Reviews (page 9 of 12)
I generally like The Cure. Didn't care too much for this one.
I appreciate, but struggle to enjoy this album. Love the Cure a few years later.
there are so many better Cure Albums.
Mjög þunglyndislegt. Ekki leiðinlegt samt.
I like the The Cure, but was kinda unable to really get into this album. More 2 1/2 than 3. Might need to give it another try in the future..
There's some things by The Cure I love. This is not one of those things
Lyrics sort of pass me by and so this really just sounded like "The Cure have a bad day and are really quite upset about it".
Cool, but a little eerie for everyday listening.
Grumpy mopey grungy goths, an influence on a bunch of bands I like, but a bit dark and one paced for me. Having said that, I would probably have loved it if I was 16 when it came out.
I did not like this one as much as Seventeen Seconds. This was was a little too moody, too dark, and too depressing. Some good soundscapes in here, though.
3 Another early Cure album, and while this one doesn’t feel quite as grandiose or as new-wavey as their later stuff, it’s definitely more musically elaborate, keyboard-heavy, and possibly even moodier than Seventeen Seconds. That being said, it’s very same-y, and as a whole I feel like it has less personality to it. While I thought 17S did a good job of building atmosphere, this one felt a bit more like a wall of doomy sound. And while I enjoy that doomy sound, it doesn’t provide much to dig into - so pretty mid album overall. Don’t feel like I have any favorites or comments on any of the particular tracks.
It’s ok
I like The Cure but I'm more of a "love cats" girl. Pornography is not my headspace. I can appreciate it as a work of art, which I think it is, but not especially enjoy it or vibe with it.
Not a huge cure fan, but okay
This makes me wanna wear eyeliner and hate the world. They definitely took some inspiration from Joy Division for this record. Good stuff.
Carefully and patiently arranged tracks. Over the top vocals. Desolate sound reminding of Joy Division.
spox
É um álbum.
This was the first album I ever heard from The Cure. It's not there best album in my personal opinion but it is really good.
넘찡찡
strange
Yeah pretty cool, wasn't a focused listen tbh. There is potential
not my type
Pop-rock con buenas canciones y buen ritmo. Excelente voz y melodías conseguidas. Algunos temas, un tanto oscuros
This was okay, but a bit one-paced and not a patch on subsequent albums, especially disintegration
Moeilijk. Atmosfeer is goed, alleen de zanger mag wat minder zeurderig imo.
meh
3.8/5
typical Cure joie de vivre
Love The Cure, some good tracks, it's good.
Okay mellow dreary album, voice is very monotone
I like their greatest hits but his voice is a bit annoying here
What’s the cure for The Cure? Just kidding. I don’t hate this band, I just never really got into them. This album is good, but I can’t bring myself to care that much.
Like Belle and Sebastian, I can only take so much early Cure stuff. Never listened to this one. Probably won’t again. But still give it 3 stars because it’s fine, just more of the same sound that I tire of quickly.
Is there an echo in here? (No, not Echo & The Bunnymen, who are not as good as The Cure.) (And also not the echo of Robert Smith's vocals.) What echoes oddly is the shared conclusion among much of the group that a little bit of The Cure is frequently better than we expect, and too much of The Cure threatens to ruin it all. As with the various Covid vaccines and boosters for different age groups, The Cure is all about finding the right dosage.
When I first start listening to a Cure album I think "Oh, I really like the Cure!" but I tire of it around 2/3 of the way through the album.
What are The Cure a cure for? Hmmm…minimal digging on Wikipedia did not turn up an answer. The melancholy was clear even without reading this album is goth rock. Digging through my history, it seems they are a cure for goth rock bands fronted by terrible vocalists (Joy Division + Siouxsie and the Banshees). I’m not enamored by The Cure, but I respect the craft.
Its the cure
Usually a fan of The Cure, but I was not familiar with any of these songs.
I like The Cure.
The album that defined a genre. A solid album that just doesn't connect well with me.
All the songs sound the same, but it's a great song! "Charlotte Sometimes" and "The Hanging Garden" are probably the best examples, both on the singles collection.
I need a cure for how mid these albums are
tracks are a little long for what they offer. instrumentation was deliciously sparse on some songs. good stuff, not sure I'll be coming back to this particular album, though.
This album is an interesting one because I don't really have many problems with it, and I found myself moderately enjoying it. But it also doesn't really move me much either. Favorite track: A Strange Day
long moody tunes with haunting guitars and violent drumming. The final track, pornography, is the highlight of this album as it slaps. I just wished all the other songs on this album reached that level of excitement and unease.
Robert Smith is probably about the peak of this kind of youth-angst ethos with the high-melodrama vocal delivery. This era of the Cure is a little too relentlessly woe-is-me for my tastes. Fair enough for early twenties I guess, but I prefer the later stuff where it gets leavened by a little lightness and pop.
