Pornography

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

The Cure has many great songs but the collection here starts to similar and stays this way.

The style of this one just washes over me. A template for 'thing that was kinda cool from the 80s but doesn't do much for you'. The chorus effects etc. on everything sounds like hedging bets, though I know that sound is a very intentional choice. I think the Cure's reputation as the cool alternative band of the 80s put me off of discovering the music I really like in my teens. Thought there was something in the air that produced that 80s pop sound. music: hated. (⌐■_■)

Just like the last one by the Cure, I liked this quite a lot. There’s something earnest and touching about the over commitment to being a spooky weirdo, I think the knowledge that Robert Smith is still Like That really goes a long way for me.

dark and gloomy. robert smith’s signature vocals and the catchy bass lines make this album a very listenable experience.

I like the Cure but this sounded kinda stock compared to their other, later, more polished stuff.

Second Cure album on this list so far (seventeen seconds was the first). I don't think either one was special in the least.

First half 3 stars, maybe 2.5. Second half 4

Nothing stood out to me. Ok as background music while I worked.

I think the only thing that kept me from being Goth in college was the music.

Okay The Cure! Okay spooky scary skeleton opening to “One Hundred Years”! I think my problem with the cure is a lot of their songs do tend to sound the same.. but some of them are really good! I just haven’t heard the ones on this album. I like the guitar solo in “A Strange Day.” This is tough because I just let this one wash over me and wasn’t very into it… feels illegal to rank The Cure at 3 but… here we go.

This isn't something I'd seek out. It's a bit dark and not especially my kind of thing but this was alright. I'm thinking a 2.5/5 but I'll round up to a 3.

OK album. This has the dark, moodiness of The Cure but with less of the poppy-ness. I'm not a diehard fan (but I loved Disintegration), so this album does not resonate as much with me. The music is always interesting nonetheless. ***

good music for the suicidal probably personally not suicidal yet but i guess it was alright 2.9/5

You know, I think I’m at a 3.5 that I just can’t round up. This album is ultimately good; in terms of the soundscape, it achieves the atmosphere it was looking for throughout, it has a decent progression in its lyrics from start to finish, and vocally, I think it does just enough for me to feel the intended emotion throughout the whole record. I just wasn’t that into it. For everything this album does right, I just think the overall vision here doesn’t align with my musical tastes as much as I would’ve liked. That’s a bit selfish to say, yes, but it’s just kind of how I feel. I think the overall structure of the album is a bit loose; there are songs where the soundscape could’ve been tightened up a bit more for me, with a lot of empty little gaps of nothing but the drums and guitar that slowly add up to me in a way that doesn’t make the album experience feel great. I think lyrically, while it gets the progression right, a lot of what’s here is remarkably abstract, and feels very stream of consciousness in a way that diminishes the potent storytelling potential that every song kicks off with – every single intro on this album is fantastic at setting a tone and an atmosphere, but it never managed to keep me hooked from start to finish on most songs until the back half of the album began. Even then, those songs suffer deeply from “first minute is the whole song” in terms of their soundscapes. Vocally… yeah, it could’ve just been better. It feels very spoken word-y throughout, and it kills me, because I can feel moments where the melodies are right there for him to take advantage of and hook onto, but he just never grabs them as tightly as he could have. I really do like this album, but it’s dripping with unmet potential to me. It’s right on the edge of a 4, and with some real outside presence to commercially sort of clean up the rougher edges of the album, I really do think this could’ve hit as high as a 5 for me… but that’s for me. I can easily recognize that this style, the way it is now, is gonna absolutely connect to someone better than it did for me. It just wasn’t fully there for my tastes, so I’m gonna disappointingly give this album a 3.

What does it mean if it made me smile?

