Seventeen Seconds

A true goth masterpiece from The days before they became just a Pop band

Cure on osannut lopettaa levyn ajoissa! Ei liikaa haahuilua tässä, vaikka haahuilun tunnelma on minusta selvästi keskiössä. Avainsana siis tunnelma. A Forest erottuu edukseen heti. Se rytmittää levyn. Muut biisit jää varjoon, mutta tykkään kuunnella niitäkin.

A Forest is a brilliant song. Rest is very atmospheric and melancholy, but good too 4/5

Sounds amazing, missing the disintegration lyrics tbh

Not my favorite Cure album but it’s still a good one. If Pornography, Disintigration, Kiss Me Kiss Me Miss Me or even Wish isn’t on this list then I have some serious questions for the curators.

This is not my favorite Cure album, but it helps set the stage for what is to come later with this band and others: dark, chilly post-punk attitude set within watercolor washes of moody texture, for when you want to cry but also maybe dance. "A Forest" is the classic stand out here (I could listen to it again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and again and).

All of the cures songs sounds the same. Pretty good though.

A bit rough around the edges sure, but with this album The Cure started to show their real potential. Sticking to their post punk roots while still expanding their sound to make one of the most unique albums of the early 80s. The passion is definitely there in the vocals in a way that Three Imaginary Boys just didn't have, and the guitar work is nothing short of fantastic, most notably in The Forest, one of my personal favourite guitar riffs in their entire discography.

First full album from The Cure. Very solid. Liked it a lot more than anticipated.

The Cure remains one of my favorite bands.

Okay

If this album were just 35 minutes of an extended mix of The Forest I think I'd be happy; it's such a great track. The rest of the album is really good too, but The Forest is the clear standout.

Forwarded this email? Subscribe here for more Project 1001: Seventeen Seconds by The Cure I dig you, you dig me / We dig each other / That's groovy, oh yeah Rich Cain Nov 3 READ IN APP I wonder how many fans of the Cure who came by their fandom via the big hits of the mid-80’s like “Just Like Heaven” or “Friday I’m in Love” have listened to this remarkable album. https://open.substack.com/pub/richcain/p/project-1001-seventeen-seconds-by?r=4ztyq&utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&showWelcomeOnShare=true

3 stars after first listen, 4 stars after second listen. Moodier than I tend to go for, but today it suits. A Forest harkens future greatness.

I enjoyed this more than other albums by the Cure. Moody and ethereal and I probably would have loved this if I were a kid in 1980.

The Cure is always a good time

A forest is of course the most recognisable track, but a good moody second album. Love the story that The Final Sound is so short because the tape ran out.

Had this on while painting, I probably listened through 3-4 times. Really enjoyed this, 4/5

This whole album is very good. Not my favorite. But the work here is surprisingly strong and smart. 4/5

I already knew I'd like this, given I already loooooove the Cure <3. I hadn't given this much of a chance before now: but I can say it's decent. I enjoyed the consistent atmosphere, gloomy, but without the entirely despondent feel present in other albums such as Pornography. There is something charming about the simplicity in this album's sound, which morphs into an almost playful atmosphere at times. With this album I found myself floating amidst a sea of instrumentals often, but I did not feel as though I was drowning. The lack of vocals was like a calming drone (in the best way possible.) I think upon further listens this will continue to grow on me.

Love this, not sure how it'll grow on me, but highly likely to listen again and again. Already given it 3 spins. Perhaps a future 5 star, but just the 4 for now.

A great album, several songs are personal favourites.

