Seventeen Seconds

Hmm yes my least favorite parts of their live show

I really enjoy how simplistic this album is, with minimal synth work that would become a defining characteristic of their later records. Not that I don't enjoy that sound, but the easy guitars and drums throughout this one just create an intimate feeling. I also like the vocals kind of sitting in the back of the mix. Smith's voice just works there for me. That said, I'm not the world's biggest goth fan. There's always been a barrier of entry there I just can't seem to get past. I appreciate this one more than I actually like it.

A "good" Cure album. Hardly their best work tho.

ther is no cure...for the plague of...humanity... paitsi tämä albumi HEH.. mAilnam paras musiikkimm.. no vitsiä van luikautti minä tuossa. ei mielestäni ollut parasta, parasta mitä on tullut kuuntelemaan mutt ei toaiaan myös huonointkaan mahdollista sen verran voidaan olla ttytyväisiä että ei mahdollisimman huonoa musiikkia ollut että se on nyt ainakin selvää se; että ei parasta tai huonointa mahdollusta musiikkia olekkaan tässä at night

Eh. Most of it sounded like interstitial music for an 80’s drama. I liked that one song better when Devo did it. Nothing great here. Not sure why it’s listed.

So this was more tolerable than I expected. I don't know what goth music is, but it was pretty tuneful overall. I think what was most interesting is how much of it was purely instrumental.

I hadn't heard this album before, in fact I hadn't really heard any of the songs off of it. I liked the Seventeen Seconds songs, and the Forest song. I thought this was a good album. There were some strange bits, but overall a good album. I was surprised that this album was on there and not Disintegration, but maybe that's coming at a different time.

Very much a lesser Cure album. Wouldn't have been my pick.

It all feels quite flat. Only "A Forest" is really standing out for me.

Pretty nice album 3.5/4

Listened to this 3 times but nothing really stuck

The Cure has some great songs but this album is mostly very forgetable

Good album

I like it! The electronic music elements are more prominent throughout the album than I would've thought. There are a lot of sounds that are mostly instrumental/electronic which is cool because then the songs each bleed into the next.

This was very unexpected for a The Cure album, and I really don't know what to think. Maybe I'll give it another shot someday, but now it's an OK album.

This is a great, fairly compact album. Not as psychedelic and enveloping as Disintegration, but there's a great range of sounds in this one, as always the Cure are jangly and melodic while haunting and distorted.

Not great, not terrible. Not really a big fan of albums that just sound like they are someone experimenting with various sounds.

Liked it didn't love it

Not iconic Cure, but i enjoyed this

No es le mejor obra de The Cure (Disintegration) ni el mejor disco de 1980 (ACDC) ya que London Calling uno no sabe si ponerlo en 1979 o en 1980, aunque esté cerca de los mejores editados ese año (Joy Division, Talking Heads, The B-52´s, The Cramps, Bauhaus, Echo and the Bunnymen, Bruce Springsteen, OMD, The Police, Kurtis Blow, Diana Ross, The Feelies, Peter Gabriel, Prince Genesis, Adam and the Ants, Van Morrison, David Bowie, Paul McCartney o el de su medio banda Siouxise and the Banshees...) pero es obligatorio escuchar al menos un par de discos de The Cure en la vida y este puede ser perfectamente uno de ellos. Comienza con un irrelvante y lúgubre tema de piano (A reflection) para coger altura con las señas de identidad del grupo: la personalísima voz de R. Smith, así como las guitarras, bajo, y batería marca de la casa. Play for Today sirve de puente a Secrets uno de sus mejores temas, continuando por sonidos fríos, mecánicos y depresivos. El tema estrella es sin duda alguna A forest, uno de los mejores de su carrera. Imprescindible para conocer la evolución del Punk al Post-punk y de de este al rock gótico que seguirán Siouxsie entre otros.

The cure sure know how to create a vibe. At times hypnotizing, at times soft and intimate I enjoyed how the album had some continuity with the soundscape. My biggest critique is that the sum was better better than the components that made it up. Some of the tracks were very forgettable. Probably one that will grow on me with more listens, but this was my first impression.

I do enjoy the Cure's later works, especially "Disintegration" but I find that a lot of their earlier works, this album included, pale in comparison. I find that to be true in almost every single way, the instrumentation, the mixes, and especially the vocals here all come off so bleak and one-note, which is *almost* a good thing. Like many albums in this gothier side of New Wave, when taking this entire album as one holistic experience, I do think it excels at sounding exactly how it needs to sound. The elements here are skeletal, like winter trees without leaves, but each track has one strong melodic element, be that a synth, piano, or guitar, that brings a smidgen of warmth to these generally cold songs. Similar to many The Cure albums, this one feels incredible nocturnal. The songs are long and repetitive, but very subdued and quiet. I love the short desolate and hopeless sound of the piano-driven opener quite a lot. "At Night" nails that somber vibe. I think the basslines and guitar are really strong and groovy on tracks like "Play For Today", it's the kind of Cure vibe I like, it's such a warm song. "A Forest" I feel the same way, but maybe to a lesser extent; the groove and airy synths are just as gorgeous though and I love the guitar on the outro and the ambient intro. I do think the stretch in the middle is where the album's at its weakest and it's where I think the songs blend in with one another a bit too much. I actually really like Robert Smith as a vocalist, at least I thought I did, he didn't do it for me on this album. He feels less expressive and his vocals are almost washed out here. It works to a certain degree, considering the very cold and lifeless vibe of this album, but there were times when I was hoping for a little more. His presence is almost limited and he just sort of pops in from time to time and leaves unnoticeably. I feel like he does the best on "Seventeen Seconds", the closer, which is probably the best whole song on the album. His part is very short here, similar to most songs, but for some reason the sadness in his voice, and his lyrics sting here more than anything. As an experience, I think I enjoyed this The Cure album quite a bit, but if anything, it just made me want to listen to some of their later stuff. Still solid.

