Album Description

Originally a Goth-flavored post-punk outfit, the Cure evolved into one of the truly seminal bands of the '80s, and ultimately one of modern rock's most celebrated and influential acts. Guided by creative visionary Robert Smith, the Cure's signature sound balances a dreamy pop savvy with a dark, brooding majesty and fuses superbly crafted, literate songs with a feverish emotional intensity. The band's early catalog-newly remastered and expanded wtih a wealth of rarities-is a series of masterpieces that laid the groundwork for their phenomenal and enduring popularity. ... Read more

Reviews (14)

Good drug music?
This record came out in the summer 1982 after I graduate high school. I was loaded on a lot of substances when I first heard it. The Cure's Pornography was the band's darkest work and most negative to date. It became a Top 10 hit in the U.K. and went on to become an essential album in the Goth rock canon. The 14-song bonus disc features music that is available on CD for the first time including five previously unreleased songs, previously unreleased studio and home demo versions as well as live performances from 1981-1982. This is one of the albums that didn't age well. Besides a few songs here and there, it is really the last album of the early version of the Cure. There was a lot of drug use in the band and they soon broke up. They reformed temporarily to do the "Let's Go To Bed" and "Love Cats" singles, and develop into the more internationally known pop group. After Robert Smith had dealt with alienation with religion on Faith, this album had a bunch of vague lyrics about relationships, alienation, the media, and general disgust with everything. It was a spooky record to hear when you were hopped up on LSD. The bonus CD has some live tracks that sound pretty muddy. There are some interesting bits here and there. I remember when I read Spin Magazine gave this album a low rating. My memory of this time was that Pornography was a great album. Revisiting this great early trilogy, it is obvious that Seventeen Seconds was their great early album, while Pornography is a distant second.

I am very happy and excited!
So I went to my local independent record store yesterday, looking for something worthwhile. They didn't have the Siouxsie album I was looking for...bummer. As I was about to leave, I remembered hearing about the re-released Cure albums, so I checked and they had all the ones released thus far. Not having enough cash to purchase them all, Pornography in particular seemed to glow magnetically before my lusting eyes. The mastering on the old version sounded pretty flatland, but I usually remedied that by cranking it up so loud it wasn't as noticeable. Well, now I don't have to do that, because the re-mastering is crisp, and beautiful at any volume. I'm listening to it very loud right now, and it's taking me a long time to write this, because the music keeps taking me away to a new strange and exciting world. The musical brilliance of this album is now further complimented, with updated sound quality that offers tons more depth, texture and beauty. First time I listened to this version all the way through, my jaw dropped almost to the floor as I listened. Then I got my old version out and listened to it...and you know what? I was so blown away by the difference in sound quality, I think the old version should re-titled "Pornography, the Un-Mastered version". Old-school Cure fans who are scanning reviews to see if it's worth spending their money on this verson of Pornography, do it soon! Do it now, if you have the time. On this one, it's much easier to hear the changing textures wrap around you like a burning blanket from hell. Hmm, maybe my metaphysical imagery is irrelevant, BUT getting to the point...remember when you first heard Pornography? And you were blown away by it's brilliant intensity, yes? Of course you were! So was I, and now I feel as if I'm hearing the album as it was meant to be heard for the first time. I've only listened to it twice through (third time right now) and trust me, there's a LOT more detail on this album that can be heard on the original. This is what struck me the most. As you might guess, like most Cure fans, I've heard the original Pornography thousands of times, and STILL if I listen closely, I keep noticing sounds that pop up on this re-mastered version that are new to me. On the old version, I noticed that those same parts were either muffled, or buried by the frequencies of other instruments. There's SO much more space and texture here. And the bonus disc? INCREDIBLE! I don't understand why some people have been complaining about it...boo-hoo the audience-recorded live performances don't sound professional enough, blah blah blah. I think they sound bleak and really pretty. I like the stark sound-quality, and really, who cares if it's not perfectly-bootlegged (few, if any, bootlegs are)...we're talking about the masters of mood here! We, fans, got the amazing Join the Dots box set, and now re-mastered versions of early Cure albums with an extra bonus disc? Shame on ye who dares to complain! Well, I am VERY happy with my purchase, and I am very excited about listening to this MANY, MANY more times! Thank you, thank you, thank you.

When Rhino puts out a deluxe edition, they always deliver
What's the 4-1-1?
Rhino Records have gone into The Cure vaults along with Robert Smith to bring you Deluxe Editions of two of their most memorable releases. Both are remastered and appear on CD for the first time. In addition to the complete albums, each disc comes with a bonus disc of rarities and unreleased material. Seventeen Seconds contains rarities from 1979-1980 and Faith contains rarities from 1980-1981.

Genre
Post-punk / alternative / gothic / rock

The Good
Highlights from Seventeen Seconds
Drab and dreary piano set the tone of the album on the opening instrumental cut "A Reflection". Eerie background tones help underscore the track. "Play for Today is made up of an up-tempo drum beat, glassine-like keyboards, and watery guitar tones. An infectious little guitar hook goes a long way on "In Your House". I would liken the tone of the song to a hazy dream. "A Forest" employs haunting tones and melodies, backed by thought-provoking lyrics. Fuzzy guitar tones and creepy synths dominate "At Night". Seventeen Seconds" sums up the last moments of your life after committing suicide.

The rarities disc contains "I'm a Cult Hero" and "I Dig You" from Robert Smith's side project Cult Hero. It's more hopeful than any of the tracks Smith penned for The Cure. There are two rough home demos, an alternate mix for Three, and live tracks for every song that appears on the album; even a live version of "I'm a Cult Hero".

Highlights from Faith
" The Holy Hour" begins with a rather indulgent bass line. Robert Smith blends in nicely with his clean guitar tones and his trademark tortured vocals. Driving rhythms run rampant on "Primary". The track is more up-tempo than the usual Cure track, but the story being told is no much on the up-side. Percussion accented by warm keyboard tones prevail on "All Cats are Grey". Smith seems off in the distance as he inflicts his eerie vocals. I wasn't really surprised that church organ tones could be heard throughout "Funeral Party". To keep the mood going, Robert sings like his delivering a eulogy.

The rarities disc contains the unreleased tracks "Drowning", "Going Home Time", "The Violin Song", and "A Normal Story", two raw instrumental demos of "Faith", "The Holy Hour" and "Doubt", live tracks of songs from the Faith album to include a ten minute version of "Faith" and a nine minute version of "Forever", the rare single "Charlotte Sometimes, and an alternate version of "Primary" among it's fifteen tracks.

The Bad
Nothing

The Verdict
When Rhino Records puts together a Deluxe Edition, they always deliver the goods. Not only are you getting rare and unreleased material, which is always a plus, but you're also getting to hear the songs at their best possible quality. It's fun to hear how they went to rough demo to final composition. All of the depressing, sad, and heart-broken moments of your youth can be summed up by the latest remasters by The Cure.

Did You Know?
Rhino has also released The Cure's Pornography as a two CD deluxe addition. I would have reviewed it but after listening to these two, I was ready to slit my wrists.

Go over the edge in better sound
Another excellent and much-needed remastered Cure album appearing this year, Pornography is the last in a tremendous trilogy that includes Seventeen Seconds and Faith.

Like those rereleases, this is definitely worth it and a bonus for fans of the classic sink-into-despair album.The sound has the punch and new warmth of good remastereds, as opposed to the original AAD disc which was flatter and muddier.More liner notes, plenty of pictures, lyrics, and some brief history of the album and the period when the band was (obviously) miserable, doing the drugs, doing the booze, fighting, etc, etc.And once again in rock history, another band made a classic album while wanting to kill each other and possibly themselves.

While these sets are a little pricey, it's still a treat for the fan.The extras are nice as well.The live tracks are decent quality, audience, while the old demos and rough takes are interesting, too, they're totally different.

Certainly the darkest of that early trilogy, it's not to everyone's liking as the mopiness may wear on some, but it's an excellent, complete album from Smith and Co.

Pornographic Material.
1982's "Ponography" is so distinct an album, that's it's hard to imagine how the Cure would sound in 2005 without it.Most likely, the band would have never reached the artistic heights of 1989's "Distintegration," which introduced the band to a whole legion of wannabe suburban goth teens.After three albums under their belt, Robert Smith was able to articulate despair in a manner that raises goose pimples on even the toughest skin.Wailing guitars, distorted synths, and rubbery bass created a musical landscape of dread on tracks like "A Hundred Years," the single "The Hanging Garden," and the chilling title track.Many albums recorded in 1982 sound like it, but "Pornography" sounds timeless and never dated.It's been wonderfully remastered with an extra disc carrying a bevy of demos and live tracks, and sound purists will approve of the sonic upgrade this CD richly deserves."Pornography" is that rare disc that elevates mope to the level of art. ... Read more

Album Description

Originally a Goth-flavored post-punk outfit, the Cure evolved into one of the truly seminal bands of the '80s, and ultimately one of modern rock's most celebrated and influential acts. Guided by creative visionary Robert Smith, the Cure's signature sound balances a dreamy pop savvy with a dark, brooding majesty and fuses superbly crafted, literate songs with a feverish emotional intensity. The band's early catalog-newly remastered and expanded wtih a wealth of rarities-is a series of masterpieces that laid the groundwork for their phenomenal and enduring popularity. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

Not a good follow up
The perfect minimalism of Seventeen Seconds was a hard act to follow. Robert Smith's answer to that was to write a pretentious about religion. I guess back then one had to deal with the demons of Catholicism. Now England is very secular and this theistic world seems very remote. When I first heard this album I probably only liked the U.K. hit "Primary" which they used to play a lot on KROQ too. I liked the emotion of the songs "The Holy Hour" and "All Cats Are Grey." But now listening to them this stuff seems childish and them just trying to hard. I remember at the time Crass and Public Image Limited tried to make statements about religion, and although they seemed powerful at the time, they are laughable now. While this album is a whole just as all their albums are, it yielded another standout track "Other Voices." The Cure also started wearing more makeup and hairspray at this time. Their new discovery of the funereal had an outward manifestation. Albums used to be short back in those days, so this CD offers the original, eight-song album on the first disc, along with "Carnage Visors," originally the B-side for the cassette version of Faith, on CD for the first time. The 15-song bonus disc includes four previously unreleased songs, and live performances from 1980-1981. Most of this stuff is rough. The live tracks from Faith are worthwhile. One of their best early songs "Charlotte Sometimes" was left off the album. That was a mistake.

Utter Perfection
Sleek. Streamlined. Minimalist. Incredibly beautiful and surprisingly varied. Faith manages to capture the Cure at their creative peak. From start to finish, this album is nothing short of perfection. The words and vocals, the music, the production and engineering - they all fall right into place. Nearly all these songs can be considered Cure classics ( for the fans of the band who prefer the darker, more serious Cure to the upbeat, more pop oriented side). Primary. Other Voices. The Funeral Party. And my personal favourite The Drowning Man. All incredible.This remastered and expanded edition sounds terrific as well, which is icing on the cake. The original cd issue on the Elektra label just didn't sound quite right. There was distortion in many of the basslines, and the keyboards sounded hollow and tinny. This version corrects those mastering mistakes. The synths are warm and rich in tone, and the highs and lows in the mix are much easier on the ear. Granted, the subject matter isn't exactly "upbeat" but the messages areimportant, and certainly open to interpretation. Listen to the final, title track. The last words - "there's nothing left but faith" - can be seen as a sign of defeat or of hope, depending on how it is taken. The extras on the bonus disc are a revelation, tracking the evolution of the songs on Faith, from listening to the demos, the songs in their rawest form,to hearing the live versions, where they are performed with complete conviction, if not total technical proficiency. My favourite here has to be the often bootlegged, 10 minute version of the title cut "Faith" performed in Australia and originally featured on the b-side to the Charlotte Sometimes 12" single. "This is the last song it's called Faith" Robert says. Turn the volume up very loud and you can here one lone female scream, then the count-off "one, two, three, four" and the familiar beat kicks in, the mourful bassline, and Robert's signature guitar playing. This IS the Cure.

VERY GOOD
Excellent Re-master. The first 5 tracks on CD 2 are really for those fans that are the most-obsessed. They give a very raw look at what these songs were to become. Boring for those who just want the ironed-out or live versions. I loved them as you can trace the raw elements to the finished works.

Early Masterpiece
No doubt the Cure is an essantial British band, which was responsible for at least a handful of chart hits everyone remembers like

Headlong dive into grey.
Often considered the middle of a trilogy of albums progressively darker in mood, "Faith" is an album about just that, about faith, or lack thereof.It is a stark, almost minimalist album, with Robert Smith handling keyboard as well as well as guitar duties and joined by bassist Simon Gallup and drummer Lol Tolhurst, the album is hushed, almost minimalist-- stretches where notes ring out over the light percussion background, there's little in the way of the ringing guitars that dominated the previous record, and the album is largely unaggressive in its presentation.This actually works quite to the strengths of Gallup and Tolhurst-- with the guitars and keyboards assuming a passive role, the bass is as aggressively voiced and Tolhurst's somewhat limited and minimalist technique match the music beautifully.