The things I’d go to be a scene kid in the 80’s. Holy banger opener. What a fucking atmosphere and mood to set right off the rip. I definitely think it should have been shorter, but fire none the less. This is as just as haunting and depressing of an album as I was expecting. Super goth and emo, and I’m guessing this album was a trailblazer for that sound when it came out in 82. Far from the best I’ve heard of the cure thus far, but I fucking love this band. Cold is still one of my favorite tracks by them, and I loved Strange Day and Siamese Twins as well. Solid 6.5/10.

The Cure at their spookiest yet. They were experimenting for a depressing sound, and this is a bit too dark for me. The vocals take a backseat to the drone of the guitar and Bass unlike how lead with guitars as time went on. Robert Smith sings more like a poet here than an actually singer. between a 3-4

pne juandred years. er singt schono geil. ich kenn glaub keis lied uf dem album. ultra darke scheiss. geil. aber gad chli sehr depri. a short term effect sehr moody d gitarre schwimmt sochli imne teppich ume. hanging garden isch sehr cool mega flanger überall aber da ganze isch seeehr "mir gohts scheisse" musig. bin gad bi the figurehead und ich checks immerno aber han gad nöd sone gueti ziit? gohts mir au scheisse ?? aso song slappt. pornography isch au meh verstörend als irgendwie cool. weiss gad nöd wasi söll mit dem album afange.

3.5

This album has a much more dark and sinister feel than the Cure songs I’m familiar with. Subtly complex, decent hooks. Songs blended together a bit, didn’t really love the drum sound with the echo, made everything feel much muddier than it really was. 3.25/5

I feel better now.

- Difficult for me to separate The Cure away from the vibe of their biggest pop hits, especially with the distinct nature of Robert Smith's voice. I appreciate the dark sentiment of this album, but his vocals often take me out of it. - "The Hanging Garden" and "Siamese Twins" both stand out, especially with the heaviness of the bass and percussion. I believe the latter to be the best track. - "Pornography," the final track is an interesting, avante-garde mood piece.

I like the cure, but it turns out it's their poppier, later stuff. This was fine. Like a less tuneful Joy Division.

Could listen to again

I like the Cure, overall, but nothing really wowed me here. except - it was my 200th album

Decent album. I just don't like The Cure. 3/5

This is so emo. My anguished fourteen-year-old inner poet is like, "Dude. A little much." Depression is a hell of a thing. Proto-emo, though. Hence, we are listening to it now. I'm imagining a post *this* the Cure fan going back into the back catalog and landing on the title track and my same inner fourteen-year-old is giggling uncontrollably.

I need to listen to more Cure from this period to really appreciate it I think.

Not my favourite Cure album, but still decent

3/5. Pretty average. It didn't do anything good or bad enough to gain or lose any points. *shrugs*

For all the great Cure songs and albums that contain them, this seems a curious choice to pick out of the group. The album sets a mood, but the songwriting is lackluster, IMO. More like soundscapes. Not a huge fan of the drum sounds (is that a live drummer?).

Not my favourite Cure. Did appreciate the atmosphere

not my fav cure but it's good

Gawd, The Cure do self-loathing well, don’t they? I appreciate this, but do not wish to spend any appreciable length of time with it… Hmm…never thought about this before today, but The XX do owe Smith + Co a moral debt (ie, non -enforceable but nevertheless very real)

FINALLY CAUGHT UP AND I GET THE CURE LFG! never heard this before, at least i dont think.

Always had a bit of trouble understanding the greatness of The Cure... this album didn't change that feeling. Pretty bland overall, no song that stood out and grabbed me really. Hope they have more exciting albums than this on the list!

Great 90’s band. Some great songs. This album, not my favorite.

Was ok with some highlights here and there. 3.5/5

Enjoyed the listen, didn't save any tracks though. A little angsty for my taste but like the cure overall.

Rock gótico de The Cure. Ningún megahit. Ni fu ni fa.

Bien. Sin más.