Slower than the later Cure. Has some of the magic, and the sadness shines through magnificently. Just not my pace.

Quite liked

I like the music here but I don't like the voice

OK. More weird short but still plodding and simple isntrumentals than I would have expected. Cool use of drum machines, otherwise, sounds like the Cure - just not songs I know nor that have stuck with me.

The Cure trying to confuse me further by sounding more like The Cult than ever.

Interesting late ‘80s feel.

Turns out I like the Cure! It’s moody in all the right ways.

Like, not love.

Good

Easy listen. Heavy on the instrumentals but nothing too special about it to me

Decent. A Forest is a five star song. I’m curious to check out other Cure albums from this same time period, since I’ve heard good things about those.

Decent but certainly not great. Too many sketches of songs, and the actual songs were underwhelming

One or two four star songs, but an overall three of an album.

I give it a 5-6/10. Would listen again.

besides A Forest, gloomy and pretty meh. Cold and sleepy

A nicer sounding, catchier, more balanced Cure record.

Y'know, I think I like this album a better than the previous gothic rock outing my group got, JUJU, because this one's way more New Wave-y. And it's an early example of the sound, too, given that this came out in 1980. If you didn't tell me what year this was released in, I coulda sworn it was later in the decade. And, yeah, it's not enough to raise this album up a star, but,y'know, still. I can dig it.

While the sound can be a bit sparse at places, this still is a decent album, nonetheless. I can totally see why goth kids love this group.

Repetitive, almost mesmerizing guitar riffs and grooves. Simple rhythms make for easy listening but nothing really stands out

Not my favorite Cure album. It’s pretty good but mostly forgettable. The first time I ever heard “A Forest” it was a remixed version, and it’s probably just nostalgia but I much prefer that to the original.

Mid

Very mediocre the cure album

Did not finish, but thought it was fine

A couple great tunes (Play For Today, A Forest, M), but a fair amount of filler also. Not my favorite Cure album. So many better. 3.3/5

Pretty good, although not as good as their later stuff. Too instrumental-heavy for my taste, but definitely listenable.

Normally I like The Cure, but I wasn’t as into this. “M” and “Seventeen Seconds” were my favorite songs, but nothing really stood out. Kind of boring overall. I hoped for better.

80s alternative rock.. some songs are good, some are not

Wow, never heard this before. Only album of theirs I know is DISINTEGRATION, which I've always loved. This sounds like an early exploration into discovering their sound. I REALLY LIKE IT, A LOT! 3 STARS!

A little too down for me. The cure are at their best when the music is more upbeat. Also, the drums just got a bit annoying for me in parts. Still, not awful and I could see listening on a rainy day.

Inte alls likt det jag tänkte att The Cure var. Ganska mycket bara instrumentalt. Inte dåligt, men inget jag album jag hade lyssnat på spontant. 3 / 5

I like The Cure and this album evokes a mood that’s very much of their general sound, but this didn’t quite speak to me.

First album I've gotten that I knew nothing about (outside of the artist). Very much has that "new wave" sound, complete with mesmerizing, yet subtle drums and bass. The album goes by pretty quick and stays pretty "down" beat. If you're looking for energy, you're not gonna find it here. I think I'd say that I prefer the Cure's later stuff, but this was easily digestible.

It’s got a good vibe. The songs flow well and the album is solid. That being said, I couldn’t connect with it. There were maybe two songs I really enjoyed but overall the album felt a bit boring to me. Feels like I might have missed the time in my life where I could have connected heavily with The Cure. Maybe I’m jaded and washed by all the tiktok musicians who chase their sound. Whatever, “A Forest” is a good song. 3/5

A great option for when I’m feeling dark and moody!

Pure vibes.

Mellow, good music within my tastes, but a bit repetitive and no standout songs.

Moody, low-key, and good for background music, but a little lacking in substance.

Feel like I should be driving around my station wagon going to the arcade to smoke some doobies while listening to this album. The 80s teen angst is strong (teen angst was much different than 2000s teen angst)

A forest is a classic, but I'm not crazy about the rest of the album, if I didn't already love the cure I could see myself giving this a lower score.

It’s fine- I know a lot of cure fans - apparently they are still just as good today. Easy to listen to.

Like Queen II, this is the sound of a band figuring out their path. Unlike Queen II, there is a cohesiveness to the proceedings that is very pleasant. The downside of that cohesiveness is that, while the album makes an excellent sort of tone poem, the songs themselves largely don't stand out from one another, leading it to feel a little long in the tooth, even though it's only 36 minutes or so.

almost sounds primitive at times. definitely a cohesions throughout that sets a consistent mood, but also leaves it sounding a bit same-y. hints at robert smith's ability to write gloomy pop songs. Secrets (bass leads the melody?!), A Forest (prototypes their goth jams to come).