In fact, its a dark, funereal tone that drives the majority of this material, songs like "Holy Hour", "All Cats are Grey" and the bizarrely uplifting "The Funeral Party" don't rise in aggression above a sort of dark hazy swell, and even somewhat more aggressive pieces like the fantastic "Primary" and the title track maintain a despondent tone and a sort of hushed feel.The result is largely an album of delicate, fragile beauty, where the rare extroverted moments (the positively jangly "Doubt" and the much more aggressive "The Drowning Man") are somewhat shocking and almost out of place.

For this reissue, the remastering has, if anything added to the album a great deal-- while the record deals in hushed tones and quiet synths, there's no sense of fuzziness throughout the album courtesy of the crisp remastered sound.Again, the liner notes detail the creation of the album (in rather candid tone at that), and the reissue is filled with extra material-- the dark and bubbling (and seemingly endless at 27+ minutes) "Carnage Visors" and the great single "Charlotte Sometimes" are the gems this time around,with again a number of great live takes on material from the album and a series of demos that are interesting but ultimately unfulfilling on their own.

"Faith" is in many ways the musical equivalent of its cover-- a sort of grey album.It has a number of powerful moments, and while it can be a bit overwhelming due to its endlessly dark quality, it is a fine album.Recommended. ... Read more

Album Description

Originally a Goth-flavored post-punk outfit, the Cure evolved into one of the truly seminal bands of the '80s, and ultimately one of modern rock's most celebrated and influential acts. Guided by creative visionary Robert Smith, the Cure's signature sound balances a dreamy pop savvy with a dark, brooding majesty and fuses superbly crafted, literate songs with a feverish emotional intensity. The band's early catalog-newly remastered and expanded wtih a wealth of rarities-is a series of masterpieces that laid the groundwork for their phenomenal and enduring popularity. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

This is really the best of their early stuff
IN the early 1980s The Cure released three albums that would define their musical career. Most of the ideas of all their records are contained on SEVENTEEN SECONDS (1980), FAITH (1981) and PORNOGRAPHY (1982). Every though they created a conventional album, Three Imaginary Boys (1979), Robert Smith changed the course of the band's career with the stark minimal sound of Seventeen Seconds. On bass-driven songs like "Play For Today" and "Secrets" there are barely any guitar sounds. The Cure has created a lot of space and avoided any pop clichÎs. The guitar arpeggios on "In Your House" influenced many Goth bands to follow. There are plenty of instrumentals and ghastly sounds on this record. At the time it was odd to hear and like nothing out there. This record is mostly known for the radio hit "A Forest" which sounds as fresh as ever. This music has aged well. "M" is almost like folk music in a Dylanesque way. It would almost probably be better with vocals and acoustic guitar. A sign of a great album is that there is a great song on it that wasn't a single. For this album it's "At Night." Distorted guitar was never so evocative of a mood. This re-release also includes some live performances from 1979-1980 as well as "I'm a Cult Hero" and "I Dig You," originally released under the pseudonym Cult Hero. This stuff is okay but not necessary. This might be the Cure most successful album. There is a lot of mystery and personal emotion on this record, but it's not really that Goth.

When Rhino puts out a deluxe edition, they always deliver
What's the 4-1-1?
Rhino Records have gone into The Cure vaults along with Robert Smith to bring you Deluxe Editions of two of their most memorable releases. Both are remastered and appear on CD for the first time. In addition to the complete albums, each disc comes with a bonus disc of rarities and unreleased material. Seventeen Seconds contains rarities from 1979-1980 and Faith contains rarities from 1980-1981.

Genre
Post-punk / alternative / gothic / rock

The Good
Highlights from Seventeen Seconds
Drab and dreary piano set the tone of the album on the opening instrumental cut "A Reflection". Eerie background tones help underscore the track. "Play for Today is made up of an up-tempo drum beat, glassine-like keyboards, and watery guitar tones. An infectious little guitar hook goes a long way on "In Your House". I would liken the tone of the song to a hazy dream. "A Forest" employs haunting tones and melodies, backed by thought-provoking lyrics. Fuzzy guitar tones and creepy synths dominate "At Night". Seventeen Seconds" sums up the last moments of your life after committing suicide.

The rarities disc contains "I'm a Cult Hero" and "I Dig You" from Robert Smith's side project Cult Hero. It's more hopeful than any of the tracks Smith penned for The Cure. There are two rough home demos, an alternate mix for Three, and live tracks for every song that appears on the album; even a live version of "I'm a Cult Hero".

Highlights from Faith
" The Holy Hour" begins with a rather indulgent bass line. Robert Smith blends in nicely with his clean guitar tones and his trademark tortured vocals. Driving rhythms run rampant on "Primary". The track is more up-tempo than the usual Cure track, but the story being told is no much on the up-side. Percussion accented by warm keyboard tones prevail on "All Cats are Grey". Smith seems off in the distance as he inflicts his eerie vocals. I wasn't really surprised that church organ tones could be heard throughout "Funeral Party". To keep the mood going, Robert sings like his delivering a eulogy.

The rarities disc contains the unreleased tracks "Drowning", "Going Home Time", "The Violin Song", and "A Normal Story", two raw instrumental demos of "Faith", "The Holy Hour" and "Doubt", live tracks of songs from the Faith album to include a ten minute version of "Faith" and a nine minute version of "Forever", the rare single "Charlotte Sometimes, and an alternate version of "Primary" among it's fifteen tracks.

The Bad
Nothing

The Verdict
When Rhino Records puts together a Deluxe Edition, they always deliver the goods. Not only are you getting rare and unreleased material, which is always a plus, but you're also getting to hear the songs at their best possible quality. It's fun to hear how they went to rough demo to final composition. All of the depressing, sad, and heart-broken moments of your youth can be summed up by the latest remasters by The Cure.

Did You Know?
Rhino has also released The Cure's Pornography as a two CD deluxe addition. I would have reviewed it but after listening to these two, I was ready to slit my wrists.

Rapid evolution, emotional minimalism
The difference between their first album and their second is amazing, and the band's decision to ignore "marketing" concepts in favor of the art itself really paid off. Don't believe the reviews out there that say "A Forest" is the only memorable track; this album has a lot of other strong tracks that I've come to know through their live versions, recorded years later on Show and Paris.

This album makes excellent use of emotional minimalism, similar perhaps to groups like old-school Goth groups like Bauhaus and Joy Division, though aiming more for a subdued and introspective result. Again I think of the music put out by The Police around the same time, particularly Regatta de Blanc. Both albums were significant leaps out of punk rock origins, moving towards more esoteric, psychological, and metaphysical pieces to come.

I just got the album today, so I'm still making my way through the bonus tracks. They are interesting as development pieces; some of them are fairly bootleg-like in sound quality, but they are worth having, as they show the evolution of the songs and give you an appreciation of the band's creative process.

Wrapped up in perfect cover art
This is an awesome, moody little album that fits right in today with the slew of bands going after the early-80s 'post-punk' sound.This disc marks the first of a masterful trilogy that continues with Faith and Pornography.

The Cure are famous for being gloomy, and this album backs it up, but it's not heavy or depressing and it never gets to be too much.Quite the opposite.Some songs are slower, like In Your House, while other like Play For Today (the first track after the instrumental opening) open up with an electronic calling in the back and a punchy little rhythm, immediately catchy, and the perfect length.Three, meanwhile, has the feeling of a dark jingle.At Night has a slow, fuzzy opening and a steady beat, sounding a little like a dark Police.The classic track A Forest sounds even richer in the remastered format.There's the classic Cure guitar, the bobbing basslines, some swishy help from the keyboards in the background to lend that gray atmosphere...it sounds like 1980, it's spot-on.This and Faith and complimented by absolutey appropriate cover art--they just sound like the covers, frankly, a wash of muted colors here, followed by the mysterious gray and faint scribbling of Faith.

Just an addictive album of good songs, with Smith's voice never overbearing, never too much whining, and some very fine singing.Pornography would bring the band to a darker place, with its far more depressed quality.Seventeen Seconds is getting there, but it's minor-key poppy with some very good production.Cure addicts may break it down more in terms of band lineups, but I find the whole release an excellent effort.

Quite frankly, better than most of the bands out there who were in diapers when this was released, you may as well check out the original thing.And at 30-odd minutes, it's the old style of complete, quality beginning-to-end albums perfect for a slow day at home, preferably in the middle of the week when it's raining.

The new Cure remastereds are excellent, a real value for fans.For one, the sound is vastly improved--just compare any track on here, but especially 'A Forest', with your old AAD disc--big difference.The bass is bigger, punchier, the sounds are all clearer and brought up front.The older, unremastered rock albums really do suffer with the original CD format--everything is flattened right out to the middle, while the new discs bring much-needed oomph to everything.The second disc is full of goodies, from demos to live versions of nearly the entire album in great sound quality.And of course, nice liner notes with actual notes, old pictures, the whole job.Quality re-release in this era of downloading, however, it must be said that these sets are BIT on the pricey side, but will likely be a must for fans of this album (and the following two).

A beginning.
With the exit of bassist Michael Dempsey and his replacement by Simon Gallup and the addition of a keyboard player (Matthieu Hartley), Robert Smith finally had the pieces he needed to begin developing his sound.While since hampered by the technically limited Lol Tolhurst (drums), "Seventeen Seconds" surrenders the jaunty off kilter punk-pop of the band's debut for a more melancholy sound, easily evidenced by the guitar and piano duet instrumental that opens the album ("A Reflection").While the album is probably not as strong as either the debut or the material that would come after, it stands well enough on its own.

The impact of Simon Gallup on the Cure cannot be expressed clearly enough, his presence is easily noted throughout the record, and the best material on the album (the haunting "Play For Today", the unnervingly brilliant "A Forest") all is pushed from behind by Gallup's assertive and confident basslines.

One of the problems with the album though is that it tends to fall into a sort of mid-tempo malaise (the superb "M" being the most notable exception), with mechanical drumming ("In Your House", "Three"), often inaudible vocals ("Secrets"), and abrupt and unnerving cut offs ("The Final Sound", "Seventeen Seconds").Still, even with its flaws, the record is really a dramatic shift and a great signpost for the future.

As with the rest of this series of reissues, the sound is fantastic-- "Seventeen Seconds" really benefits from the cleaned up sound.The bonus disc is full of interesting material, I could take or leave the Cult Hero stuff, I'm happy to have it, but quite honestly, it sounds like its sung by a postman (which it is), the demos again are very intriguing (much more guitar driven) and interesting from a historical perspective, but not really the kind of thing you'd sit and listen to.The live material fares better, with many pieces getting readings far superior to the album versions ("Seventeen Seconds" stands out in particular).

Like "Three Imaginary Boys", this is a beginning for the band-- they'd do better things in the future, but this is a good album and well worth investigating. ... Read more

Amazon.com

As Greatest Hits--and particularly the busking pavement jazz of"Lovecats"--reminds us, the best Cure singles were very often tangentialexercises; they offered a goth-free playtime divergence from some of theweightier studiousness of those early albums. Or, as smudged frontman RobertSmith says of this 18-track collection, "Songs that are sung with a smile." Thiswasn't always true--witness the refrigerated fogginess of the classic "AForest," the Blair Witch Project of its day. What this compilation doesis focus attention on the Cure's perennial unpredictability--the breathlessclaustrophobia of "Close to Me," the New Order-lite of "The Walk," the brass- section embellished thrust of "Why Can't I Be You." Oddly, chart-wise, theCure's lost weekend began immediately after "Friday I'm in Love," their mostebullient melodic moment and the ultimate "clocking-off to kick those heels"anthem. But at least the inclusion of two new songs, "Cut Here" and "Just SayYes" (with Saffron from Republica), indicate that the Cure remain a healthy,ongoing concern.--Kevin Maidment ... Read more

Reviews (56)

What's the point???
The Cure have already put out one of the most celebrated best-of's of the rock era, "Staring At The Sea", covering all the singles from their 1979-1985 period (definitely the fans' favorite era). They followed it up a few years back with an admirable companion, "Galore", which picked up where the previous volume left off. Those two CD's give you every single the Cure released up through 1997. I would suggest picking those two up and leaving this one (which only scrapes together a few choice selections from those albums and throws in two new songs) in the dust. If "Greatest Hits" at least contained two of their biggest breakthrough hits from "Disintegration" ("Fascination Street" and "Pictures of You"), I could recommend it for an ultra-casual fan, but without those two songs it barely merits mention. It doesn't even contain anything from "Bloodflowers", their last stuido album, the only one not covered on "Staring At The Sea" or "Galore". The completist will want it for the two new songs (what a [bad move] move by the band and the record company), but for the casual fan, get the previous two compilations and enjoy!

