Pornography

3,5

It's fine. A bit dull, but obviously some are classic.

This gothic rock album builds from dense layers of drums, bass, and reverb-drenched guitars, with vocals aching in despair and urgency, shrouded in a fog of claustrophobic atmosphere and emotional collapse that feels both agonizing and strangely transcendent.

Solid album with a lot of driving bass and reverb on the vocals. Robert Smith’s vocal sound is still iconic. Highlights: “The Hanging Garden” and “Cold”

Tap into your goth side and this is a pretty decent listen. I probably won’t be back to it again, but I’m glad it’s out there for the folks who need it

Fav Song: A Strange Day

I had heard of the cure but never listened to them before. I can recognize their influence on the genre and overall I'd say this album was not bad.

I think this band’s got it where it counts and maybe they’re doing interesting things. Just not for me…

A cure album with none of their hits. An interesting and dark listen, but I'm more of the "alove Cats" type of Cure Fan

Definitely not the best album, but still the cure really like the beats and the guitar

01) One Hundred Years - 8,0 02) A Short Term Effect - 7,5 03) The Hanging Garden - 8,0 04) Siamese Twins - 7,0 05) The Figurehead - 7,0 06) A Strange Day - 8,0 07) Cold - 7,0 08) Pornography - 6,0 TOTAL: 7,31 (73/100) Current ranking: 336/698

It’s not my favorite Cure record I’ve listened to, but it maintains their strong sense of atmosphere and the drums are quite cool. Viva la goth rock.

Good

I really wanted to like the album more :(

A powerful, bleak wall of sound, but very droning and repetitive

3.2

- I like goth rock in general, but Disintegration was my integration (heh) into the genre, and this is just missing those few elements that made that one great - from what I understand, this was one of the formative albums of the genre when it was just coming onto the scene, but I much prefer what it ended up growing into seven years later: less aggressively melancholic, more dreamily contemplative - still, the drum sampling is pretty cool and drives a lot of the songs forward. I'd channel my inner goth rage and go for a run with this in my ears

It was okay

top 3: - siamese twins - the figurehead - a strange head

Almost a 2 but became more enjoyable. 3.

Ei tää Curen voivottelu oo oikein ikinä iskeny

Not my favourite genre

Sad songs for sad bois. I am a sad boi

This is a gloomy listen, and it sounds like the making of it was fraught to say the least. I missed this one during my peak Cure-listening years, so I appreciated the history lesson, even if it's not something I'd put on for funsies.

Good album. I liked it better than most of the singles played. It’s dark wave. I listened to the remastered version on Spotify. I would like to have heard the songs mixed with better separation between instruments; it’s a bit muddled. That’s a quibble - it’s a solid album except “Pornography” which seems more like filler

I like all of the ingredients but I just don’t enjoy the cake. 3/ 5

While I'm certainly aware of this as the pivot to goth rock, this is where the Cure started to lose me, as a fan in real-time. I CAN'T STAND the drum sound, even though I appreciate the atmosphere they're creating. Bring back Seventeen Seconds!

I fell asleep during the second song and woke up during the title track, at the end. Great nap. On second listen, this is The Cure at their darkest, and they have forgone choruses and hooks, and replaced it with drone, the melodies are sparse and Smith is wailing over drum machines. The songs are repetitive and heavily layered. Aside from The Hanging Garden, these are songs that I’m not familiar with. It’s no Disintegration that’s for sure, but it is not intended to be. I’ll be happy to listen to A Letter To Elise afterwards to remind myself of the joy of melody. Highlights - Siamese Twins (fascinating lyrics), A Strange Day (great guitar parts) ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Jesus Christ I was already depressed

The album's opening line is "It doesn't matter if we all die," and it really well anticipates what's to come over the next 40+ minutes. Pornography is quite heavy to listen to at times, and it's not my favorite Cure album. But there are elements that lays the groundwork for the band's sound to evolve towards their later great albums

"Pornography" is a fitting title for this album—it's almost embarrassingly explicit, but sometimes seems unrealistic. Be that as it may, some of the songs are painful, and it's certainly in the eye of the beholder and depends on their mood whether that's a good or bad thing. In any case, this album is an impressive testament to the early days of gothic rock. Recommended tracks: “The Hanging Garden,” “The Figurehead,” and “Cold” have particularly stuck in my memory.

It was ok ~ pretty standard 1980s stuff. Not super my jam

Organic cocaine jazz

I must say this isn’t really doing it for me. A bit samey and unmemorable. They definitely improved with subsequent albums

I'm not one who knows The Cure backwards and forwards, but I'm aware of, and enjoy, many of their songs. This album starts out with a driving, atmospheric darkness that I absolutely LOVE! The first couple of songs and A Strange Day ended up being my favorites. Overall, I think the songs were repetitive, but cool. I give this one a 3.5

are all the songs of the album the same ? or it my be my ears :'(

Det är verkligen ett säreget album som man bör höra innan man dör. Det hypnotiska stelopererade trumkompet, de svävande effektdränkta gitarrerna, Robert Smiths sång som flyter runt utan några riktiga melodier. Liknar verkligen ingenting annat. Men från den här Cure-eran lyssnar jag personligen hellre på Faith och Seventeen seconds.

Visst har det varit en hel del tidigt 80-tal som slumpats fram än så länge. En epok som definitivt kan ifrågasättas. Cure höjer sig emellertid upp ur bottenträsket där flera av de tidigare albumen från tiden hamnat. Det finns något tilltalande med det fundamentala mörkret i skivan. Samtidigt blir det också väldigt enahanda. Någon större variation möts vi inte av vara sig inom enskilda spår eller mellan olika spår. Det blir att man tröttnar efter ett tag. Ser dock att albumet funkar som soundtrack i bilstereon under en nattlig långkörning. Svag trea.

Tyvärr kom jobbet ivägen för en ordentlig genomlyssning. Det låter som the cure brukar låta: bra. Ingen låt dom omedelbart fastnar hos mig. Men känner att albumet kan växa på mig.