Sama biisi 8 kertaa, mutta koska pidän tästä tunnelmasta, ei haittaa. Ja näissä biiseissä ei ole pelkkää introa, nehän ovat suorastaan oikeita biisejä! Kynttilät palamaan ja punaviini lasiin. Hittivetoavuutta ei kuitenkaan ole, pudottaa yhden tähden.

Entristece un poco el rock siniestro de esta epoca. He envejecido mal.

It drones on... there's not really a catchy tune on this LP for me. I prefer the bigger singles myself, one for the die-hard fans!

I enjoy the sound of this album overall, and the atmosphere it creates, but it doesn't have the magic that Disintegration has. Apart from One Hundred Years and The Hanging Gardens, no real standout tracks for me.

moody dark pastel 80s with moody reverb synth drones. some great ideas, but it kind of all blends together

I liked it

Managed to listen to it—I noticed it was another love or hate selection. I think it sounds like a group of talented lads going thru a sordid phase. Decidedly meh.

This era of the Cure sort of bores me. Very few songs have hooks, and rely more on droning synths, creating a dreary sense of dread. It's repetitive and dark and sad. This is the type of music that should be up my alley, but is more "cool" than enjoyable.

Didn’t see the need for another Cure record. Never heard this one so it was good to listen to it. It’s fine, wouldn’t come back to this one.

A more-or-less one-note trance diving deeper into the depths of depression. Good background music for shooting up, probably. 3/5

A dark, gloomy take on 80's rock, gothic and brooding in it's instrumentation and lyrics. Drums are relentlessly pounding, with lots of eighth-note tom/snare grooves. Bass is dark and picked, guitar is saturated in chorus and overdrive, and synths are 80's and MIDI. The band is almost into New Wave, but still too moody and glum for proper pop. Vocals are whiny and emotional, and lyrics are pretty dark. This album felt very one-note to me, good at what it did but relentless and repetitive in the execution. Stand out tracks include "The Hanging Garden", "The Figurehead", and "Cold".

Loved it.

Unsettling and desparate, but well done. Stand-out: A Strange Day

2.9

Thought it sounded a bit of a mess…

Good album, not amazing. Standout songs: The Hanging Garden A Strange Day

A couple weeks ago, we got that Dinosaur Jr. album with a cover of the Cure's "Just Like Heaven," and it reminded me that Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me isn't on this list. This album is, however, and I think it's the third and final Cure project. This one's alright, only a couple tracks that really grabbed me. I would most certainly hot-swap this album out for Kiss Me, off the strength of one song alone. I like the Cure when they're more in that dreamy, lovelorn bag. This one strikes me as more angsty; not a bad thing, but not my preference as far as their catalog goes. Favorite tracks: The Hanging Garden, The Figurehead. Album art: Really cool, warped image of the band. Looking like some zombies from Carnival of Souls. Definitely a banger. 3/5

british rock. not my thing

Cured my vivacity and lust for life. Title track was quite good. Three nooses out of five.

Now I know from whom the russian bands Kino and Agatha Christie and, for example, Marilyn Manson were inspired. Helplessly gloomy and melancholy with semi-synthetic drums. Row sound and declamation at about the same voice pitch. It's fun to listen to this album to understand how the Cure influenced future generations of musicians and how reflections of their style evolved in their followers.

Poor production quality

Enjoyable listen, nice flow, but nothing stood out to me

Early album, but still the Cure sound.

Enjoyed it, maybe closer to a 3.5

+dark vibe +temaattinen -matala energinen

Did not like...no more words needed.

Again not my thing. Songs sounded mostly the same. Some great drum and base work.

Redundant but classic moody dark Cure with some good beats.

My guess is that in further listening this will be rated higher by me. However, on the first experience, while I enjoyed this quite a bit there were no standout songs. I love The Cure and Joy Division but I admit I’m not a deep fan who knows their entire catalogue and B-sides. I just know the hits. So that’s a long way of saying I enjoyed this a lot but I’m not in love with it. At least not yet. But I will be returning to it. Especially when I’m in need of existential dread. 3.5/5

Moody and broody, just like one would expect from the Cure. 3.5 stars.