A little melancholy, but a good listen

**Album Review: _Seventeen Seconds_ by The Cure** Released in April 1980, _Seventeen Seconds_ was The Cure's second studio album and marked a radical shift in the band's sound from their debut album, _Three Imaginary Boys_. This new direction set the stage for the band's later works and became a cornerstone of what would evolve into gothic rock. Driven by frontman Robert Smith's vision, the album embraces a minimalistic, atmospheric, and often melancholic sound that cemented The Cure's identity in the post-punk landscape. This review will delve into the lyrical content, musical composition, production quality, and thematic coherence of the album, and assess its influence on the genre and music history. ### **Lyrical Analysis** Lyrically, _Seventeen Seconds_ is a deeply introspective and somber record. Robert Smith, The Cure's primary lyricist, explores themes of existential anxiety, alienation, time, and the fragility of human experience. The lyrics throughout the album paint a picture of emptiness and isolation, which was a stark contrast to the more upbeat and experimental tone of _Three Imaginary Boys_. The opening track, "A Reflection," sets the tone with an instrumental introduction, signaling that this is not a lyrically dense album. Instead, it relies on the sparse use of vocals, with Smith's lyrics often acting as an extension of the soundscapes rather than dominating the music. This is particularly evident in songs like "Play for Today," where the recurring phrase, "It's not the same, it's not the same," emphasizes a feeling of loss and disillusionment. In "M," Smith explores themes of longing and regret, employing minimalistic lyrics to great effect. The repetitive structure amplifies the emotional weight of the song, mirroring the cyclical nature of memory and loss. Similarly, "In Your House" uses bare, evocative lines to create a claustrophobic atmosphere of emotional detachment, where the home—normally a place of comfort—becomes a place of stifling isolation. The most profound lyrical moment comes in the album's penultimate track, "The Final Sound." It's a short piece (just under a minute long) that feels like a brief, yet poignant meditation on mortality. "A Forest," the album's standout track, tells a haunting story of a person endlessly searching for something (or someone) in a forest, only to find that it isn’t there. The lyrics, with their nightmarish sense of futility, enhance the existential dread running throughout the album. Ultimately, the lyrical content of _Seventeen Seconds_ is sparse but intentional. Smith’s lyrics are often vague, leaving much to interpretation, which gives the listener the freedom to immerse themselves in the emotional atmosphere of the album rather than focus on a narrative. ### **Musical Composition** The music of _Seventeen Seconds_ is sparse, atmospheric, and moody, with a focus on creating a sense of desolation and coldness. Unlike the more playful or punk-oriented sound of their earlier work, this album leans heavily into post-punk minimalism. The compositions are deliberate in their simplicity, with the band’s sound becoming more focused on texture and tone rather than melody or chord progressions. The guitar work, provided by Robert Smith, is subtle and atmospheric, often drenched in reverb and delay effects. These effects create a distant, echoing sound that perfectly complements the album’s bleak lyrical themes. In tracks like "In Your House" and "A Forest," the guitar becomes a ghostly presence, less concerned with traditional riffs or solos and more about building aural landscapes. This technique enhances the sense of space within the music, making the listener feel as though they are floating through an empty, dream-like world. Simon Gallup’s bass playing on this album became a defining element of The Cure’s sound, and it's particularly prominent in songs like "A Forest." His bass lines are simple yet deeply effective, creating a brooding undercurrent that anchors the songs while adding a hypnotic quality. This minimalistic approach to bass playing would become a hallmark of The Cure’s future work and a key influence on other post-punk and gothic rock bands. Drummer Lol Tolhurst’s percussion is restrained, often reduced to repetitive, steady rhythms. While not flashy, his drumming is vital in constructing the album’s mechanical, cold atmosphere. The use of drum machines and electronic effects is also noticeable, particularly on the instrumental pieces like "A Reflection" and "The Final Sound," giving the album a detached, almost robotic quality that enhances its feeling of emotional desolation. Finally, Matthieu Hartley’s sparse keyboard work adds another layer of atmospheric texture, lending the album a haunting, otherworldly quality. The synth sounds are icy and brittle, often used to fill in the negative space left by the other instruments, further heightening the album's minimalist, ambient nature. ### **Production** Produced by Mike Hedges and The Cure, _Seventeen Seconds_ has a stark, lo-fi aesthetic that complements its themes of isolation and despair. The album was recorded in just seven days on a modest budget, which is evident in its raw and unpolished sound. However, this stripped-down production is one of the album’s greatest strengths. It allows the emotions to feel raw and authentic, unburdened by overproduction or excess instrumentation. The use of space in the production is noteworthy. Hedges and The Cure employ reverb and delay extensively, but not in a way that feels overbearing. Instead, the effects are used to create a sense of vastness and emptiness, making the album feel both claustrophobic and expansive at the same time. Tracks like "A Forest" and "M" use these techniques masterfully, allowing the instruments to breathe and resonate within the mix. The balance between instruments is carefully maintained, with no single element overshadowing the others. The vocals are often distant and understated, buried within the mix rather than placed front and center. This contributes to the album’s dreamlike, detached quality, reinforcing the sense that the listener is drifting through a hazy, nightmarish landscape. One of the few criticisms of the production is that, at times, the lo-fi nature can come across as somewhat muddy or underdeveloped, particularly in the more instrumental tracks. However, this could be seen as a deliberate artistic choice, reinforcing the album’s minimalist, stripped-down aesthetic. It also reflects the band's limited resources at the time, adding to the sense of raw, unfiltered emotion. ### **Themes** The central themes of _Seventeen Seconds_ revolve around time, emptiness, and existential despair. The title itself hints at a fleeting moment in time, capturing the essence of life's transient nature. Throughout the album, there is a pervasive sense of searching and longing, often without resolution. The lyrics and music together convey a sense of being trapped in a loop, constantly reaching out for something that remains out of grasp. Songs like "A Forest" embody this theme of endless searching. The protagonist searches for someone in the woods, only to realize that what they’re searching for doesn't exist. This sense of futility and confusion resonates throughout the album, reinforcing the idea that life itself is full of uncertainties and unrealized desires. Time is another key theme. In "Seventeen Seconds," the closing track, the repetition of the line "Seventeen seconds, a measure of life" underscores the fleeting nature of existence. The brevity of the track and the minimalist lyrics suggest that life, much like the song, can be brief and filled with moments of emptiness. Isolation is another prominent theme, both in the lyrics and the music. Many of the songs evoke a sense of emotional detachment, as though the characters within them are disconnected from the world around them. The cold, minimalistic instrumentation mirrors this emotional distance, creating a soundscape that feels as though it exists in a void. ### **Influence and Legacy** _Seventeen Seconds_ is widely regarded as a foundational album in the post-punk and gothic rock genres. Its minimalistic, atmospheric approach to music influenced a generation of musicians who sought to explore the darker, more introspective side of rock music. The Cure’s use of reverb-heavy guitars, sparse keyboards, and steady, hypnotic bass lines became a blueprint for countless bands in the 1980s and beyond. One of the most notable aspects of the album’s legacy is its influence on the emerging gothic rock movement. Bands like Siouxsie and the Banshees, Bauhaus, and Joy Division were similarly exploring dark, atmospheric soundscapes during this period, and _Seventeen Seconds_ became a touchstone for the genre. Its combination of bleak lyrics, minimalist instrumentation, and cold, detached production helped define the sonic aesthetic that would come to characterize gothic rock. Moreover, _Seventeen Seconds_ laid the groundwork for The Cure's future work. It marked the beginning of what many fans and critics consider to be the band’s "dark trilogy" of albums, followed by _Faith_ (1981) and _Pornography_ (1982). These albums would delve even deeper into themes of despair, alienation, and existential dread, solidifying The Cure’s status as one of the most influential bands of the 1980s. ### **Pros** 1. **Atmospheric Sound**: _Seventeen Seconds_ creates a haunting, immersive soundscape that draws listeners into its world of isolation and existential dread. 2. **Minimalism**: The album’s stripped-down approach allows every note, lyric, and beat to resonate deeply, creating an emotional intensity without relying on complexity. 3. **Cohesion**: The album’s themes of time, loss, and emptiness are consistently reinforced through both the music and lyrics, making it a cohesive artistic statement. 4. **Influence**: Its influence on post-punk, gothic rock, and alternative music is undeniable, setting the stage for The Cure’s later masterpieces and influencing generations of musicians. ### **Cons** 1. **Mon otony**: The album’s minimalism, while effective in creating atmosphere, can also feel monotonous at times, with many of the tracks blending into one another. 2. **Production Quality**: The lo-fi production, while fitting the album’s aesthetic, can sometimes feel underdeveloped or muddy, particularly on the instrumental tracks. 3. **Lack of Variety**: _Seventeen Seconds_ lacks the musical diversity and dynamism found in some of The Cure’s later work, which may limit its appeal for those looking for more variation. ### **Conclusion** _Seventeen Seconds_ is a pivotal album in The Cure's discography and the broader post-punk movement. Its minimalist approach to music, combined with its bleak, introspective lyrics, creates a hauntingly atmospheric experience. While its lack of musical diversity and lo-fi production may alienate some listeners, the album's influence and emotional depth make it an essential listen for fans of post-punk, gothic rock, and The Cure.

Wonderfully gloomy, minimalist, dialed in to my goth-curious side.

Solid album from The Cure. Loved their new album and this one is almost as good. Looking forward to their later albums

4+/5

Love this album. Dark and ambient. Some of the vocals are slightly annoying (but also nostalgic-feeling) so the purely instrumental parts are some of my favorite bits

I like the atmospheric qualities of this album not what I was expecting. An album I will listen to again very soon

I really enjoyed this album. Its lyrics were ok, in some songs I don't think they say anything. But they make up for it in the sound, it is awesome and carries the album. Overall its a great album, but I wouldn't recommend this to really anyone who wants a rock album.

Cool Album Standout songs: In Your House A Forest

Kinda Jamaraz-core

Ho-ly shit! Didn’t expect another Cure album. This is a very nice surprise. Never realized that The Forest was from so early in their catalog. This whole album is very good. Not my favorite. But the work here is surprisingly strong and smart.

Very dark and Gothic sounding. Overall tone is great, but not sure if I would have any of these songs on a rotation. The album is a great listen if you want to ground yourself in the midst of an episode, or a gloomy fall afternoon. I'd give it a 7/10.