Didn't loved songwriting much, as it feels a bit simple to me, but loved overall gloomy atmosphere. Quite an experience, which I'll probably revisit, but not too often. Best song: A Short Term Effect

It’s a miserable dirge that gets worse as it goes on. I get it, i didn’t like it

The cure är häftig men gillar nog mest deras mer popiga grejer. Atmosfäriskt album men gör det inte riktigt för mig.

Rating: 6.5/10 Not a huge fan of early the Cure, this album also suffers from a lack of ideas. Songs would generally be one idea or riff that they slowly expand upon but that is it, I simply do not think these ideas are that great. I commend them on the atmosphere and depressing lyrics but musically this band has albums that are miles better than this.

Classic old-school dirge-y atmosphere. This is what people who don’t know the full range of The Cure think of when they think of The Cure. Perfect for a gloomy day.

туманно мрачно депрессивно но если у тебя хорошее настроение - звучит для тебя как фон

Not my favorite Cure album. Probably won't give it another full listen, but not bad.

I have never liked the Cure. When this album came up on here i kind of realized that I have never actually listened to a full Cure album from start to finish. So i did. And nothing has changed. There were a couple parts where there were some great guitar riffs, but other wise I find the vocals sooooo boring. The Cure is nap music. I don't really want to listen to it if I do not have to.

A dark, moody record that does some interesting things with the guitar work and noise; however while listening to the record one can't help but call comparisons to predecessors like Joy Division which simply sound like an elevated version of this record. It's serviceable, even enjoyable at times but doesn't stand out much otherwise

3/5 not very exciting, but not unlistenable

Unique sound, I like it but hard to listen to (depressing)

Dissonant, atmospheric and dark. I liked this marginally better than Seventeen Seconds but it's not on the same level as Disintegration. A bit too dreary for me. Siamese Twins was a highlight though.

Kinda cool. Moody af. Not my favourite Cure album.

Their fourth album. Rock / New Wave / Post Punk / Indie. One Hundred Years is a dense and atmospheric opening track which sets the tone for this album. Very Joy Divison esque. Dark and Gothic too. Distorted guitars sound good. The edgier version of The Cure before they went 'Pop'. A solid album.

There are a number of Cure albums I love. This has never really been one of them. Initially dismissed by critics and loved by a fairly vocal subsection of the fanbase, its firmly in the middle for me.

3.

Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 4/5

1. One Hundred Years - 10 Vocals can be drowned out a little but they are brilliant and the sound from the guitars is so good. The chords on them are excellent and they are underpinned by a deep and excellent drum. Superb track. 2. A Short Term Effect - 6 It's alright. The sound is good but I feel like the drum is almost exactly the same as the first track. It's harder to understand what he's actually singing on the track as well. 3. The Hanging Garden - 7 Faster drum this time but a quintessential sounding song from The Cure. Pretty good sound but this time it's the drums that are the leading instrument. 4. Siamese Twins - 5 Lyrically very random but otherwise a decent track. The tracks are becoming a bit too monotonous in their composure though. They kind of all sound the same, which is okay if tempo or beat changes. Tempo has slightly but beat has very much not. 5. The Figurehead - 6 It's more of the same solid guitars and drum. Sounds almost exactly like the opening 2 tracks. 6. A Strange Day - 6 Rinse and repeat. 7. Cold - 8 Different pace and tone and very enjoyable. Much slower than the rest of the album but that bass has such a hypnotic and incredibly gripping sound. It makes you feel as if you're preparing for an epic. 8. Pornography - 2 Collection of noise to end the album which is extremely disappointing. The noise also drowns out any and all vocals. Average Rating: 6.25 Adjusted to 5-Point Scale: 3.13 Rounded Down: 3 Stars

On today's pick of the 1001 albums I should listen to, I rolled The Cure's Pornography from 1982. Believe it or not this is one of the few The Cure albums I have heard in full and yet I distinctly remember not quite getting/understanding this project my first time through. I remember this album being very dreamy and the production and lyrics both bringing this chilly and quite depressing feeling across myself, but I don't think I was into the more melancholic ideas the album was presenting at that time. Now after an unknown of time in between my last listen, easily 3 years at the minimum, I have a new found appreciation for this project even if I don't think it is the best thing in the world. If you like your music moody and full of sad or angry expressions then I would suggest seeing a therapist, or becoming an /mu/ core head as a lot of those albums fit the bill. In all seriousness, this album is a great way to feel like you aren't alone with those emotions as Robert Smith and company put together. While the music does get a bit lost in the production of this album with its' sweeping waves, I do still think there is plenty here to "enjoy" for any sort of music fan. The lyrics are dense and really match the project, the soundscape is still so bold today even if the music may not be as prominent anymore, and it is a short enough runtime where anyone can zoom right through this album without too much thought or effort. With all that being said though I do think everything I said is done to a pretty solid degree and not to anything I am truly impressed with, especially with how messy of a closer the title track is at the end. Pornography is cool and definitely not an album for the summer, but despite that I really don't get what all the hype is about here as The Cure easily has better production and writing on many of their other albums. I'd take Faith over this any day.

Like the cure, but this one isn't my favorite

This was listenable but not inspiring to me. The 'industrial' sound of the 80s was not my fave in general, and the dramatic singing voice was another aspect of 80s pop that doesn't translate to modern times very well. Glad for the listen but skipped through the last couple tracks and will prob not put this on again.

Ok album. Some really good songs and a lot of just ok.

A good album that paves the way for the absolute greatness that is on the horizon.

sad 80s music

A couple of bangers, the rest decent

In general I'm not a huge fan of The Cure, since the instrumentals feel cheesy. Although the vocals really carry it.

It was fine? Felt more like background noise when I had listened.

I'm sure the guy who monitors the keylogger on my australian public service issued computer raised an eyebrow when i typed pornography. Music for when you really want to kill yourself but doing so would prevent you from dressing like a faggot in future.

A difficult one for me to score out of five. In terms of atmosphere, this album is basically a dark cathedral of sound. As for standout tracks, there are a couple of highlights. Unfortunately this album sort of blends together in the middle. Perhaps every song being as depressing and gloomy as the last one was the cause. It's good, but it's not reaching the heights of something like Disintegration. Highlights: One Hundred Years, Cold

The album feels intensely personal, as if The Cure presented their raw, unfiltered ideas directly to the audience. This unfiltered approach can be exhausting for the listener to fully absorb. While there are strong melodies, the lyrics often take center stage, sometimes overshadowing the musical harmony. Nevertheless, it's interesting to hear the band's struggles, and the feelings of exhaustion and the simple difficulty of being alive are deeply relatable.