This is OK I guess - hard to tell, really, as it left absolutely no impression on me whatsoever

2.5. Love The Cure, but this album just lacks the heavy heavy hittas suckaaa

Whole album blended together into one song, but it was a good song

This isn’t The Cure’s best work, in my opinion. It was a good transition album into their more experimental stuff. It was certainly experimental enough, but they hadn’t yet perfected the art of also making the songs listenable. They’re not atrocious by any means, but the whole thing can get tedious after a while. I can enjoy it if I force myself to, but I shouldn’t need to do that. 3/5

This album took me a while to get into. But The Figurehead and a Strange Day were both pretty good. The cool synth was the best part of the album I definitely liked Disintegration from early in this list more than this album. Probably a low end 3

At first it was kinda dull. But then it transformed into something more pleasureable for my personal taste. Overall not bad at all. I dig it. At the moments it reminded me of The Clash. 3.5/5.

I've only really listened to disintegration by the Cure, and I really like it. This album starts off a bit slow for me, but eventually catches up, kind of. Still finding myself a bit bored with the whole thing.

Baia som e tals característico da banda, bgl mais obscuro

I don’t like the cure

This was never going to be my jam. The Cure are the TryHard poster child of the '80s. Their pseudo goth, soft rock vibe just doesn't move the needle for me. That said, listening with an open mind, I found that there was actually a lot to enjoy here. A lot more than I expected, at least. The music is layered and nuanced, the lyrics aren't as goofy as I remember them being, and, once you get used to it, dude's voice isn't SO bad. Chalk this one up as another surprise on the list for me.

Angry early cure. Less poppy pretty cool

Extension of Joy Division, but interestingly varies from their pop output.

Gloomy but has favourites in Hundred Years and Hanging Gardens. Good.

Apparently, when debating writing these songs or committing suicide Robert Smith chose the former. Dark & brooding, with muddy production, it’s a real Goth classic and spawned generations of big hair. There’s not a lot of variability in the sound but I guess that’s the way he wanted it.

The Cure is perhaps the best post-punk band to emerge from the 70s. Their first 4 albums were decidedly very goth but you could hear hints of the greatness that was to come. Pornography, their 4th album before they adopted a more poppy sound is fine, but it's not quite a Great Cure album. Robert Smith describes the sound as "Phil Spector in hell" and I think that's very apt. This album is solid, but its not their best. A few albums later they will put out some of the most insanely catchy and danceable riffs ever!

Under the radar Cure album that's worth a listen, but perhaps not repeatedly

Not my favourite of theirs but really gets that angsty feeling and atmosphere just right

Cool drums

not bad but didn’t do a lot for me

Great album but very hard to listen to Robert Smith's vocals for a long period of time. His voice is too high pinch for me. The song The Figure Head is great.

A very dark Cure album

i would say i had an alright time listening to this one. it wasn't my favorite, and nothing really stood out to me. i'm not really a fan of all the noise, that was sort of unpleasant. just not really something i would ordinarily listen to and something i'm not sure i'll really come back to.

Very gothic, but also not very exciting. Dislike the vocals.

The Cure is one of those bands that I’ve liked everything I’ve heard from them, but never really got around to properly checking out. This album, simply put, is cool. It makes me want to put on a long, black coat and sunglasses and mysteriously walk around the city. I particularly like the opening track “One Hundred Years,” “Strange Days,” and my favorite, “Cold.” The Cure has such a distinct sound that they really have mastered in this album. That being said, it can get just a bit one-toned at points, particularly around the middle.

Another album I imagined would have been better. Masters of the mope but maybe I’m just note in the market for moping.