5 stars for the atmosphere, minus 2 for everything else.
Enjoyed the atmosphere, but the songs didn't really stand out from one another.
3/5 Best song: Siamese Twins
I really liked The Hanging Garden. The album was interesting, but didn't leave a strong impression
Just not in the mood for it I guess
I actually didn't hate this. The title track was... different, but not necessarily in a bad way. And even though I was bracing myself for a lot of experimental white noise on the subsequent tracks, I was pleasantly surprised at the number of actually jammable beats.
I might be becoming a Cure fan. Time to buy some black lipstick.
No significant comment.
Best Cure album
I can understand why this album is lauded, but ultimately I find this very boring. Like, I'm sure it was innovative and fascinating back in the day, and perhaps it is my limited attention span for longer, less frenetic pieces, but this just didn't hit for me. Long and slow, apathetic sadness is portrayed well, but like a lot of pieces, it just doesn't resonate. One of those pieces where I think "this is good, not my thing."
Cannot touch me, seems not my style.
des belles compositions dark, mais robert smith c'est une voix qui me fatigue un peu
Dark.
I like it but not something I'll actively seek out again
Haven't actually listened to much from The Cure, but I had an idea how they would sound. Better than I was expecting and found it was a fine listen. Pretty much the standard for "goth rock" and they have a very dated 80's sound.
Some pretty cool songs, some pretty boring ones. The dark goth aesthetic is pretty cool, it’s probably their darkest album Favorite songs were The Figurehead and Cold
It was fine. I thought I’d like it more than I actually did. Somewhat repetitive. Maybe I should try giving it another listen.
Really solid album. Probably won’t listen again but I enjoyed it a lot.
I’m a ‘best of’ listener of the cure and none of these made that album. Not quite sure why this album made it when they’ve done so much better.
Not my favourite the cure album but not bad.
Like the previous Cure album. I quite like the effect and the aura but I couldn't pick out a single song... weird.
Interesting, and I'd never listened to The Cure beyond the radio, but not. something I'll listen to every day.
Very edgy very cool
I was living in the UK in 1982 and dark, synthy, goth sound of The Cure was the antidote to the brit pop hits of Dexy's Midnight Runners , Human League and Bucks Fizz we all needed. Sure, you probably had to be in a dark room, sprawled on a sofa with some neon sign blinking just outside your windows, to fully appreciate it but hey all hail Robert Smith
J’ai découvert tard The Cure et j’aime de plus en plus. Les textures sonores sont superbes. Les effets sur la voix dans A Short Term Effect sont intéressants. La sonorité et la place laissée à la basse aussi est vraiment cool. J’aime le côté dark sur la pièce Cold créé par la prise de son du drum et la synthbass. Pas le plus accessible des albums, mais peut-être le plus dark. C’est authentique et original pour l’époque. J’aime bien.
Spooky as always
The Cure is always good but I'm starting to think they're rarely great. 4 albums and counting on this list! Wild.
Neh
Bit hard to access on first listen. Might try again...
It's okay, not a huge fan of the Cure anyway, but struggled to find much to come back to.
Try Disintegration, it is better!
Ehhh it's fine. Really middle of the road stuff. Don't really remember much about it.
Pretty good. Not compelling, but I'm not really a Cure guy.
I’m supposed to love it. I didn’t.
Some standard Cure, Rob is in good voice.
I wanted to rate this higher, there were great moments on this album, but it just didn't come together for me as a whole.