The Hanging Garden et A Strange Day méritaient 5 étoiles mais une écoute complète de l'album m'ayant ôté un peu de ma joie de vivre, je ne pourrai pas mettre une meilleure note.

Vraiment excellent mais la joie c'est bien aussi, une fois de temps en temps...

This felt longer than 43 minutes. It also felt quintessentially Cure. I dig.

Ya con la portada se puede pensar que es un álbum intimidante. Creo que durante todo el álbum se puede percibir la tensión y lo ‘sombrío’ que es en su generalidad. Definitivamente no es mi tipo de música pero creo que, dado el año, debió ser una gran inspiración de las bandas más góticas, por lo que respect. Nota: 3.5/5

Kind of splits the difference between Siousie Sioux and Cabaret Voltaire? Highlights are Hanging Garden which really swells with anxious sounds, Siamese Twins for immediately whipping the album back to a minimalist dirge and Cold for almost not having any Robert Smith vocals. Its let down a bit by a lackluster mix and what feels like a bit of a failure to fully commit to the bit in a way that Joy Division (or Siousie for that matter) never would. For every tritone there's a new romantic flourish that kind of takes you out of it.

Noe er veldig bra og spennende, men så er det også låter som er kjedelige eller har lite spennende rytme/bassgang.

One Hundred Years // The Figurehead //

Always been aware of the Cure never listened to. They have a distinctive vibe to their sound with that dark, eerie didn’t want to use the word but Gothic sound. Can appreciate but it’s all a little bit too dark for my taste, being honest I can’t tell what he’s on about most of the time and might be saying he’s a happy little bunny but it still all sounds nihilistic. 3 Star.

72/100 insanely gothic and brooding, im really interested in this sound this is the first gothic rock album ive ever listened to and it makes me want to check out more of the subgenre and the cure in general

No soy el mayor fan de The Cure, pero siempre me ha gustado bastante este disco. Vale, no lo he escuchado muchísimo con anterioridad, pero considero que es un trabajo bastante consistente en si solo, y un muy buen trabajo en la discografía de la banda. The Cure por aquel entonces todavia estaba muy encasillado en este sonido "Post-Punk" y "Rock Gótico" que dominó la escena de rock alternativo británica de finales de los 70s. Esto es lo que es exactamente este disco. No es algo innovador para nada, sobre todo porque en ese momento, en el año 1980, las bandas que habian dado forma al decadente movimiento post-punk ya habian comenzado a experimentar con otros sonidos. Bueno, el album esta guay. Me parece bastante mejor que "The Top" pero no mejor que "The Head on the Door" y muchos de los siguientes discos de The Cure. Igualmente hay un MONTONAZO de canciones de The Cure que me parecen zzz 3/5

Meh. Es que siento que hay demasiada gente a la que le gusta the cure como para poner una mala review y sentirme objetivo. No es mi rollo. Una o dos canciones molan, porque si que tienen un sonido peculiar suyo, y a ver, los temas no están mal. Admito que me gusta la atmósfera tenebrosa que consiguen, pero después de unas rolas ya cansa y pierde la gracia. Creo que sencillamente falta un poco de variedad. Igualmente le daré 3 estrellas porque supongo que no fue terrible, pero ni de coña lo volvería a escuchar. 6/10->3/5

Bueno, está bien, pero me esperaba bien, no tiene nada muy destacable y tampoco lo escuché con demasiada atención, pero bueno no está mal

I think I'm partial to Head in the Door forward. Not enough melody

3 stars. Started off slow, then started to sound like The Cure

Meh

Good overall album, I am a bit familiar with the cure so I like it. A bit difficult to understand the songs but I catch a few themes. I think I will listen to it again at some point

i like the cure it’s probably good. was nice cried to it about sex

I’d listen to it again, but won’t seek it out

3/5

Well, it's the Cure, so it's good, but definitely not my favorite.

Kind of a downer, no? I guess if you were 16 and it was 1982...wait, I was 16 in 1982 and I was listening to Tom Petty and the Cars and they really cheered me up. Different strokes, I guess.

The most interested I have been in The Cure. Their proto-Emo influence is much more clear here. However, just didn’t grab me.

Cool sound, but a bit one-note.

Sure

3.5

Generally fine, but not my favorite Cure record.

puff definitivamente no es el mejor album de the cure pero bueno, esperaba más bah mi fav ha sido A Strange Day que góticos ellos 3,5/5

This is a pretty wild album, mad respect here even though I’m not a massive fan 🙏

I thought this was mostly decent - good songwriting - when Robert Smith gets sad it can be a bit much but the guy looks sad so I dunno.

Same problem as the Smiths - good music that whiny vocals take a shit all over. Ok I guess

Less boring than 17 Seconds. But not quite to my Cure pallate. I'm big on Wish, Disintegration and the debut. But I can see how this album drove the goth aesthetic to new heights. Its got some swing, some melody and pizzaz to it.

Compared to Disintegration, the shorter runtime on this makes it a lot more palatable. The instrumentals are once again fantastic and set a dark, dramatic, and texturally rich atmosphere. I really like that side of it! Robert Smith, on the other hand, sounds tortured and depressed as always. I get that that's the whole point, but musically I just find him kind of grating, and three listens in I still can’t seem to appreciate the vocals. It’s hard to go higher than a 3 when I struggle with the most central part of the band. Great album, just not going into my rotation. Standouts: One Hundred Years • The Hanging Garden • Cold

Very weird and ambient

I like the Cure but if this album made the list there are probably about sixteen others to come.

I quite like the cure but this wasn’t their best by far. 6/10

Listened to the quite a few times. It was good but I didn't like the vibes.

