The Cure

The album included an uncredited, final instrumental track informally called "The Weedy Burton". The fact was not acknowledged until the Deluxe Edition re-issue.

2004 Deluxe Edition

The first disc contains the original album, with the addition of "The Weedy Burton" as a regular thirteenth track, and slightly different track lengths. The second disc contains rarities 1977 to 1979.

References

[1]True, Chris. The Cure: Three Imaginary Boys > Review (http://www.allmusic.com/album/r34443/review) at Allmusic. Retrieved 28 August 2011.

[2]Blender review (http://www.blender.com/guide/back-catalogue/53545/three-imaginary-boys.html)

[3]Abebe, Nitsuh (14 December 2004). "The Cure: Three Imaginary Boys (Deluxe Edition)" (http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/ 1694-three-imaginary-boys-deluxe-edition). Pitchfork Media. .

[4]curehead (4 October 2003). "The Cure - Three imaginary boys" (http://web.archive.org/web/20081205170727/http://www.gothic.gr/ music/view.php?o=195). gothic.gr. Archived from the original (http://www.gothic.gr/music/view.php?o=195) on 5 December 2008. .

[5]James Oldham "The Gothfather". Uncut. August 2004

[6]Ben Wener (23 November 2011). "Live review: The Cure’s Reflections at the Pantages" (http://soundcheck.ocregister.com/2011/11/23/ live-review-the-cures-reflections-at-the-pantages/86003/). The Orange County Register. . Retrieved 28 November 2011.

Seventeen Seconds

Singles from Seventeen Seconds

1. "A Forest"

Released: 28 March 1980

Seventeen Seconds is the second studio album by The Cure, released in April 1980 by Fiction Records. It is the only Cure album to feature keyboardist Matthieu Hartley, and was featured in the book 1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die. The album reached number 20 on the British album charts. [1] It is the first album to contain The Cure's now-famous gothic rock sound.

Overview

The record, mostly a collection of downbeat tracks, features ambient echoing vocals and minimally-treated instruments,[2] with the album's sonic direction driven by its drum sound.[1] Due to budgetary restraints, the record was recorded and mixed in seven days on a budget of between £2000 and £3000, which resulted in the band working 16 or 17 hours a day to complete the album.[1] Smith stated that as a result, the track "The Final Sound" was actually planned to be much longer, but was cut down to 53 seconds because the tape ran out while recording, and they

couldn't record it again. Inspiration was also very high, as Smith wrote the lyrics and music for most of the record on just two occasions. Most of the music was composed by Smith in his parents' home, on a Hammond organ with a built in tape recorder. Interviewed in 2004, producer Mike Hedges does not recall any demo tracks,[1] with the band generally playing the track in the studio before laying down a backing track to which overdubs were added.[1]

Bassist Simon Gallup and keyboardist Matthieu Hartley were added to the band's lineup. Gallup replaced Michael Dempsey, which relieved Smith as he felt Dempsey's basslines were too ornate and that they weren't gelling socially. Hartley's synth work added a new dimension to the band's newly ethereal sound, although Smith and he clashed over

complexity (Hartley enjoyed complex chords; Smith wanted single notes).[1] Hartley left the group after Seventeen Seconds.[1]

This record was repackaged in the US in 1981 (on the A&M label) with Faith as Happily Ever After — available as a double album or a single CD. Neither album was available individually in the US until 1986.[3]

Reviews

Professional ratings

Review scores

The album's songs are described by critics as bearing vague, often unsettling lyrics and "dark", spare minimalistic melodies. Some reviewers felt that Seventeen Seconds represented a far more mature Cure, who had come very far musically in less than one year.[8] The album was lauded by some critics, and panned as a "collection of soundtracks" by others. One reviewer described the album as a "sad Cure, sitting in cold rooms, watching clocks". Despite the mixed reception, the band was featured in several lengthy articles with numerous photos of a slender Smith, without makeup, whom one critic called "alarmingly handsome", and the album was relatively successful when released, reaching number 20 in the UK. There was controversy concerning the band's "anti-image", established by the cover of Three Imaginary Boys, which this album contributed to by blurring the photos of the band's members and the cover art. This is the first Cure album Smith was able to choose the art for.