Kolejny Curowy pick na liscie, tym razem legendarna pornografia z 82, ktora jest czwartym studyjnym krazkiem bandy, nagrwany w ekskluzywnym skladzie trzech czlonkow pana Smith, czyli wokali i gitary, Gallupa na basie oraz Lola Tolhursta jako drumera, dodatkowo kazdy z nich jest zcreditowany na klawiszach, ktorych sie troche przewija na plycie, klawisze o odcieniu dosc synthowym, ale podane w curowym stylu, wiec ciezko, mrocznie i gotikowo, bo chyba na tym albumie najbardziej uchwycili te atmosfere rozpaczy i doomerskiej milosci, bo liryka jest tak luzna, ze interpretowac mozna ja jak czlowiekowi pasuje, ale najczestszym skojarzeniem jest rozpacz milosna, co jeszcze mocno rzuca sie w uszy sluchajac plyty to robota jaka odwalil pan Lolo z swoimi drumami, ktore stanowia kanwe dla reszty zespolu, od stukania trumnowego z otwierajacego one hundred years po bizzarne rytmy z strange days bedzie to najbardziej zapadajacy w pamiec element tego odsluchu, bo mimo ze gra on tak rowno nie nudzi sie przez cale 43 minut trwania krazka, nie sadzilem rowniez ze az tak roznic beda sie ich kolejne picki listowe, a tu jeszcze nie ma okresu najbardziej mainstreamowych albumow, gdzie juz synthowe brzmienia poszly calkowicie po kablach, pornografia jest chyba najbardziej rokowym, ale nadal gotikowym albumem jaki do tej pory od nich slyszalem, nie jest az tak przepelniony kontentem jak disintegration, nie jest rowniez tak nowo falowy jak seventeen seconds, zmiana priorytetow w instruemntalu jest zdecydowanie na plus, chociaz lirycznie jakos nigdzie nie zaskoczyl czy urzekl jak na poprzednich pickach, gdzie wlasnie tekstem niektore piosenki sie bronily, wiec album ma swoje plusy dodatnie i plusy ujemnie, w ogolnym rozrachunku kolejny solidny kawalek muzyki od the cure, na plejke dodam openingowego one hundred years i zamykajacy utwor tytulowy, wiec pornografie, ktora w ciekawy sposob wykorzystuje samplowanie dialogow w polaczeniu z Lolkowym drumowaniem do zbudowania jednego z najlepszych wprowadzen jakie ostatnio slyszalem, ktore trwa prawie polowe utworu, bo dopiero po trzech minutach pojawiaja sie wokale, wiec jeden z tych epickich openingow tworzacych caly trak
Eh, this isn't my favorite cure album, it was only ok, kinda surprised it's on this list
Another classic band/album that I have already experienced enough to know they're not really my thing. I wasn't proven wrong.
Edgy. Kinda like the wall but with less variety and strength
Enjoyable
No bangers on there, but a lovely 80s sound
It was okay. I really felt like it was a little repetitive. I think robert smith’s cadence got old after a few songs so it made the back half of the record a little bit of a slog
Not bad
3/5 I enjoyed listening to the album. Did it while working so it wasn’t a very critical listen. The lyrics are full of paranoia and nihilism with a musical atmosphere to back it up.
Good album! I really enjoyed the darker sound-- especially the earlier songs. My favorite was "Siamese Twins"
-"The Hanging Garden" has a great backing rhythm to drive it along -"Pornography" definitely creates quite the spooky vibe -Fine album but like nothing really stood out, like all the songs felt the same.
Minor-key wailing miserablism, dark yet uplifting, possibly thanks to the Adam & The Ants-style floor-tom heavy drumming. A gateway to goth.
Surprisingly okay, I expected to hate this. Maybe I've just softened in my old age?
Pretty average album. Not much going on here too interesting. Some big sounds and guitars worked with then music fairly well.
Not bad, a bit dull in my opinion.
In high my best friend was a huge fan of The Cure (in the 80s). I could never get into them. Over the years I've tried but still just never caught me. Fast forward to 2022 and my 27 year old son has become a fan. Fuck me, I still don't get it.
Glad to confirm my feelings about The Cure: I can see why they appeal to some people but they don’t hold much appeal for me.
No está mal pero aporta poco. Solo destaca Cold.
The Cure's Pornography is a look into the substance-abused mind, delving into the obscenity of violence, exploitation and abuses of power. Lots of imagery around the colour red, seemingly a metaphor for blood, flesh and sex to showcase the fullness of despair, hopelessness and darkness. As it's hard to make out the lyrics and with the way the instrumentals are arranged it's very easy to fall into the trap of tapping along and enjoying the music without realising that there are some really heavy things lying in waiting. Best: The Hanging Garden Worst: Siamese Twins 3.5 Stars
Very much the 1980s. Pretty good if you can tolerate the VERY 1980s sound this album. Going a bit further... this album has a very distant sound. A lot of echo, and it sounds like the singer is standing a few feet back from the microphone. Interesting sound.
repetitive but still rad
Album was ok, but a bit dark for my tastes. Much prefer their later work.
This album was fine. It was extremely goth and extremely 80s. It was an enjoyable enough listening experience but I probably wouldn't listen to this very regularly. Fav song: one hundred years
Music sounds really old/depressing reminds me of mad max for some reason when listening. nostalgic? Upon listening more, some of the songs were quite good.
The Cure are definitely a band I've come to appreciate a lot more after watching some live performances and I think a lot of the tracks on this album are case-in-point, they come to life with all the reverb and darkness on the stage. Loads of cool stuff to like on this album, as it's an earlier one feels a little bit rougher which is cool
Not familiar with this one. It seems to be in the same style as Disintegration (long, dense, brooding tracks that don't offer a lot of variety but are big on atmosphere), though not quite as good. File under 'need to be in the right mood to get the most out of it.'