When I saw it was the cure, I had my expectations risen. When I heard the album my expectations lowered. 3

This album was pretty meh for me, which is surprising bc it seems like something I’d like - dark, melodic, moody, ect. But it wasn’t really doing it for me today!

Still not super into the Cure. Musically it's not very interesting. Usually pedaling on two chords for most of the songs. Vocals still aren't that appealing to me either

good listening

Only listened to the first two songs but they sounded alright. Will listen to the whole album at a later date

I always feel like Robert Smith (the singer) in the cure could be turned up a few decibels, or stand closer to the mic.

First half rather absent. Second half phenomenal.

Est-ce que les gothiques à voix de merde peuvent y aller mollo sur la création d'albums parce qu'après des gens comme nous sont obligés de les écouter.

Pas trop mal cet album de ce groupe médiocre

Nice stuff. Solid album all the way through.

Goth-Rock isn't my favored genre, but The Cure have covered a lot of ground over the years and in my opinion are almost always at least musically interesting. The album feels very atmospheric, and while I wouldn't listen to it is some situations it is good for studying or doing research, tasks where I want my ears occupied but the moody darkness doesn't bother me. Play for Today, A Forest, and At Night were highlights for me.

This album surprised me - it's clearly early days for them but you could hear so much talent in their music. A Forest and Three were two stand-outs but this entire album felt like I was walking through the halls of an abandoned Gothic estate. This album is good but does not even come close to the heights of Disintegration - an album I would listen to a hundred times before I gave this one a second listen.

Very eerie record! But Robert Smith is a genius. It's a band and music I kind of need to be in a certain mood for. But it was nice to dive into it and discover some other songs outside of the fantastic A Forest! Standout tracks: Play For Today, In Your House, A Forest, M, Seventeen Seconds. 7,5 out of 10

7.5/10

The Cure's *Seventeen Seconds* occupies a curious place in the pantheon of post-punk albums. It's an album whose inclusion in the "1,001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die" list seems predicated more on its influential footprint within the genre rather than its standalone excellence. This isn't to diminish its value; tracks like "A Forest" and "Play for Today" stand out as quintessential Cure, weaving haunting melodies and moody atmospherics that would become the band's signature. These songs encapsulate the essence of what makes The Cure great, with their ability to craft soundscapes that are at once ethereal and deeply rooted in the post-punk ethos. However, as a whole, *Seventeen Seconds* often feels like it's treading water, maintaining a certain level of consistency without ever truly diving into the deep end. The album's production, while fittingly sparse, can at times render the listening experience somewhat flat, lacking the dynamic range or emotional peaks and valleys found in The Cure's later work. It's as if the band is on the cusp of discovering their sound, experimenting with the minimalism and gloom that would define them, yet not fully committing to the depths they would later explore. This restrained approach results in an album that, while influential, doesn't always capture the listener's imagination. The atmospheric tension and introspective lyrics that are hallmarks of The Cure's music are present, but they don't always coalesce into something greater than the sum of their parts. Instead, the album often feels like a prelude to the band's more cohesive and emotionally resonant works. In essence, *Seventeen Seconds* is a significant chapter in The Cure's discography, offering glimpses of the groundbreaking direction the band would take. Its influence on the post-punk and gothic rock genres is undeniable, laying the groundwork for a sound that would inspire countless others. Yet, when judged on its own merits, it's an album that, despite its moments of brilliance, doesn't quite reach the heights it aspires to. It's a testament to The Cure's evolving sound, a necessary step in their journey, but not the pinnacle of their artistic achievement.

Kinda slow for my liking

I did quite enjoy this… the vocal sounded like it was quite low in the mix sometimes. But it was alright

Three, M, Seventeen Seconds I'd play some of these songs in my evil lair if I had one and I was also a vampire

I was a little bit torn with this one. On the one hand it has my favourite Cure track ("A Forest"), but on the other hand the production is very spartan and even a little inconsistent in places. I liked more than I disliked, so 3.5 rounded down to 3 stars.

I think this album is an excellent introduction to the sound of the cure. I love so many of these tracks. Favs = forest and play for today. Solid three (probably lost a point because when I saw them live in Melbourne in 2000’s(?) they were crap - worst concert I have been to!

From the few hits of theirs I knew I expected better. This was quite boring. Stand-out: In Your House

Album 294 of 1001 The Cure - Seventeen Seconds Rating : 3 / 5 I enjoyed this but that is about it. Nothing I'll run back to but wouldn't turn it off.

Good early cure

Yesterday The Smiths, today The Cure. It's very similar stuff. The Smiths were a bit more pacey. The Cure goes steady and more cold. 3.5/5.

Not bad. Disintegration is better.

None of the tracks on this album jumped out and bit me. It was enjoyable enough but maybe I'm just not a huge fan of the Cure. It was encapsulating of a certain vibe, tough to pin down.

Did not enjoy it.

I tried really hard to like it, but there was just a lot of repeating instrumentals and like no singing, so it was fine. It liked “a forest”, it started cool, but the rest was just spooky dissonant music without an actual point

If you listen to "A Forest" while watching a slow motion video of a hummingbird drinking out of a pink flower, well...... Very clean production, trippy songs in their patented trippy, sparse style. Is this trance music? Pre-trance music? A distant ancestor of trance music? Is trance music even a genre or does it go by another name? Shoe gaze? Clear choice when you want to put on the headphones and simply stare at the ceiling. ____________________________ 🎧 Number of albums reviewed: 12 🎧 Number of albums left to review: 989 🎧 Number of albums that I found relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 3 🎧 Number of albums that I *might* include in mine later on: 6 🎧 Number of albums that I will certainly *not* include in mine: 2

It's a nice mostly instrumental album.