5/10 - I usually like the cure but this one didn’t hit

Of the time. Good vibe but not memorable

The Cure from when they were dark, moody, rhythmic and oppressively morose. There’s no sign of the evolution that would allow them to write a hit like “Friday I’m In Love.” On a regular day a bit of chore to get through, but if you turn this on when you’re depressed…*chef’s kiss!* 3.5⭐️

not my vibe but i get it

The Cure have always had a dark and haunting presence to them and this record is no different. It's an emotional journey and story that this record carries, feeling the pain in the lead vocalist's tone. Not my favorite era of music, but this record is a solid one.

Rough start, but overall an album I enjoyed. Heavier than the other Cure songs I’m familiar with, but this isn’t necessarily a bad thing. Cold and Hanging Garden were stand outs that I would listen to again. Go off moody Brits!

did age quite a bit, still good

Heard it before. One of Cure's gothiest albums and I really appreciate it 3/5

From what I knew about The Cure, this one came as quite the surprise. Very industrial, and as it started I was pretty involved, but then as it droned on....I got pretty bored. Funny enough, I'd like to listen again because the good moments were very good, but this isn't my fave.

[2.75/5] Final impressions: Perfect if the vibe you're looking for is gothic, dark rock. Has a fun sound to it, but no big stand-outs to me. The tracks aren't different enough to really hold my attention. Listened to the 2005 remaster on Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/album/0qJ30kPyjNkKjtV5h0JpHm]. *One Hundred Years - Fun vibe. Has an interesting, gloomy spookiness while staying upbeat. The instrumentals are good. Easiest track to vibe to here. A Short Term Effect - Not as good as the previous track, but I still like it. The Hanging Garden - Most interesting track so far. I like this one. Siamese Twins - Great sound. Almost mesmerizing in its beat. About 3/4 through, starting to greatly lose its traction to me. The Figurehead - Alright. A Strange Day - A lot better than the past few minutes for me. Re-inspiring some interest in what I'm listening to. Cold - Enticing darkness to it. Most distinct track on the album so far. Feels like I'm on a horse carriage in the dead of night on the way to an abandoned castle up the hill during a snowstorm in winter. Pornography - One of the better tracks on this album. Similar vibes to Cold, but I didn't like it as much. Most experimental track of the album, and kind of fitting as a final track - turns a lot of the horror/desolate elements of the album on its head by almost calling to action "Find a cure". Overall notes: Similar problem with the Deep Purple album from before, all the tracks start to sound the same about halfway through. I generally like the sound, so it works out alright.

It felt a bit weird listening to this on a glorious, sunny summers day! Feels like it should be a soggy grey day in February. Not their best with no real stand out (poppier perhaps?) tunes but still a decent listen all the same.

I'm not quite sure what I just listened to and if I should love it or hate it

Niet helemaal mijn muziekstijl, hou meestal van iets meer tekst. Maar voor de rest prima nummer.

Has a distinct dark tone and sticks to it but just not there best work so not sure why it's on this list.

I have a soft spot for the Cure, was never a fan but takes me back! And I do like some of their songs.

You're always going to have a certain standard with such an iconic band. That voice and those guitars are so recognisable, but honestly I found this a slightly underwhelming record. All quite good, but nothing stand out tune wise. Maybe it's a slow burn and would grow on me more with related listens, but I'm not super moved to play it again.

Trippy, feels like I should've been high for half of it. 1 new song added to my personal rotation.

Not my favorite Cure album.

Good.

This was pretty good. A Cure album I am unfamiliar with but will return to.

I’m not getting much of anything from this one, though I do love a good big drum machine sound. I suspect this isn’t their best album. Probably deserves a 2.5.

Not my favourite Tge Cure album but still a decent listen.

It is kind of a vibe, and i can appreciate the influence its had on other artists. There are some cool elements here and there, but i would never choose to listen to this again. 2.5

Ah, yes, I always seem to forget that there's nothing quite like The Cure, is there? I never listened to them back in the day, aside from their inescapable radio hits (none of which come from this album or Cure era), so in my mind they're largely interchangeable with The Smiths, full of pouting and tragic gothic sounds. But this album is a great reminder of their dark, angry, misanthropic wall of wailing guitars and strangely empty but pounding drums all but drowning out Smith's plaintive wailing, a far cry from the likes of Morrissey's self-pitying chip on his shoulder. And judging from the Wikipedia entry, it sounds like this album in particular channeled all of Robert Smith's suicidal and self-destructive tendencies into the music, which thankfully kept him alive (and somehow the band made it out largely intact). I'm not sure I can point to any favorites on this album, as I *really* don't enjoy listening to The Cure, either in their earlier dark-gothic phase or the later pop-gothic sound, but if I had to choose something, I *did* enjoy the relatively straightforward "The hanging garden", especially for its awkward and very 80s music video. But I'm also glad to have heard this earlier Cure album, as I think I have a better feel for why a long-ago co-worker loved them so much and often claimed they were unique.

enjoadinho

Little dark. Not quiet my taste

someone should hug Robert Smith. There is a real charm to 80's goth music, but its just so dang gloomy, which I suppose is the point. The vocals are also just way too much on the whiny side, but I cant be too critical as someone who still loves 2000's emo and pop punk. I really do enjoy the sound this album has. A Short Term Effect is probably the best way to sum it up, spooky sad rock.

Goth as Frick! But not cool goth like a pale chick with black hair and big yabbos… sad goth like looking at a picture of modern day Robert Smith. Overall it was fine but his voice is very irritating to my ears. The Cure are just not for me

i mean its good but like i feel off after listening to it

Really liked the vibe and the vocals throughout. Just nothing that particularly stands out.

Listen, I love the Cure but their first few albums were just noise. This album is... teetering on the edge of music and noise. I'm giving it a 3 because it's culturally important but this is not my favorite Cure album by far.

# Album Name: Pornography # Artist: The Cure # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: Wow, this was extremely dark, gothic, almost suicidal. Im a big fan of the cure's greatest hits and singles. They have some great songs. This was actually the first time ive listened to their earlier work in full. Theres some great drums and bass on this. No doubt. But the overall feeling to the album is very sombre. Theres some interesting sounds which have potential. But you really have to be in a certain mood for this one. This is not for the masses. # Top Tunes: 100 years / Short term effect / siamese twins # Would I listen to it again? I'll come back to it. Cant see it being in regular rotation though. Too dark.

Good early cure, goth and moody. not one I could share with most people tho.