THE POINT TO THIS GREATEST HITS ALBUM BEING RELEASED....
In August, 2004 - the Cure will be coming out with remastered versions of 'Pornography', 'Faith', 'Seventeen Seconds', & then they will possibly move on to remastering their latter albums

This greatest hits album, is remastered - Robert Smith knew he wanted his Cure albums remastered, which is why he decided to come out with another greatest hits album to kick off the remastered versions of the Cure's albums, everything more clear now?

Now if you're actually looking for a review on the album - get it, pick it up , awesome music... of course, it's from one of the greatest bands ever

please!
The reason for my low grade is that they already released two greatest hits albums which are both better than this one. Besides, The Cure's appeal isn't just amazing melodies, it's that dreamy, beautiful layered sound they have, and creating a certain mood. Perhaps it's better for the casual listener to get a greatest hits thing just to get a feel for the styles and evolution of the band before they get something like, say Seventeen Seconds which requires some patience before that "cure understanding" sinks in...but there's not even anything from Pornography on here, so you might as well get Staring at the Sea first, like I did. When I got that one, my first taste of the Cure, I loved every song on it but I still found it kind of an awkward listen, because all the different styles sounded wierd together. Still love it though, because it depicted the Cure as they were and still are, a creative, versatile band who aren't afraid to experiment with a vast array of styles and moods. But anyway, Greatest hits albums aside (it really doesn't matter that much which one you get...it's just preference), to me The Cure has always been an album-band. Their individual albums are probably the reason they have such a huge following. Some of them, like Disintegration are like a spiritual experience of some kind, and I know I'm not alone in my feelings about this. The acoustic disc is pretty cool though.

Average
There are some songs that do deserve to make the cut of greatest hits on that cd but tell me here where is "The Kiss" and "The Hanging Garden" tow ultimate deserving songs. Dissppointing over all

"Fascination Street" should have been on here!
I was wondering why would they put a Greatest Hits album four years after they already did one in 1997. But this album goes back to 1979 and moves forward to 2001. Very dynamic album all the way through and I like "A Forest" from 1980 just as well as the songs I've heard from them since 1987. "Lullaby" has such a funky beat that I'm sure some hip-hop artist will sample it for a song. I still love "Love Song" to this day, even 311's recent remake is no contest to the original. It has that '60s feel to it, but keeps a modern 1989 feel all throughout. I wished that they'd put "Fascination Street" on here--that rumbling bass guitar just drives that song and it would have fit on the album. "Just Like Heaven" and "Friday I'm In Love" have nearly the same identical sound and pace. "Wrong Number" shows that they could ride on that electronica sound quite well. They can do dark-themed songs so well, yet make them seem upbeat without that depression feel that Depeche Mode does. They got experimental on the later releases, but their knack for catchy songs, strong guitar leads, and dramatic rhythm sections are what have made them a superb band. Robert Smith's singing had lots of range to it and he delivered on all of the band's songs. The Cure are going to be talked about for a very long time! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Disintegration is a pop album realized on an epic scale. Most of its 12 songs are long mood pieces that develop slowly around the listener. Anchored by complex drum patterns, the layered guitars, soaring bass lines, and rich keyboards blend to create a lush, evocative soundscape that captures the ear immediately; and for all its length, the album is never boring. The lyrical focus is intensely personal throughout, and, with the exception of "Love Song," the mood is overwhelmingly dark and brooding. Here are songs of remembrance that, through their deep candor, transcend the individual level to explore universal longings and fears. Robert Smith, his vocals plaintive or angry or despairing, unfolds a tapestry of loss. Broken bonds, old lies, missed opportunities, belated realizations. Anyone who has experienced the joy and sorrow--especially the sorrow--of love will find his or her deepest sentiments, noble and petty alike, echoed poetically here. --Al Massa ... Read more

Reviews (208)

Disintegration is the best album ever¿.
Disintegration is the best album ever....

God bless the boys from South Park. Kyle may have gotten it right. This album is epic. Before this record The Cure's music was underground club type music, and fit very nicely in the "post-punk" label. The music on this record has an incredibly beautiful melancholy to it. Most of the songs have a slow tempo and just ooze with a dark moodiness that makes you feel. I don't know that it can make everyone feel the same, but it will definitely make you feel.

The songs are a bit long, but that is not a bad thing as each is beautifully orchestrated. There is no filler in this record, and actually some of The Cure's best work is on this album. "Pictures Of You", "Love Song", "Lullaby", "Fascination Street", and "Prayers For Rain" are probably the best songs, but every song is incredible. Overall it's as bleak as any album I've ever heard, and it is painfully intimate. It's one I simply can't stop listening to, despite the dark melancholy of the music.

This is The Cure album for people that aren't even Cure fans. You don't have to be into moody, gothic, synthpop to appreciate just how great this record is. The album is nearly 12 years old, and doesn't sound dated at all. The material is still fresh, timeless. Enjoying this record is simply a beautiful experience.

My favorite album of all time
At the time of the recording of Disintegration, the Cure were just beginning to be noticed in the U.S. as a result of several minor hits off of their "Kiss me, Kiss me, Kiss me" album in the late 80s. 1989, the year Disintegration was recorded and released, was not a particularly good year in Robert Smith's life, so he naturally wasn't going to be making music akin to the poppy, upbeat, Kiss me, Kiss me, Kiss me sound. When he first played the new album in front of a test audience, it was met with some mild applause, but mostly disappointing silence. Smith thought he'd committed career suicide and had chosen the worst possible way to follow Kiss me, Kiss me, Kiss me. Little did he realize at the time that he and his band had created a masterpiece, which would go on to be the Cure's best-selling album as well as my favorite album of all time.

From the majestic opening of "Plainsong" to the closing chords of "Untitled", Disintegration is a beautiful, very cohesive masterpiece. Lush keyboards, soothing bass lines, complex drum patterns, and absolutely amazing guitar lines create a beautiful, melancholic atmosphere that totally envelops the listener. Backing it all up are Robert Smith's reedy, plaintive vocals, which are phenomenally emotional, passionate, and sincere. With few exceptions, the songs on Disintegration hover for gorgeously extended lengths of time, taking their time to unravel and inspire awe. Every single one of them is wondrous work of art, and their consistency in quality and theme is amazing. The album is 72 minutes long, and there is not one minute of filler. That statement, plus the fact that this album has only received three negative reviews out of 197, should speak volumes about the quality of Disintegration.

This album is simply the best thing I've ever heard. If you have patience, an open mind, and the desire to experience something simply and utterly beautiful, Disintegration is for you.

Wonderful
I purchased a copy of this album on vinyl in 1990 and used it to soothe my soul after a particularly difficult breakup with a girlfriend of mine. For a year I did nothing but listen to this album (along with Joy Division) and it really helped me get through some tough times. "Pictures of You" has got to be one of the most powerful and sad songs ever.

I hadn't listened to it in over 12 years when I bought a used copy of the CD recently - and to my surprise I found that it was as moody, beautiful and wonderful as ever. It hasn't aged at all. This is one of those CDs you can put on in your player and just hit replay forever. It really took me back to a time in my life where I was going through a lot of hurt - and it still has a restorative and theraputic power that amazes me.

Haunting Perfection
As novelists and poets may know, if your aim is to write something that will cause tears well up in the eyes of readers, you must be crying as you write every word. The emotional power and pain in this album may very well cause a tightening in the back of an attentive listener's throat. Easily respected as a great album in the popular musical canon, this album is, quite easily, my favourite album released by a popular musical artist.
The album opens within a windswept tunnel of heartache and love, with, "Plainsong" musing about the morbid beauty in a girl whose candle of life has been blown out, and who embraces with love and smiles at the thought of her death and emotional drowning. This beggining track segues into the single, "Pictures of You," of equally depressing substance, as we are reminded memories are the only permanence with the passing of time. "Closedown" is a poignant track in which Robert Smith wails in painful desire to feel love that isn't frought with human vice. "Lovesong" needs no formal introduction, being one of the most successful Cure singles worldwide. I attribute the success of this eerily touching, and appropriately named track, to its simplicity. It is Robert Smith's way of simply and directly saying, "I love you". "Last Dance" is a track about the waning enchantment in life as it progresses and we grow older. "Lullaby" is a haunting proto-Gothic classic, singing of the infamous "candy-striped leg" spiderman coming and eating dear Robert, who feels like a fly caught in a sticky web of gloom. "Fascination Street" offers a second-to-none baseline, and some of the catchiest guitar music on the album. "Prayers for Rain" is a song of the bleakest perfection one can achieve, Robert buries you alive in a catacomb of doom and gloom with this track. "The Same Deep Water as You" has a title that is quite self-explaining; despair, love, drowning in tears, with wails loudly and sonorously echoing in a dark cave of hope. "Disintegration" is a beautiful track, poetically splattering Robert's tears of insatiable desire onto canvass of lost hope. He beautifully sings, "I miss the kiss of teachery, the shameless kiss of vanity, the soft and the black and the velvety, tight up against the side of me/ and mouth and eyes and heart all bleed and run in thickening streams of greed..." This track segues into, "Homesick," an interconnected meditation on drugs fulfilling an emptiness and subduing the heartbreaking "home"sickness: or an allusion to those things, desires, needs, we put off in our lives... opting instead to never face them with the aid of emotional dillution. The depressingly beautiful album ends in a way that feels and sounds like an upbeat, bittersweet sort of death, completing the feeling of sinking, as though in a warm dark sea, gradually embracing it, and smiling as you accept your emotional drowning.

Ethereal & Haunting, A True Classic.........
Disintegration is by far the most haunting and evocative album ever released by The Cure, and is probably the most haunting and evocative album ever released, period.

Disintegration is also the greatest work in The Cure's long and distinguished career. The album is a masterpiece of melancholy lyrics and music woven seamlessly into a sonic journey into darkness and forlorn hope.

"Plainsong" is the first track on the album, and is a promise of what's to come. Incredible synthetic sounds mix with a haunting guitar riff and ethereal vocals to make an unforgettable opening track.

"Pictures of You" has to be one of the greatest songs written by any band, let alone The Cure. The track is a seamless integration of the traditional Cure sonic "loop", where each instrument begins separately leading to a unified trademark sound. Smith's lyrics top the track, and lead us into welcome territory.

"Closedown" continues the melancholy theme of the album, and serves as a nice to segue into "Love Song", a track that is a throwback to "Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me", and breaks the dark structure of the album, albeit briefly, with it's upbeat sound and lyrics. A good track that does at times seem very out of place when compared to the much more darker theme of the album as a whole. A great track nonetheless that provides a refreshing change in tempo.

"Last Dance" is a dark track that evokes the last goodbye, and the accompanying feelings of pain and desperation that come with it.

"Lullaby" combines that trademark Cure quirkiness with an interesting musical arrangement and quite dark & gothic lyrics. There is a definite feeling of morose humor popping up in this track, and does not have the same forlorn feeling of the majority of the album.

"Fascination Street" is by far the heaviest track on the album, masterfully layered with a throbbing base riff, chaotic guitars, and superb vocals by Smith. One of the best tracks on an album filled with more than its share of memorable ones.

We now come to the heart of darkness on the album. The next to tracks provide a sonic journey into a hopeless landscape, haunting beyond anything The Cure has done previously. "Prayers for Rain", a very raw and dark track, sets up what I truly believe is one of the greatest pieces of music ever written....

"Same Deep Water As You" for some reason gripped me the first moment I heard it, and in the 15 years since Disintegration has been released, has never let go. One of the most beautiful and haunting tracks that you could ever hear, yet it weaves sadness, love & loss into a seamless whole. A true masterpiece.

"Disintegration" picks up the tempo. In a way, quite welcome given the last few tracks. A very good track, if not outstanding.

"Homesick" is probably the weakest track on the album. Not memorable, but ok.

We end with "Untitled", which is probably my fourth favorite track on the album. A nice arrangement accompanied by very good songwriting. "Happy Melancholy" is the only way to describe this track, and is a perfect way to close the album, as it's not too dark, yet not upbeat either, giving quite a neutral ending to a truly great album.