Just not my style of music
Listened to random Cure songs but never heard this album before. Atmospheric and hits the right mood but kind of similar between songs. Would listen to it again from time to time. 3.5
Solid Cure album, but not anything that really stood out for me. 3.5 and rounding down, as it seems only medioCure by comparison to their other work.
better than i expected from the cure but still the cure
Rating: 6/10 Best songs: The hanging garden,
Enjoyed
Not my fav of theirs
Yeah pretty good. I generally like the sound but not a band I listen to a lot
Always love Robert Smith's voice and there are some good songs on here, but the best are on other cure albums, some of this was a bit boring
I think this is the second cure album so far? This is pretty good. I'm not a goth or anything but I do like a bit of it, and yeah... everything repetitive and simple, cool atmosphere, it's just solid. It does kinda all blend into itself though - by around 3/4 of the way through I couldn't have told you where the last song ended and the next finished etc. 3/5
I was excited about this one since I quite like The Cure. But I guess I like their more polished dark alternative pop sound better than their brooding gothic rock sound. Not bad for one spin, but I'm not interested in giving it more spins either.
Better than I expected but lacking The later pop nous.
It's always tough to review an album like this because it was probably incredibly influential... which means it sounds like a lot of music that came later... which means to me it sounds kinda meh. Probably would grow on me with further listens.
Niche
Pretty ok for listening while working. Better if I'm working and sad.
While a solid album, with the benefit of hindsight its harder to judge this album "in the moment" because I can hear where they were going which just makes me want to listen to later albums (like Disintegration). Nice to revisit though!
Never listened to the cure before but familiar with them this album sounds a lot rawer than i kjow them, def worth a listen and will probably listen again.
Heavier than I expected, probably due to heavy bass. Exactly as dour as I expected. More rock than pop. Give another chance when in a worse mood.
Definitely not 'Friday I'm in Love' now is it? The '80s definitely had a dark side and this was it. I think I'm hearing voices now... 3/3.25
Great album, maybe not their best but a good indication of the direction the band would go in. Robert Smith had such a compelling voice.
Drone-y sometimes.
A whole Cure album is too much cure
Robert Smiths lyrics and singing are kinda awful... but the music behind him are actually pretty great. It's not hard to see why this album is a cornerstone in music history.
not bad
With this effort the Cure explored the line of New Wave as well as proto-Goth dramas. While it is far from their highest highs, it feels as if it is a solid B-side all around.
Before I listened to this album, I thought I hated the cure. Too pretentious, too lofi. Turns out I don't think I like the people who like the cure. It's all right - best listened to by themselves and not in a mix. I can appreciate the backstory of this album and the human emotion poured into it. Hanging garden and short term effect are the best songs I'm hearing on the non-deluxe version. Some of the best songs are on the deluxe version. Airlock is awesome! It commanded my attention and is the on I'm most enthusiastic to listen to. I get why they didn't put it on the original album (Doesn't fit the theme), but it's trippy. Reminds me of older pink floyd. 7/10
Decent, I like The Cure. Very slow and dower, melancholy. Not their best album, none of their classics. Can tell it was influential. Can tell Preoccupations we're influenced by them. Not their best album though. 3.5, so i gave it 3.
Not as good as some of their other albums, or maybe just doesn't have the classic hits on it that I know!
Ganz nice
Typisch gut aber nicht meine persönlichen Favoriten.
reminds me a little of light asylum. not my favorite album though.
Could not distinguish anything from other Cure stuff. I don't like Cure that much so I'm gonna pass.
.
It was ok.
Deece. Has aged well. Doesn’t sound dated
Quite a struggle. Appreciate the drums and how they have created tension, but don't particularly find it nice to listen to
A very confusing album. Wiki says it's their most popular album to date, yet streaming numbers are really low compared to their other albums. Also, it seems the critics hated it at the time, yet now it's highly regarded. Another confusing element is that it influenced Deftones and System of a Down, which I can hear (especially Deftones), yet it isn't something I'm massively into. Very hard to score this. 7/10
As someone who appreciates a bit of bleakness here and there, I didn't mind the melancholy nature of this album. Had some good tracks and some that I seemed to zone out on a little.
Gothy. Isnt it? Will go again poss with white mascara.
Pretty good, but the sound just isn't for me. A solid 6
cool
I've always liked the jangly pop version of the Cure, but this is the first time I've engaged with their darker side on record. It's obviously a harder work than PopCure, but it appears that it would reward the effort. I quite liked it.
