CURVE THE WAY OF CURVE DOUBLE COMPILATION ANXIOUS, BMG RELEASE: MAY 18, 2003 REVIEW: JUNE 11, 2003

Two discs of enigmatic work from England's Toni Halliday and Dean Garcia. This release chronicles the alternative rock band's legacy from 1990 to 2004. A daunting task to be sure, but these two are up for it. If you own Curve's albums already, then the first disc will be familiar to you as it contains some their finest tracks from their early EP:s (re-released as "Pubic Fruit" in 1992) right up to 2002's "The New Adventures of Curve". If you do not (for some bizarre reason) own any of their works, disc one is going to send you into sensory overload. I leave it at that.
The real beauty of "The Way of Curve" comes in the way of disc two, which is loaded with non-album tracks (including the much sought-after songs "Lo and Behold" and "Nothing Without Me") that are unreal in their otherworldly textures. One can listen to their version of the disco classic "I Feel Love". To notch it up one higher they even included their take on "What a Waste" and got Ian Dury himself to sing his own song along side them. You still think that's not enough? Check out the new track, the moody and unnerving "In Disguise" and you have the makings of a record which cannot be passed by.
Throughout the years, Curve have stood as innovators. Their drop-dead cool and gorgeous sound is timeless. There is no equal.

PETER MARKS