Disintegration is one of those gems that in so many ways will stay timeless for years to come. By far The Cure's most popular album, it however does not a have a commercial sound in any way, with one off tracks that do not fit the structure (except maybe for "Love Song"). A masterpiece that should be in any music collection. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Shirley Manson (now of Garbage) could be the perkier kid sister of Siouxsie Sioux on, "Suffocate Me," then masquerade as vintage Deborah Harry on, "King of the World."Producers (and Talking Heads alumni) Chris Frantz and Tina Weymouth are along for extra period authenticity.--Jeff Bateman ... Read more

Reviews (32)

Shirley was just as good before Garbage!
I love Garbage and now I love Angelfish though they only have one album out and have broken up. I first found about Angelfish on this cool site about Shirley Manson (go to yahoo.com and in the search space type "Shirley Manson" the site will be called Greenday vs. Shirley Manson). I must admire Shirley's talent to sound like Deborah Harry of Blondie on "King of the World". And she just sounds plain cool on "Suffocate Me". Her ability to sound different shows on this album. If you like Garbage just one bit, you should get this album Note: I don't think the album's sold in any music stores any more. It's best to get it over the I-net if your interested.

It's Shirley Manson Like you've never heard her before...
This is a good, solid pop album. It lacks the super sheen of Garbage which in some ways is a relief, I would have been dissapointed if this had been a carbon copy of manson's present band. All the songs on Angelfish are easy to listen to and lack the supersonic punches of Garbage, which is pretty good and makes for happy listening. Standout tracks are 'Dogs in a Cage' 'mummy can't drive' and 'The sun won't shine'. A very pleasing album, kinda like a chocolate liquor- very sweet but you know it's got to be bad for you.

Great album
Angelfish sounds alot like Garbage (actually, Garbage sounds like Angelfish, right?), however is doesn't have a massive production upon it. This is exactly what makes it great. The songs are simple and very melodious. Besides the obvious hit "Suffocate Me", the best songs in my opinion are "Sun Won't Shine" and "Sleep With Me" -- beautiful and subtle. Since I'm a huge Garbage fan, I recommend this CD for everyone.

A wonderful album & band before Shirley took out the Garbage
When one singer leaves their original band to join another & wind up having much larger success than before, it can leave that previous group in the dust to be forgotten for all time. But in the case of Garbage lead singer Shirley Manson, her old band Angelfish had just as much potential and talent to make it on their own before Garbage's future members saw the band's video on MTV, and at last found their frontwoman. As Shirley went on to multiplatinum glories with Garbage, Angelfish's self-titled 1993 debut (and only album) still stands alone as its own singularly fine work.

Stylistically, ANGELFISH leans more towards Garbage's 1995 self-titled debut with its more guitar-based rock textures than the highly-polished techno flourishes of 1998's VERSION 2.0 & 2001's BEAUTIFULGARBAGE. This is mostly thanks to the producership of husband-and-wife duo Chris Frantz & Tina Weymouth (both formerly of Talking Heads). In fact, ANGELFISH could be in the vein of the Heads' first album from before Brian Eno was brought into commercialize them. In any event, ANGELFISH is a rocking good time displaying all the qualities that would help make Shirley's work with Garbage such a rousing success.

Charging out of the gates at the beginning is the sexy, glam-rock come-on of "Dogs In A Cage". David Bowie would have given his eyeteeth for a song like this in his DIAMOND DOGS days, but Shirley is just as alluring in her come-on. Who knew that such a dark, yet strangely inviting Scottish lass like Shirley could be so seductive?

The rock continues on a cover of Holly & The Italians' "You Can Love Her" (love that drum intro), "King Of The World" (who said a female singer has to use "queen" in the title), and "Mummy Can't Drive" (this is a woman you may not want to bring home to the parents). While Shirley may have been the obvious breakout star of the group, Angelfish the band are given ample opportunities to shine on these revved-up ditties. Frantz & Weymouth must have told the group to just play live & not let overdubs get in the way, hence the raw, ballsy performance they give to these tunes.

However, ANGELFISH is mostly an album somber in mood & slinky in its instrumentation. "Suffocate Me" is another song that is so flat-out sexy, it's a wonder that it can come off that way in the cool & detached (but no so much to forsake all emotion) voice of Shirley. "Heartbreak To Hate", "Tomorrow Forever" & "The End" have her & Angelfish turning out goodbye ballads that even at their most Bic-lighter-waving moments have enough volume to place them above sappiness. On the other hand, my favorite song off the album "Sleep With Me" follows that method of slow-and-steady-wins-the-race, but with a much happier outcome in the end. Deep down inside, Shirley just might look an ice queen on the outside, but it doesn't take much to melt her facade to get to the heart of gold.

ANGELFISH may not have set the charts on fire with its release, but it apparently did well enough for a video to reach MTV & catch the eyes of the members of Garbage, in need of an eyecatching frontperson to take them to the top. Better yet, while most famous musicians' pre-fame groups may worth mentioning for curiosity issues, Shirley Manson & Angelfish happily turned out an album that had all the potential to being a breakout success in itself.

Hopefully, those music fans who have been won over by Garbage's body of work will seek out Angelfish's lone album to see that Shirley Manson not only had talent to spare beforehand, but with a group that could best be described as Garbage with an extra dose of testosterone (apologies to Shirley). A liberal amount of production gloss may have boosted Garbage into the stratosphere, but Angelfish shows it could have succeeded on its raw talent alone had the public had wider-open ears.

Not Garbage....
Like many who have already reviewed this album, I too was interested in this album due to Shirley Manson's part in it.

At first, I must say, I wasn't much into the music of Angelfish; but after a few listens I definately started to latch onto it. I'd actually have to say, that some of these songs remind me of Blondie.

The lyrics are morbidly up-beat, and the music itself is quite catchy. I'd give this album a try... ... Read more

Amazon.com

Big and moody, Staring at the Sea compiles some hits and near misses of these excavators of the dark soul.Beginning with their earliest hits--the sparse "Killing an Arab," the aptly tedious "10:15 Saturday Night," and the charming "Boys Don't Cry"--this collection stops before the comparative giddiness of Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me.

Musicians first, brooding art types second, The Cure's unique instrumentation doesn't get the credit it rightfully deserves. The thrashy, trash-can break in "Jumping Someone Else's Train," the sprightly synthesized recorder of "Close to Me," and the techno-pop disco lines in "Let's Go to Bed" and "The Walk" are downright brilliant in their effectiveness and simplicity. A string of money shots if ever there was one. --Steve Gdula ... Read more

Reviews (53)

Sometimes I Dream
"Staring at the Sea" is a collection of singles from the band's albums from "Three Imaginary Boys" (released in America as "Boys Don't Cry," with a few variations) in 1979 up through "Head on the Door" in 1985. This album provides a fine panorama of the Cure's progression from a power (punk) trio (Killing an Arab, Boys Don't Cry), through the heavily synthesized sounds of Faith (Other Voices), the gothic, drum machine of Pornography (The Hanging Garden), to the Cure's most complex (and commercially successful) arrangements in Head on the Door (Inbetween Days, Close to Me). New fans will instantly fall in love with Boys Don't Cry, Love Cats, Caterpillar, Inbetween Days and Close to Me. "Killing an Arab" was the band's first single, and despite its name, is merely an adaptation of Albert Camus' "The Stranger," not a reflection of any racial animosity. "Charlotte Sometimes" is a gem on this album. It was never released on a full-length album, yet it is a favorite of many Cure fans; the studio version is a bit sluggish, though, and fans will find that songs like "Let's Go to Bed," "The Walk," and "Charlotte" (though cleverly appealing as mid-80s antiquities) are literally transformed by the performances of these songs in the live CDs "Show" and "Paris." This compilation is outstanding, though. New fans are encouraged to check out "Galore," which is a collection of more recent singles that most people are more familiar with, but when you are ready to fall in love with the Cure, and you will, this album should immediately become part of your CD collection.

Give Me The Cure
As with most "greatest hits" albums, "Standing on the Beach" is merely a collection of previously released material. Nowadays the only reason to really buy the compact disc version of this album is for "Charlotte Sometimes", a single released in 1982, and only released on vinyl. "Charlotte" is a classic Cure track based on a children's book written by Penelope Farmer and it conveys the mood and style for much of The Cure's work in the early Eighties.

However, the cassette version of this album is a definate recomendation! It contains most of the songs avaliable on the cd and a "B-side" collection of unreleased songs from "Boys Don't Cry" all the way up to "The Head on the Door." There are some very interesting songs on the b-side that express how multi-dimensional the band can be. And some of the Cure's rejected songs sound better than a lot of bands released material!

Either way, being a long time fan of Robert Smith and The Cure, you could hardly go wrong with either medium, though the cassette will definately put you through so many moods you will need a psychiatrist when you are done listening!

Oh Meursault...
What else can be said about this that hasn't already? We shall see. If there is just one album by the Cure that you could get (excluding Disintegration) by all means make this the one! This album includes a very nice array of earlier Cure material ranging from their brilliant ode to Camus (that alone makes this cd worth it) in Killing an Arab, the ironically cheerful Boys Don't Cry (oh, but they do) and the brooding atmosphere created in the Hanging Garden to the wonderful meandering of A Forest and playfully upbeat tempo created by Close to Me, brass and all, the Lovecats and of course the beutifully simplistic The Caterpillar.
There are just so many great songs on this album it is hard to describe mention them all; every track is truly a jewel, and, perhaps, most impressive is the range of emotion and subject matter that the Cure covers here, all with brilliance, wit and a graceful passion unmatched in most music that is being made today. In this collection, as with all of the Cure's material, Robert Smith's lyrics ring true and the accompanying music never fails to intensify the the mood that they evoke. The Cure are without a doubt one of the best bands to come out of the 70's and 80's and this album illustrates why. Go on go on your choice is made...

The Cure: a singles band? Here's proof...
Thanks to the recent TV commercial for HP Digital cameras, I found myself really wanting to have some Cure in my life again and went looking for "Pictures Of You." Yes, at one time I had almost all the Cure CD's in my collection, but time and economics had weeded them away. "Staring At The Sea" offered me an opportunity to get a batch of other songs I remembered with fondness.

As dark and morose as The Cure's image had always been, their albums up to "The Head On The Door" frequently found them making dazzlingly brilliant singles. Hard to believe it, but Robert Smith was just as pop song smart as any New Romantic period hit maker, and in songs like "The Walk" or "Love Cats" he showed the kind of playfulness that many of his fans didn't always "get." Nonetheless, early efforts like "Killing An Arab" or "Hanging Garden" reinforced that dark depressive atmosphere that early Cure fans embraced so completely. Smith himself never had any problem with playing against preconceived notions of what a Cure song should be; I doubt a jazzy Robert ("Let's Go To Bed") was in any goth fan's must hear list.

I also found it ironic that the "Staring at the Sea" image of an old man was mirrored by the baby with the ice cream on "Galore." If you wanted to read more into it, you'd almost suspect Robert Smith was gently trying to remind listeners that he didn't mind playing to his more childlike nature when making music. While there has yet to be a comprehensive single disc collection of the Cure's best, a purchase of "Galore" and "Standing" will at least put all the singles at your fingertips.

Charlotte Sometimes
The one reason to buy this is to have "Charlotte Sometimes" on cd. I myself own everything the cure has released but I had to buy this for that song. Charlotte Sometimes is the most dreamy and mysterious Cure song ever and I swear it puts me in a trance. It steals me away from my dreary life as a teenager with a dead end job and a so-far meaningless exisitence...sounds Cliche' huh?. Well, trust me this album is full of Cure classics but it holds the one Cure song that has a place im my heart forever. Keep an eye out for the new cure album coming...its going to be a great summer. ... Read more

Reviews (81)

I AM MAD!!
First of all I would just like to say that HIM is a kick-ass band, I heard of HIM through a punk-rocker at my school. I had went to Hot Topic to buy some stuff and I saw the cd and I freaked! I got through the first 11 seconds of the fist song and said "I am buying it!" It turned to be a one of the best cd's I have bought. I am now a full time HIM fan.

Now see I was flipping through some of the reviews and I saw some of the most offensive thing's about this band. I love AFI that is my favorite band but when I heard this one comment about how Ville (vocals of HIM) looks like Davey Havock (vocals of AFI), I got pissed! Ok I don't know if this world has gone blind, but seriously I think it has. VILLE AND DAVEY LOOK NOTHING ALIKE YOU STUPID IDIOTIC FREAKS! Just because they both have black hair it does not mean it gives them the same facial qualitys.

I also saw another one that said that everyone likes HIM just because of Bam Margera. Actually I can prove that that is not true. If you go to England basically all of the people who love HIM don't even know who Bam is.

The one thing that pissed me off the most is that some people think that being a rock band means your not supposed to like pink but you can like purple. THAT'S STUPID! Punk-rockers, skaters and goths wear pink for godsake and there not girlie! (I would know I'm a hardcore goth) Your not against them are you? Of course not! Cause liking the color pink has nothing to do with feminism! OK ALL YOU IGNORRANT PEOPLE!? I'm just sick and tired of all the stupid people who don't know the meaning of a good band. Hope y'all enjoy the cd!