Definitely a moody album - not as winey as i thought it would be. I liked it but didn’t blow me away by any means.

I only really know disintegration and am not the biggest fan generally but this was okay! I can't speak to the impact of this debut for defining goth music but definitely feels like they took a slightly less dark approach to post punk/morphed it into their own style of goth with reverbed guitars and more grand instrumentation. Definitely a nice listen bare minimum.

Interesting, spooky

Decent album but a little boring. Songs don't feel very distinct from one another and can blur together if your focused elsewhere. Play for Today was the best track.

Terribly mixed

It's ok

Finding their sound here but a good album.

Like the other Cure albums I've gotten, it's fine. Like completely fine. Not bad, not great, just fine.

The band does a great job of setting vibe. It makes total sense why this is classic Goth/wanna be vampire energy. The instrumentals could be really cool. But the vocals did nothing for me personally. Overall, this albums not for me.

Innovador

Meh; decent background

A couple of the songs were awful, but I listened anyway

What does it say about myself, when I don't find this album to be particularly dark/gothic/sad/moody/... ? Just an okay rock album. Quite nice jingling.

Favorite Tracks: A Forest Play For Today In Your House

I love the dark atmospheric vibes of the album. I wish the vocals were a bit more in the front, as they are really hard to make out. Maybe I just need to warm up to the mixing choice they made though. I love how the album progressively gets darker. The distortion and haziness of at night is amazing, the bass line and guitar riff on forest sound great too. idk but the album is not entirely clicking with me. I see and appreciate the elements but it's just not clicking also. I'll give it a light to a strong 3.

Now I know why I hadn't heard of The Cure before the song "Lullaby". On this album the song “A Forest” is the only one that sticks in your memory.

I can respect the vision, but that doesn’t mean I like the vision

I had only previously been exposed to a little bit of The Cure, some of the hits mostly. This is about what I expected sound-wise. The songs are mostly average, but the last 4 songs are pretty good (particularly A Forest & Seventeen Seconds). The music is better than the singing.

I bought this album for A Forest. Most of the album are pretty good, but I think A Reflection, Three and The Final Sound are a bunch of nothing.

Very good to wash the dishes with! Too many instrumentals for my liking.

Aw... don't cry, emo kid. This lineup will take you into the stratosphere as one of the best bands of a generation. You made a good album, to be sure. It's solid, but it's not *great*. It has one of your really famous singles on it, but the album isn't "blow me away" great like Disintegration will eventually be. Don't worry about it, though. You're laying the groundwork for the brooding melancholy about love that will be your signature idiom for an amazing run. Buck up, little camper. It may seem bleak now, but I promise: It'll be okay.

There are better cure albums to me

I should listen to more of The Cure

I love The Cure! But this album didn't leave an impact on me like some of their other works have. Although A Forest is an amazing track!

Not like the cure music id heard before. Sounds closer to joy division than the cure.

I feel like The Cure are a band I should like, but I can never quite get into them. I quite like the vibe on this album. It's broody and a bit foreboding, with some interesting soundscapes to it. Once again, there's not really any standout songs, but as a whole it's quite consistent.

Солидан ко Богдан 5/10

Helt OK.

Interesting but not my fave the cure album. still sad though. Fave Song: A Forest, Play for Today, and Seventeen Seconds.

A Cure album that, as ever, makes me happy to be listening to The Cure, but also slightly wishing I was listening to another Cure Album.

christina is going to fight me on not eating this higher

Don't know if I'm too young or too old for this thing. Did not "catch" me

Strong 3

Not my jam

Sobrevalorado, pero no está mal. Tranquilo con rolas pa’l relax.

a forest ez 3

It's pretty good, play for today and secrets were my favorites. 3.5

I didn’t like this one first but the more I listened the more I enjoy. I think I should check out other albums by The Cure

I liked it some, it was difficult to listen too .. 3 stars

A bit depressive and creepy, but I would listen again. Quite good for concentrated study session.

Play for Today // In Your House // Seventeen Seconds 3-3.5/5

Bellino ma dopo un po’ mi annoia

3 stars

Té cançons que m'han agradat però n'hi ha algunes que són una merda, sincerament

Dreary

Must listen again soon.

Está bien

What an “okay” album. I like this genre of goth rock but I don’t care for this execution of it. It was very ambient and instrumental. I think I like one or two songs from it. I’m torn between a 2 and a 3. Half of the album sounds like background music. I wanna give it a 2.5

3/5

Sweet

I suppose early emo kind of stuff, so impressive for that

Sounds like it's trying really hard to be unique but just comes across as stoner classic rock. Maybe I'll try again when under the influence to see if it's better.