The hanging garden
More Lovecraft vibes but eh
Not my jam but a good listen nonetheless
A very cool sound. 6/10
L’album est bon, je sens qu’il a influence beaucoup de groupe. J’ai une vibe arcade fire. 3.5
not their best
No soy tan darks. La música de este disco me puede gustar pero me brinca demasiado la letra que parece no tener métrica. Es un disco muy denso, 5 minutos por canción en promedio. Me gusta mucho, en contraste, la manera de escribir tan personal que se siente lo que está pasando dentro de Smith, aunque siempre en cada canción siente la misma desolación y decepción. Si no fuera por el tema de la métrica podrían parecerme letras geniales, aunque supongo que lo que logra esa sensación tan personal es que estén escritas como tren de pensamiento. Songs: A strange day, The Hanging Garden, The Figurehead
Not for me
Decent. Very 80s
I respect the devastatingly emotional cavern they have created, but I don't particularly enjoy it.
i didnt hate it. musically i thought it was cool, but his vocals started to wear on me by about third song (the hanging garden). another album that makes me think how fascinating london was at that time
Not terrible, not great
I do like the cure but this isn't my favorite album by them. Was interesting to see they talked to Conny Plank about producing but it didn't come to pass. I'd bet if he did produce this album it'd be one of my favorites. Have them go out to Conny's studio in the country and they'd have produced a much different album. Maybe not quite so bleak. Sheesh.
I imagine if I was a little older and grew up listening to Cure as an adolescent I would be very into it, but it feels dark in a way that I (surprisingly) cannot connect with. I can respect it, but doesn't do much for me.
Solid album but not really my style. The entire album was quite dark and grim which makes sense for a goth band but I very much prefer the more upbeat singles by The Cure.
pretty shoegazy experimental. not what i expected
Claustrophobic and very goth, poor Robert Smith should've tried some mindfulness instead of subjecting me to that. Closing track is weird and disorientating. Didn't hate it
5
LSD + mental illness about sums it up
Felt a little weird/meh at the start but it grew on me
The Cure is always a bit odd sounding to me.
The jump from lofi goth to Moody New Wave excellence is under way, with this acting as an exciting meeting of those two sides of the band.
First song was pretty good, rest of the album i was a bit bored with :/
Exactly what I expected from the cure. Meh
Fine
Not that familiar with this record, but it's great. Really dark and twisted. 3.4
Love porn
det här var ändå bra. ett skönt driv gör att de lite längre låtarna fungerar bra utan att bli tjatiga. kanske en fyra om jag hade lyssnat fler gånger.
Bem legalzinho
hn
Vaguely unsettling at times, but very deeply impactful. 3.5, leaning towards 4.
kinda slow but i'm not mad at it. really liked "one hundred years" and "cold". can see how this influenced artists.
Instrumentales sympa, voix très bof
Overall, pornography is like a sandwich; a near perfect sandwich where everything comes together; the meat, the buns, the sauce, but the cheese is slightly out of date. I would rather have a sandwich with good cheese (vocals)
If I find the cure for their inept musicianship and song writing capabilities I'll be sure to let them know.
Cupo, disturbante
I thought life was actually alright before I listened to this album Hate the vibes Instrumentals are nothing to write home about Lyrics make me uncomfortable
Number: 223 Familiarity: Moderate (3) Rating: 2 Before: ======= I have one of their albums, The Top, which I bought when it came out in 1984. I used to listen to it a lot back then. I never listen to it now. Ever. Suffice it to say they are no longer one of my favorite bands. I would say they are a tier 3 or 4 band for me now. I like them a little but not enough to waste my time listening to a whole album. However, I won't consider this one a waste of time as it's part of this challenge. Anyways, I did have a brief infatuation with their album The Top, which I still have. I think I may even have The Head On The Door. In fact I'm pretty sure I do. As I said I did like them a good bit back in the mid eighties and even modeled my appearance a bit on Robert Smith without the make-up. During: ======= So I ended up giving all the songs a 2. I initially ranked a few as 1 or 3 but eventually settled on 2. I'm back around to the beginning now to see if I change my mind but I don't think I will. After : ======= Holy shit! There are 3 albums by The Cure on here? Why? and they didn't even include The Top.
I don't particularly enjoy The Cures more "poppy" music, turns out I enjoy their "gothic" music even less. This somehow managed to be depressing and boring. Dreary even. Not even a little bit pornographic. 2*
I am not a particular fan of The Cure and this album was very underwhelming to me. It was not surprising enough, did not contain many highlights and overall just passed by without much of note to me. 2/5
seeing them live in one week bruh this is kinda ahh tho
It's fine, but I still don't like the Cure
I like the drum dominance, but the repetition on the drums makes this feel like a toothache. Someone said stifling, that’s how I feel. This album sounds like anhedonia. Would pick up again on a rainy day or during a depressive episode but I want my sad music more open, soaring and deep, not suppressive.
If you wanted It’s Friday I’m in Love, this isn’t the album for you.
Not my favorite Genre, 80's rock I believe. Early 80's
IM ON ITTTT Update: had high hopes about this one...such a boring album :( Cold was ehhhh
I generally like The Cure, but this one was too dark and discordant for me. Maybe I just like their later work better. I can see why this was credited for creating goth rock, because it definitely has the darkness in spades.