Not My Favorite, But Still A Great CD...
This was my first purchase by the band HIM (though at the time it was not yet released in the US so it costed about 30 dollars, but it has a bonus disc with 6 live tracks). Though a lot of people like it the most, I enjoy "Greatest Love Songs, Vol. 666" and "Love Metal" more, because of their more complex songs and better musicianship. There are a lot of power chords and easy bass lines, and they definetly do not show what they are capable of. However, this is the best CD to start with if you're new to HIM, and it is only $9.99. But I do recommend buying "GLSV666" and "LM" when they are released here, if they ever are, as well.

Ville Valo is the vocalist and songwriter here, and he is amazing at both. He has a very beautiful voice which can do a lot of different ranges, and is, in my opinion, one of the best rock vocalists. The lyrics he writes are ridiculus if you look at them as being literal. Almost all the lyrics are metaforical, which is what makes them so special. The music is good, but he is capable of writing much more layered, complex melodies.

While Ville Valo is the front man, the band themselves are also very talented. The guitarist lays down a lot of power chords, but can let loose a catchy riff here and there. The keyboardist is good and gets a lot of playing time (at least for a hard rock keyboardist). The bassist does no hard things, and never has, but never disappoints at delivering a solid, simple rhythm. The drummer is the only below average talent. He gets the job done, but doesn't do much else. He never really plays fast or aggressively and pretty much plays the same beat throughout the whole track, with few variations. But this could be improved upon with future releases...

1. Your Sweet 666-10/10-A re-make of their opening track from "Greatest Love Songs, Vol. 666". This version's definetly better, with more keyboards and more high singing.
2. Poison Girl-10/10-A more mellow track, with good bass and lyrics. I love the line, "I did it all just for her...". Great song.
3. Join Me In Death-8/10-A lot of people really like this song, but I just think it's alright. It's way to mellow and it just doesn't compare with the rest this album offers.
4. Right Here in My Arms-10/10-This is just a beautiful song. Every time I listen to it, it's still amazing. One of the best.
5. Bury Me Deep Inside Your Heart-5/10-Ehhh...never cared for this. Nothing new or interesting and very boring. Way to quiet in verse, and the drumming's not good at all. I usually skip this.
6. Wicked Game-10/10-Another re-make from "GLSV666", which was (and is) a cover of the Chris Isaak song. Not being a fan of Isaak, I think their cover is better, though the better cover is on "GLSV666", because of the better riff it has. Anyway, this version's still great, as you could probably tell from the 10 rating.
7. I Love You (Prelude to Tragedy)-10/10-Great keyboards in the opening riff, and a very dramatic chorus. One of the best on the album.
8. Gone With The Sin-10/10-Another mellow track, but I think they pull this off quite well. The acoustic guitar's are great, and I love the lyrics in the chorus.
9. Razorblade Kiss-10/10-My favorite track on the album. The solo's amazing, and the vocals are astounding in the chorus. Amazing work.
10. Reserrection-8/10-A good track, it's just that it's all been done before. Not bad, just not new.
11. Death is in Love With Us-9/10-A very fast track. Love the lyrics.
12. Heaven Tonight-7/10-I like the mellow music and the bass at the beginning, though I don't love the rest. It's pretty good, just not amazing.
13. Sigillum Diabolia-7/10-This track is not on my version, but I've downloaded it, and I used to love it, but it gets old after repeated listenings. A lot of repeating, but the lyrics are awesome. Very fast and heavy.
14. One Last Time-10/10-This is not on my version either, but I have downloaded it as well. A very quiet track, with some weird noises at the beginning, but once it gets going, it's beautiful. Great acoustic guitars and haunting vocals. One of the best, even if it's not on my album.

As I said before, this is not my favorite HIM release, but it is a very easy-to-get-in-to album, and if you're just getting into the band, get this first.

Also, remember not to call them goth, as it is not correct. The name's Love Metal.

HIM - the finnish Gods
Is there anything mroe amazing than when you can put on a cd from begining to end and not have the need to change the track from some filler to a single. Even though this cd is not all that new it was released a long time ago overseas and it is just out in America it still is amazing. The songs are liek nothing you will hear on an American radio station and thats a good thing. The choruses are easy to sing along with and the lyrics are thought provoking and amazing. This cd is amazing just to say it plainly, a must have for any music fan.

BEST CD EVER
I puchased this cd at a store in florida. It is so great. All my friends borrow it and try to steal it. I would reccomend this cd for everybody. It combines the slowness for people with a softer side and the hardcore music that HIM really is. Him is my favorite band. I am only 13 years old and i've been listening to them for years. I love HIM greatest band ever. I would reccomend this cd.

Good songs:

Your Sweet 666-not as good as original but close
Poison Girl-Awesome Song upbeat

Join Me-it really grows on ya
Right Here in my Arms-awesome
I love you-heavy and awesome
Razorblade kiss-priceless
Sigillum Diaboli-beautiful
One Last Time- Valo at his finest one of my favorite him songs

good CD..great CD to say the least
theres a couple of things i have to say, first off, if you listen to HIM because u wanna be Bam then your jus a sad freakin idiot who needs 2 kicked straight in tha ass for bein so stupid,this is some of the greatest music i have ever listened to in my whole life. Vallo's voice is truly stunning, sometimes sending chills down through me. i can relate to many songs by HIM,also why there my favorite band. but people, point is, listen to HIM because of there music...not because of Bam or whoever else has them on there cover..

HIM rocks

goodbye ... Read more

Amazon.com

Starting life as the most competent Misfits tribute band to not actually play Misfits songs, San Francisco Bay Area punks A.F.I. have not only discovered how to write their own snarling melodies, but have developed the confidence to play them without a cloak. Sing the Sorrow marks the band’s first major-label release and the difference from their indie albums is in the details: songs freely shift gears and tempos, singer Davey Havoc flexes his pristine vocal abilities by breaking into the occasional falsetto, and sugary tracks like "The Leaving Song" and "The Great Disappointment" now take a place next to more standard nuclear-charged mosh-pit fare like "Bleed Black" and "Dancing Through Sunday." Longtime fans might take it like a kick to the head, but this band is clearly moving toward bigger things. --Aidin Vaziri ... Read more

Reviews (962)

Sing the Sorrow
After two years of anticipation, AFI fans have gotten what they've been so dedicatedly waiting for. Sing the Sorrow is AFI's first album released on DreamWorks Records and will never be forgotten; simply because of the elegance portrayed throughout the entire CD.
AFI starts the CD off with a brilliant chant, "Miseria Cantare (The Beginning)", causing older fans to reminisce on the legendary, "through our bleeding, we are one" hymn. Then, soothingly, "The Leaving Song Pt.2" begins with Jade's hypnotic guitar riff. Davey even speaks in Spanish, leading the song to sound even more amazing. Tracks like, "Bleed Black", "Girls Not Grey", "Paper Airplanes (Makeshift Wings)" and "This Celluloid Dream" are indeed very catchy. I'd be lying if I said I didn't dance as these songs progressed into further bliss. Not only has Davey's lyrics gotten darker and more mysterious, he's been so beautifully yelling in fast paced songs such as, "Dancing Through Sundays" and "Death of Seasons". But fortunately, AFI hasn't left out the greatness of melody. "Silver and Cold", and "The Great Disappointment" remind me that AFI is truly one of the most talented bands ever, that brings purity into every form of art they pursue. Together, the four guys convey genuine melodic vibes into the album. Not to mention, the post-"Morning Star" with "The Leaving Song". And as if that isn't enough, AFI poetically ends the album with the immaculate "This Time Imperfect" -- which honestly leaves me infatuated with the band more than ever.
This is without a doubt, the album of 2003! Sing the Sorrow has it all; the yelling, the darkened lyrics, to-die-for bass lines, piercing drum beats, unique guitar riffs, the fast techno clip in "Death of Seasons" and a lot more. AFI fans won't be disappointed with this album at all!

Just when you thought they reached their peek...
I've been an avid AFI fan for many years now and I must say these guys seemed to reach their peek with the previous two albums, "Black Sails in the Sunset" and "The Art of Drowning." I also heard this album would be "poppy" and their big "sell-out" CD. With all do respects I disagree with these two accusations.

The CD opens up with "Miseria Cantare - The Beginning" and I was totally blown away from the start. The vocals and the sound set off the goth vibe that really sets up the whole CD. Track by track each song has its very own unique story and sound. A few of my personal favorites that I'd advise everyone to hear are "Silver and Cold," "Death of Seasons," "The Great Disappointment," "This Celluloid Dream," and finally "...but home is nowhere," which is an amasing final track to the CD.

I agree they've changed their style slightly from HC punk, but every band goes through what they have to to find their own sound and style...and I believe AFI has reached that!

what happen man?
Afi used to be one of the most kick ass bands ever, and this this cd came out. When I listened to it, I noticed the HUGE change how what they once were, is far from gone. I admit 1 or 2 songs are close to their roots. But the others are just Davey Whining about his problems. Afi has become a serious trend everwhere you go. Afi shirts and black Hi Tops, thats the cool thing for all the pousers man. At first this cd stayed nutral, then the radio and Mtv released Girls not Grey and what happens????? "OMg I so love Afi, like oh my god, come on girls I hear theres a sell on omg afi things. Lets go buy it, then everyone will think we are punk and goth". 2nd reason: the whining. Comme on Davey what happen to your lyrics that set who this band was like "I wanna mohawk, but mom wont let me get one"... thats AFI..now its all muchey gushey, silver and cold. The reason I gave it 3 stars is because its not the Afi we all know and love, but a new trend in america, why man, whyy!?

sing the joy
this album is DEPRESSING. that is about all i need to say. there isn't a more sad, desolate, and derelict feeling album i have heard of. forget all that emo crap you've been listening to, A.F.I. sticks to their punk reputation, building on what is around, and still manages to bring a kick ass album about. this album is no joke, it is emotionally tormenting. the lyrics are crazy sad, something of edgar allen poe. the music is nicely organized, with no errors, no slips, nothing to make you bored. sure, you'd want to skank to this album, but it doubles as a crying album. i recommend you buy it, no questions asked.

GREATEST CD EVER
this is the greatest cd i have ever gotten.....AFI is one of the greatest things out there....the lyrics are powerful, dark and melodic....anyone who loves morbid melodic music will love AFI's Sing the Sorrow ... Read more

Album Description

For this 2004 album Within Temptation used foreign producers and Russian Choirs. Includes the hit single 'Stand My Ground'. Deluxe limited version contains digipak with cardboard sleeve, 26-page songbook, 2 bonus tracks 'A Dangerous Mind' & 'The Silence' plus video clip. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The hard-rocking Cult have come along way from the early Native American stylings of Dreamtime and the dodgy goth tendencies evident on their classic album, Love. Blame Rick Rubin, who helmed Electric and steered them down the rocky road to metal heaven. This best-of collection brings together tracks from the span of their career, and is a worthy testament to their rites of passage. "She Sells Sanctuary" sounds as refreshing as it did in 1985. There are some dubious inclusions from the twilight years of their career, such as "Star" and "Coming Down (Drug Tongue)," but when they have to hold their own alongside "Fire Woman" and "Lil' Devil" it's hardly surprising that they are found wanting. --Helen Marquis ... Read more

Reviews (22)

A great compilation from an overlooked band
This CD brings back a lot of memories, the Cult is one of those bands who blends material from other bands exceptionally well, while sounding completely original in the process. Most of the time they're combining AC/DC and Led Zepplin, sometimes shamelessly, fortunately none of that is apparent on this CD.

She Sells Sanctuary still sounds as fresh as it did when it debuted in 1985 (heard the Nissan Sentra commercial?), Edie (Ciao Baby) was the first heavy metal tune to use an orchestra, and Fire Woman put them on the map. Talk about an album to drive to!

This collection is sure to get you going from start to finish, it's great fun! Enjoy...

Pure Cult is Powerfully Different
When you hear this CD, you will notice that the band's sound varies from track to track. However, this is refreshing because sometimes metal bands' songs tend to sound the same. Having only heard "Sonic Temple," this CD was a treat to me, having never heard the majority of the songs.

"She Sells Sanctuary" is an awesome 80's song. Think U2 with more balls vocally. "In the Clouds" is pure, Rick Rubinesque- inspired hard rock. The second verse is amazingly simplistic and yet anthemic. "Coming Down (Drug Tongue)" and "Star" are hedonistic, hung-over, strung-out tunes a lot unlike the songs from "Sonic Temple" and "Ceremony" but nonetheless powerful.

Like Zeppelin, The Cult's lyrics are spare but memorable...

"I'm just a breed of society..." (Wild Hearted Son).

