Members ExplodingBoy Posted January 27, 2005 Author Members Share Posted January 27, 2005 right around 1986, was their true peak as a band. I see what you mean to some extent, but nothing before 86 was on the same level artistically and musically as "Disintigration" IMO. The 86-ish Cure had more of an edge, but the late 80's albums are soo much more musically and artistically accomplished. The layering and smooth flow of Disintigration is unparallelled by any of their earlier albums IMO. It's Smith's masterpeice. I think that the band and SMith in particular really matured musically during and after Disintigration. I too am borderline obsessed with them.. Hell, my screen name here is named after a Cure song! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ExplodingBoy Posted January 27, 2005 Author Members Share Posted January 27, 2005 To add, I didn't mean for my last post to sound holier than thou.. ALL Cure is good Cure and everyone's opinions are cool. Those are just my thoughts on things. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members aeon Posted January 27, 2005 Members Share Posted January 27, 2005 ExplodingBoy: I hear ya, and no problem. I guess for me, the reason the late-80s Cure albums do not rank as high overall is because they were spotty. Yes, I said it...spotty. I mean, they have some fantastic songs I love to death, but at the same time, there are tracks that I feel could have been left off the album, especially given the quality of the B-sides from that time! I just think they could have been stronger overall with some better song selection...just because the CD format gives you 70+ minutes does not mean you *have* to use it...and if you do, you better deliver. Consider the strength of the total album as it concerns The Top and Head on the Door...not a wasted song in the lot, IMHO. Also, it was naughty for Fiction to release the Kiss Me^3 album on CD with a missing track! But it was cool to release the first copies of the vinyl with a limited orange-vinyl 12", hehe! And as it concerns Disintegration, for me personally, I do not always care for the sound of the mix. While it was certainly proper for some of the songs on the album, I felt some suffered from the overly-muffled/blanketed sound. But hey, that is coming from someone who thinks their B-sides, compiled, make for a great album in and of themselves...and someone whose favorite album of theirs is Faith for overall impact and mood. I definitely respect your view though, and I can understand why you see it as you do. wishing I owned a Fender Bass VI , aeon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Analog Kid Posted January 27, 2005 Members Share Posted January 27, 2005 I think of Kiss me Kiss me Kiss me as their masterpiece.Im a big fan of all their stuff, but i never got going with Bloodflowers. For Wild Mood Swings the sound was horribly ADAT. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members b3keys Posted January 27, 2005 Members Share Posted January 27, 2005 Why Can't I Be You! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ExplodingBoy Posted January 27, 2005 Author Members Share Posted January 27, 2005 What song was missing on the 1st copies of Kiss Me x3?? I see what you mean to some extent.. I could have lived without some of the songs on Kiss Mex3, but as far as Disintigration, I don't think there's one song on that album that's out of place. It's actually one of the best flowing albums I've ever heard. It's one cohesive peice that I almost would consider a concept album. Head on the Door is fabulous, but IMO, it definately doesn't have as good a flow from front to back as Disintigration does. Again, all just opinions. And when you say that Disintigration's mix sounds muffled or blanketed.. I think that was intentional. Robert said many times that he wanted that to be an album that you kind of feel more than you actually hear. It represents a mood.. an ambiance... I think that the mix was intended to be muddy and dreary to keep the album very sublime. I love the mix on that album really. "Plain Song" and "Last Dance" sound SOO powerful. Especially live. "Wish" could have been AWESOME if they left "Friday I'm In Love" out of it. Everything else on that album kicks serious ass. I think of Kiss me Kiss me Kiss me as their masterpiece.Im a big fan of all their stuff, but i never got going with Bloodflowers. For a while, I actually started to lean towards Kiss MeX3 as my favorite album as well, but certain songs keep it from being better than Disintigration for me. It is a blazingly hot album though. I LOVE "If Only Tonight We Could Sleep", "Just Like Heaven" is a synth pop MASTERPEICE.. "The Kiss" is soo powerful sounding and evil.. "Catch".. etc etc.. All fantastic songs. I think that lyrically, Kiss Mex3 is by far their best. And an angel would comeWith burning eyes like starsAnd bury us deep In his velvet arms Man I love that band. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members aeon Posted January 27, 2005 Members Share Posted January 27, 2005 Originally posted by ExplodingBoy What song was missing on the 1st copies of Kiss Me x3?? Not just the first copies, but all copies. Kiss Me^3 on CD has 17 tracks, whereas the double-vinyl has the full 18 tracks. The deleted track for CD issue is Hey You. They should have just made it a double-CD, and with the extra space, include the tracks from the original limited vinyl 12" that came with the UK release of Kiss Me^3. It was fun buying all those releases and singles back then...I have all the CD singles from that time period, as well as the limited VideoCD releases for Catch, etc. Back then, it was the only place to get those killer B-sides like A Chain of Flowers on CD. (now there is a dense mix that I love!) Originally posted by ExplodingBoy I could have lived without some of the songs on Kiss Mex3, but as far as Disintigration, I don't think there's one song on that album that's out of place. It's actually one of the best flowing albums I've ever heard. It's one cohesive peice that I almost would consider a concept album. Totally agreed...I just think that Disintegration has a couple of weak songs, despite the fact it all fits together and is cohesive as hell. Originally posted by ExplodingBoy Head on the Door is fabulous, but IMO, it definately doesn't have as good a flow from front to back as Disintigration does. Oh, very much agreed there. Head on the Door feels more like a collection of (great) songs than an album with a decided focus. In contrast, I think The Top is a collection of (great) songs that does have a unifying theme or focus. And as you said, all opinions here. Originally posted by ExplodingBoy ...when you say that Disintigration's mix sounds muffled or blanketed.. I think that was intentional. Robert said many times that he wanted that to be an album that you kind of feel more than you actually hear. It represents a mood.. an ambiance... I think that the mix was intended to be muddy and dreary to keep the album very sublime. Well, he achieved that on a technical level, but I don't think it succeeded as well on the aesthetic side, at least as it concerns the whole of a double-album. As you mentioned, there are songs on there where the mix sound works perfectly, but I feel there are songs on there whose mixes do not serve the song as suitably. Originally posted by ExplodingBoy "Wish" could have been AWESOME if they left "Friday I'm In Love" out of it. Everything else on that album kicks serious ass. I can see what you mean, even if I do not mind that song being there. Some of the guitar sounds on Wish are just fantastic IMHO...killer tones. Originally posted by ExplodingBoy I think that lyrically, Kiss Mex3 is by far their best Hmm...I dunno if I could even pick a fave, to be honest! There are lyrics on so many of their albums that really hit me...and I am generally not a person who really studies lyrics the way some people do. Most often, the song and sound come first. Originally posted by ExplodingBoy Man I love that band. I do as well. It would be quite interesting to see what songs you would choose if you had to make a 2-CD compilation from all their work...and yes, I know that would be a painful and agonizing task! cheers, aeon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members The Audacity Works Posted January 27, 2005 Members Share Posted January 27, 2005 My favorite Cure timeline was with the two EPs (singles) they released before Wish with requisite B-Sides. They were so damn good that Wish ended up disappointing me. It took months for me to finally come around. Bloodflowers was merely okay. Disintegration and Kiss Me x3 are not only my favorites, but they incur this Pavlov's dog reaction, taking me back to my girlfriend's house in high school. Curiosity (the cassette-only B-Side to Concert ['85?]) is also just teeming with astounding rare Cure tracks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ExplodingBoy Posted January 27, 2005 Author Members Share Posted January 27, 2005 I still have yet to buy the Join The Dots B Sides release, but it's definately next on my list. "Fear of Ghosts", "Twilight Garden", "Halo" and "Cut Here" are probably my all time fav B Sides. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Analog Kid Posted January 27, 2005 Members Share Posted January 27, 2005 heard the extended Never Enough single?... that was a cool transitional piece where the guitars had started to snarl a little. I think the extended mix was only on the single. Um, i guess the song was a single... so, you know... er.- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ExplodingBoy Posted January 28, 2005 Author Members Share Posted January 28, 2005 Yeah, the Never Enough single was hot too. I love the fact that Robert was a big supporter of the electronic scene for a while and dabbled in remixing his own stuff for the clubs. He makes a very good producer. Mixed Up was a great album too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members eric Posted January 28, 2005 Members Share Posted January 28, 2005 I love The Cure. I don't have all their albums (or that many at all), but some of their songs definitely are part of the soundtrack of my life. When I was playing in one of my first high school bands in 1986 with a JX8P and DX7, we did "In Between Days" and "Boys Don't Cry." Later, in the very early 90's, the band I toured with covered "Why Can't I Be You" and "Just Like Heaven." The JX8P preset sound "Stab Brass" was perfect for "Why Can't I Be You." For some reason, "Just Like Heaven" has a very special place in my heart. Every time I hear it, I am immediately taken back to that time in my life about 15 years ago (a very happy memory) and this song (along with a couple others from General Public and The Police) have a more profound nostalgic effect on me than most other music. Most music these days does not insert itself into my psyche like this. The last album that seemed to have this effect for me was David Bowie's "Heathen." A breathtaking album. I suggest you try it. I do not own Disintegration. I must buy it. Wish is the last Cure album I bought and it is a good one. I need more. Regards,Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ExplodingBoy Posted January 28, 2005 Author Members Share Posted January 28, 2005 The Cure is like me and my brother's lifetime band. We both have listened to them since we were VERY young and the Prayer Tour was actually the first live concert I ever saw!! Not bad to see that amazing tour as my 1st concert eh? Changed the way I thought about music forever and actually got me playing myself. Every bit of music I've written or played in my life has had some sort of Cure influence in it. Listening to them is like coming home after a long journey. When it's raining outside, nothing is more comforting than layin on the couch, throwing "Trilogy" or "Show" or one of the live shows on the TV and vegetating. A close friend of mine is also a huge fan and we both joked one day that if some sort of religion could be fashioned around The Cure, we'd both be the 1st on board! Such a great band. I know exactly what you mean about "Just Like Heaven". That song just gets into your heart and stays there. When I first saw that video with them dancing on that cliff, it TOTALLY fit the imagery that the song put into my head when I listened to it. Robert's lyrics are soo visual. I get pictures in my head when I listen to them. Robert seems soo humble too. I bet he'd be the nicest person to chat music with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Stratman Tigers Posted June 9, 2011 Members Share Posted June 9, 2011 I'm not one to usually bump really old threads. But Disintegration is one of the best flowing albums of all times. Songs like "Plainsong" and "Pictures of You" literally sound out of this world. As if its not possible Robert Smith himself even made it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Re-Member Posted June 9, 2011 Members Share Posted June 9, 2011 Wow, really old thread. 2005, haha. Used to be a big Cure fan as well... Can't say I really listen to any of their post Pornography albums these days other than Disintegration. I remember Bloodflowers being good when it came out, but it's been over a decade since I really sat and listened to it entirely. The past two albums have been kind of bland. As for Wish, it's just way too muddy sounding. Maybe they'll fix that if it ever gets remastered, but even then, a lot of the songs drag with without any hooks. Robert Smith sounds half asleep and the single High was basically Just Like Heaven rewritten. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members poserp Posted June 9, 2011 Members Share Posted June 9, 2011 I learned to play guitar by listening to Cure albums. Classic guitar work on their earlier stuff (Killing an Arab, Jumping Someone Else's Train, etc), and while I later moved on to more shred-y realms I never lost the taste for that stuff. And, of course, I love almost all of their 80's output. While MJ and Prince got me into synths at an early age, it was the Cure that brought it all together (I picked guitar because it was cheaper than the synths necessary to play Cure stuff at the time), along with other seminal 80's bands like Oingo Boing, Duran Duran, the Human League, the Cars, Gary Neuman, et. al. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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