The first album I ever bought was Standing On A Beach, so I'm an OG Greatest Hits appreciator of The Cure. Highlights of this are on that, of course. I wonder if the remaster of the album made the sound deliberately "doomier" as these songs are much "brighter" on the collection. Regardless, a classic of goth, not much happening on the surface but a generous 3*

Moody, dark and likely some of the original gothic rock music. There is a certain sound or sounds throughout that makes you feel immediately like a depressed gothic teenager. Best: M Worst: In Your House

Ethereal, discordant sounds. Enjoyed the experimental feel

Très chill, ça donne presque envie de fumer des pétards 🧨 L'instru passe souvent par dessus la voix, mais heureusement elle est jolie. J'aime bien mais c'est quand même moins mon style

J’aime bien certaines musiques (notamment seventeen seconds) mais en général The Cure c’est trop plat pour moi.

Je connaissais The Cure (que j'aime bien) mais je ne connaissais pas du tout cet album. Assez badant et chill, de jolies lignes de basse mais rien de mémorable. Je pense que j'aurais plus apprécié cet album pendant mon adolescence ou alors en concert. Album que je ne réécouterai probablement jamais.

Reminds me of college 80s!

Excellent.

Forgettable

Pretty much what I expected for an early Cure album. Favorite song: I'm a cult hero This song has a bit of a disco vibe, but this isn't the feel of the album, overall.

this was fine, had a couple songs i liked

Good listen but not as good as the other albums.

…. dare I say *yawn*… I do adore a forest though 🥦 Robert smith sounds like he’s stuck between two brick walls and reminds me too much of an ex

Está demasiado chill para mí gusto

Liked it better than the metal albums but more of a classic rock fan

listened to again still not my speed

I have been told by many that I should listen to the Cure. I am very unfamiliar with their music. Aside from Robert Smith, and the Cure's influence on "goth" culture, I don't know much about this band. I thoroughly enjoyed this album though. It was sort of refreshing, even though this album is from 1980. The synths, guitar, bass, all sound great. The layers and effects used in this album really give this album a voice of its own. I don't particularly enjoy the 80's drumming/drum beats... But that is personal preference. To me, it almost contradicts the tone of each song. Most of these songs have this brooding, or melancholic feel to it. Then the drums come in and I feel like I'm listening to a light Hearted pop song. Not every song has this... But it happens enough to make it worth mentioning. The self titled track is a good example of when they drums actually add to the tone or thematic vibe of the song. Overall, a pretty good record. Not something I'd go out of my way to listen to, nor is there anything that really jumps out and pulls me in... But that doesn't make it a bad album.

pretty good bro

Slow starting. Not my favorite of their work honestly, slow, eerie, sort of like driving past a car crash kinda eerie at times.

It was different, it was interesting. I loved the instrumentals. Wasn’t a deep level love for the album; but I liked it and finished it.

This was different but I oddly like it. Mainly for the instrumentals! Very spooky for the season!

Only 1 track made the 1st greatest hits.

Decent background music. Rating 3.

Really enjoyable but ends on some odd choices

It was okay. Nothing stand out about it. It was lighter than what I expected.

Was every song instrumental? I think they all sounded definitely like The Cure. The type of the cure I like, so I should definitely listen again

Only a couple vocal tracks. Music was slow paced. My first Cure album. It didn't engage me buy I didn't stop it either. Makes if good - 3/5.

Liked it more after a few times on repeat

Goth, rock. Good instrumentals but just not a fan of Robert Smith's voice. The Final Sound is only 53 seconds because they ran out of tape during recording (was supposed to be much longer)

Nice easy listening, good background music. I would have liked more vocals.

Good music to zone out to, in a good way. 3

Meh - quite average. Don’t mind The Cure but this one didn’t do it for me

A few good songs, but overall not my favorite from The Cure. I enjoy broody/dark/atmospheric sometimes, but not so much on this album. 3.5 stars.

spooky! "A Forest" was my favorite track.

A Forest is some top tier Cure. I don't really love everything here but at worst it's great background.

This is the most mellow album from The Cure I’ve ever heard. And I dug it. I still mostly prefer the hits, but I’d put this on again for sure when in need of some good writing music.

I feel like I should like The Cure more 3/5

Okay I guess... 2.5

Wanted to like this album more but unfortunately it’s mainly instrumental,not a lot of real songs.What we get is pretty good though.But it’s not really a great album at all.

Dark, gothic. Also a bit repetative, trying to be mysterious

Early Cure. Although, Jumping Someone Else's Train is the quintessential early Cure song. And, it's not on this album. But, you hear echos of it all over this album.

What a pleasant and welcoming surprise. It was a little dreary but enjoyable.

Not bad. A bit gloomy

Een album dat wat naar de achtergrond dreigt te verdwijnen, maar wel prima in elkaar zit. De jaren '80 kwamen er aan en dat hoor je al een beetje. Het is een plaat waar niet zoveel op aan te merken is, maar met weinig momenten die echt ergens bovenuit steken. Dus: 3 sterren.

Not the best Cure album, but still a good listen

Ok

Dat is wel veel er veel van The Cure en dan ook niet echt het allerbeste. Toch tof natuurlijk.

Ook weer aan de zware kant, maar goed te doen.

Beetje veel, 2 depressies in een week.

I did listen to this in the car as a disclaimer, which may have affected my enjoyment a tiny bit. I liked some songs, but some felt like they had some empty space and went on too long. I'm more excited for the other albums on here by them. My favourite song was M.

Kind of ok to zone out to

twas ok. sounded a little dated. you can definitely see the foundations of what the band would become.

A Forest is one of my favorite Cure songs and a bunch of this sounds pretty similar in a dark kind of tone, not the poppy art pop that we’d get from them later. It’s hot it’s place, for sure.