"I took no holy vow, won't you hold this pagan soul?" (Star).

"I'm sure in her you'll find...Sanctuary....and the world..the world drags you down" (She Sells Sanctuary)

"Stroll your bones, yeah, sow your oats" (In the Clouds).

"You've gotta bleed a little while you sing...lest the words don't mean a thing" (Heart of Soul).

"All you hip young things...trying to make a scene....living out forbidden dreams" (Sweet Soul Sister).

"Can't eat, can't sleep, can't do a thing right, little honey...since I set my eyes on you" (Fire Woman)

"Well, the girl's coming to you...gonna show you what is true...the witch, she need a lover boy...maybe it could be you...took awhile to understand....whoa yeah...try your sex on a mortal man" (The Witch).

"I'm coming down...you baptize me...I don't wanna drown...yeah, your drug tongue's spoken" (Coming Down).

"A sweet little sugar talker...a paradise, dream stealer...Warhol's little queen...an angel with a broken wing" (Edie [Ciao Baby]).

And the leads are simple yet beautiful. There's no over-the-top, mile-a-minute excesses here. Just well-planned, melodic, and well-timed masterpieces.

This is an outstanding compilation of The Cult. Buy this CD!

Great Hard Rock!
The Cult were one of the greatest arena hard rock bands of the 1980's. They acheived their greatest success with 1989's GNR-ish Sonic Temple, but their earlier, more goth flavored sound is just as spectacular. It opens with the impossibly catchy 'She Sells Sanctuary', which is my all-time favorite Cult song. It then goes into the arena anthem 'Fire Woman', which is a really, really good song. The third track is the highly amplified blues rocker, 'Lil Devil'. All the other songs, including the AC/DC influenced "Love Removal Machine" and the lighter-waving ballad "Edie" are all great songs. But there is one little problem: The version of 'Sun King' included on this album is the shorter, radio edited version. This sucks, because 'Sun King' is probably one of their best songs and the entire track should have been included. No matter, this is an all-encompassing collection of one of the greatest hard rock bands ever. Also try Soundgarden, GNR.

Rip Off
You can buy the same cd, at least 18 of the 19 songs under high octane cult for $3.69 in Amazon used. CD has nice music if you like Cult ! But dont fool yourself, they are no Def Leppard or Iron Maden, however, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder!!!

Pure Single Driven Cult
When Beggars Banquet Records took over the rereleases of The Cult's albums (yes, I know about the Southern Death Cult and Death Cult rereleases) it only made sense to update 1993's 'Pure Cult' somewhat and kick off the rereleases (of those, 'Dreamtime', 'Love', 'Electric' and 'Sonic Temple' have excellent expanded over the top packaging with interviews, single discographies and pictures or artwork. For some reason, 'Ceremony' and 'The Cult' didn't get the same treatment) in the US. Although some of the edits on here are horrible ("Sweet Soul Sister" - if anyone has noticed, the single edit has always excluded the bridge, whereas the 7 inch edit, as the promo CD says, has the bridge with additional guitar tracks from the LP version as well as the edit to make the bridge shorter - this is the same as the video music), the best edits are that of "Spiritwalker", "Heart Of Soul", "The Witch", "Coming Down" and "Star". All the singles are here and it's an excellent album (they could have left "Revolution" off and put "Nirvana" on instead, personally). My copy has the 'Cult Rising' ticket stub in it, seeing that all they played that tour were the hits and some classic album tracks. This is a great start to The Cult if you haven't heard them or own any other albums. ... Read more

Album Details

A Vibrant Mix of Metal and Bittersweet Gothic Melodies. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

beautiful...just plain beautiful
I have to say..HIM never fails to impress. I never heard one bad song by HIM, Valo's singing talents are by far one of the best vocals i ever heard..now..i will go thru the songs one by one

1.)Your Sweet six six six-good song, another version is on there Razorblade Romance CD..both pretty good 5/5

2.)Wicked Game-also re-released on Razorblade Romance...this one is slightly better though 5/5

3.)The Heartless-awesome song..kinda soft during the beggining..gets harder..still..great song 5/5

4.) Our Diabolikal Rapture-lyrics are kind of death-ish but much romance in it..yet..another 5 star song 5/5

5.)It's All Tears (Drown in This Love)-more of a faster paced song great lyrics 5/5

6.)When Love And Death Embrace-gloomy like song..many people don't like it because of when he says "When Love And Death Embrace" alot at the end..its alright..the instruments is wat makes the song good though 4.8/5

7.)The Beginning of the End-has more of a darker aproach to it..a bit diffrent..but normal great HIM music 5/5

8.)Don't Fear The Reaper-good song..has female vocals..has great vocals in it..piano also great in it 4.9/5

9.) For You-maybe my favorite track on this CD..although every one is good..but this one stands out in my eyes..has great lyrics (In the grace of your love i writhe in pain in 666 ways i love you and i hope you feel the same I'm for you) good song 7/5

I have to say this CD is beautiful in every way...you will just have to listen for yourself and see

Love Metal
well i must say that this is the most beautifull album that i ever listened into my hole life....they are indeed the Greatest Lovesongs ever writtenet...i dont recomand this album to the rock fans...its for everybody....all the songs are great....and very well interpretated by the charismatic singer Ville hermanny valo...who now is a very famous rock star..and ville and co. are preparing to take all over the world now...in the album are only lovesongs.....all deal with the little death in the realtionships...i dont wanna say to you to buy this album..just listen to the tracks...and then you will notice the masterpiece in it...
1. Your Sweet six six six
2.Wicked game
3.The heartless
4.Our diabolikal rapture
5.It's all tears(drown in this love)
6.When love and death embrace
7.The beggining of the end
8.(dont fear) The reaper
9.For you

HIM's Lasting Impression
This is the first HIM album I had ever heard. I expeceted a decent album, but nonthing spetacular. I put the disc in my CD player, and right from the get-go I was blown away. This is my favorite HIM album. But I have trouble comparing the 4, they are all different.

Your Sweet 666: The very first HIM song I ever heard. It made me love them. This track is simply amazing. It's one of HIM's harder songs, and is easily one of thier best. There is an alternative version of this song on some verions of HIM's second release, Razorblade Romance, I don't like it as much, but it's decent.
Wicked Game: HIM's Chris Issac cover. This is a much better version that the orginal. The guitar has a nice distortion to it, and Ville Valo's voice is simply wonderful. There is also an alternative version of this song on Razorbalde Romance and on the Wicked Game single. The single version, [666 Remix], is my favorite version.
The Heartless: A very odd track, but very melencolic. It becomes heavier near the end though. The into is very haunting.
Our Diabolikal Rapture: This is one of HIM's most popular songs, it's decent, but it's far from being my favorite. This is considered a very ''goth'' track.
It's All Tears: An extreemly cool track. Probably the heaviest on the album. Valo does a really cool thing were he does a duet with himself, going from is normal singing voice, to an extreemly deep voice. There is also an alternative version of this song much like Your Sweet 666's alternative that was recored in 1998, and was recently realesed on their greatest hits recored, And Love Said No.
When Love And Death Embrace: A semi-hard track, that has a nice melody. The only big downfall are the lyrics. They repeat over and over.
The Beginning Of The End: Another one of HIM's best songs. The instrumental parts of the song are very good, but it's the lyrics that stand out. Some of the best Valo has ever written. This track is on the harder side.
(Don't Fear) The Reaper: The second cover song on this album. The song was originally done by the Blue Oyster Cult, and HIM did a very nice rendition. This is my favorite cover HIM has done, it is much slower than the BOC version, relying more on piano and organ than guitar. There is also a nice duet with Valo and the current guitarist's (Linde) ex-girlfriend.
For You: The most haunting track on the album. This song is simply wonderful. A great way to finish the album. It will leave you satasfied.

Most Beautiful Songs Ever,
This album isn't just an album ~ it's a masterpeice. The songs have everything: ryhthm, beat, the most sensual lyrics, sung by the most beautiful ever heard.
The songs themselves are brilliant, no two sounding the same, but with all the quality and heart put into it.
The album is very raw, but because of that you can feel all the emotion.
A masterpeice, this definately deserves the title, Greatest Love Songs

The best HIM cd
This was the last of the albums I had to get get to complete my HIM collection. It is by far the best one. This album is a lot more raw sounding than the slickly produced Razorblade Romance. I think it really adds to the groups character and also helps show the bands growth from their beginning to the present. It all starts with this disc. The original version of Your Sweet Six Six Six is amazing as well as It's All Tears. Don't fear The Reaper is worth the price of the disc alone. Buy this album now! ... Read more

Amazon.com

Standing on a Beach, the first singles compilation from Britain's premiere love cats, was the capper on a period of startling, evolving growth for Robert Smith & Co. This rather less interesting 18-song companion piece documents a peak commercial run that ended abruptly with last year's Wild Mood Swings disc. The one new studio track here, "Wrong Number," is a buzzing, synth-suffused delight that hooks deep after three spins. It's the cherry on a cake built from latter-day gems like "Lovesong," "Just Like Heaven," and "Friday I'm in Love." --Jeff Bateman ... Read more

Reviews (47)

Want to Buy Your First Cure Album? Start Here!
I'm often bemused when I hear people say that the first Cure album one should buy is Pornography, Bloodflowers, etc. Let's face it. Unless you heard one of these albums and know that you like it, you're probably familiar with Cure music that you've heard on the radio...and it surely isn't anything on Pornography or Faith (terrific albums, however). The Cure are in some ways like Queen. Terrific British bands that have never really achieved mainstay status in America-yet I often hear people say they can't believe they know and like so many of their songs. You hear them all the time, you just don't realize it's one great band that has made so much fantastic music. Many people will recognize most, if not all, of the first 13 tracks on this great CD. Robert Smith is at his fizzy best when he sings such songs as "Why Can't I Be You?" "Just Like Heaven," and "Friday I'm in Love." "Love Song," "Pictures of You" and "A Letter to Elise" are among the most popular (and easy to listen to) ballads the band has produced. Songs 13 through 17 are from the largely ignored and underrated "Wild Mood Swings Album" (a perennial least favorite among longtime Cure fans), and the 18th track, "Wrong Number," represents the only new release of this album, and it was the least successful Cure single ever-though personally I think its zany guitar distortion and psychedelic lyrics make for a great song. Unless you already know you want to buy another Cure album, this is the perfect first choice, followed by either "Staring at the Sea" (a collection of singles from earlier Cure albums) or one of the albums that is represented on this disc-"Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me," "Disintegration," "Wish," or "Wild Mood Swings."

Another great record from England's finest!
I purchased this album a few weeks ago for a project on my favourite song ever. At first I was confused; then I cleared my head and thought of the song "Just Like Heaven". Of course, that song is infectously beautiful as are the other AMAZING songs featured here like "Why Can't I Be You?", "Friday I'm In Love", "A Letter To Elise", "Lullaby", "Lovesong", "Catch", as well as the magnificent single "Wrong Number" which was newly released on this record. There are so many great songs on this disc, and it is sure to please anyone and everyone's tastes. If you are a first-time Cure listener, I recommend that Galore start you off so that you can ease yourself into the pure genius of how everything Robert and the boys play comes together.

Galore--the Singles won't disappoint you!

Jonesing for "Pictures Of You"
Thanks to the recent TV commercial for HP Digital cameras, I found myself really wanting to have some Cure in my life again and went looking for "Pictures Of You." Yes, at one time I had almost all the Cure CD's in my collection, but time and economics had weeded them away. And "Disintegration" was never really my fave Cure album. But "Galore" offered me an opportunity to get the single song I wanted plus a batch of others I remembered with fondness.

As dark and morose as The Cure's image had always been, their records after "Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me" frequently found them making dazzlingly brilliant singles. That's where "Galore" picks up, with the singles "Why Can't I Be You" to the absurdist "Mint Car" from "Wild Mood Swings." There's even a pretty good new track with "Wrong Number." Hard to believe it, but Robert Smith was just as pop song smart as any New Romantic period hit maker, and in songs like "Lullaby," he showed the kind of playfulness ("the spiderman is having you for dinner tonight") that many of his fans didn't always "get." He never had any probelm with playing against preconceived notions of what a Cure song should be; I doubt a rapping Robert ("Hot Hot Hot") was in any goth fan's must hear list.

I also found it ironic that "Standing On The Beach" image of an old man was mirrored by the baby with the ice cream on "Galore." If you wanted to read more into it, you'd almost suspect Robert Smith was gently trying to remind listeners that he didn't mind playing to his more childlike nature when making music. While there has yet to be a comprehensive single disc collection of the Cure's best, a purchase of "Galore" and "Standing" will at least put all the singles at your fingertips.