I can respect it, but Pornography just isn’t for me. Likes: One Hundred Years; The Hanging Garden
kinda boring I prefer the more poppy cure
The Cure are one of those bands whose radio singles are highly danceable, enjoyable and mostly full of joviality. Unfortunately, their non-radio singles are a total contrast: lengthy, monotonous, insufferable train wrecks. I would rather not have subjected myself to this 43 minute album of misery which contained a grand total of zero of their radio-friendly singles.
Fiction Records FIXD 7 (UK) vinyl rip: I’ve never been to a goth club but I imagine this has to be part of the normal rotation. Genesis of "mall goth." I like "One Hundred Years" at least.
It's just not like the real thing....
This would have been better as an EP.
Always found the cute rather depressing. This didn't change my opinion.
Very cure. But not something I disliked. I am going to go and sit in a dark room to decompress. 5/10 Top song One hundred years
Not the best Cure Album. Not much energy, a bit samey. Maybe one or two 3-4 star songs, no hits.
I thought I liked the Cure, but this is a bit to broody for me. And not in a chicken wanting to lay eggs kind of broody.
Sounds like he’s singing while crying. That’s the only thing that stood out to me
all the dreariness does get samey. the bulk of the album feels like im melting a little more every second i'm listening to it, and i bet during a particular depressive episode that'd hit real good, but unfortunately it's pretty nice out today. made me really really appreciate Disintegration though. favorite song is The Hanging Garden. strong 2
outside of a handful of songs I really don't much care for the cure, and this album did very little to change that opinion. 2/5.
It's not my vibe, very dreary
burridooo
Theres plenty I like from the 80s, and some not so much. This falls in the latter category. Maybe I don’t get it, maybe it’s not for me, maybe I’m missing something, but it didn’t do much for me.
2/5
Not the version of the cure I like at all.
Grew up with The Cure and the 80s for me was largely characterised by their albums. This one is my favourite early album of theirs. Not on the same level as the late 80s' 'Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me' and 'Disintegration' or even the more recent 'Songs of a Lost World' but still one I return to every so often for songs like 'The Hanging Garden' and the title track.
I love me some Cure, but this was a dirge pretty much start to finish.
Punk music for chicks. And gay dudes. A whole lot of suck here.
I like The Cure. I really do. I just didn’t really like this. It was too long, and was that sort of moody 80s music that I’m not a big fan of.
Knowing the story behind this album, it definitely makes it more interesting (and it being a big pillar in the gothic genre) I don't think I can say I liked it, I think it s just not for me, I can appreciate the effort that went into it and the commitment but I don't see myself listening to this album anytime soon I will say I had an interesting experience with this album, I was able to fall asleep on the bus but the music kept playing. I had this ongoing sense of fight off something evel. I was trying to keep something bad from escaping my body or mind. There was an other person telling me to be strong. A strange experience to say the least. I'm putting 2 stars not because I think it s bad but because I just couldn't listen to it
Woof. I really liked Disintegration when I had that one, so I was looking forward to another Cure album, but I did not enjoy this one. It's a lot noisier & grungier (I know, grunge wasn't a thing yet).
Not my fav electronica sounds like 1 hour of crying a couple of songs stand out though
Like not the worst by them but still not my thing. I just don’t think they write interesting songs
And unfortunately the cure flops again. The ambiance was better than normal for this band, but the songs are weak as hell.
I do not care for their sound. Especially the drums. The whole vibe grates on me.. sorry not sorry
Here are the sad, weird boys I thought I would hear when I listened to the other Cure albums on this list. Stuff about 'worms on my skin' and 'your name like ice in my heart' or some such nonsense. I prefer other Cure albums to this.
Some good ones
meh
I really like a few of The Cure's albums but this isn't one of them. A couple good songs, but not standouts. The rest sounded like a parody of the Cure. 2 stars.
It genuinely bugs me that I don't like The Cure. All the parts are there. I like some considerably worse bands that sound a lot like The Cure. The Crow is still one of my favorite movies and I have owned an unhealthy number of World of Darkness books. I still don't like The Cure. This is better than Disintegration, mostly, and I don't think it's even a bad album. It's just not something I enjoy listening to.
1982. Fourth studio album. The sessions saw the band on the brink of collapse, with heavy drug use, band in-fighting, and frontman Robert Smith's depression fueling the album's musical and lyrical content. Following its release, bassist left the band, and the Cure switched to a much brighter and more radio-friendly new wave sound.
A little too emo/morose for me
43min tuntu pitkältä... viimenen laulu ihan jees
Best Track - "The Hanging Garden"
Another album where all of the songs sound exactly the same to me
I get it. It’s dark, brutal, brooding. But also a bit boring. The intentional droning sound makes it sort of drown out at times
I understand that this is a depressing album, but I couldn’t make out any of the lyrics so I’ll have to rate based on how bored I was with the music.