Dans les années 80, l'IMD (indice moyen de débilité) était si haut qu'il faisait passer The Cure pour des génies. Des études récentes ont montré qu'ils étaient simplement moins débiles que les autres. Encore un mythe qui s'effondre grâce aux progrès de la science, un peu à la manière de la saignée thérapeutique, qui prétendait que la saignée du patient pouvait guérir diverses affections. Il n'en est rien.

Un album a la qualité aussi hasardeuse que la coiffure du chanteur de The Cure.

I love the sound of this record (the pounding heavy drum beats, the deep bass, the haunting vocals) but the songs themselves weren’t that great? If better Cure songs were put out with this production style that would be my favorite record of theirs. Instead this is a decent enough listen.

It’s interesting, but doesn’t do a whole lot for me. Overall I’m glad I listened, but I don’t think I’ll revisit it

I liked the music, but Robert Smith singing style is too whiny.

This is the kind of album that I am just not so sure about. Like I don't hate it but I don't know if I like it. It def interesting with the instruments but I think I will have to listen to this a bit more to know if I like it or not.

Good, but no songs really stand out. There are better Cure albums like Seventeen Seconds, in my opinion.

Some songs are boring and some even annoying.

I don't think I'm misunderstood enough for this, it was ok but not for me really, didn't hate it.

Well, ok.

not my favorite cure album

Wow, two Cure albums in a couple of weeks. This one was decent but didn't really blow me away like the last one I rated. I guess they got better over time. This one just kind of felt slow and less interesting

It was an 80s Cure album. I don't think I was familiar with any of the songs. It was alright but I probably won't listen to it again. I suppose I will round up.

Boss, what was that last track all about?

I listened to this band a lot starting in the mid-80s, so probably an album or two after this one, and I don't think I'd heard any of these songs before. This being their fourth studio album, released in 1982, is a good reminder to me how long and varied this band's history really is. Even though personnel changed often, and the band's sound became more upbeat and New Wave-y after this album, it still very much sounds like The Cure, mostly (entirely?) due to Robert Smith, who to me is a genuinely interesting and innovative musician, composer, writer, and performer. And, of course, he has that signature distinct vocal delivery of his that to my ear is instantly recognizable. I like this album, and I'm glad it showed up today. It's dark and brooding and I know from what I've read that the band's in-fighting and drug use, plus Robert Smith's depression, weighed heavily on the band as they made this album. It's a bit much at times but that doesn't surprise me. It's not the kind of album I think I'll listen to in full again but, as mentioned, I'm glad I did.

Topzwaar, maar wel indrukwekkend

Ik kan The Cure erg waarderen, maar op deze plaat was werkelijk geen enkel zonnestraaltje te herkennen.

I listened to this walking home from the doctor in a lot of pain, and this was just a misery compiler. Obviously very good, but I was unable to give it a proper chance

A great band but for me this is one of the more challenging records. A bleak, moody and dark album which confirmed the bands goth king status.

Ok

Enjoyable enough.

2.5

Mooooody

I consider myself a fan of the Cure, but I barely even knew this album existed. It contains three songs that are considered in the top 50 songs by cure: The Figurehead, The Hanging Garden and One Hundred Years. None of these songs are familiar to me. So, I am taking back my 'fan' status. A real fan would know this stuff! The Cure has a great sound. Very unique. I am shocked that this album is on the list but, Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me isn't! Standouts: The Figurehead, The Hanging Garden, One Hundred Years. 3/5

It was cool, I can see why some people enjoy it but not really for me. Lotta noise, and songs sounds pretentious. Similar to the smiths, but I liked that one better.

Was a pretty good listen but nothing stood out

Growing on me

Didn't dislike any of the songs but nothing stood out to me at the same time.

Epitome of a 3: I didn’t dislike anything, but there wasn’t anything special to it either. On a side note, I think it would be so fun and chaotic if we could reply to reviews. I think all of us have additional reactions and thoughts on our fellow collaborators’ reviews that we’d like to get off our chest. This is mostly so I can defend myself against Adam for such damning accusations. Regardless, a little harmless discourse never hurt anyone.

