Editorial Reviews
Music Review:
Music Review
Mahamaya: Shri Durga Remixed [Import]
Ken Burns JAZZ Collection: Coleman Hawkins
Legendary Pasadena Concert [Live]
Lowrider Soundtrack, Vol. 4 [Soundtrack]
Bach: Orchestral Suite No. 2; Orchestral Suite No. 3; Concerto for Two Violins
Amazon.com
Though this 1979 debut album by The Cure would scarcely dent the Top 50 in the UK and entirely forego an official American release (though a handful of tracks would appear on the US-only compilation Boys Don't Cry), it remains equal parts touchstone and curiosity for Cure faithful. It's easy to see why mainstay Robert Smith has long had mixed feelings about it: The spare, angular performances and New Wave-y production cliches often seem more akin to Devo or the B-52's. Smith himself hadn't quite perfected the moody wail that would make him a pioneering goth icon, though there are hints of dark things to come on the title track and "10:15 Saturday Night." The real attraction here is the set's 20-song bonus disc, a treasure trove of primal Cure that includes key A-sides ("Boys Don't Cry," "Jumping Someone Else's Train"), early outtakes and demos (including the Ziggy-esque "I Want to Be Old" from '77, more emblematic tracks from the following year and a haunting Smith home-recording of "10:15" that shows how focused the singer's instincts were when left to his own devices) and some energetic, if sonically flawed live tracks. It's a must for Cure fans, an intriguing, warts-'n'-all portrait of a seminal rock band finding its true voice. --Jerry McCulley
Album Description
Originally a postpunk outfit with gothic leanings, The Cure evolved into one of the most visionary, creatively satisfying and influential groups to come of age in the 1980's. From dreamy pop to moody expressionism, their signature sound is adventurous, hypnotic, and rich with texture. Formed in 1976 by Robert Smith and schoolmates Michael Dempsey (bass) and Laurence Tolhurst (drums), The Cure's stunning debut album on U.K.-based Fiction Records launched an extraordinary career and enduring worldwide popularity.