Doom n gloom. Album before they they went a bit more “happier”

Depressing

Pornography is definitely an album which I'm not exactly the biggest fan of. This album did have some good ideas with it being one of the early pioneers of gothic rock and it does show with a lot of the songs having this somewhat haunting air to them. This album unfortunately isn't the best when it comes to the execution though. This album's production isn't really that great causing the songs to sort of blend in with all the dissonance that they all have in spades. This causes the songs to just feel kinda forgettable since the melodies are lost to the dissonance. This is by no means a bad album but i still think that it could have been quite a lot better. Best Song: Cold Worst Song: Siamese Twins

Originally started listening to the deluxe version, and I could very much do without Airlock >.> Seeing all the live versions, I went to find the original release so I could stop at the correct spot. 
Not my fave Cure album, but I LOVE the song Hanging Garden

This is quite a dark and brooding album. Very heavy. I liked the cohesiveness of the album, but feel like I might have to be in the mood to listen to this one again.

Very dark. Cliché dark sometimes. Although enjoyed more than expected. I just overslept and I'm late for work. Maybe it's the albums fault. IDK. Either way I don't have time to write a review.

I’m never quite sure of The Cure. For every Disintegration, there’s a Pornography. This was very samey, very dirgey and not very exciting. Many would say the same for Disintegration, but weirdly, I rather enjoy that one! Make of that what you will!

I don’t think I had ever heard a Cure song. Not too bad! But that’s about all I have to say

I listened to this imagining I was a detective in an 80s neo-noir movie where I go into a downstairs nightclub in the Midlands or a seedy part of London to search for my quarry among the men with hollow faces laid off because of Mrs. Thatcher's austerity.

3/5. Turi gerą emociją, labai spooky albumas. Bet tik kelios standoutinės dainos.

I generally like The Cure a lot, but I prefer the more upbeat version of them then what is presented here on ‘Pornography’. They are so dour and gloomy and glum here. The production is murky and claustrophobic, the drums heavy, the lyrics intense. Takes a few listens to adjust to this one and to be fair it does get better the more you listen to it, but not sure it’s up there with my favourite albums of theirs.

A milestone in Gothic Rock.

I didn't engage with this like i did with disintegration

It’s a standard for most. I’m particular. No complaints. I’m just more Siouxsie and Peter Murphy than Robert Smith.

Lubię ten zespół. Ból i tęsknota w głosie wokalisty zawsze do mnie trafia. Ale w tej płycie zawiodły kompozycje. Brakowało mi czegoś przejmującego. Było mrocznie, duszno i butowniczo. Indystrialnie i tłoczno. Ale wolę bardziej emocjonalne utwory tego zespołu. Skręcające w te przejmujące lata 80. 6/10

I don't get the hype around The Cure. This is just okay.

Well, I do enjoy both noise and vibes so I can’t say that this album didn’t deliver.

6/10 Enjoyed more than I thought I would. It stays the right side of dirge on all but the title track, which, on an album of only 8 songs, resulted in it losing a mark and this a star. Bad luck, The Cure.

melancholy and enjoyable

Ominous. Dramatic. Brooding. This is not Friday, I’m in Love. Interesting!

Favorite Track: Siamese Twins

Absolutely zero objections to The Cure appearing here.

Meh. Meant to be good but I didn't get it.

IDK it's a Cure album

This process has given me a real dislike for post punk but I can appreciate at least people enjoying this one. Still not one I'd be crazy about 3.5*

Solid driving rock tempo with a dark tone; overall relatively mellow.

Of the Cure albums I’ve listened to this one is by far the darkest, heaviest, and the weirdest. This is not my favorite Cure album, but I appreciate how they always took chances and went all the way with it.

pornooo pornooo! ORGIA BRASILIAN KUUMIMPIEN HUOROJEN KANSSA PORNO 4k Velipuoli sekoittaa siskopuolensa vaimoonsa ja täyttää tämän vahingossa siemensyöksyllä! Hän suorittaa täyden hieronnan onnellisella lopulla aasialaisessa hierontasalongissa. Unelma-aamu: nuori alaston äitipuoli kokkaa minut aamiaiseksi ja viettelee seksiä varten. AASIALAINEN LIHA - Tiny Thai Gets It Raw Mommy’s Gonna Is Top On They And It Will Gonna Set And Thai Waive It Gonna On They Will Gonna Se Gon They Will Gon They Gonna Got It Gon Away. onkohan tämä yhteiskunnan rappioituminen. kaikki tekee pornoa. kaikki katsoo pornoa.. niih... one hundred years

Dark and satisfying

Decent album. Very 80s. Very Cure.

Some of the songs would benefit from being a bit shorter. A Strange Day the standout for me. Pretty good.

These dark and industrial sounds, paired with the vocal brooding can be nothing but goth. It’s compelling, entrancing, and just a little… exhausting? I find myself thankful I’m not in the right headspace to really sell into the sulk, while also feeling like it would be great to spin this on a rainy day and indulge my moodiest self.

Listen to virtually any The Cure album after this one. Now listen to this album. Now listen to any album before this one. The differences between the 3 are pretty insane right?? Apparently, the guys were on copious amounts of drugs, depressed out of their minds, and almost ended the band as a whole while making this album. Holy shit does it show in the music. There is a lot to like on this album, and man is it depressing at points. Contextually, this album gets 5 stars from me. The backstory behind the album, and comparing it to previous and future albums from The Cure is very interesting. Personal enjoyment, it gets a 3. Like I said, there's a lot to like, but not a lot to love. As far as standouts, I really enjoyed "One Hundred Years", "The Hanging Garden", "Siamese Twins" and "A Strange Day." I know that's 4 entire songs, but the vibe is very similar throughout the entire album, so it was surprisingly hard to pick a favorite.

passed on early cure when i was younger, but actually enjoyed it! 3.5

Pornography is never the cure! Not my words. The words of Len Houmous’ 11th wife shortly after retiring from her adult movie career. 3.3

Not their best album

Later stuff was better

Good but not really my thing. Got better as it went on. First song is good but very intense. Strange day best track

Not the best of The Cure but still not bad.