Pese a ser un álbum de 45 años de antigüedad, suena increíblemente bien. Es un sonido ultra experimental y único, súper groovy y muy nostálgico, te transporta a una era de la música que tiene un lugar muy especial para muchos. Me gusto mucho, desde su opening track A Reflection, sombría pero a la vez vibrante que establece el tono hasta Seventeen Seconds y Cult Hero, esas tres fueron mis favoritas. El álbum es claramente una pieza cohesiva con un sonido innovador. Me hubiera gustado más atención a las letras ya que es algo muy importante para mí y mi forma de experimentar la música. En este álbum se siente como si la letra y la voz fueran un instrumento más y a menudo se entremezclan con los demás instrumentos, creando un ambiente impecable pero haciendo difícil entender las letras. Igualmente me gustó mucho.

Great, until the last two tracks ("I'm a Cult Hero" and "I Dig You".) 4/5 rather than 5/5.

I’ve heard of The Cure before as a pioneering post-punk outfit. In fact, I've heard the single "A Forest" before from this second album of theirs. Seventeen Seconds gets very bleak and atompspheric in its style. That much is apparent from the opening instrumental “A Reflection” with its spare piano and guitar arrangements. Then “Play for Today…” kicks in with the well-accented percussion from Lol Tolhurst. From there, the album is set in tone as driven by the drums, with Simon Gallup’s thoughtful bass lines, the occasional keyboards from Matthieu Hartley, and Robert Smith’s subdued guitar riffs and dreary yet passionate lyrics and vocal delivery. All of the members are synergied in this dark manifestation that’s well-executed. My primary complaint with this album is that the production can be uneven at times. Songs like “Secrets” and “Three” could have benefited from Robert’s vocals being pushed more front in the mix. Also “The Final Sound”, while serving as an ominous piano piece in its dissonance, is cut rather short as it sounds like the composition could have been gone on further. Still, I enjoyed Seventeen Seconds in its strange etherealness. I’d give it a solid recommendation, though with a caveat to not listen to this if you’re feeling sad or depressed as this album is not intended to make your day any brighter.

Like this album a lot!

Another band where I am familiar with greatest hits but unfamiliar it’s their albums. Really enjoyed this.

Felt like this could’ve been so much more. 3.5 rounding up.

This album is all about the atmosphere. Brooding, eerie, and cold. It sounds just exactly how the cover looks. Key tracks: A Forest M

This was my first time to listen to early The Cure and it was a treat.

play for today grooving

What a jump from the sound of their first album. Enjoyed. Not my thing but there’s great stuff on here

I remember being a young teenager adamant that Robert Smith look itself was enough to make me hate their music. My immaturity had me referring to them as “The Disease” rather than the cure. I actually grew to appreciate them once I got in a college, but I hadn’t paid attention to their early stuff. I believe this is the second album that they did and it really seems to sit at the forefront of the new wave music that was coming.

One thing about The Cure - their instrumental songs are really top notch. Nothing complicated or extravagant, just a massive amount of atmosphere and emotions pumped into the tracks. I think I should have started listening to The Cure long time ago. If only the vocal was more approachable, I guess.

Okay.

Мощно, грустно, атмосферно

Across the whole record, it feels as if there's something sinister lurking just beneath the surface. Hard to explain, but it works so well.

Great chord progressions. A bit whiny but so was the era.

Chill album. I definitely understand where She Wants Revenge got their inspiration from.

Oh lord, I really want to give this 3.5. It grew on me with the second listen. A Forest is by far the best track on here. By a mile

no dia que aparecer pornography ou disintegration eu dou as 5 estrelas!!!

Beautiful soundscape and captivating songs. Fantastic basslines and the guitar playing is a mix of jangle and proto-alt rock/grunge fun. I wish I had heard this earlier. Now for my rating, I can't give it a five. A five for me has to be perfect, unskippable, and there are a couple of songs on here that I could see myself skipping on return listens. Maybe I'll change my mind later, but for now, it's a very high four.

Excellent gothy synth rock. Robert Smith sounds great here.

Love

I am Cured

I liked this album a lot, I enjoyed the downcast tone that the album has along with its somewhat dark lyrics throughout. The vocals and instrumentals were both really good, and my favourite tracks included Seventeen Seconds, A Forest and In Your Home. However, some of the songs such as The Final Sound and A Reflection were a bit weak, and they were what ultimately prevented me from giving it 5 stars out of 5.

As with the previous album I got, can't say I'm a fan in a way I'd listen to this album over and over, but I always find the experience interesting

The fact I’ve listened to this album before Disintegration does feel a little weird

Przyjemny, klasyczny rock. Czasami wrócę, idealnie na 4

Only other Cure albums can rival this.

Again, an interesting choice of album from a highly revered band!

I was so unbelievably eepy listening to this and i think I I liked it better bc of that. Overall good

I guess this was my reward for getting through 2 metal albums

Good production, not my kinda music

A nice listen with a lot of cool sounds. Not a lot of standout tracks but had me hooked in. On the 4 side of 3.5.

3.7

Den er fed, holder ikke helt så hårdt som Disintegration imo. A Forest er højdepunktet. Hvis dette album er på kan vi nok godt regne med 2-3 Cure albums endnu At Rasmus aldrig har haft en Cure periode er en af mine største overraskelser indtil videre!!

Har egentlig ikke hørt så meget The Cure og begynder at føle at det er en fejl! Virkelig lækker plade!

Må nok hellere komme afsted til Camden Town i London for at købe nittebælter, eyeliner og slidt sort tøj...

This album sets a consistent and heavy vibe. Though I don’t think I’d put it on again. I liked it much more than I expected to.

Initial thoughts - vibes-y, chill, depressing. Was playing as background music. Some cool stuff happening, like the boom beat bit at the end of one track.

wonderful ground breaker

não chega perto de ser meu preferido do the cure mas ainda é uma boa ouvida, não ter se prolongado foi um ponto positivo

a really atmospheric and smooth-sounding album… makes me feel like I’m in a castle and I’m writing poetry. Favorite song was A Forest :-) 7/10 (rounding up)

....

What I like about this album is that it has a very distinct sound. It is completely unbothered about being engaging or commercial. Without context you might think this album is a soundtrack for some sort of scandy noir. Overall it still feels like its lacking some substance, but A Forest really is an immense song. Fave Tracks: In Your House, A Forest, At Night 3.6/5

Pretty nice man its pretty good wouldve loved louder vocals 4

8/10. The Cure have a great style. :)

love a goth moment

A Forest is one of my fav songs and i like this album a lot! the atmo, and this light dark theme is so good

Good Album

The Forest is amazing. Never listened to this album

Good gloom. Whenever I hear a forest,I think of how I saw the Cure live in 2016 and how it was in a different key and even more slowed down so he could sing it well. It's a good album but they only got better

I'm not a fan of jangly guitars, hence disliking a great deal of what hit UK charts from the late 80's, but The Cure use them here in a more atmospheric, moody way, which works. They also keep arrangements and instrumentation sparse, which intensifies each song's message. That said, it is often difficult for me to enjoy Robert Smith's voice. Sure, I have gotten used to it over time, so much so that I think of it as just another Cure instrument (in a similar way to how Tom Yorke's voice is actually another Radiohead instrument), but just imagine how good this band could have been if the singer had real pipes! Side 1 is a warm-up, whilst Side 2 kicks it up a notch, with A Forest being miles better than everything else. I’d give this album 3.5 if only the rating system would allow it.