This was good, but not great. I got pretty bored of the style after a while.

One of my wife favorite bands and I have grown to really like their vibe.

I like the Cure. All of the songs kinda sound the same to me though, like they have a very specific vibe in every track

Not bad but not my thing either

Well this is a HAPPY HAPPY JOY JOY album. It makes quote a statement from start to finish with a big old sound. The rolling drums are a little dimensional and haven't aged well. On the other end of the scale is Bob's voice - this hasn't changed one bit in almost 40 years. What a trooper.

Having grown to appreciate then really enjoy The Cure over the past decade I was excited for this one but it's a bit tougher to (initially) really sink into. e.g. I love "Disintegration" and also liked their very early "Seventeen Seconds" (after some time) - this one falls between them chronologically and it's got that haunting Cure sound but I've had trouble connecting with most of the songs. Notable exception: "A Strange Day" which is great; notably the guitar work. Am going with *this is a feel* record which works, but it might take some time to really enjoy this one on a different level. Having said that, a lot of albums that become all-timers for me are hard to digest at first so i'm going with a 3 thinking it could grow on me... 6/10 3 stars

Like this

Arguably quite a one-note album, enjoyable songs on here but they are all too similar

It is nice album, an early cure, quite noisy

Rock gótico de The Cure. Ningún megahit. Ni fu ni fa.

pas à leur prime

Goth Rock.

I just can't do it. I can't give this album more than a 3. Part of me really wishes I gave Disintegration a higher score because it's definitely the best of the 3 Cure albums on this list so far. I'm not sure what is that different from Seventeen Seconds. It's gloomy and it's brooding, which is cool and all. But not groundbreaking or extraordinary as far as I can tell.

Took me a bit to get into this one but I ended up liking it.

This was derided when released. That was harsh, although it is not the best Cure disc to start with. Assuming one Cure disc for the list, this would not be my choice (for me it would be Disintegration). However, it is a good, if not great listen. Points off for the muddy production though.

Quite a saga of songs in this one, not sure it's super memorable though. Overall I would listen to again and it makes me want to hear more by them

Ahh. The original teen-angst music. As someone who went through the phase hard in the 00’s, I can hear many stylings that have probably been used countless times, by any number of soul-searching emo and pop-punk bands. I can definitely hear the influence in Blink 182s music from how Tom and Robert both sing. As to how this music speaks to me personally, I can’t deny it’s a solid album. However, it tends to drone on for more than I would care to re-spin this album. I can appreciate the lyrics dripping with sadness and melancholy and the simple guitar, keys, and drum beats that convey the emotion of the tracks. Although, this music doesn’t necessarily resonate with me as much as I would believe it would. I enjoy many Cure songs, but this album is ultimately not the poppy Cure that I’m used to. Perhaps it could grow on me.

this is like 3.5

Sometimes with these 80's post-punk bands, I feel like I'd enjoy the music more if I was a little high in a dimly lit concert venue, watching the band perform live. It's a bit gloomy for my everyday listening. I need to be in a space where I can be immersed in and surrounded by the music. We've had two other Cure albums so far and sometimes I think they focus more on mood and energy than songwriting. But what a mood!

3.5

3.5

The figurehead is my favorite track

The world is ending. The is an album about how the world is ending.

I really wanted to love this album, since The Cure is one of those bands I’ve meant to check out more for years. Unfortunately this one was a bit of a chore to listen to, just a bit too repetitive and monotonous. Most songs start out well and have potential but don’t seem to go where I want them to… A couple too many times I found myself waiting for the song to end half way through. This is a pretty generous 3.

Every song is the same minor key, depressing kind of drone. That's what they were going for. Not particularly happy music but a few tracks were ok

Bien. Sin más.

This is some new wave I can get behind to lol. It’s weird but not bad

Kind of spooky, kind of depressing