3/5

As with anything from The Cure, the vibes and production are immaculate. However, Robert Smith's vocals never do well over the course of an album for me.

Pas pire pantoute. Mais je pense pas réécouter. Un peu 8 fois la même toune.

Not my typical pr0n

3.5/5

3/5, listened while reviewing data. Couldn't focus on lyrics much

listened to again very cold and dark

Decent overall. Agreeable (to me) vibes. Borderline 3 or 4. This album and some of the last few albums feel like they might earn a 4 after multiple listens.

When Cure albums pop up, I think, oh yay! And then I listen to them and I’m like, huh. That was fine. There are a couple of Cure albums I really like and there’s nothing wrong with this one, but not super essential to me.

This just wasn’t for me. I didn’t like the sound. I’ll give it a three, because I liked it fine.

Cool and chilly, spooky and unsettling— I liked the vibe but nothing stood out to me

This was ok. T only real standout to me was “A strange day”. 2.5/5

Clearly one of the biggest stones being laid in the goth rock road, but not their best. It’s a fine listen, but I’m holding out hope for their “Head On The Door” album to appear on this list.

The Cure is always kind of gloomy but seems like you can always count on them for something a lil pop-ie or up beat. Not on this one. All gloom. As someone who grew up on some emo angst I gotta give this some love.

Goth rock supreme 3/5

I think Cure fans think of this as their best album but I would say the earlier standing on a beach or their later 80's work is better. Still a solid album.

Not quite as dour as I was anticipating for the Cure. Still not my vibe, but still not something i'm going to go back to.

Not bad. But I’m not feeling “80s emo” enough to enjoy this today. Although if you’re emo, do you really enjoy anything? So maybe I did like it?

Kate Bush does this sound better.

I liked this more than I expected. The music, anyway. Not Robert Smith's singing so much. But that might grow on me. Maybe. This is the rare non-4*+ album that I just might come back and listen to again. 3.5*

Synkkä fiilis på det här albumet, mycket olika layers och texturer på g. Helt solid, kräver vidare lyssning

The Cure before they, literally, changed their tune. Somewhere Robert Smith said it was either this album or suicide. Definitely as dark as they might get.

Love The Cure but don’t love this album.

The Curie haben mir noch nie gut gefallen. Über die Zeit hat sich darin nichts geändert.

I enjoyed it more than expected but one listen is enough

The most well done The Cure album that I've had so far (the other two were Seventeen Seconds, & Disintegration). This album, although dark and brooding, wasn't terrible. Goth rock is a genre that you really need to be in a good headspace to enjoy. This album, unlike the other two I've reviewed, didn't overstay its welcome, or have long drawn out intros/outros. It seemed to be a more cohesive album, or maybe I was just more receptive today...either way, this album wasn't bad. Not something I would listen to every day, but not terrible. Favorite songs: Cold, The Hanging Garden, One Hundred Years Least favorite songs: Pornography, A Short Term Effect 3/5

I liked the dark moodiness of this album, and it was fun to revisit-a good overall dark/goth vibe. I don’t know if it’s my favorite, and there are some clunky bits on it, but it’s strong overall. Not quite strong enough for a 4, but not terrible or anything.

not the best album of theirs, but very consistent and atmospheric

Enjoyed this, liked the more raw, darker sound

-hmm not too bad… some very interesting instrumentation, I can understand how seminal this was for gothic rock as a genre -honestly it didn’t hit quite the same as Disintegration for me.. probably just personal preference but few individual tracks stood out. still made for a cool listen tho -Favorites are The Hanging Garden and Pornography

Gear: Aür Audio Aurora Artwork: 🟥🔥🖌️ Production: 😵‍💫🙂👌 Music: 🌑🕷️🕸️ Rating: 🔪️🔪️🔪️/5

The back half was really enjoyable. I know the cure have this goth wave thing but I'm mostly familiar with love cats and Friday I'm in love so this is totally new for me. Liked it.

= The Beatles

Not my thing

Early Cure

I started to come around on The Cure several years ago. I had previously compartmentalized them with Morrissey and The Smiths, as they seemed to share a fanbase. Now I can hear The Cure with a more open mind. And what I hear is... Ok, I guess. The music is pretty good. 'Gazy and atmospheric. The singing is fine. It suits the music, but Robert Smith's high-pitched voice can get repetitive and a tad grating after a while. The lyrics, though, appeal to mopey, sullen teenagers. Teenagers who have chosen the color black not just as an overwhelming aesthetic, but their whole identity. Either they grow out of it ("It's just a phase, Mom!"), or grow into it and should probably seek help through therapy and/or medication. I'm pretty sure that we will see The Cure on this list again with one of their later, Poppier albums.

I love The Cure, but I like the poppier version of The Cure more.

Bueno

i liked this! i didn’t love it but i liked it more than i thought i would. you can hear the subtle influences that the aquabats heard and morphed into their own stuff

Enjoyable at times, but occasionally devolves into grating and atonal sounds with no direction. Title track was the worst offender. Cold is the most listenable song on the album.

The Cure's commitment to this gothic vibe is unparalleled. And they nail every single aspect of this vibe, from the vocals to the tempo to the lyrics. It's so delightfully dark, and the album really sucks the listener in. The only gripe I have is that Pornography was slower and moodier than I would've liked, or what I needed today, but that's all personal preference. A general gripe I have about The Cure is that this was the third album of theirs I've listened to, and the three muddle together in my brain. This album was probably their best showing, at least for my tastes.

Given how much I enjoyed the "Disintegration" album, as well as many of The Cure's other hits, I expected to like this album more. While this album had that density, moodiness, and thick depth of sound that you would expect from The Cure, it didn't quite energize me like I thought it would. It's not hard to see that Robert Smith was in a bit of a funk during this album (even by his standards), as it is a fairly heavy album EMOTIONALLY speaking, as well. All that said, I did still enjoy this album, it just wasn't quite to the same caliber as other stuff from them that I've heard. In my opinion, this is certainly their darkest album, which is saying something!

probably more of a 3.5/5, but it wasn't *that* enjoyable... very spooky and cool though, especially for a very rainy and overcast day. that first song is a banger! the others... eh.

i think i made it through the album like 1.5 times. it was dark and scary and i didn't really enjoy it all that much. it was interesting, at least initially, and not something we get often on this list. it reminded me of some of the darker depeche mode and siouxsie songs from around this time... there must've been something in the water. favorites: one hundred years, the hanging garden

Dark

I was looking forward to exploring some Cure because I am not super familiar with their discography and like what I've heard but this one was kind of a dud. There's gotta be better Cure albums out there, right? I hope so

The cure was a big part in creating genres that I can enjoy today end unlike some others that has done that this album still feels relevant to the genre. A lot of others feel old and obsolete in their sound when compared to newer albums that have evolved the genre. While dark and gloomy this album doesn't get me in a gloomy mood. I quite enjoy most of the songs. It is an album and genre that demands a certain state of mind to listen to though.