Pretty chill, some cool synth parts.

Surprisingly OK. Some weirdness but generally enjoyable.

Its an interesting album for sure, I expected to find some cool basslines or interesting use of effects as I have read that Simon Gallup got incorporated to the lineup on this album. On first listens I got some skips if anything maybe because the textures weren't quite interesting. On the other hand there are some ear candy songs on here that make use of effects in quite creative ways. I specially liked songs like "At Night", "Secrets", "A forest" and "Three". My only complaint would be that some songs take too long to create an atmosphere but the ones that do are truly enjoyable.

76/100

One needs to have loads of confidence to start an album off with a 2-minute lasting, simple chord progression that a 1-year band member could write, while jumping around on a pogo stick, eating a snickers bar. Then off we go on our Cure journey, with it's ups and downs, yet undeniable sound that, like it or not, if you were awake in the '80s, makes you wish you were back in that era acknowledging how special the band is--or should we say, how special Robert Smith is? Though I only give this album 4 stars, the song "A Forrest" is a top10 all-time favorite song for me!

I miss the time back when most albums had a weird intro instrumental. This album kind of bangs.

Surprising enjoyed this album. It had a calming sound to it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one. The songs I knew were what made it onto their Standing on the Beach best of album. It was great to hear those familiar tracks in the context of the album they came from. The dry guitar, sparse drums and edgy bass. Not punk but punk adjacent and unpolished.

First track makes you think you’re about to go into a hard metal album or you’re in an 80s suspenseful movie. The second track takes you into The Cure’s morose synthy rhythms and Robert Smith’s distinctive vocals. I love “A Forest”. I would come back there this album.

i liked it a ton, the hazy instrumental with electronic elements is very new wave - no huge standout songs on the album but overall enjoyable

great album love love love

Not my favorite Cure album. It feels like a band figuring out who they are. The Forest is an all timer though.

Nice goth and psychadelic Cure stuff, very chill and not super slow or long-winded

I've never listened to an entire Cure album all the way through. This one is good. I'd definitely listen again.

Love the cure but this one is a bit forgettable other than A Forest and the title track. This list needs some kind of one album per artist limit.

Never listened to them much besides the biggest hits. Already did Disintegration and I think I like this a little more. A Forrest is a great track. Also the final track Seventeen Seconds clicks for me.

The Cure’s Seventeen Seconds is goth; it’s dark, and its pretty sweet. My main positive is the sort of moody feel of every song on the album. I like this way better to the metal sort of weirdness they had in Pornography. My favorites were easily A Reflection and Secrets. A Reflection is just so calm, but has those undertones of a feeling that something is nearby, something dangerous. I love it. Secrets feels so empty, and in a good way. It’s like I just gambled my life away, and I’m on the street while its pouring and thundering. Just a pretty good listen. All in all, Seventeen Seconds is a good album. Best Song: Secrets Worst Song: The Final Sound

This album is not what I was expecting. Some of these songs remind me of something I would have written in the 80s. This album is really good and not what I think of when I think of the Cure. I’m really enjoying this.

Enjoyed this a lot. Could be a five but every song is pretty similar? I feel like I’m later albums they do more interesting stuff

I love the cure

I haven’t really heard of The Cure before listening to this album, and based on the album name/cover I was expecting some like metal type stuff. Nevertheless, I was pleasantly surprised when I started listening to this album. I think it’s very musically and vocally unique, but I quite like it. “Play For Today” is probably my favorite track off of the album.

I didn't grow up listening to The Cure, but this is the second album on the list (after "Disintegration"), and I'm here for it. Well produced, moody, sometimes even catchy. Good stuff.

I definitely prefer mid 80s-mid 90s Cure better but still a great album

It's nice that the cure aren't dead

I will always have a spot in my heart for The Cure

Withdraws kicks & punch's for a tantalizing Moody & Dark atmosphere. The heart beat of the record sounds sterilized, yet never lacks a meaningful purpose. Overall great record 4/5

Intro track is really unsettling for some reason. The background stuff gives me the creeps. Turns over into a pretty standard sounding post-punk song, Play for Today. I do love the post-punk sound with the clean plucked bass, punchy snare, and layered guitar. Three is eerie and simple as well, but I love it. Feels ahead of its time. A lot of the rest kind of fell into the background, but I enjoyed the atmosphere of the whole thing. This is the third 4 I've given to the Cure.. I guess that makes me a fan?

What a great start to a song and album with the Reflection. This one deserves headphones. Super eerie. I have this on in the background at work and I'm impressed with the production of it considering it was recorded and mixed in seven days. Love the ambient gothic-ness of it. And this was all before The Forest which is an incredible song. Another band that this generator has helped me realize I really like. Also realized I really like gothic sounding music. High 4

Eerie dance music Wholly encapsulating Hip horror flick vibe

Haven't listened to this for ages, what a nostalgia blast. The Cure were so dominant in Sydney in the 80s. Our high school rock band covered A Forest. I think it holds up more or less

first time listening to a cure album. v good stuff. consistently good songs, and the project doesn’t overstay its welcome.

Dark, dreary. No really distinctive tracks, but a whole mood. Loved it.

An early gothic rock classic. The blurry, abstract cover art perfectly reflects the music. The dark and moody lyrics over the fast basslines and drums are a perfect combination. You can picture the stereotypical goth kids dancing while staring at their own feet, completely lost in the music. 'Play for Today', 'In Your House, and 'A Forest' are the stand out tracks here. This isn't The Cure at their absolute best yet, but they're well on their way here.

😍😍😍 Great album, great band!

A really love the half of this album that starts with \"A Forest\". Which is maybe bc one of my favorite mixed CDs given to us by a friend kicks off with that track? There's a minute long instrumental that kicks off side B so it's not technically the first song on that side, but I still think it counts. The first half though? I was down for the sound palette but I didn't feel like any of the songs reached out and grabbed me. 3.5, rounded up to 4.

Describing The Cure as moody is like calling water wet, but the shoe’s a perfect fit on this murky, mysterious album from the band’s early days.

It's really chill and quiet. Music to just vibe to. Good bass tone, especially on "A Forest" at the end I found the album really easy to listen to, especially while working. It's just generally pretty good, but I'm really surprised that it is influential enough to make the 1001 albums list. Rainy day album as the people on 1001 albums website say.

I really like this early era of The Cure. You really get a sense of how important they were to New Wave when you put together all of the ways their sound grew and changed over the years. Enjoyed the listen and the reminder that I should be coming back to these early albums.

