Favourite album by The Cure

This is the first time i have started a poll thread so, after seeing another thread discussing their music, I thought we might like to discuss the Cure's albums - seeing as everyone has done the New Order ones in every way imaginable.

As far as I know this is the list of all the proper albums they have put out - i'm ommitting the greatest hits and live ones cos theres simply dozens of them around.

So which album does everyone who appreciates the Cure prefer? Mine has to be 17 Seconds (followed by Pornography and Head On The door)

:)

Only have one proper studio album, Head On The Door, but that came out so long ago (I also have the tape version of the first live album w/ a bunch of outtakes and stuff on the second side) that I can't remember why I bought it.

None of them have sufficient good songs on to merit a vote.

Originally posted by Benny's Cobweb Eyes None of them have sufficient good songs on to merit a vote.

Seconded.

i have most of there stuff, but i always like head on the door the best, with an honorable mention for Wish

I've got the American version of the first album, Head on The Door, Kiss Mex3, Disintergration, and Wish so I'd have to choose either Boys Don't Cry or Dis...

17seconds is very good.

Originally posted by Benny's Cobweb Eyes None of them have sufficient good songs on to merit a vote.

Well, I can't imagine a Fall obsessive to even think about listening to a Cure album.... isn't it just a little pointless you replying to this thread when it's very clear that a fair proprtion of you have no time for them? So why bother even clicking into this thread? Let those who DO appreciate at least some of their records have a vote on the matter.....

Poll thread saboteurs, dont you just love them?!

Most Cure fans I have met would say Disintegration...that album is held in such high regards. BUt tis not my fav. I am also partial to Head on the Door, Faith, Wish (Open is one of my fav Cure songs), and yes Disintegration. Recently picked up a single for Pics of You. Sounds great, about 4 or 5 live versions of Dis songs. between that and Show you almost have all of Dis live. Cure live = bliss.

I voted for Pornography, chiefly because, as an old review once had it:

"Ian Curtis was, by comparison, a barrel of laughs".

Originally posted by Mr. Streak Most Cure fans I have met would say Disintegration...that album is held in such high regards. BUt tis not my fav. I am also partial to Head on the Door, Faith, Wish (Open is one of my fav Cure songs), and yes Disintegration. Recently picked up a single for Pics of You. Sounds great, about 4 or 5 live versions of Dis songs. between that and Show you almost have all of Dis live. Cure live = bliss.

The tracks from that single come from the live album "Entreat". It's out of print, but worth tracking down. From what I remember, it's like 8 songs from Disintegration. "Paris" is also a great live album. It has alot of their earlier gloomy stuff.

Pornography is their best in my opinion. Although I would not call it exactly 'listenable.'

Pornography is possibly their most notorious album because of the way it sounds. Its certainly bleaker then anything Joy Division has ever produced... some would say it's just too oppressive. But maybe that's why its considered such a strong album. They've never surpassed the level of angst on that record since have they?

Yes, that's why I voted for it. It's something of an achievement to get such oppressive atmosphere (much unlike the real Atmosphere, of course!) onto a record. Disintegration seems like a self-conscious effort to duplicate the misery of Pornography, with Bloodflowers an even more self-conscious attempt to duplicate... well, you get the idea. The first time was the best.

Originally posted by still point Yes, that's why I voted for it. It's something of an achievement to get such oppressive atmosphere (much unlike the real Atmosphere, of course!) onto a record. Disintegration seems like a self-conscious effort to duplicate the misery of Pornography, with Bloodflowers an even more self-conscious attempt to duplicate... well, you get the idea. The first time was the best.

Good point there....

I also noticed that Robert Smith liked to see Pornography as part of not one but TWO trilogies of Cure albums - the first being the 17 Secs/Faith/Pornography one and the second being the Pornography/Disintegration/Bloodflowers one.

I always thought that this was a bit of a cop out cos no matter how much Smith wants us to believe that the second trilogy was such, if anything Disintegration is more like a continuation of FAITH more than Pornography. As for Bloodflowers being a follow up to Disintegration...that speaks volumes about the Cure running out of ideas ever since 1989, in that they had to go and re-tread former glories with Bloodflowers sounding not unlike a re-heated version of Disintegration.....albeit a very tired one indeed.

They really should have split up after Disintegration, like he seriously promised he would....

Disintegration starts off well, but it's about 35 minutes too long. I was just listening to it, and almost forgot that was even ON during one of those interminable second-side songs (Last Dance), until the weary keyboards of Untitled seemed to come out of nowhere... Those last last two songs are the sound of a band that would never have anything more to offer. No other way to describe them.

"Pornography" gets my vote. shortly after that it's "Faith". i like the instrumental minimalism they were working with in their early stages. "Wish" would be a great guitar-driven album if "Friday..." wasn't on it, it ruins the the whole album. "to wish impossible things" is marvellous!

I pretty much agree with Marco. Pornography followed by Faith.

79-82 was my favourite period of The Cure. There was good stuff on other albums, but this period was there most consistent. Faith, like Movement, is a beautiful, sombre collection of songs that captured the mood of the time (for me, anyway).

all are good with maybe 'the top' as the exception

I am glad Pornograpy has such a high percentage ... I say 'the top' head on the door then pornography - that reminds me to play there albums more!

I just remembered "all cats are grey" A fav of mine

Disintegration in my opinion is their best, and is my all time fave album.

If your saying the cure havent made any great albums you could easily say the same thing about new order. It depends on whom you like more. I think The Cure's consistently high standard of great material is unequaled by most groups.

And next in line after Disintegration would be Kiss Me, Boys Dont Cry, Pornography and Wish. But you could have Faith and 17 Seconds up there too.

And Disintegration being a remake of Pornography, I don't agree at all, its far different and shows the cure as a different band to the one on Pornography.

Cheers ALEX

I played 17 Seconds again last night and was pleasantly surprised at how ageless it still sounds even now over 20 years on.... That is an understated gem of an album that one - despite it being eclipsed in favour by the likes of your Pornographys and Disintegrations and Kiss Me's.

my favorite Cure song is Plainsong - the opening track on Disintegration. for a long time, it was my favorite song and Disintegration was my favorite album.

I actually voted for their first lp, which is special in the way that only stuff you first loved when you were a spotty 13 year old can be. But I also really like Bloodflowers simply because it was nice to find they hadn't completely lost it after the diabolical WMS.

Like I said earlier, it beats me why the Cure are still continuing now.

Disintegration was surely their high point, commercially and artistically. They should 've quit while they were ahead.

They blew it all soon after by bringing out endless pointless live albums, remix albums, compilations, and three more studio albums that were just tired old rehashes of earlier ones. Wish, for example, should have been better titled "Pish". A good 60% of that album was utter crap.

Originally posted by Ulan Bator I voted for Pornography, chiefly because, as an old review once had it:"Ian Curtis was, by comparison, a barrel of laughs".

Never heard that quote before, but I agree 100%. Pornography is dark, compelling and simply sublime.

Originally posted by Ulan Bator Like I said earlier, it beats me why the Cure are still continuing now.Disintegration was surely their high point, commercially and artistically. They should 've quit while they were ahead.They blew it all soon after by bringing out endless pointless live albums, remix albums, compilations, and three more studio albums that were just tired old rehashes of earlier ones. Wish, for example, should have been better titled "Pish". A good 60% of that album was utter crap.

How dare you sir! Wish was an excellent bit of happy pop. Somewhat superior to Disintegration.

I don't know what the problem is with live/remix/compilation albums - nobody forces anyone to buy them (especially these days). Also its hard to say who's the worst offender in that respect, the cure or New Order.