Best of? Not really.
Though "Galore" holds a lot of really good songs ("Friday I'm In Love", "Love Song"), this really isn't the best place to start with the Cure.
The problem? This is the weakest time period in the Cure's recording history. Sure they made "Disintigration" during this time period, but they also made "Wild Mood Swings". Do you see what I'm talking about?
Of the songs on here, there are some really stellar numbers, like "Just Like Heaven", "Friday I'm In Love", "Just Like Heaven" and all of the Cure's good singles from "Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me" to "Wild Mood Swings". But why do you need to shorten "Pictures of You"? And why even bother putting songs from "Wild Mood Swings" on because they are just going to bring you down.
If you are just getting into the Cure, "Staring at the Sea" is a better place to start. After you get that, go ahead and get this one, because it will show you whether or not you'll get into latter day Cure.

Galore
I love The Cure. Their music always brings a smile to my face whenever I throw in their music into my portable stereo or into the hard drive at the office. "Disintegration" is perhaps my favorite of the few albums I own by the legendary band. At one point I did own their greatest hits however I didn't think it was any more different from "Galore" with the exception of the exclusion of my favorite Cure song of all time "Pictures of You". "Galore" on the other hand excluded "Inbetween Days" but that is because this singles collection picks up where "Staring at the Sea" (the band's first singles collection) leaves off. As much as I love "Pictures of You", I can't stand the way it sounds edited for radio. For me, it just sounds incomplete as opposed to its 7 minutes and 24 seconds of bliss. I can never tire of "Just Like Heaven". That song is an old club favorite of mine. Some diehard Cure fans might write off "Friday I'm in Love" but I love that song. I love the acoustic guitars on theat particular song. The only songs I didn't really care for were the songs from "Wild Mood Swings" which I thought was a terrible album from The Cure. Other than those songs, I enjoyed this collection of the band's singles. An ideal cd for beginner Cure fans. ... Read more

Amazon.com

Released in 1987, at the height of the compact-disc revolution, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me is the prototypical CD album. Cure architect Robert Smith knew that the newly popular format could handle almost twice as much music as records, and he wasn't about to waste the space. Unfortunately, many of Kiss Me's 17 tracks sound more like B-sides. The cream is certainly worth culling, however; "Catch," "How Beautiful You Are," and the alternative-rock staple "Just Like Heaven" are among the Cure's finest moments. "Hot Hot Hot!!!" and "Why Can't I Be You?" reveal that underneath all the dyed-black hair and glum stares lay a fervent dance band. Who knew? --Bill Crandall ... Read more

Reviews (74)

A good listening experience.
Listening to this album is a little different than listening to the subsequent disc from The Cure. Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me seems to be a little more loose and less dark than Disintegration. The songs included on here aren't that morose in mood and have a little more of a sugary atmosphere to them. Robert Smith sings quite powerfully throughout. I think that this album is pretty decent overall: the highlights are "Just Like Heaven," "One More Time," and "Fight." "Just Like Heaven" would have to be one of the best songs from these guys (it's a well-written tune no doubt). "One More Time" is also has good synth work and emotion running through it. The album closer "Fight" is quite different for The Cure in my opinion. It's got quite a heavy edge to it and is cool. I mostly just like parts of the the rest of the songs on this release. "Hot, Hot, Hot" isn't so much a bad song from these guys as that it's just too silly. There's some good experimentation on this album overall--less dark in tone and sunnier than Disintegration. The production, songwriting, and songwriting are all pretty good. Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me is worth a listen and has some good musical elements to it.

The Album That Defines The Band
This is the album that no Cure fan can possibly be without. I was first exposed to The Cure through 'Head on the Door' and was worried this next release would be commercial, no chance of that!
From the opening track 'Kiss', which builds and savages for at least 4-5 minutes before Robert Smith even opens his mouth, to the lush and haunting 'If Only Tonight We Could Sleep' and the Cure's flip-side pop personality of 'Catch' and 'Just Like Heaven' this album runs the full gamutt of The Cure's musical genius.
Many tracks are challenging, but this is an album that continues to grow on you, even years after you've bought it.
Henry Rollins has been known to say that 'Why Can't I Be You' is his favourite pop song, all happy melody and beat, with quite frightening lyrics.
Other standout tracks are 'Like Cockatoos', 'Torture', 'Icing Sugar' and the infectious 'Hot Hot Hot!!!'.
Few double albums sustain the energy and interest over the course of the whole work. 'Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me' (2 vinyls, one very long CD) is the yardstick by which all such efforts should be measured.

THE LONGEST, MOST MUSICAL & VARIOUS ALBUM OF THE CURE
If there were 2 albums to really define the Cure, it would be this album, & 'Disintegration', released 2 years later

Whereas 'Disintegration' captures Robert Smiths ability to make powerful dark atmosphereic music, this, on the other hand, captures his ability to make powerful light atmosphereic music... Which really defines him as being the magnificent song writer he is

At first this album isn't so easy to get into, it took me a few months before finally really growing on me - It's rapid mood swings throughout the album can throw the listener off, which is why it's so important to sit down & listen to it & not just throw the album on as backround music until you're used to the songs

This supposivley was a double album originally, making it the longest Cure album in the Cure's catalog. I would also say it's their most instrumental & musical - All you have to do is get used to the variety, & this album will become one of your favorites by them

If you're completely new to the Cure, it might be better if you bought 1992's 'Wish' instead, before buying this album - 'Wish' has the same type of variety, except is easier to get into -

This is overall an excellent display of Robert Smith's genius building & building in intensity until the late 80s, where in 1989 it finally exploded in their most successful & legendary album, 'Disintegration' - If 'Disintegration' was the thunder clap, 'Kiss me x 3' was the lightning bolt

In the top 3 best Cure albums.

Masterpiece
This is a masterpeace for sure. A classic if you're into the happy and light side of the band. Songs here are very up vibe and easy to listen. A must have.

crap
this cd is horrible. pearl jam lions is a piece of garbage and all he listens to is whiny british babys (i.e) the cure and radiohead. i agree with pearl jam being good but bashing talented bands like creed & limp bizkit is just wrong. pearl jam lions probably likes coldplay too and every other british whiny band. sorry pearl jam lions but we're all waiting for the cure to break up if they haven't yet. if they did no one would notice anyway cause nobody buys their records anymore anyway. radiohead's audience shrinks with each album and they just plain suck. sorry pal hahaha!!! ... Read more

Reviews (18)

Mysteriously musical
Bauhaus was an architectural style in the '20 that came back at the end of the '80 when I left the family house. Well my appartement was decorated in that style. Elegant purged line was the basic of it.

Bauhaus music is modeled on the same pattern. Minimalist with a lot of charism. It's nothing and it is everything at the same time. All through the album, the bass gets really hypnotic and the guitar is often strident, best exemlpe would be "Stigmata Martyr". My favorite,"Bela Lugosi's dead", is ingeniously well composed. "God in an alcove" and "A spy in the cab" are more psychedelic. "Terror couple kill colonel", "In the flat field" are pretty good.

Maybe not for everybody

i dare you
I enjoy the music on this CD. BAUHAUS is one of my favourite bands. They wrote and played goth music before it was a category. I feel that the songs present themselves as sonic experiences. This is especially true for the guitar playing of Daniel Ash, however, it applies equally to the vocal style of Peter Murphy. Murphy spouts words for their phonic appeal. Daniel Ash will never be accused of stealing licks from Clapton. As far as BAUHAUS is concerned "Clapton is Dead", to borrow from Nietsche. STIGMATA MARTYR is a clear example, certainly not the only. BELA LUGOSI'S DEAD also has Ash using his six string assault weapon as sound effect generator. Both of these songs are devoid of true melodic content. If you are interested in the orgins of goth-rock or in music which expands the sonic limits of pop, this CD will interest you.

Perfect introduction to this group
This is also a perfect introduction to the Goth Rock genre. True Goth Rock that is, rather than "nu-metal" and synth pop that is often mislabled as such. This album contains the majority of their most important songs. Never comfortable using only a single style of songwriting, Bauhaus' music combines quite a variety of moods, textures, and shades. Up-beat and dancy at times, slow and dirgelike at others. Then there is the spastic and tribal side as well. The songs move from dismal, depressing and nightmarishly morbid, to artsy, bohemian and sometimes downright silly and playful. The music perfectly fits the image of the band as art school weirdos dressed in black, with pale skin and heavy eyeliner. The prototype "Goth" look. The concept of Bauhaus in art is put to music here. Less is more. Sometimes anti-art can be more art than art... if that makes sense. Back to the music... The David Bowie influence is everywhere. As is Black Sabbath, Adam & the Ants and T-Rex. (check out the totally convoluted version of Telegram Sam) This compilation contains some of the most powerful Gothic Rock anthems ever written, including the cacophanous Double Dare, In The Flat Field, Passion of Lovers, and the Goth equivalent to Stairway to Heaven, Bela Lugosi's Dead; a haunting tribute to the greatest Horror actor of them all. Perfect for Halloween with effects laden guitars making what sounds like "bat noises" and creaking coffin lids. In fact, the music itself is very much inspired by the immagery of early German Expressionism. Films like Nosferatu and The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari come to mind often while listening. Most of the music on this disc is indescribable. It simply must be heard to be understood. This is not your typical rock affair. This is very experimental art-Punk and may be a bit too strange for those who are not familiar with anything other than "normal" rock and pop. Also the music tends to be on the dark and dreary side. We aren't talking about a toe tapping, uplifting, feelgood time here (although there is pleanty of strange off-beat humor involved) Let that serve as a warning. To those interested in artsy alternative, post punk, or if you've just become interested in Goth, I can't recommend this cd more vehemently. It's invaluable!

THe best greatest hits compilation ever.
Bauhaus was a great band back in the early 80's. They took the atmosphere of David Bowie and Joy Division and combined it with the industral sonds of Can and Faust. Plus, their early songs were very heavy, almost like what Type O Negative is doing now. This ontains 14 of their best songs. including 6 off of the all-time classic, In The Flat Field. The best songs would have to be Double Dare, Stigmata Martyr, which really scared me on first listen, and the live version of Bela Lugosi's Dead. There also is a few odds-and-sods on here too, such as the cover of Telegram Sam, and the single relase Terror Couple Kill Colenel. By far, this album really shows you what Bauhaus was like in those times. Great stuff.

Good Place for New Fans to Learn about Epic Band
Bauhaus is a band that any music expert or historian has to know. Their dark, vibrant art-rock was crucial to the progression of post-punk, and many credit them with starting Goth; the band cannot be contained in that bucket but some songs definitely were. They spawned legions of followers and their influence can still be felt today. Bauhaus basically made 2 types of songs. 1 set was a charged-up, highly inventive and intelligent form of punk featuring short, direct jams with off-the-wall lyrics delivered in Peter Murphy's frantic style - think Bowie doing Sex Pistols or Stooges covers. "God in an Alcove", "Telegram Sam", "Dancing" and "St. Vitus Dance" fit into this category. The other grouping, and likely the set they are more known for, is comprised of dark, brooding songs of despair and alienation; obviously this is where the Goth rep comes in. "Dark Entries", "Bela Lugosi's Dead", "Spy in the Cab" and "Passion of Lovers" fit in this group. "BLD" was a massive underground club hit in the early 80's - it by itself created an entire subculture.

Is this collection the best launching point for a newcomer? Who's to say? There are so many Bauhaus compilations out there that you could make any number of arguments. I think it's a very good place to start, as it is slightly more accessible than Volume 2, which has a generally bleaker feel. Personally I prefer Volume 2 but then again I'm a long-time fan. "Crackle" would be a good alternative starting point, or perhaps the 80's comp "Swing the Heartache" - the track listing is similar to this disc. If you can spend the dough, I'd say just get both V1 & V2 and be done with it. If you like these then you can consider getting the studio albums. It can be hard starting with the studio albums unless you really know the group; they are quite strange and don't always feature many of the singles - they are excellent once you are used to their sound. Bauhaus was odd in that way. The group only made 4 studio albums but the number of singles and comps would make you think there were like 10 of them. Even we big fans often listen to Bauhaus through compilations; it's an easier way to get most of the songs in 1 place. Much of their stuff was released only on now hard-to-find vinyl singles and old 7" releases. The studio albums are great and they complete the collection but may not be the best starting point. ... Read more

Reviews (192)

visual audio sensory theater for the mind body & soul
Just as the acronym of the name implies VAST is Visual Audio Sensory Theater in the literal meaning of the words. Visually stimulating presence (in the subconscience) through the audio acrobatics that attack all five senses with an acrobatic theatric ordeal is the ultimate goal of this ambitious musical excursion. Swirling aural textures built out of an array of samples and instrumentation sets the tone for creator/ master-mind Jon Crosby's journey into religious and musical experimentation. The pathway to inner enlightenment begins with the creative layering of synthesized noise and continues onward with a focused, and yet curiously avant garde ideal. Overall, the debut is a powerfully impressionistic work filled with hauntingly beautiful melodies and atmospheric passages of near musical bliss. To attempt pegging VAST as progressive rock meets pop-industrial might be an understatement of the creative nature of the experience. The orchestral passages and chants add to the gothic nature of the sound, while the driving rhythms edge on tribal when added to the fold. Crosby's voice exhudes pain and power simultaneously with hints of commercial rock overshadowed by the emotional outbreak of his cries. The ethereal ambiance displayed through the self-titled release is a testament to musical creativity when one considers the strength of the songwriting overall. Each piece flows with a deliberate force and a driving personality, yet is spiritually encompassing and almost amebic. The entire album is bi-polar, undulating from flighty highs to dreary lows. It's schizophrenic, encompassing opposite extremes simultaneously without a hint of inhibition. It embraces entirely the full range of emotions with musical integrity so strong it could be dissected by college professors and still not be comprehended completely. Enter into the Vast range of musical ideas evoked on the self-titled debut and become Touched by the Flames of Crosby's world.