I really enjoyed even if no one song stuck out on the last two listens

I enjoyed this, not as much as some of their later work, but it’s very atmospheric and moody. I really vibe with the sound of the Cure. Favorite: A Forest Score: 4

послушал вторую пластинку the cure. я никогда особо не увлекался этой группой, но сайт мне подкинул данный альбом и решил на чилле прогнать его. и в целом это приятная музыка c жёстким британским колоритом. я как бы британскую музыку знаю неплохо, поэтому удавалось уловить и источники вдохновения группы, и увидеть какие моменты отсюды взяли в будущем другие группы. вторая песня с альбома это буквально оригинальная версия Закрой за мной дверь у кино. одна из любимых песен здесь кстати. короче очень хороший альбом с такой вот чарующей музыкой и шикарными гитарами. может не совсем моё настроение сейчас, но мне понравилось оценка - 8.5/10

liked this a lot more than i expected…would’ve said low 4 before the weekend but now just an unqualified 4

Some really good stuff on here, especially ‘A Forest’. Not quite as good as Disintegration, but I got more out of it than a lot of other albums lately, considering that I’ve kind of gotten a bit bored with it (on weekends, at least; I’m fine listening to it when I’m getting ready).

Still flabbergast by my opinion of Disintegration, I've been even more shocked by the fact that I seem to enjoy every other Cure album (that I've heard) more! This album has those moody bass riffs, that brooding atmosphere, and just an overall cold exterior yet warm interior that will make a listener feel right at home as they ooze into the angst of it all, but just threatening enough to scare off any unwanted guests. Sometimes they dive too deep into this side of them, leading to songs that feel like lesser copies of others, but often times it hits it right on the head to deliver something that feels like the perfect statement entering the 1980s. None of this is startling, per se, but it is distant, and you have to reach out for it in order to make a true connection with the songs here, and while not everything hits, its still doing its best to invite you into a growing subculture that I think this album is a great poster-child for. Not too pop-y, not too alienating, its the perfect goth rock album, and while that can only get you so far in today's world, I find this to be an incredible solid piece of work for that time-frame. Perhaps its the cold exterior of this album instead of the lush instrumentals of Disintegration that makes me prefer it, who knows? All I'm saying is I had a very good time here, and the short run time certainly helps.

Not my favorite of theirs, but still a classic

For all of the flack Morrissey and The Smiths catch for their depressing schtick, Robert Smith and The Cure are right there with them - they really capture the angst of 80s as much as The Smiths - but with eye liner. 4/5

I like it. Favorite tracks: - Play For Today - A Forest - M - Seventeen Seconds

A dramatic leap in the opposite direction from Three Imaginary Boys. Instead of the loud and energetic post-punk, we shift toward something ambient and minimalist with very little power in the vocals. It's highly experimental as an early gothic work, and you can tell they borrowed from 70s ambient and horror movie soundtracks to see what works, eventually evolving into the gothic music genre that still exists today. It offers a short and unique experience with all the strengths you'd expect from The Cure, including an emotional vocal performance by Robert Smith that embodies what gothic is all about. Painful, eery, and entrancing all in one, especially with that chorus-heavy New Wave guitar style in the minor key. My biggest complaints are that: the mixing is muddled, the songs are less coherent as a collective work, and the sound lacks confidence and style they'll push forward in Faith and Pornography. The first half is a mixed bag, and I feel the songs could be improved with increased ferocity or emotion. I do feel each song is pretty solid (and certainly innovative in the right ways) but not as remarkable as I was expecting. The album just kinda dies awkwardly in the middle with off-placed "Three" and "The Final Sound", but it really picks up with "A Forest".

Proper minimalist Cure, yeah, this is good. Don't really know much here besides A Forest. Play for Today and At Night other great tracks. Moody bass, simple, sparse drums.

Great record, although there are other The Cure albums that I enjoy more. Wonderful song writing - poppy and yet extremely dark at the same time. Excellent use of guitar and studio effects. 'A Forest' is a classic.

Play for today and Secrets is very strong. In your house drags on for a bit long. A forest is a favorite

Un projet d’artiste: on cherche à raconter une histoire, pas à produire des succès. J’aime beaucoup l’ambiance des passages musicaux; heureusement, pas trop de chant, car la voix de Robert Smith m’agace après quelques pièces

Gothic air

I like this more than I thought I would. Initially sounds like thin, dinky background music. But the mood of the cover seeps through, a blurred, bleak, sepia-tone shot of leafless trees, evoking a sort of depressed calm. Like a cloudy Sunday morning after a night of booze and molly, and it feels like there are no emotions left

Intriguing album. Very cohesive. 4.0/5.0: Great

Solid album

Dark, moody, and stripped down with the bass and drums driving things along. A Forest is the only big hit on the record but this is a tight collection of songs. Other highlights: Play for Today, Secrets, M.

Very good

Man, idk how this band went from this wonderfully produced album to the trash that was Pornography. A lot of the songs have this subtly sinister energy that is harder to create than something that just sounds outright evil. I also appreciate that they don’t overuse the synthesizer. Definitely could have used more memorable vocal hooks.

3 hair swept eyes out of 5

It’s a 4 that falls just short of me being able to round up to a 5. I think basically every song here manages to create a super cool atmosphere, and the album succeeds brilliantly at maintaining that atmosphere through its instrumental choices, its production choices, and how snappy most of the songs feel. The only reason I can’t bump this up to a 5 is because of how it occasionally slips out of that atmosphere in a way that affected me as a listener; I think the choice to go for quiet vocals on tracks 3 & 4 is super cool, but they were too quiet to have a real presence in the song for me. I think some of the outros and intros go a little too long here and there. At Night, in particular, felt like it was just kind of stalling to artificially build up tension to me. When this album just hits on vibes alone though, it’s a super enjoyable experience that feels like it’s shifting between the 80s and 90s – I really cannot speak enough to the production choices throughout this album. It’s a super cool 4, it could totally be a 5, but I think it’s just not quite there for me.

The Cure's first [i]good[/i] album, succeeds at creating such a sparse, introspective, and tense atmosphere although Robert Smith is maybe a little [i]too[/i] distant here for this to have a real emotional impact of any sort and the tone tends to be a bit too bleak. Nevertheless it's a step up over the debut and many of these songs are quite tight, with some interesting guitar and bass work. The whole thing is carried by some sort of grim, propulsive energy which at the very least makes you nod your head along even if this is too obtuse and vague to really get its point across. As a starting point and jumping off point for the band it is still a success.

Schön durchzuhören. Vorreiter für nächste Generation.

So early! I loved The Cure as an angsty goth-adjacent GenX teenager in the late 80s, and this is a really good listen into where they began. You can hear where they're going. In 2024, it makes for EXCELLENT office music.

Overall I enjoyed the aesthetic, which is fairly dreamy and dim. The tracks were all well mixed and mastered. I’m not the biggest fan of droning on with repeating short bars, but at least the tracks are fairly short, which keeps it reasonably fresh. The entire album is also short at 36 minutes or so, which I felt was similarly appropriate.

