I HATE to be so predictable, but...

One of the more immediate tracks from the forthcoming "Doppelgänger" LP, "Faît Accompli" forsakes Curve's usual sweet violence for a slinky radiance which sits well on them. It's relaxed, playful almost - you can fair see the glint in Toni's eye as she breathes, "I've come to crush your bones, I've come to make you feel good, I've come to mess with your head..." Oh well, if you must.

The business is developing a penchant for releasing singles in two completely different formats, and we're likely in coming months to see some bogus examples of this. In the case of "Faît Accompli", however, the approach is justified. The standard 12-inch version includes two new tunes on the B-side, "Arms Out" and "Sigh", and this last is to Curve what "Justify My Love" was to Madonna: minimalistic, angular and something of a departure. Then there's a second 12-inch, featuring a fractured, extended "dance mix" (interesting, though not necessarily essential) with live renditions of "Coast Is Clear" and "Die Like A Dog" on the flip (utterly, undeniably crucial).

"Faît Accompli" represents the first tangible sign of Curve being prepared to open out, live up to their name and get a bit elliptical. We still have much to look forward to from them, I suspect.

Single Of The Week

review by Andrew Smith (nicked from 'Melody Maker', dated 22 February 1992)