Boys Don't Cry
[Amazon]
It's like punk turned on its ear. I guess
it's post-punk. It's spare and dark and claustrophobic in its
spookiness. This is The Cure. I can't say the boys sound terribly
proficient, or even really familiar with their instruments at
times, but with the rolling bass lines and staccato guitar,
it certainly sounds relatively modern in its retro-ness. There's
some swinging Brit pop (a la Blur--but
way before Blur) in here too, which seems a little weird given
their darker leanings, but they're perhaps still feeling their
way through things. This was really their introduction to the
US--and what a debut! The thing is all sorts of cool. I mean
"Killing An Arab?" Whoa. It's sparse and angular and prickly,
but has melody and panache. I almost cry when I hear this thing--so
f you! |
Disintegration
This was actually one album after I really
stopped listening to The Cure. Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me
was my end point. They were just too much of a larger version
of their goofy self. Leave it to me to stop listening right
before the band becomes massively popular, and releases some
of its most memorable songs in its catalog. This is the one
that got Smith the Bentley and the cottage in the countryside
somewhere. The ubiquitous "Pictures of You" and "Lovesong" are
literally in every fifth commercial (even now in the later half
of the aughts). They've finally found the right balance between
gloominess and poppiness and have churned out some really great
pop songs here, full of feeling and love and a tinge of sadness.
It does sound like Smith is actually at peace in some way, looking
back on his life with some regrets, but ultimately with some
positive energy for once. What a perfect album to help usher
out the 80s. |
Faith
My favorite track on this, and honestly one
of favorite Cure tracks is "Primary." If only the rest of the
album sounded like this one. Instead it sounds as if the whole
album is drowning. Maybe it was recorded at the bottom of a
pool or in a puddle of Robert Smith's tears. "Primary" is pulsing
and angry in its loveliness (and lovingness). The rest of the
album is kind of drab in comparison. I try to imagine myself
having any fun actually playing these songs in the studio or
in concert, and I just don't get it, really. I guess it's an
esthetic, but it's a weird one for me. I just don't dig the
dreary Cure, even though they're the mope rock pioneers. Granted,
the album is only eight tracks long, and at least two of the
songs aren't completely gray ("Doubt" being the other one),
so I guess their sadness quotient (1 out of four) isn't as high
as it could be. |
Mixed Up
I generally hate remix albums. I mean if
the thing sucked so bad to begin with, why do you need to remix
it? I mean I don't mind when somebody remixes shit and throws
it up online. I listen to it once, it's a novelty, and I throw
it in the recycle bin. To actually charge for music I already
have (don't get me started on Greatest Hits albums) seems just
a little dubious to me. As far as remix albumas go, this isn't
the worst one in the world, though. I suppose if you had never
heard The Cure before and bought this album, you wouldn't be
horrified. The originals are better, of course, but whatever. |
Pornography
When was it considered okay to only have
eight tracks on an album? Today that's called an EP, but what
the hell do I know; The Cure seemed to get away with it on a
regular basis. This is the one where I really start to hear
that "Robert Smith" voice. You know the one. The one that whines
and mopes and sounds like he's crying when he orders fish and
chips. I used to imitate that voice all the time in college
when just going about my regular day. It's fun, you should try
it. It's a little banshee for me, this album, but it does engender
the whole Cure aesthetic. I wish they would find somebody, now
that they have this more lush sound, to twiddle the knobs a
little and release them from the murk. |
Staring at the Sea: The Singles
[Amazon]
There isn't a jukebox on earth (or at least
Manhattan) that doesn't have this album in it. It captures the
best of The Cure's earliest music, and is the best jumping off
point for the introduction to their "hits." I owned this on
tape years ago, and upgraded to CD years later when my last
tape deck went south. It certainly pours on the nostalgia pretty
thick, and is a quintessential album for any music-lover's library.
Granted, every retard and his brother also has this thing, so
beware when you're judging and sneering at someone's collection
(like I always do) when seeing this thing on the shelf. Don't
forget about "Lovecats." Ew. |
|
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