Starts off strong and diminishes fast

Too noisy for me

Pretty good, no stand outs, I know a few songs from the cure, none of them on this album

I love the cure and I love Robert Smith, but this one is a little too grungy for me :///

Darker, more depressed early Cure. Very atmospheric.

Need to relisten. Nice drony rock. Listened to first thing in the morning. Should be more of an evening listen.

No es mi disco favorito de The Cure, pero este se deja escuchar, incluso a pesar de lo opresivo que suele llegar a ser.

i've given a listen the cure a few times over the course of the last few months, and this album is their weakest... not to say it's bad, just alot of the similar sound, and when it's the sort of the like rock-ambience sort of music this album has, it gets a bit too much into the background. However, the songs on individual listen ARE BEAUTIFUL it's so immersive in little pockets and would be a cool vinyl to own as something for a backing vibe. this music wouldn't be in anything pornographic tho... fav song : The Figurehead

Wasn't too big of a Cure fan before this album, and while I'm still not, I can appreciate this as a good record. Overall, Pornography is alright... wait a minute! Fave Songs - One Hundred Years, The Figurehead, Cold

From the Cure that I have listened to prior with their hits (Boys Don't Cry, Friday I'm In Love and Just Like Heaven), it has a lot less variance and a bit more of a mellow edge. However, this album is very well produced and all the songs work well together.

This album is like listening to an existential crisis playout in real time. You can even tell the exact moment when the drugs shattered their brains - kinda liked it though.

Grundge- heavy use of the bass drum. Maybe a good getting ready for a date moment. Emo central with a touch of school of rock

Some good tunes in here, and it's nice enough for a background listen. I imagine this was quite the catchy album title back in the day.

Любой cure

wow, düster - warscheinlich habe ich The Cure erst nach diesem album richtig kennengelernt . alles in allem gefällt mir der drive von bass und schlagzeug und die stimme von Smith. aber, ehrlich: spätere werke gefallen mir mehr!

Bit too melancholic for me

I like the cure, this was more of the same

This was OK but Robert Smith still annoys the hell out of me.

Falls into solid 3 territory. Nothing exciting, but a decent listen.

I know their instruments aren’t out of tune, but if their instruments aren’t out of tune, then why do their instruments sound like they’re out of tune?

Haven't heard the album before. It's well-crafted but didn't resonate with me.

Not great - just a couple of things that I enjoyed listening to. I guess I am not a huge fan of gothic rock even if I thought that I liked The Cure.

This is the first goth album on this list that came up, so I'm happy for the variety. This album had a few songs that appeal to me in this time and place (A Short Term Effect, The Hanging Garden, A Strange Day). Otherwise, right now, I'd pick one of their less depressing and miserable albums.

Hanging Gardens is good, and there's one or two here that aren't too bad, but this is early dark Cure, to self obsessed and nihilistic to offer the artistry that later Cure delivered.

12/17/24. I'm not the biggest Cure guy but I can't deny how good they are. Very consistent songs and engaging.

No. 305/1001 One Hundred Years 3/5 A Short Term Effect 3/5 The Hanging Garden 3/5 Siamese Twins 3/5 The Figurehead 3/5 A Strange Day 3/5 Cold 3/5 Pornography 2/5 Average: 2,86 Not really a fan of their style. But this was alright to listen to.

Feels very repetitive

I’ve always thought of The Cure as a band that I like, but I’m very aware that the vast majority of the songs I know are the poppier tracks (A Forest being the only exception that comes to mind). This album didn’t have any songs that I recognised, so it was nice to hear the other side of them that I’d never really gotten round to before. It was a pleasant listen, but not anything that knocked my socks off. It’s kind of exactly what I expected it to be - like the stuff I already know, but less catchy. Not a bad album by any means, but I think I’d song listen to Friday I’m In Love over any tracks here.

Good album. Not as dark as I was hoping that it would be. I’m sure it was great at the time but it’s just not for me.

While not the example of The Cure's music I would select for this list, Pornography is a good representation of what the 80s Goth, Pop, melancholy synth pop sound was. 3/5

Now I’m sad

Not terrible.

I feel like I SHOULD like The Cure in theory. In practice, this music is just a bit too dreary for me. I’d probably learn to like it after a few listens, though.

This is the second Cure album I've gotten so far, after the brilliant and beautiful Disintegration. This one shares some elements with Disintegration and is unmistakably the Cure, but it lacks the same beauty and cohesion. Favorite: The Hanging Garden Least Favorite: Pornography

Okay.

I tried to take it seriously and I couldn’t get into it. So then I tried to treat it with the same indulgent affection that I’d treat a 13 year old cousin in his goth phase and I enjoyed it much more. It’s not a nuanced or comprehensive look at the human experience but it certainly captures a mood.

Pretty good. Definitely the Cure being the Cure. Not poppy or full of hits which is not a bad thing IMHO. If you like later Cure you might like this. If you don't, you surely won't. Three stars.

Freakcore

Interesting sound, alternative music for the 80’s, makes me want to listen to more albums from this band.

Suspiciously drum heavy effort from these pioneers of Scottish samba funk. I liked this better than the last Cure album we got, but still waiting for the really good stuff. 3.65

There are 3 albums from The Cure on this list, and that already feels a little like overkill, but I’d definitely trade this one or Seventeen Seconds for Wish in a heartbeat. I guess I understand why this is on the list, and it’s not terrible, but I feel like there are better albums from The Cure than this. But, I mean, rating the list as it is, this one is middling. “A Strange Day” and “Pornography” were pretty good. Nothing else really stood out. Overall this was fine.