Didn’t hate this, but did not love it.
omgg stop yelling broo
Dark. Moody. Lyrics are bleak. I was enjoying the start but after a while it all kind of blends into the same song
Moody and gothic. Just what you’d expect from a Cure album. Nothing really stood out to me though.
*These songs drag and feel very similar
Idk man. I guess it's just the style, but this makes me feel gross to listen to. I feel like I'm at a basement show and I'm not having fun. It's too slow, too grungy, too icky for me. Idk
Would I listen again: probably not It was kinda like a horror movie in parts and I did not like whatever that last song was.
Nothing to write home about
Not a huge cure fan I didn’t recognize the majority of these songs
Phasers set to yawn. I preferred their early, funny ones.
decepcionante
There’s nothing really wrong with the album, but I was just bored by the project no song really hooked me in it was very quick to not even notice that it was over. I mean I did walk around a lot while I was listening to this album so maybe I wasn’t fully locked in but now there was nothing really here not the best first impression but again it wasn’t terrible.
Full Album Thoughts: Album Rating: 2 (C) My thoughts on Strange Days is where I checked out. Highlights are The Hanging Garden and Cold, but they aren't wort the rest. Ow, The Edge. Track Thoughts "One Hundred Years" C+ I dont really like the singer's vocal delivery, its a bit to whiney. I like the soundscape, its dark and moody, I see it tagged as "gothic rock"... But there is just something about that higher pitched slurred singing that turns me off. I am afraid this is going to be a long listen. "A Short Term Effect" B- There is something about the chorus and echo and reverb that makes you feel like you are drowning. I actually think as the vocal echo goes on it going down in pitch is a neat effect but I just, dont care about the discordant solo. This is music as listened to from beneath an underpass. Is this pop-noise music? "The Hanging Garden" A- This is more up-beat with the drum fill and the thumping bass. I am actually locked in on this one. I think there is something here, but somehow it feels more stripped back even though it is doing a lot with the phaser/flanger effect whatever that is. "Siamese Twins" B- Yeah I guess I am just not that into Emo Music. I mean, I keep saying in these that the drums have a real sense of drive, the guitars lead some wild swimming soundscapes, but its the drawl of the vocals that just takes me right out of it. "The Figurehead" C I feel like the song writing is layered but to what end? You stack these arpeggios ontop of a this very simple bass one note drone, and then modulate between a few of the chords and it just... it feels oppressive. That, I guess, is the end. But its not something I actively enjoy listening to. "A Strange Day" C+ I have run out of things to say. I have checked out yet again. This shapes up to be another 2 out of 5 album. The songs all kind of blur together. Their mushy production doesnt help much with that. The songs are fine to listen to in isolation, nothing outright offensive, but back to back to back to back they all bleed into one another and there is nothing that stands out. "Cold" A- For two seconds I thought we were going to get something orchestral. Then the garbage cans came in. Wait some kind of like organ? Synths? What is this? Where did the rest of the muddy guitar droning go? This is the start to a John Carpenter Movie? The weird clattering? "Pornography" D of all the cliche's, I was not ready for backwards recording. A long closer needs to start strong and this never even gets going.
gothic novels
Meh
Eu não fecho com rock inglês (só alguns)
Far too angsty for my liking.
One which washed through me.
no me encantó, guardé dos temas nada más
Sounded the same as every other cure album.
Slurred saaie emo "muziek"
There’s a difference between darkness as atmosphere and darkness as endurance test, and Pornography spends most of its runtime on the wrong side of that line. Robert Smith was apparently in a genuinely difficult personal state making this record, and the music reflects that with complete commitment — dense, claustrophobic, and relentlessly droning in a way that leaves no room to breathe, connect, or find any foothold emotionally. Where Seventeen Seconds used minimalism to create space — repetition that occasionally surprised you, atmosphere that invited you in — this one fills every inch of sonic territory with layered guitars, bass, and drums pressing down from all directions. The intentional overwhelm is clearly the point. The problem is that intentional overwhelm isn’t the same as emotional resonance, and the record mistakes density for depth. “Cold” is the one exception worth naming. It opens with actual space, a cool organ line, and tribal drums that give the music a physical pulse rather than just relentless weight. It stands out so sharply from everything surrounding it that it accidentally makes the case against the album’s dominant approach — one track with room to breathe reveals everything the rest refuses to allow. Glad to be done with it. A 2 that reflects genuine disengagement rather than hostility — not the worst listening experience on this list, but comfortably among the least rewarding.
Not my favorite by The Cure - I look forward to their shoegaze-ier music coming up later on this list!
(2/7) a lot of 80s new wave recently, this not as good as recent selections, nor among the best of The Cure
If you were to ask me if I liked The Cure, I would answer yes. I certainly had a few albums bought back in the 80's that I loved. But apparently I missed this one, and after listening to it today, I'm fine with that. It's dark, and just not that listenable for me. Oh well.