What a funky album. I like later more pop sounding Cure music but early Cure is where it's at. Very weird and psychedelic but still new wavey. A Forest goes really hard. Not sure why but this album gives me big sci-fi vibes like this would go well in the Matrix soundtrack or something like that.

It was good, somehow I felt some songs scary. However, the rest of the songs fell like music to fuck. I don't complain, it was a good experience. 6/10.

The Cure is an incredible band who led new age rock into an amazing new era. By comparison to their discography, this album was kinda weak sauce. A Forest is an obvious banger and I loved how cohesive the whole thing felt. It really gave the impression that they wanted a pseudo-concept album. But I just don't think it landed as well as other projects by the group. Stand out track: Seventeen Seconds

Kind of have mixed feeling about this album. It has some cool melancholy vibes and is consistent throughout the piece, but I feel like every track has an interesting idea that they don't quite utilize to it full potential. Nothing stands out and as a result this album is pretty boring. It worth one listen, but I don't think I will ever voluntarily listen to this album again Favorite Track: In You House (Because it reminds me of Death Cab for Cuties modern stuff)

Some good tracks, didn’t hold attention as we as some of their other albums, give it a decent 3

It’s a beautiful, hot summer day and I am on vacation right now. I want to be in the sun, living large, chasing dreams! I don’t want to be sad and gothic. I like and appreciate The Cure, but this is not the vibe for today, it’s not meshing with my mood. No no. Too dark and depressive for my spirit to take right now. It’s more of a Cure greatest hits situation over here instead.

A very good, but not amazing Cure Album.

This isn't my favorite Cure album and I don't think it is the best Cure album either. It is notable for being the album that kind of solidifies the band's sound and having "A Forest" on it. There is some sameness to this album but it's not bad. Nearly every track has a somber beat and crawls along with that beat. Not a criticism, but it isn't as varied as the Cure would be in the future. Essentially, this is the album before the album(s) that make the Cure a great band. This is the sound.

This album got me through 7 airplane delays. I appreciate it for that. 3.5/5

3,5?

Mostly acoustic, kinda echoey/atmospheric. Decent background music

dark and somber record, some nice tracks on it

A haunting experience that for some reasons relies too much on the underproduced vocals. Why do that for every track on the album? I think 'Desintegration' is the better album because it was way better produced.

Play For Today is good but this album keeps coming in and then jumping into the background. Like I don't give a shit about The Final Sound or Three, but A Forest is a total bop!

It was alright. Not my favorite cure album

Nice vibes and enjoyable to listen to, but it didn't do enough to remain memorable to me. Instrumentals have a nice tone.

A rather sleepy yet stimulating turn for The Cure after the bang that was Three Imaginary Boys but it was a turn that implied what was coming next on the horizon. Atmospheric sounds and shorter pieces hold together this not-quite masterpiece as bigger things are ahead. Favorites: A Reflection, Secrets, In Your House, A Forest, M, Seventeen Seconds.

Yea, now we talking! Def dabbled with the cure. I like the albums that followed as they were more production heavy and dark, but this was still a good listen. 80s UK pop-punk is awesome.

Good album, not their strongest or most exciting though. Largely just ambient sounding instrumentals, almost sounds like it's incomplete with Robert Smith not yet having recorded the vocals

i’m a big fan of the cure but this album seemed to lack a lot of depth. some very good tracks but also a lot that just felt like interludes.

A true 2.5. Completely faded into the background and totally unremarkable. But at least it didn't actively annoy me?

Quite bland, but decent background music.

Nice chill album. Good guitars and bass lines.

Okay, again, not bad not great Such an iconic band but not their best offering. Vocals and base are always incredible with them Spoopy Halloween vibes from it at times?

Few good songs but nothing really stood out for me

I'm playing catch up and have to review a few albums I missed, so I was really hoping that I wouldn't have to play a record that would require pondering on lyrics. Fortunately, this album had barely any singing. But in spite of that and the tones of emptiness, these tracks didn't lack depth. I like The Cure, generally speaking, but I'd never even heard of this record. It's not a sophomore slump following a poppier Three Imaginary Boys. And while there weren't many tracks that stood out, the consistent tone of the album shows a band that was mature enough to take a sound that was less commercial and dig into it. Three Imaginary Boys has great tracks- punkier tunes like Object and So What. But these tracks- the punchy electric drum kit, the bass that drives the melody from the mid and higher tones like on Play for Today, they let you know exactly where the Cure was going, and when you look at the year 1980 im a lot of ways they were on the frontier of that sound. Secrets sounds like the blueprint for later "Lovesong". In Your House, my God it sounds like what every other 80s band was trying to do literally years later. And yes, Joy Division had been around, I'm not trying to take anything from them, but this was still (obviously) pre-New Order and way before The Smiths. So I can appreciate it. It was an easy album to turn on and just go for a walk and think.

Good album and like some of the reviews said it sounds like a stepping stone to even better albums to come. I was enjoying more of the fast paced and built up songs over the ambient tracks but I think that might be due to setting. It’s almost summer so listening to ambient goth rock is not exactly what I’m looking for but this was still a really good album and I’d probably enjoy it more around Halloween. The four track run to close the album is what made this one for me. Sounds like classic Cure with a nice mix of pop and goth. It’s a Spring 3 and a Fall 4 so sadly I’m rating it in Spring 👍: forest, m, at night

Overall enjoyable album. I have become more of a The Cure fan in the past 6 months. This project seems a little barebones, makes sense though, given it was the turning point for what their overall sound would become. Super interesting how the bandmates were divided on the direction.