Not my favorite album

This rules. Very moody. I love the bass forward sound of early cure.

This was the first The Cure record I ever bought. It is definitely not joyfully poppy as some of their later work could be. It feels as sparse and terrifying as an abandoned haunted farmhouse in a bleak winter landscape. Highly recommended! Highlights include Play For Today, M, and In Your House.

This album is really cool to listen, i think that it has really cool songs on it. Early punky style, love it.

The Cure is so weird. And that’s why I love it. The Weeknd only wishes he was this strange

Not the best Cure album, but The Cure are always good!

Kinda liked it yeah

It’s the Cure…not as scattered and at cross-purposes as the last one that made the list, so a bit easier to listen to…but still pretty whiny

Goated album, love the cure. Probably my 3rd favorite by them

My wife is a huge fan of The Cure. I've always liked them fine, but don't think I'd ever heard this. It sounds like The Cure to me. No qualms. 3-4

Not my favorite by The Cure, but still a fascinating bridge between the chirpy post-punk they'd started with and the romantic goth epics they'd come to embody.

Much longer than advertised

Brooding and dark, this gives life to the part of me that always kinda wanted to be a goth.

hüpfender Bass à la Cure, Gitarrenriffs, Klavier. Tolles Album welches ich dann prompt auch den ganzen Tag immer wieder mal spielte.

Ein tolles Album welches schon vieles einbringt was The Cure ausmachen wird. Schöne Bassläufe, einfache klare Töne, auch mal achromatisch. Und natürlich Smith's Stimme. Da kommen Erinnerungen an ein cooles Konzert auf.

A true moment in music history. This album set the stage for the version of the 1980's that meant the most to me personally. The Cure has one of the greatest bass lines in all of music. This is a four star for me only because of what followed.

Enjoyed this album. Gloomy and bleak.

Not every song was a hit for me, but one of them stood out to me as something to add to my playlist for songs I'd like to learn on the bass.. soooo it's a 4 star :D

A moody, cruise-like album that one can listen to when working outside in a dreary, autumn/spring day. I can see myself listening to this while working on a home project. 4/5.

Edgy slam poetry, but the mixing is good! It's inoffensive on the ears, thus pleasant to listen to, unlike Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds. That was the last thing I listened to, so the contrast is (perhaps) unfairly bumping this album's score. 4/5 - "Groovy chill-edge. I'll be listening to some of these tracks."

I hadn’t heard this one before. It’s sparser and sketchier than their later work with which I’m more familiar, lacking the lush production and consummate songwriting of Disintegration and the like. But I still thoroughly enjoyed it in its raw airy simplicity and melancholy, with some definite bangers in “A Forest” and “M”.

I would only consider myself a casual Cure fan.. just know the catchier hits really. Enjoyed this though! I didn't look at the Wikipedia or anything and wondered if it was a movie soundtrack or something. Partly because there's a lot of instrumental sections but also there's a real atmosphere and sense of dread throughout. Wouldn't listen to this endlessly but definitely caught my interest.. highlights Play for Today, A Forest, M and Seventeen Seconds

Cool tunes to groove by. Nothing magical, but just solid working musician's music

Dark instrumentals, and dark lyrics, mwah, pretty good! The vocals are great, and sound like post punk vocals. The dark lyrics are cool as well, sounding like there’s an impending doom. This one’s pretty good!

Sounds like early grunge, pre-Deftones rock and a dash of Michael Jackson pop. I personally liked “In Your House”.

Best release from the Cure I’ve ever heard. I enjoyed this way more than any of their “hits” that I’ve listened to in the past

Quite like this one. It's just as classic as the other songs I've heard from them. Never listened other than on the radio and on parties. Favorite song I think: In Your House.

The Cure! I am truly glad to listen to this album.

OK much better than Disintegration. It checks the 80s sound box which gets it an extra star just because nostalgia and all that. Far less dramatic and self-indulgent. Musical variations rather than just thick layering and droning. Oh, and there are guitars. Pretty cool!

Ooo Interlude start, nice, first one to have experienced after all the albums I've listened to. It's giving some series theme. I love piano and it's well used here I suppose. What a switch up to the second song, a beat, the guitar, some sound in my left ear. Loving it. it got better as the guitar progressed. I've listened to cure before and the voice isn't unique but it's kind of nostalgic. The guitar in my right ear low key matches the way lyrics are said. Also that guitar is giving melancholic despite it being upbeat. Instrumental break at the end. Not basic, it had a different vibe than what I call boring. Third song is down tempo (first too but this more). Now this sounds gothic, the way he sings. I love the background singing. Also guitar is louder than the voice. Ohh it evolved, with the drum and piano, it's a little faster. Idk why but this is not boring, even though it's repetitive and monotonous. Needed more lyrics tho, too much pink Floyd. 4th song and smn said it's chilly and I agree, totally would play this while raining (smn said this here already but), it's vibey jn a weird good way. I would never like this instantly, it's a grower. That 5th song had a loud piano note in my left ear, woke me the fuck up. Whooo I like this beatt, it sounds soo good. Love that each part of my head hears something different. Wow it ended in such a fun way that rabbity beat. 6th song and piano comes in action, gotta love that about them. Oops it's just and interlude, a great one I suppose. 7th song god I love how they just bring in the beat. It started slow and almost annoyingly slow, now it's giving goth. Many people like forest in the reviews, but there were better ones, and will be I believe. Unexpected that the bridge is just "into the trees". I feel like the instrumental switch ups are the best here, it's not guitar in my left ear. Oh wow it was a 6 minute song and the time went by so fast. Recalling my before listened albums they made me sleep. 8th song and I wonder what refrain is, I've met some songs including it and I have no idea what it is. There's not a deep meaning behind these songs as I've read. I mean him singing isn't even as important as the vibe they've created. I don't know what to say, I'm impressed, 9th song and all of the songs sounded same, but yet they haven't bored me for a second, I just want to keep listening to this same beat songs. Quite a long one, I just saw. This one has a ship honk thing which makes both of my ears vibrate-ish, love that. I want to eat this album ughhh. 10th song and I thought it was gonna be interlude which would last 17 seconds as the title suggests, but that's too little brained. It's just a electric and a normal(?) Guitar, finally beat came in. D Fuck I'm listening to the album again I slept accidentally. Well last song is quite different and fun, couldn't wish for better. Basically it was a 5 star album but since it's way slow, nothing unique, not many lyrics, and stuff like that I'm gonna rate it 4, loved it very much though.

Moody and dark, perfect fit for The Cure's overall band image.

Early The Cure

Mellow, was okay but did not love it

This is HITTING as a big winter storm is hitting here in the PNW. Watching snow softly float to the ground. Looks kind of like the album cover outside my window. The mix on this album is really interesting -- on a couple of songs, the vocals are mixed so low, they're like buried under the jangly guitars, a choice which I actually really like. A very gloomy, ethereal album. Could you make the arguement this is the first "slowcore" record? I mean, some of the reverby guitar tracks sounds straight off of like Galaxie 500 "On Fire." "A Forest" is an absolute stunner, sounds familiar for sure. After one play thru, this is easily a solid 4, possibility to creep up to a 5.