Saw The Cure and was excited for some good music. Listened to the album and hated my life. Cheer up guys!
I dont like :(
Why does it feel Robert Smith is constantly yelling?
didnt really enjoy this. All songs sounded the same. I feel sadder than before
I got joy division, deer hunter and the cures pornography 3 days in a row. What a stretch of sad sacks. Morrissey will be next I bet. I like some of the cure but that was just sad drums for an hour or whatever.
Not really my type of music.
En besvikelse. Rakt, slamrigt och kargt men inte på ett bra goth-sätt. Låter nästan som vilket band med toårsemos som helst. Man fattar ju dock att potentialen till pampet på Disintegration finns här.
Not a fan of goth rock, this is no exception.
Uhmmm This one was weird and I didn’t really fuck with it…(I’m a fake cure fan </3). Will definitely have to relisten and also listen to some of their other albums back to front to get a better understanding. I’ll just keep it a buck. I do love a short album and I felt this one was cohesive. 2.3/5 Fave song: A Short Term Effect
Horrible
As promised, as sad as it gets. Not my vibe, not the place I am or want to be. If for some reason I end up there I will rise the vote.
Hmmm…generally like the cure, but this is too dense and depressing to resonate.
Very goth/emo, I like the spacing in between the lyrics so you can appreciate each instrument and their contributions.
Not their best.
It was boring.
This was such a low quality produced album. Much better stuff from the cure out there.
I found this album quite annoying. The singing is where it was most annoying, but I was also annoyed by the music itself. A Strange Day was my favorite track, and even that I wouldn't be all that excited to return to.
this was fine, idk!!! sorry to every man ever. ik y’all love the cure down like that.
Monotonous and depressing. I don’t like his voice very much.
by no stretch my favourite cure record, a bit too dreary even by my emo standards
I’m not sure why this sounds like heavy metal to me. Not a fan.
Kinda surprised I didn't like this one.
Early emo. So whiny, I can't stand his voice.
If the Cure is the textbook goth band, this is maybe the gothiest album there is. I mean, Robert Smith's vocal delivery is always a throaty full-throttle tortured yowl across all of their records, the music more mopey than... well, I don't think anything gets mopier than a Cure album. All the things you expect to hear in a Cure record are here - Smith howling, tribal-sounding tom-heavy drums or drum machine, flanged, swirling guitars, flanged, trebly bass - but unfortunately nothing that sounds as inspired as Just Like Heaven, Fascination Street, Boys Don't Cry, The Forest. It's all pretty bleak and a little dull. Which is unfortunate, because there are other Cure albums that are also bleak but still dynamic - Disintegration is also on this list which I'll agree is the best choice, along with Seventeen Seconds, but it's puzzling that this gets preference over Kiss Me, Wish, or even Faith.
Some decent melodies and riffs, but this never came together for me.
I didn't hate it, but I also didn't really enjoy it. I have never really listened to the Cure. So I always found it odd that they were seen as the quintessential 80s goth band when the only songs I knew were "Friday I'm In Love" and "Lovesong", which are much more conventional pop songs. But yeah this album felt like a goth or proto-emo album. Glad I heard it. But I don't really have any standout tracks.
This doesn't do it for me. There's something about this specific scene that I find boring. It's not bad, but it's not great, either.
I thought I had previously dealt with depression but clearly not, if this is what depression sounds like.
Meh, not my vibe
I tried once again but i cannot find the Cure even remotely enjoyable.
I dont have an outspoken opinion on the cure. This album sounds like what the goth kids in southpark listen to. I could dig if only a few songs had the very present echo effect, but its presence on atleast half of the songs makes it sound pretty samey to me. Not an experience that was outright negative, but kinda boring. 4/10
So apparently a list of 1001 albums I must hear includes THREE albums by The Cure (and not even their best, according to the reaction to a user-added fourth) but NONE from Warren Zevon. This particular selection has a dark repetitive sound that is broken only by the long, noise-laden final track that feels like a desperate attempt to keep the entire effort out of the EP range.
Couldn't spend as much time as I wanted with this, but overall I'm not a huge Cure fan and this didn't really change my mind. I appreciate it more than I like it and can see the influence on industrial/goth that came after. Call me crazy but I like when Robert Smith writes a melody. Opening track is a banger though.
all the songs sound the same to me
Meh
I guess I thought in the past I like The Cure without having actually listened to much of their stuff but I didn’t really enjoy this. It had some ok moments but mostly I felt it all kind of sounded the same and just kind of obnoxious, although I can’t necessarily pinpoint why. Some parts are cool though, some of the sounds, but yeah overall I was kind of waiting for it to end a little bit.
I didn’t love it. Dark and whiny. Generally I love The Cure though