This is fine but just felt like it they could’ve done more. Maybe that’s that’s the appeal, but not for me. There were a some really cool instrumentals that mostly went nowhere and vocals that were either nonexistent or lackluster. It’s not bad background music but that’s all it is for the most part. Some of these dragged a bit. Low-mid 3 Best: play for today, forest, seventeen seconds MMM: AND WAIT☝🏼AND WAIT ☝🏼AND WAIT ☝🏼FOR SOMETHING TO HAPPEN

It's OK I guess but it's all the same song, they chose 1 beat and stuck with it. Already had 2 Cure albums but no Dylan or Stones yet hmmm

Interestingly sparse Cure album. Obv contains the full length classic A Forest. Otherwise there are some Eno type noodlings which perhaps leaves you a short changed on 35 min album.

Love the cure but I want to hear more vocals

Some smoother listening than the past few days. I hadn't listened to the Cure before, but this is some great brit rock.

The Cure being The Cure! I enjoyed it, but then I like them so I’m bias to it. Good starter point for anyone looking to get into them, although Disintegration is much, much better. Solid album though, I’ll probably blitz their back catalogue on a purchase spree at some point too!

Goth rock album van de Britse band The Cure. Heeft de kenmerkende The Cure new wave sound en klinkt wel verfijnder dan eerdere nummers als "Boys Don't Cry", maar is niet het beste werk van de band. leukste nummer: M Het budget voor het album was zo klein dat het nummer "The Final Sound" abrupt eindigt omdat simpelweg de tape op was.

Неплохо

Tre stjerner pga. A Forest

Not my deal, not terrible.

I liked how this album flowed and all felt like it was on the same theme yet all the songs sounded different enough.

-gotta say, LOVE an intro song. definitely helps u get into the vibes of an album -definitely a different sound from what i’ve listened to so far -this album isn’t BAD. its just not exactly out there enough for me -i do enjoy the cure, and even though this album isn’t full of big hits like their other albums, i still enjoyed! -favorites: at night -i definitely think this cure album specifically is moodier and darker

Segundo disco de The Cure, medio monótono, pero se deja escuchar. Tiene 'A Forest' que es algo para nada menor.

I love The Cure's bass lines. It's almost percussive, and I just love it. This album gave me weird vibes, but in a good eerie way. I don't know why, but I really want to be like... A "Cure fan." I just haven't broken into that level. Yet! TM

Had to listen to this one again as I couldn't quite remember what I thought. Mean, moody and atmospheric but, it felt like it never quite arrived at where it was heading. I feel like this band or album has been super influencial as I can hear other artists who came after in the music playing here, but no particular song stuck around or got it's claws in me. Wouldn't mind another album from these guys so I can made a better informed opinion on them.

I didn’t like this album as much as Disintegration. I didn’t mind it but it didn’t really do much for me.

Play for today er afar gott, en ég er síður hrifinn af A forrest. Restin er töff flangerað gítar melankólíupopp. Frekar næs, ef maður er hrifinn af svoleiðis. Ég er svona lala hrifinn af svoleiðis.

Love how ominous and driving this is in parts, the guitars sort of pull you along deeper into the woods. other than those parts sort of standard fare, still good but not fantastic. Best tracks: play for today, secrets, a forest

Early The Cure isn't my thing

Holy crap, I was expecting more...

saddd music

i don't know what i expected tbh but i was just kinda bored

Probably better if you could hear the lyrics, but the confidence of this band is infectious

Not really my thing but OK, a bit drab (I know that's the point but...) All a bit samey

It’s like a 2.75, round up to 3

A bit too… ethereal and gloomy for me. But I guess that’s The Cure. I feel like I prefer their later 80s/early 90s stuff. But hearing them at the formation of their sound is cool. All I know is I immediately put on Friday I’m in Love to cleanse the palette.

I wanted to like it more. I should get around to listening to the Cure more but I think they may stay as more of a "Greatest hits" band for me.

It's a high 3 for sure, but just lacked that one or two excellent tracks to bump it to 4

Meh.

Punk. New age.

Ok as a late night listen but I can’t see me listening again

The curing was in its early stages on this album. Much better was to come. Apart from the singles which work as stand alone tracks this really is just a soundtrack to a film that didn't get commissioned.

Ondanks dat het muzikaal enigszins eentonig is, raakt het wel een snaar. Ik vind de typische jaren 80 vocals alleen totaal niks. Je merkt wel dat dit redelijk invloedrijk geweest is, aangezien dit in 1980 uitkwam en al zo'n ongelooflijke jaren 80 sound heeft. Maarja, daar ben ik dus niet zo'n fan van. Toch vanwege de muzikaliteit nog wel 3 sterren.

I like a lot of the Cure albums that come after this one, but this didn't really do much for me. Maybe I will need to give it a few more listens to re-asses but this is currently sitting around a 3-3.5.

The album where the Cure became the Cure.

Relatively short album. Lyrics are just kinda meh. I didn't hate it and didn't skip any songs. It is better than a 2, not really a 3. I will round up.