In 2000, Q magazine placed Seventeen Seconds at number 65 in its list of the 100 Greatest British Albums Ever.

Live performances

During concerts, songs from Seventeen Seconds are typically grouped together and only played during the encore, as it has grown to be a fan favorite. Common Seventeen Seconds based encores are "M", "Play For Today", and "A Forest". "At Night" is sometimes also included; the other six songs have not been played recently; however "In Your House" appears on the 1993 Paris album, along with "Play for Today" and "At Night", and it was also performed during a charity gig in 2004.[9] The Cure did, however, perform the song "Seventeen Seconds" as an opener to a festival in Europe in 2003; "Secrets" has not been played since 1985, and "Three" has not seen a performance since the original Seventeen Seconds tour in 1980, but since 1981 the band sometimes closes concerts with "Forever," a lengthy, mostly improvised piece based on the music of "Three". In 2005 The Cure rerecorded "Seventeen Seconds" along with "Faith" and "Pornography" for the album 4play.

In 2011 The Cure performed the album in its entirety over two dates for the Vivid Live festival at the Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia. The performances billed as The Cure: 'Reflections' were recorded for potential DVD release.

2005 re-release

Seventeen Seconds was reissued in the UK 25 April 2005 (26 April in the U.S.) as part of Universal's Deluxe Edition

series. The new edition featured a remastered version of the album on the first disc, while the second contained demo and live tracks. The master tapes for the album were reported to have been ruined by a washing machine,[10] so this

remaster was sourced from vinyl, unlike the rest. On the rarities disc, four of these rarities are recorded by the one-off Cult Hero, a group that featured Smith's postman Frank Bell as lead singer and which performed 70's style rock along the lines of Easy Cure. Disc 2 contains versions, either in demo or live form, of all 10 songs on the first disc.

There also exists a one-CD reissue. It was released on 5 September 2005 in the UK and 4 April 2006 in the US. The CD features the original album, but does not contain the bonus disc. It is also released in the standard jewel case, and not a digipak. In some countries, the "Deluxe Edition" has become a collector's item due to the phasing out of production, being replaced by the more economic one-CD version.

Track listing

All lyrics by Robert Smith, all music by The Cure (Smith/Gallup/Hartley/Tolhurst).

Side one

1."A Reflection" – 2:09

2."Play for Today" – 3:39

3."Secrets" – 3:20

4."In Your House" – 4:07

5."Three" – 2:36

Side two

1."The Final Sound" – 0:53

2."A Forest" – 5:55

3."M" – 3:03

4."At Night" – 5:54

5."Seventeen Seconds" – 4:02

The U.S. Cassette (Elektra 9 60784-4), features "A Forest" on Side A and "Play for Today" on Side B. Also, the artwork is different, with some tree branches at left and a reddish blob at the bottom.