Very cool album. It seemed to inspire a lot of alternative rock artists.

I really like the Cure... but this was never an album I listened to much, aside from A Forest which is one of my favorites. Play for Today is really good too! I'm really digging the atmosphere on this. With the right listening setup this is easily a 4... It's missing a little something to move it up to a 4.5 - 5 territory.

It’s The Cure, of course it’s good.

A Reflection - I didn't mind it. I'm very iffy with instrumentals so this one was kinda just meh. 4/10 Play For Today - SLAY????? I LOVE THIS OMG 7/10 Secrets - meh. I liked the sound, wish there were louder and more vocals. it feels instrumental. 5/10 In your house - Slow, I like it. It's giving goth Halloween party. 7/10 Three - I don't like the beginning. it clashes. and also instrumental. 4/10 The Final Sound - nuh uh. 3/10 A Forest - this slays. I like it. Picasso. has me dancing and moving. 8/10 M - IVE HEARD THIS SOMEWHERE WHERE HAVE I HEARD IT. IT ABSOLUTELY SLAYS AND I LOVE IT MWAH 10/10 At night - it's okay. it's not my favorite. 4/10 seventeen seconds - not bad. 6/10

Por ser The Cure ...4

It is actually really good, I need to listen to it a little more, but sounds like something for me :)

I don’t think I ever listened to an entire Cure album before. I always liked a few singles of theirs but was not a huge fan. This album was just OK for me. Not great. Not horrible. Seemed a bit scattered.

Listened 2x. 3.7

I’d heard of The Cure before but never knew what music they made, I think based off the name I was expecting some metal songs but this album came through with a surprisingly nice sounding set of songs. There were a lot of cool instrumentals on this album that really took my perspective of gothic rock and flipped it upside down as I truly thought this would involve a load of shouting and screaming and to be honest I can’t go through another album like the Slipknot one mainly based off that. I did enjoy “Play For Today” which gave me almost an Indie rock vibe with darker undertones, “A Forest” was great too, I liked the echoing effect used on the vocals here, and also “At Night” which sounded like a synth gothic vampire rocker which was nice. I do have a few issues with this album though, although these are my favourite songs I’m finding it hard to identify any standout songs, I also notice that the vocals get lost in the instrumental quite frequently which is annoying since I like the tone of the vocalist but that’s about it really. I found this album tough to rate cause part of me doesn’t want to like it for how similar some of the songs sound instrumentally but the tone of the album is perfect for what they’re going for and they made the right choice of keeping it at a neat 35 minutes instead of dragging it out so personally this just about gets a 4, even though on a different day this might get a 3 from me.

Great album you can really hear the influence theyve had on goth music. Great album

Rating: 7/10 Best songs: M, Seventeen seconds

Sad boy rock. Done better than others, not the sparing synths or other catnip. Lots of reflective instrumentation and lyrics

Loved the vibe of the album but the lyrics were kind of just background noise?

Always liked the cure. Some good tracks here

Yes

\"M\" is a banger. \"Seventeen seconds\" as well. :D

A Forest still sounds great. Not my favourite Cure album, but great to return to.

Easily my favorite of The Cure records that I’ve received so far. This one is a bit more spare sounding and has a sweet vibe throughout. Very good.

Good album, though something about it weirdly made me want to listen to Alan Parsons Project.

The cure are very good

Listened a second time on my walk! 4.5 on the Mitch scale!

first timer, really liked and cant wait to listen again. Slowly builds for the first several songs and then explodes with "A Forest" a fuckin gem. Great vibe throughout.

Por ser The Cure ...

V. Dope, will be listening to this again

Yeah this is great. M has been a fave for a while but the whole album is awesome

One of my favorite bands but this is probably the most inconsistent one they did. Amazing guitar and bass. Great atmospheric music. In Your House and A Forest are some of their best songs.

Very mellow and moody album.

Great album. I had never listened to the Cure before.

8/10

Good chill rock

This is just the start of their greatness, and of a great trilogy of albums, though Faith and Pornography that follow it are probably both superior. This one does have the big plus of having 'A Forest' on it though, that's a pretty huge check in it's favour. A little too much filler/interlude songs for my liking, but even with that they really had that gothic post-punk sound nailed down right from the start.

I like the cute, my brother introduced me to them, sound of their own and pretty relaxing. Music to chill to.

This album is pretty good, but not their best.

I really liked this one. Barely sounded like The Cure. Props!

sad

I found The Cure in HS during Head on the Door and tracked them from there through college and beyond. But I never really dove back into their earlier stuff until I saw them in concert, and have continued to like it more and more to this day.

Wow, I really liked this album. British lightweight indie-punk in the same vein as the Smiths that I admit to not listening to enough. I would need to listen many more times to see how long the enjoyment or replay-ability would last, lyrics, enjoyment in different situations, etc. would go, but first listen was very positive. Four stars.

Very ominous. I listened this while playing a spooky board game and it fit the atmosphere perfectly.

Interesting to listen to. Lyrics not that appealing but the sounds/beats were fun. Short album.

Seemed cool

Never listened to the cure but I would again.

I generally don’t think I like the cure but I actually liked this so maybe I do like the cure

It's easy to take for granted how good this band was, and for how long. It's not my favorite Cure record, but A Forest might be my favorite Cure song.

reminds me a little of sonic youth, disonant, less vocals than i expected

The album was overall very solid. I enjoyed the atmosphere that these songs created. I particularly liked the song M which had a lot of range to it.

Awesome!

The minimalism of this record has always sort of thrown me off, but upon this listen it was absolutely what I needed and wanted. It’s such an atmospheric record, so singular in its vision. Perfect October record.

You really began to hear the formation of the signature sound The Cure came best known for. The first six tracks seem to build up to the climax and standout track “A Forest”.

This is totally up my alley, and it’s something I’d definitely listen to/have in the background again. Very moody and atmospheric. Not quite ready to start doling out 5s, but I liked it a lot. Highlights: - Secret - Seventeen Seconds

Enjoyed the overall sound of this album, but apart from A Forest none of the songs particularly stood out to me. You can see the beginnings of their darker sound here, but they hadn't reached the highs of the later albums yet.

good chill album

Honestly a bit surprised his much I enjoyed this. 16 October 2023

4.5

Great album. Good to listen to early Cure. Very inspiring to listen to more

it turns out I love the cure

P dank

The Cure were something else. This creates such a moody soundscape and genuinely feels like something nobody else was doing. A band ploughing their own furrow, hearing things others did not. Such a likeable band, despite the gloom!

Great album, very hypnotic and immersive. Loved M and At Night.

Enjoyed it

Classic

Music for people who call their girlfriend "mine alabaster lady midnight." Very cool stuff. 'Three' had an unexpected dusting of Kraftwerk to it, I thought.

