Listening to this album seems like so much is happening lyrically and musically that it demands a second listen before you are done with the first song, which is one of the most strong openings The Cure have done on an album; One Hundred Years. In typical Cure style they have started where they left off on Faith, which was highly somber and brought you into a more panicked and tense atmosphere. This is the soundtrack to post armageddon with many people strewn about on the blood soaked soil. The cover fits this album perfectly. Again, in typical Cure style, they jump ahead musically in this album by a huge amount. It almost seems at time that this album is simply another layer of keyboards and guitars over the sound that was used in Seventeen Seconds and Faith. Up until this point the bass lines have been very important and in this album completely suport it like a pillar. This album would be a mere shadow of itself without Simon (the only original Cure member still standing aside from Smith of course).Certainly this album is one of the most important in The Cure's discography. In fact it was one of the 3 chosen for the trilogy show. The lyrics in this album are severly disturbed and penetrating. "Leave me to die, you won't remember my voice" is truly haunting. While some are self referential, "Give me your eye's so I may see, the blind man kissing my hands". Smith really shows off his lyrical power in this album. In fact, this album is so thoroughly developed in all directions that it makes Faith look like an opener for it, GASP!
Most Cure fans immediately compare this one to their epic Disintegration. While Disintegration is most certainly more developed it isn't as focused as this album. After all, Lovesong derails the whole album while that never happens in this one at all not even close so don't even think about it. Many speculate that this album is the one that launched The Cure into the goth scene or maybe the other way around. Smith has stood by his belief that they never set out to be a goth band so I guess it is probably more the inverse where the goth scene more or less latched on to them.
High Points: One Hundred Years, Short Term Effect, Siamese Twins, Strange Day
7 comments:
One of my favorite Cure albums. Surprised you left The Figurehead off of your list of high points.
Almost did include it but i felt strange about including the whole ablum in the high points. Really all the songs are high points.
Understandable! Excellent album.
Best line from a review yet: "This is the soundtrack to post armageddon with many people strewn about on the blood soaked soil" Well done s-money..
This is totally unacceptable. Although it is true I have not read your post, the very title of your "blog" entry forces me to bristle, vociferously.
To view these and other bothersome outbursts, go to www.nmt.edu/~zbradsha/Tetris.html
Ah, well I see there is a censor afoot. We'll see who laughs last, and most loudly.
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