2005 Deluxe Edition

Disc one

Original album, as above

Disc two

1."I'm a Cult Hero" (vinyl single by Cult Hero) – 2:59

2."I Dig You" (vinyl single by Cult Hero) – 3:40

3."Another Journey by Train" (instrumental home demo) – 3:12

4."Secrets" (instrumental home demo) – 3:40

5."Seventeen Seconds" (live in Amsterdam 1/80) – 3:59

6."In Your House" (live in Amsterdam 1/80) – 3:32

7."Three" (alt studio mix) – 2:45

8."I Dig You" (Cult Hero live at the Marquee Club London 3/80) – 3:36

9."I'm a Cult Hero" (Cult Hero live at the Marquee Club London 3/80) – 3:21

10."M" (live in Arnhem 5/80) – 2:56

11."The Final Sound" (live in France 6/80) – 0:26

12."A Reflection" (live in France 6/80) – 1:39

13."Play for Today" (live in France 6/80) – 3:46

14."At Night" (live in France 6/80) – 5:37

15."A Forest" (live in France 6/80) – 6:28

Band

•Robert Smith - guitars, vocals

•Matthieu Hartley - keyboards

•Lol Tolhurst - drums

•Simon Gallup - bass

Production

•Producers: Robert Smith, Mike Hedges

•Co-producers: Chris Parry, Simon Gallup, Laurence Tolhurst and Matthieu Hartley

•Engineers: Mike Hedges, David Kemp

•Assistant engineer: Martyn Webster

References

[1]CLASSIC TRACKS: The Cure 'A Forest', Sound on Sound, December 2004 (http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec04/articles/ classictracks.htm)

[2]Nitsuh Abebe. Pitchfork Media review of Seventeen Seconds, Faith, Pornography (http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/ 16405/The_Cure_Seventeen_Seconds_Faith_Pornography)

[3]Butler, Daren: "The Cure On Record", page 29. Omnibus Press, 1995.

[4]http://www.allmusic.com/album/r4929

[5]http://www.blender.com/guide/back-catalogue/53546/seventeen-seconds.html

[6]http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/record_review/16405/The_Cure_Seventeen_Seconds_Faith_Pornography

[7]http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/the-cure/albumguide

[8]Kent, Nick. Seventeen Seconds review. NME. 26 April 1980

[9]http://www.chainofflowers.com/barfly030504.html

[10]Parish, Peter (15 June 2005). "Seventeen Seconds" (http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/the-cure/seventeen-seconds.htm). Stylus Magazine. . Retrieved 28 October 2008.

External links

•Seventeen Seconds (http://www.radio3net.ro/dbartists/supersearch/ U2V2ZW50ZWVuIFNlY29uZHMgKEZpY3Rpb24p/Seventeen Seconds (Fiction)) (Adobe Flash) at Radio3Net (streamed copy where licensed)

Faith

Faith

Studio album by The Cure

Released 11 April 1981

Genre Post-punk, Dark Wave, Dream Pop

Length 36:54

Label Fiction (UK)

A&M (U.S. original release)

Elektra (1986 reissue)

Rhino (2006 reissue)

Producer The Cure, Mike Hedges

The Cure chronology

Singles from Faith

1. "Primary"

Released: 20 March 1981

Professional ratings

Review scores

Pitchfork Media (8.8/10) 2005[3]

Faith is the third album by British band The Cure, released in April 1981.

Overview

Faith is generally a brooding, atmospheric, and sombre album, although it has a flash of anger in the form of the song "Doubt", and some edge in the driving single "Primary". It is often seen as the midpoint in a 'Dark Trilogy' that begins with Seventeen Seconds and ends with Pornography. At least two songs on the album, "All Cats are Grey" and "The Drowning Man", are inspired by the Gormenghast novels of Mervyn Peake.

It is the first album by The Cure to feature baritone guitar/six-string bass. The front cover, designed by former and future member Porl Thompson, is a picture of Bolton Priory in the village of Bolton Abbey in the fog.

In 2011 The Cure performed the album in its entirety over two dates for the Vivid Live festival at the Sydney Opera House, Sydney, Australia. The performances billed as The Cure: 'Reflections' were recorded for potential DVD release.

Carnage Visors

The instrumental piece "Carnage Visors" (a antonym for rose-coloured spectacles), originally available only on the long-play cassette release, is the soundtrack of Carnage Visors, a short film by Ric Gallup, Simon's brother. It was screened at the beginning of shows in place of a support band on the 1981 Picture Tour, and featured animation of several dolls in different positions and stances. The film has since disappeared and only Lol Tolhurst, Robert Smith, and Simon Gallup own copies of it, though during a televised interview in the mid-1980s the host of the program surprised the band by playing a clip of the film on set.[5]

2005 re-release

Faith was reissued in the UK on 25 April 2005 (26th in the U.S.) as part of Universal Music's Deluxe Edition series. The new edition features a remastered version of the album and the "Carnage Visors" soundtrack on disc one, while disc two contains demo and live tracks, as well as the non-album single "Charlotte Sometimes". It features a few never-before-heard tracks (in demo form, all instrumentals) while each song on the first disc (except "Carnage Visors") has an alternate version on the second disc, whether it be a demo or live rendition.