Pas aussi bon que Disintegration, mais c'était vraiment intéressant à écouter car on voit que c'est l'album précurseur de ce son. Ça sonne très en avance sur son temps. L'instrumentation était un peu trop "dénudé" à mon goût par moments mais reste un très bon album. 8/10

Overall 4. I find the ambience and emo feel to it very nice. Great intro as well as slowly bringing the vocals through as the songs pass. Good music for the genre

Vet ikke hvorfor jeg ikke har hørt mer på the cure, liker det godt hver gang jeg gjør det.

A superb album that has all the teenage angst that you want on a Thursday morning (when I listened to it). Both "Secrets" and "Play For Today" are my favourite two tracks.

This is a really cool record. Favourite tracks: A Reflection, Secrets, In Your House, A Forest.

Thought this was great

Moody and emotional

Sad boi music but I enjoyed it

Duidelijk een wat ouder album van The Cure, met een vrij minimalistisch geluid. Het heeft wel al de karakteristieke trekken van de 'gothic punk/rock', maar nog niet zo briljant uitgewerkt als op hun meesterwerk Disintegration. Hier komt af en toe nog de typerende jaren 80 Britse zeikstem om de hoek kijken, die later een stuk beter geintegreerd wordt in het geheel. Maar de bezwerende basloopjes, de licht galmende drum(computer) en de cleane akkoorden van de elektrische gitaar zitten er al regelmatig in. Hoogtepunt is uiteraard A Forest, dat de volle potentie van de band al laat zien.

New to me and I like it

amazing 80s post-punk-ish goth rock. Most of the albums from The Cure don't miss and this one is no exception

I can see why the sadboi and doomcookie crowd got into this. It's got all the gloomy gothy feels but, like, glammed up a bit. Just how the fashionsads like it. Jokes aside, it's clear that The Cure was going for a vibe here and they nailed it. The whole thing is moody and, for the most part, interesting. Sure, a lot of the sounds are super dated at this point. But it was the beginning of the electronic music scene and it's been more than 40 years. I think I can cut 'em a little slack on that one. But only because the songs are well-conceived and well-executed. I don't know what else to say, It was a vibe and I was here for it.

I got excited about this album when I heard that it was heavily influenced by Siouxsie and the Banshee's early career. I was all set to hate on some sad boy rock, but I really enjoyed this album, most likely because I really enjoy the early 80s work by Siouxsie. This album doesn't reach the heights of, say, Juju, which the Banshees released the year after this, but it's really solid all the way through. The production is also excellent and brings everything together with a really rich sound 4/5

Great!

A dark foreboding album, but one that carries the signature Robert Smith moodiness. The instrumental track sets the tone for the rest of the album.

Mooie sound, maar wel wat zwaar op de hand, die mannen van de Cure! I like it.

i love thé cure and always will. some wacky songs in here for sure but they make it work

Opening track tells me they're taking this one seriously. I didn't realize how interesting The Cure can get until giving this album a listen. They're sensitive, creative, experimental, passionate, and thoughtful. Overall I'm a big fan and am pleasantly surprised by the overall subdued energy of this album. 4/5 stars.

I'm a big fan of short. It lets me listen to your album multiple times which helps it grow on me. Which this one did actually. Probably not a big The Cure fan overall but I wound up liking this more than I thought I would. A Forest sounds like a Porcupine Tree song.

Wonderful Dark LP

Not the greatest album from the Cure. Still pretty great, though.

Por ser The Cure ...

Great album. Loved every song

dark punk

Enjoyed and felt like a familiar place

Another great entry by The Cure. An earlier and more minimalist sound than Pornography or Disintegration but still fantastic.

Mostly great

Been a long time since I heard this one. This is good! Really early from The Cure. A Forest is a genuine classic. Standouts: A Forest, Play for Today. But all of the songs have that unique early Cure sound and it's amazing. I really wish I could just keep listening to this one. I need to know it better! 4/5

This album is good in the sense that it set The Cure apart as having their own unique style instead of just being another pop-punk band. All of the songs have very original and intriguing elements to them that keep them interesting. The lyrics, chords, structure, and instrumentation are all beautiful. There is, although, an unforgiving lack of range. Not the best work of this band, but not bad. 4/5

Really good, but lacks songs that stick out to truly make it a 5.

7/10, самое то для того, чтобы послушать ночью на кладбище

There's a fine line between gloominess and edge, and the Cure manages to not cross that line with this album. Seventeen Seconds is short and sweet, doesn't drag on for too long. The fogginess of this music just washing over me, almost comfortingly. I'm not the biggest fan of the vocalist, but his voice isn't enough of a detriment to bump my rating down too much.

A Precursor for the future evolution of their sound! Great album!

Kinda spooky album. Very low intensity. It’s amazing.

It’s good at the start but I think the second half ( except A forest) is a tad boring 4/5

I like The Cure, but I don’t think this is my favourite album of theirs. Definitely has 80’s vibes

Great atmosphere but felt like it really found it’s feet in the back half.

Yk what I think I can call myself a Cure fan: honestly this album wasn't bad. It was everything I'd expect from a goth rock band like the cure with a grungy guitar and lyrics from Robert Smith which just sound amazing. I have to say it's definitely a slower more solemn album than their others with it missing that one song to just sing along to at the top of your lungs, still really enjoyed it tho.

I like all these songs separately, but listening to them together is a bit too much. Or actually too little, because they're all similar and without much action - except for 'A Forest' which really stands out.

There's potential here, standouts in Play for Today and In Your House.

I was intially going to give this album a high three like I feel I’ve given to a lot of 80s rock albums like this but the second half of this album with songs like a forest and at night bumped it up to a 4. It was definitely better than pornography which I think is the only other cure album I’ve gotten so far. If you vibe with Robert smiths voice and the slower sound there’s nothing to not like here.

Despite the wildly inaccurate title - both the song and album are far longer than 17 seconds - it was quite enjoyable. I think I prefer when the Cure are merely glum, and not fully depressed.

Very wholistic sound throughout, I liked the instrumental songs on the album, and, although it was wholistic, I was a bigger fan of the first half of the album.

Slower than I expected, but a very solid listen.

I can’t quite explain why but I liked it more than I thought I would.

Despite what achewood says, I like this

Oh my goth I loved it

This was so much more chill than I expected. Really enjoyed it and will listen again

listened

Not really sure what to say for this one. It’s not their best work, but it’s still pretty solid. The band hadn’t reached their distinct sound that they’d start to develop with their next project, but the songs here are still solid. “A Forest” being one of their most staple songs from this era. Overall a solid post punk album. Favorite songs: play for today, in your house

Cool

Pretty good, love the chords and instrumentation. The background music is so melancholy without even a need for words. I’d like more lyrics (zillakami would go crazy over this) but I think it was goood asf. Not perfect but great

Same as every The Cure album: Unique voice, great music and lyrics. Pretty good!

A very vibey album with very good vibes.