it was all a bit thick and blurry. their love for swervedriver was always offputting too.

http://www.curve.co.uk/news.htm

So, speaking of Curve, is there any way to get all those recent (and out of print) EPs besides sending a check to Dean?

"Perish" is beyond awesome. It's also the saddest noise-rock track ever.

anyways .. i definitely side on the CLASSIC. that cold hearted drum machine pounding away while the noise shreds the paintwork and toni does her echoed goth thing is just wonderful and fits in perfectly with my current moods.

but more to the point .. did all cd copies of the album come with doubled up inner sleeves as a spin off from the album name .. or is that just me being a little too nerdy ?

its not just me .. (have images of ilmers dashing off to archives to check .. )

but ta for the love anyways ned .. backatcha gorgeous.

13 years after the albums release we all finally get the bands 'joke'.

(I also have not yet gotten around to getting Doppelganger, cos I've got both the above and - rather later - the Radio Sessions comp. It's quite nice knowing that at sometime in the future I've still got "new" early Curve to listen to...)

(but anything curve stamped will be on my bins-radar from hereon thats for sure ..)

The similar Smile compilation by Ride was import only for a couple of years but Creation eventually released that in the UK, shame Anxious records couldn't do the same.

Was Gala by Lush released in the UK? I bought that 2nd hand but I think that's a US import as well.

HORROR HEAD

Re-listening to those early EPs, one of the big factors that made them interesting is that "viscous" bass sound they used for instance on 'Coulour Hurts' or 'Fait Accompli'

I bought one of their albums once and couldn't stand it even though they supposedly sounded like stuff I did like.

You know, it's been a long time since I heard Gift -- fantastic album.

They just weren't very good. It's really quite sinful to suggest otherwise.

They just weren't very good. It's really quite sinful to suggest otherwise.

And you're just knee-jerk hating jackass. Cosmic balance is restored.

Missed this a few weeks ago, but I'm enjoying the continually mounting ILM evidence that Bimble and I are actually the same person:

TS: Curve's "Horror Head" vs. Garbage's entire discography

Did Scylla (Toni Halliday's band between Curve breaking up and getting back together again) ever release anything apart from 1 song on the Showgirls soundtrack? I saw them live in '95 and they were quite good.

"And you're just knee-jerk hating jackass. Cosmic balance is restored."

Why would I hate knee-jerks?

in addition to being not very good they also screwed up a potentially fine jamc album with their pedal hopping overproduced agenda setting ways

Huh?

honey's dead.

What, because the drummer played on it??

...with trademark overly fussy curve drumming. and the producer produced it. with a wall of nasty curve fx gloss.so, yes.

well Alan Moulder produced half of the records that came out around that time, so I wouldn't define him as the Curve producer, but anyway... Still my fave JAMC album with 'Psychocandy'

Yeah it seems a little unfair to blame Curve just for having the same producer as them!

honey's dead sounds specifically modeled on curve to me, it has the same studio tricks, the same bombast, the same drumming, the same fussiness. i initially totally loved hd and also the ten little boys ep but found they both palled pretty quickly. robin guthrie made a similiar mess of felt's ignite the seven canons. assuming bands with vaguelly aligned aethetics would benefit from the same production job.

also Cuckoo is their best album by an order of magnitude

To each his own. Never much cared for Cuckoo despite some good moments. But then again all their albums were flawed. Pubic Fruit all the way

well yeah the EPs were the real high point.

Curve is one of those bands where I kinda liked them, picked up Cuckoo at a record store on a whim, it became one of my favorite albums of all time, and I never really bothered finding any of their other music. Now, my curiosity is piqued and I'm finally listening to the E.P.s that comprised Pubic Fruit after all these years. Might be doing some Bandcamping today.

Physical box set coming in February:

Unreadable Communication: Anxious Recordings 1991-1993

The two albums, four EPs, some remixes and some live stuff. Does not include Peel Sessions, which are supposed to be very good.

I'm not a fan, but if you want remastered CDs, here you go.

so, remember this from a while back :

"but more to the point .. did all cd copies of the album come with doubled up inner sleeves as a spin off from the album name .. or is that just me being a little too nerdy ?

― mark e (mark e), Tuesday, August 23, 2005 1:53 PM (eighteen years ago)
"

well, a twitter account posted this weekend re the album, so i asked the question re the doubling up.

and look what happened :

𝘾𝙐𝙍𝙑𝙀
liked your reply
question : was i only the person who bought this on cd to find the inner booklet doubled up ?
i assumed it was a play on the album name ..

!!!