I wanted to like this so much.. Especially since it really kinda feels like a sibling album to what Siouxsie & The Banshees were doing at the time. Although there are striking elements I can point out as sounding cool (especially the guitar work), there's an overall drone to the album that didn't really doo much for me. Also Roberts perpetually whining singing which has always been a problem for me, I think work with the droning, but is not something I really care to listen to. (6.7) ★★★

Creo que tienen mejores discos y mejores canciones. ¿Por qué está aquí? La verdad es que el sonido me ha parecido como arquetípico del sonido "siniestro", las percusiones, los teclados, etc. En ese aspectos es una buenas muestra. Me guardo «The Hanging Garden» y «A Strange Day».

Ok. Mjög sundurlaus hlustun af minni hálfu. En góðir sprettir og tengsl við gleðisveitina. Ég get ekki farið hærra en 3,5.

I wasn't familiar with this Cure album - I respect the intention and the sound they acheived

One Hundred Years 3 A Short Term Effect 3.1 The Hanging Garden 3.2 Siamese Twins 3 The Figurehead 3.1 A Strange Day 3.3 Cold 3.2 Pornography 3 Score: 3.1125

Disintegration is better

Very Cure.

#75 - It didn't speak to me but I feel it has the potential to do so after a few more listens.

I understand why this was not one of my faves growing up. Not an easy record. Not so much depressing as just dark and a bit difficult. Save maybe The Hanging Garden - nothing ventures anywhere near the pop sensibilities that shine through on pretty much every Cure album. But I understand this as a valuable building block for where they were headed. The bears - an underappreciated aspect of the band - are generally excellent if a bit menacing. They guitars are bigger. Just not one to pull out too often.

not my favorite Cure album. maybe a 3 tops

La depressione c’è tutta ma onestamente mi ha un po’ annoiato. Le canzoni draggano e capisco che nel contesto oscuro la cosa ha senso, però mi aspettavo di più. The Cure, sono certo che ci rivedrete più avanti, io sarò pronto a darvi un’altra chance

It started good but didn't like it after a certain point

I can appreciate that this album impacted music and that the Cure is a well known band. Overall I thought it was an okay album. There are definitely worse albums we have gotten as well as much better ones. Probably a 2.5 with half stars.

Enjoyed. Nothing to write home about, though.

I like elements of this album, but as with Disintegration it is quite oppressive overall and does wear on you over time. I do really like the oppressive, droney opening on this. It really sets the mood. Some of the guitars feel like they're actually dripping in sorrow, and the atmospheric drums and moody vocal echoes work really well also. But then it does just become a drag over time. His singing in particular is quite one-note. This is the kind of album that you should probably listen to as a whole, but then so much in one go is also quite hard work. By the end you realise you've hunched all the way over as this album has been weighing on you for the past 43 minutes.

Fine - dark driving vibe. Never really makes anything happen though.

I enjoyed this album, I am not a huge cure fan but have listened to this a few times in the past.

i am of the opinion this is a step back in The Cure's progression...a stab at darkness they wouldn't reconcile with their knack for shiny melodies until Disintegration (and x100 in the 90s)...so like, it's okay ig 6/10

kind of one note

Not my favorite, but I do like the band

I love the cure and this is an album I've tried to listen to a few times previously but this is a hard listen.

I dig the gloomy Soundwave of this but after a while it all sound the same.

The Hanging Garden

As a Smiths fan, I tried to dig The Cure. But be it Disintegration, Wish, and well, Pornography, it all sounded the same: dreary and soulless.

You’re a gothic rock band in the 1980’s, about to open your fourth album. How to make your audience know you still mean business? Opt for the opening line of “It doesn’t matter if we all die”, and follow it up with forty-odd minutes of gloom from the void. The result is either completely perfect or utterly tedious, depending on one’s feelings towards The Cure and all they represent. “Pornography” supposedly represents the final album in the band’s first phase, before bassist Simon Gallup departed and they began to churn out excellent pop-rock-goth classics like “The Lovecats”, “Inbetween Days”, “Just Like Heaven”, “Close to Me”, “Pictures of You”, “Lovesong”, etc. etc. There’s nothing so accessible on “Pornography”: lead single “The Hanging Gardens” is a thunderstorm of toms, ultra-flangey guitars and cryptically bleak lyrics (in Smith’s words, “something about the purity and hate of animals fucking”.) In all likelihood, they just went with the track with the highest BPM. Incongruous single aside, “Pornography” is a series of dreary dreamlike images. Death, despair, doom, hopelessness, rendered in real-time by Smith’s perfectly suited vocal. The lyrics are strong in their own impressionistic way, but it’s the music which really helps them get under the skin. Heavy reverse delay, gated drums, ringing drones and tones, relentless basslines, flange and flange and flange on the guitars. It’s top marks for atmosphere, but less so for the songs: all too often the lyrics, performances and definition are lost in extensive reverb. This is partly the point: in Smith’s own words, they wanted to emulate the sound of “Phil Spector in Hell”, an idea we can all get behind for more reasons than one. For me, the two songs which emerge as the strongest are “A Strange Day” and “Cold”, because they feel the most vast in scope (huge sound! Huge chorus!). While the rest doesn’t always move me, I can appreciate the band had a vision here, and went hell-for-leather in committing to it. If it doesn’t matter that we all die, it certainly doesn’t matter that I’m going to rate this perhaps less than it deserves.

i listened to this a couple times but could never form a definite opinion. it's nice to listen to, i guess

Didn’t really get into it. Nothing stood out to me.

Cool sounds and very menacing, would probs not listen again tho

I do love the Cure, this album was average though

Pretty good

Love the Cure. But this isn’t my favorite. Definitely dark and gloomy. A few stand outs. 3.5

Like their later stuff better

Pornography was the album I left out back in the days. I had Faith and The Top, but for some, now unknown reason, not Pornography. I remember The Hanging Garden, but the rest of the album sounds now a bit repetitive. I know that the older albums featured a similar problem and were in parts equally dark and depressing, so this should come as no surprise.

Cool

i had a good time