Having gotten "Pornography" earlier in the list (and absolutely loving it), I can sense a spark here, but it's not fully there yet. There's some atmosphere, the songwriting is mostly there, it just needs a little more time. It's a fine record, just not as good as what would come later. Favorite tracks: "A Forest", "Play For Today", "In Your House"

This is the third album from The Cure that I've pulled on this list, and I am guessing that 3 is probably too many. This is the one I liked the most though. It's the shortest one by far!

Best Cure album I've had so far, but still don't find myself all that moved by it. Favorite track: Play for Today

I really like The Cure. But this record, while I am sure it was ground breaking at the time, doesn't do anything for me in 2023. It's boring and doesn't really go anywhere.

Pretty good, I’ll revisit this

I do like the cure. Not so many stand out ones here for me though...

3.5

Enjoyed it, it didn't blow me away but I will defo listen to more of The Cure

Not their most catchy tunes. I reckon if I was listening to it whilst laying in the bath it'd get a higher score. I wasn't laying in the bath though.

Fine for a slow day with your cock out on the sofa and a glass of red. Not great for much else, disgustingly mediocre.

Sounded alright but didn’t have enough time to dive deep

Dark and dance-y. But somehow playful. A southern Joy Division. Gary Newman must have been shitting himself after hearing this. As a whole the album flows well. A good progression from the sound of their last album. Unfortunately doesn’t have enough stand out tracks to be amazing. 3/5 Sot Play For Today A Forest

A couple of higlights (Play for Today, A Forest of course, ..) and otherwise not much is happening here.

Solid

Pretty good, but never truly catchy

2/10, 20%

Helt schwag

Me gustan los discos más líricos pero me gusto

Whoa, not sure I knew about this album? I don't feel it often gets mentioned in discussions about The Cure's discography. I dug it. Felt less obviously introspective and plodding than other Cure stuff I've listened to. Standouts: Play for Today, In Your House, A Forest

Was a bit surprised this was on the list at first. Did sound entirely whay I was familiar with at first, bar the big hitters. Seemed to be a bit slow and not really going anywhere, but the second half picked right up and after a second listen I ended up liking it. Will definitely give it a few more goes

This is a better album than Disintegration, though without any big tunes. Everything was pleasantly listenable, pleasantly forgettable.

Very emo.

Interesting album, but a little too meandering and moody for me to rush to listen again. Prefer their slightly later stuff.

I've listened to a lot of The Cure's singles throughout the years, but this was my first time listening to a whole album of theirs. I love what they did instrumentally; it reminds me a lot about what I like about Echo & The Bunnymen. The Cure do an exceptional job of establishing a mood, even without lyrics. I love how their bass lines make everything so big, yet so empty. Lyrically though, this album just wasn't doing it for me. I wish I could pinpoint why that is, but I can't. I guess that explains why "Three" was one of my favorite tracks on the album. By the way, if you like The Cure, Robert Smith recently appeared on the song "How Not to Drown" with Chvrches, and that song is great. Also, check out the first two albums from White Lies (does anyone even read my reviews, or am I just making recommendations into the void?)

I dig it! Good listening, chill listening while still sonically pleasing

What I expected from The Cure. It was hard to hear the lyrics (not sure if that was a Spotify issue)

Enjoy the minimalism but the songwriting chops feel like they don’t come til later

Average. Enjoyably smooth, soft, not much lyrically.

Seventeen seconds more like eighteen seconds

Instrumental opener, seems to be a theme among some of these albums. Synth pop/alternative at its finest. Tinges of punk as well. Such delicate vocals by the singer that do a great job of reeling in the listener to the story. Song structures atypical of 80s radio pop. Familiar guitar tones. No musicians stand out as a virtuoso, this album is more about mood than playing out individually. Somber, melancholy. Mix is amateurish, vocals very low on some tunes.

Has a psychedelic vibe, pretty good. 3.5

I made up my mind. I like the Cure. Though there are no real bangers on this one. 3

This was an interesting album. It felt a lot more experimental for the Cure, like they were trying something different. I am not that steeped into their music, so this sounded a lot different than what I expected. They were obviously going from the sound they had on their first album to the progression to what they would become, so a lot of the songs seemed more transitional. Because of that transitional feel, that evolution, none of the songs stood out to me as THE song. The song that made me say "oh, wow I want to come back to this." It just didn't stand out. So it was interesting, but not good enough.

And this is where goth and kill myself rock really got its start. Some nice simplicity to the whole album, but that's also a knock against it. Too minimalist at times, like give me more than a drum track, some simple chords and keyboard synth. The opener A Reflection sums it up nice - interesting instrument-only track, but too bland? It's not as good as some of their later albums but nice to see where the pioneering work started. I don't mind it, I might even like it, but I can't give it a 4. Maybe I would if there were a few more songs that really grabbed my attention like Play for Today or A Forest.

I really like the Cure, so I wanted to like this album more but even on a second listen it seems like that they weren’t quite there yet. You can see the potential of what’s to come here on a few of the songs. The standout track is “A Forest” which also happened to be the single from the album. “Secrets” was good also but the rest of the album seems to fit into you had to be there at the right age to for this to hook you in category although modern goth fans might still get into today.

Another one for the 'appreciate more than enjoy' column

The Cure famously have two distinct sounds. A poppy, upbeat side that has produced numerous jangly radio hits, and a dark, atmospheric side that takes is harder work. I didn't think the two crossed over, but this album sits halfway between each, and is very good. Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: A Forest Date listened: 12/12/22