Come Clean
The female presence in 1998's releases has been a near tour de force. PJ Harvey, Hole's Courtney Love, and Garbage's Shirley Manson all stormed the music scene with dynamic performances. But none can match the effortless vamp and allure of Curve vocalist Toni Halliday. Her voice has always been dark, seductive, and utterly commanding, and withCome Clean, she and partner Dean Garcia have created a danceable, riveting album that burns the feet and strikes a nerve. If you think their sound is suspiciously similar to Garbage's, remember--Curve were here first.--Beth Bessmer