There also exists a one-CD reissue. It was released on 5 September 2005 in the UK and 4 April 2006 in the US. The CD, released in the standard jewel case, rather than a digipak, features the original album, but does not contain the bonus disc. It also excludes the song "Carnage Visors".

Track listing

All lyrics by Robert Smith, all music by The Cure (Smith/Gallup/Tolhurst).

Original 1981 release

Side one

1."The Holy Hour" – 4:25

2."Primary" – 3:35

3."Other Voices" – 4:28

4."All Cats Are Grey" – 5:28

Side two

1."The Funeral Party" – 4:14

2."Doubt" – 3:11

3."The Drowning Man" – 4:50

4."Faith" – 6:43

Long-play cassette bonus track

1. "Carnage Visors" – 27:51

2005 Deluxe Edition

Disc one

Original album, as above

(including "Carnage Visors" as track 9)

• A later one-CD re-issue that features only the first disc, excludes "Carnage Visors".

Disc two (Rarities 1980-1981)

1."Faith" (Robert Smith home instrumental demo) – 2:56

2."Doubt" (Robert Smith home instrumental demo) – 1:09

3."Drowning" (group home instrumental demo) – 1:52

4."The Holy Hour" (group home demo) – 4:48

5."Primary" (studio out-take) – 4:22

6."Going Home Time" (studio out-take) – 3:31

7."The Violin Song" (studio out-take) – 3:38

8."A Normal Story" (studio out-take) – 3:04

9."All Cats Are Grey" (live "somewhere Summer 80/81") – 5:37

10."The Funeral Party" (live "somewhere Summer 80/81") – 4:38

11."Other Voices" (live "somewhere Summer 80/81") – 4:45

12."The Drowning Man" (live "Australasia Summer 80/81") – 5:48

13."Faith" (live at Capitol Theatre Sydney 8/81) – 10:23

14."Forever" (live "somewhere Summer 81") – 9:19

15."Charlotte Sometimes" (single) – 4:13

Personnel

•Simon Gallup - bass

•Robert Smith - guitar, keyboard, 6-string bass guitar, bass, Vocals

•Lol Tolhurst - drums

Production

•Producers: The Cure, Mike Hedges

•Engineers: Mike Hedges, David Kemp

•Assistant engineer: Martyn Webster

Charts

Singles - Billboard (North America)

References

[1]True, Chris. "The Cure: Faith > Review" (http://www.allmusic.com/album/r4919/review) at Allmusic. Retrieved 28 August 2011.

[2]Blender Magazine review (http://www.blender.com/guide/back-catalogue/53548/faith.html)

[3]Abebe, Nitsuh (12 May 2005). "The Cure: Seventeen Seconds / Faith / Pornography" (http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/reviews/albums/ 11706-seventeen-seconds-faith-pornography/). Pitchfork Media. .

[4]Parrish, Peter (27 June 2005). "The Cure: Faith" (http://www.stylusmagazine.com/reviews/the-cure/faith.htm). Stylus Magazine. .

[5]"The Cure - CARNAGE VISORS - 45 Seconds Clip !" (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnpAU6MkB_4). YouTube. 1986-04-12. . Retrieved 2012-01-06.

Pornography

Singles from Pornography

1. "The Hanging Garden"

Released: 12 July 1982

Pornography is the fourth studio album by British band The Cure, originally released in 1982 and re-mastered and re-released in 2005. Once described as "Phil Spector in Hell",[3] it is "The Cure's most gothic album".[1][2]

Recorded with the group on the brink of collapse, it represents the conclusion of the musical phase which began with Seventeen Seconds and Faith. Robert Smith has stated that Pornography is the first of his "trilogy" of albums that best define The Cure, the second being Disintegration and the third being Bloodflowers.

Slant Magazine listed the album at #79 on its list of "Best Albums of the 1980's".[4]