The Curse was "a temporary release" from 4AD, a live record from
Throwing Muses' two October 1992 shows at the Grand Theater in Clapham, London. Though
the Muses were touring to support
Red Heaven at the time, only four songs from that record can be found on this 18-song set. One would wonder if they had much confidence in their recent material, as over a third of
Hunkpapa appears here, and they even dig up a couple B-sides (their instrumental take on
Jimi Hendrix's "Manic Depression" leads off the disc). A pleasant surprise is the presence of "Fish," which was the standout track from 4AD's Lonely Is an Eyesore compilation, but oddly enough, nothing from their brilliant
House Tornado LP is included. A rather unconvincing version of "Hate My Way" follows "Fish," and an always bone-chilling "Delicate Cutters" rears its harrowing head toward the end. The execution is great, but the sound is quite thin. Dave Narcizo's inventive drumming is sacrificed in the recording, the bass is missing in action on numerous occasions, and the guitars often seem way too high in the mix. All told, it makes for a good bootleg, with typically stunning 4AD graphic work.