VAST: the best band no one has heard of..
The debut of Vast, "Visual Audio Sensory Theator", is just what it describes. Twelve tracks that will stimulate your senses and emotions in every which way. Jon Crosby goes through an emotional roller coaster in this album, from pain to ambience, sadness to elation, sin and regret to hope and redemption, and he brings you along for the ride. Vast's music, particulary on this their debut album, is nothing that radio or MTV could ever appreciate in my opinion. It is intelligent, thought-provoking, edgy and genuinely emotional.. here is a list of the songs and a short description of each:
1. "Here", the album starts with a driving dark industrial song 8/10
2. "Touched", An amazing array of ambient rock and industrial,
Crosby's vocals and composure shine brightly 10/10
3. "Dirty Hole", Eerie sampling and strong vocals; haunting 8/10
4. "Pretty When You Cry", A haunting bliss of gothic/industrial; an ecclectic video for this song 9/10
5. "I'm Dying", A delve into spiritual comfort and confusion; a slow, heavy, melodic song 10/10
6. "Flames", A love song on another level; beautifully composed, vocals by Crosby again are amazing 10/10
7. "Temptation", A driving, emotional song about lust and heavy temptations 10/10
8. "Three Doors", A very rhythmic and even catchy song
9/10
9. "Niles Edge", Somber and surreal; brilliant vocals and sampling 10/10
10. "Somewhere else to be", Song of soul searching; again Crosby delivers with thought-provoking, melodic, and versatile vocal talent 9/10
11. untitled, an instrumental masterpiece of progressive rock with choir vocals from Catholic monks 10/10
12. "You", A beautiful ambient song, Crosby's vocals set the tone of hope and love 10/10 total, 113/120
All in all just an amazing album from Vast that will keep you listening, thinking, and feeling.

Sampling????
I found out about this musician (VAST) from the soundtrack of "Step Into Liquid". I instantly recognized the vocals on the song "Touched" as those of Le Mystere de Voix Bulgares. The song being sampled is "Polegnala E Pschenitza". The CD is also named Le Mystere de Voix Bulgares. The entire collection is really beautiful. I saw them live in Brooklyn in '94 and was deeply moved by it.
I don't think that VAST's sampling of Le Mystere's vocals generates an entirely original song even given it's "rock" context.

Brilliant
Fantastic, well produced album, I still listen to it often (purchased almost 4 years ago)

One of the greatest albums ever.
This is an essential to every collection. I definatly recomend this album to anyone who studies music, is a musician in training or is just a huge music lover. ... Read more

Album Description

Originally a postpunk outfit with gothic leanings, The Cure evolved into one of the most visionary, creatively satisfying and influential groups to come of age in the 1980's. From dreamy pop to moody expressionism, their signature sound is adventurous, hypnotic, and rich with texture. Formed in 1976 by Robert Smith and schoolmates Michael Dempsey (bass) and Laurence Tolhurst (drums), The Cure's stunning debut album on U.K.-based Fiction Records launched an extraordinary career and enduring worldwide popularity. ... Read more

Album Description

2003 reissue of 2001 album includes four bonus tracks,'Restless', 'The Dance' (Live at Utrecht 1998), 'Enter'(live at Utrecht 1998) & 'Bittersweet'. A landmark releasethat set new standards for creativity, musicianship, &taste. BMG. ... Read more

Reviews (12)

A MASTERPIECE...Some of the best music ever recorded!!
If you take the best, most pure sounding female vocalist since Renaissance's Annie Haslam, the orchestrated power of "Live at Carnegie Hall", or Metallica's S&M, the most spectacular performances of keyboard, Pink Floyd type guitar, and drums, you may come close to imagining the sheer beauty, brilliance and epic dimension of this disc. This is a gothic/doom band on their previous releases "Enter" and "The Dance", but the complete absence of male death growl vocals, takes the band in a more progressive, not commercial direction. Their previous releases are also quite spectacular, but this moving symphony is almost beyond description. Anyone who's into Theatre of Tragedy, Sins of Thy Beloved, Lacuna Coil, or Nightwish, and that style of epic doom with female vocals, will love this album. Any fan of symphonic/prgressive rock will have also found your Mecca. (The singer, Sharon den Adele, can be found on Ayreon's "Into the Electric Castle") BUY THIS DISC...you will be amazed and affected by its message and its content. Favorites are the title track, "Mother Earth", "Ice Queen", and "Dark Wings", but there is not a weak spot on any of the 10 songs. This has quickly become the absolute best, and my absolute favorite, of the 750+ CD's I own.

An album for everybody
Whether you're a metalhead, a fan of new age music, or just someone who enjoys good music in general, Within Temptation's Mother Earth is the album for you. Although their first album, Enter, was heavy and featured male growling, Mother Earth leans in a more melodic direction, focusing more on Sharon Den Adel's angelic voice (gone are the growls). The album was originally released in 2000, but this version, available exclusively for the UK and America, was just released this past December with 4 bonus tracks.

Mother Earth begins with the title track, which was released as a single, and is one of the stronger points of the album. Most of the songs on the album revolve around the theme of nature, and this is no exception. "Ice Queen" follows, and literally takes your breath away. Give it a few listens, and the beautiful chorus will give you chills. Speaking of chills, let's talk about the next track "Our Farewell". Being the album's first (of 3) ballads, as well as my personal favorite song, "Our Farewell" delivers a somewhat sad and depressing environment, but is still triumphant. Few bands can create so many emotions in one song, but Within Temptation is one of them. "Caged", on the other hand, is a very bitter song, offering lyrics such as "He told me he loved me then he laughed in my face" - this is one of the heavier moments of the album. Then there are songs like "The Promise" and "Deceiver of Fools" that have an epic feel to them, and "Never-Ending Story" which sounds almost Celtic. Another favorite of mine is "Dark Wings" because Sharon's voice is at its best, especially in the chorus, where her voice soars over the instruments in the background. "In Perfect Harmony" is also a favorite, it is different from the rest of the album in that it is a happy, laid-back song. It is about a boy who grows up in the shelter of nature and his peaceful life there. There's nothing metal about this song, but WT pulls it off perfectly. The bonus tracks are also great, featuring a new version of Enter's "Restless" as well as the forgotten "Bittersweet" and the two live favorites, "Enter" and "The Dance".

All in all, a spectacular experience. Whether you're a fan of Nightwish, A Perfect Circle, or Tori Amos, you will enjoy the wonderful music that Within Temptation creates, and I can only cross my fingers and hope that one day they'll come to the US.

Simply beautiful.
After hearing the music of Within Temptation, I have not been able to appreciate any other music as much as I previously had.

Powerful vocals and the contrasting clash between the male and female voices provide a backdrop for the incredible fusion of melodic and metallic that is Within Temptation.

From the songs of heavier Goth/metal to the almost classical beauty of the lighter songs, the natural sounds will leave you breathless.

I'm spreading word of their music to everyone I know, and I haven't met a single person yet, whether they primarily listen to oldies, classical, punk, or anything, who hasn't loved it.

Somewhere beyond Enya, Evanesence, and Rancid lies Within Temptation, and this album is their grand masterpiece.

excellent music
If you like Evanescence, you will love Mother Earth. It is a wonderful album that can carry you away.

Must have
First it was Nightwish...and my eyes were opened. Then Lacuna Coil. And then I found Sharon. This album is sooooooooooooo good. You just have to hear it. I am STILL listening to it on at least a weekly basis after 2 years! I don't know what they're waiting for, but they HAVE to put out a new album. And soon. ... Read more

Album Description

2002 edition compiled by resident DJ Bruno Lepetre. 14tracks, Jo Manji 'Beyond The Sunset', Lovers Lane 'IslandMemories', Blank & Jones 'Desire' (Ambient Mix) Kalliope'Lunar Landings', So Fine 'A Day In The Sun', Miro 'TheCure' (Sunshine Mix), Rue Du Soleil 'Troya', Soft Wave'Plenitude Part 2', CDM 'Many Rivers To Cross', Time Is The Enemy 'Quantic', Trio Mafua 'Quente', Lazybatusu '8.00 AM', Mr. Swen G. feat. Inusa 'Morning Light' (Coffee Shop Remix) & Digitano & CDM 'Rajamanta'. This CD includes oneinteractive track, where you will see pictures from Ibiza,Cafe Del Mar & his famous sunset sessions. Digipak. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Sublime
This is chill music for the soul, music to live by. One beautiful track after another. It has played non-stop on my various CD players since I got it 5 months ago...and I am not even close to growing tired of it. Rather, it has become like oxygen. I can't live without.

Every CD in the del Mar series is worth its weight in gold, but this one can be weighted with a far more precious metal. I would need to be a poet to say more about this wonderful compilation. But I must mention track 5: it is a highlight among bright stars. Never have I heard such smooth and darkly elegant guitar work, all of course backed by a first-class chill groove.

Plug your soul into this CD...you will be transported to a lovely place.

A New Refreshing Album With A New DJ
Well, I first heard their music from their album VOLUMEN OCHO. Though I really hate the cover, still, the music is wonderful. Then, when this new album arrives, I wonder whether I can buy it or not ( NB : See the prize and you'll know what I mean ). Finally I buy it and I really enjoy it. Everything is nice, the music, the booklet, and mostly, the video they put on this CD. But very unfortunately, the track that is perhaps the best one, Rajamanta ( i.e. last track ), can't play except you turn the video. I really wonder why such an unfortunate thing can happen.
But don't be so dissapointed, the tracks are wonderful. My favorites are :
- Jo Manji : Beyond The Sunset
- Kalioppe : Lunar Landings
- ? : Desire
The others are nice but, for me, not the best. If you are a CAFE DEL MAR's fan, better buy this one.

At last
Finally, a Cafe Del Mar release that measures up to the first few CDs. Very relaxing, excellent chill. The tracks by Lovers Lane, CDM, and Mr. Swen G* are very good. Quantic's "Time Is The Enemy" is my favorite - a good, solid groove surrounded by pretty light and happy tracks. And I think I know what the last few volumes have been missing - a bossa nova track. Lazybatusu fits the bill here. Well done.

-back to the early days of Café Del Mar...
Bruno's best yet- this time with the organic melting-sunset feeling which (until now) only Padilla was able to capture in the earlier volumes.

includes a low budget film (MAC/WIN compatible) separately on the disc.
Café Del Mar fans can alas see what the club looks like.

my faves are:
#3 Desire (dripping with Ibiza calmness)
#5 A Day In The Sun (just right, with no sunburn)
#6 The Cure (the heavenly female-voice kind)
#9 Many Rivers To Cross (play in the desert at sunrise, woah)

This compilation is the slowest of all the Volumes, in my opinion.
(More sun, less sprinkles) But that just means- sit back, relax, let it all go and enjoy...

Bruno's Blissful Magnum Opus
This is maximum chill-out at its unparalleled best. Remember Mantovani?

Every generation has music that allows one to come home at the end of the harsh, mean, travails of the day and 'chill'. Have a Frap. Have an Espresso. Mingle with friends with lively banter. This is music meant to melt the minutia or monstrous maelstroms of the moments of the day magnificently.

These tunes are original to this compilation...my favorite tracks are number 2, "Island Memories (original mix)" by Lovers Lane (listen to this track on a great set of headphones), and cut number 6 "A Day In The Sun" by So Fine (don't get sun burned!), and "8:00 AM" (the signification moniker of the time you'll be heading in to catch some sleep after a night of partying and sun rise gazing after the Baleraic experience).

I own Cafe Del Mar's 1 through 9, and after #5 I was going to stop buying this series because of the same, worn-out, perputual tired formula. This compilation has left me wanting more. Enjoy! ... Read more