Amazon.com

Is it too early for a Britpop revival? Not on the watch of Leeds quintet Kaiser Chiefs, who just a decade after the release of Blur's scene-making 1994 album, Parklife, offer a striking follow-up. They've hired the same producer--Stephen Street. They've studied the same influences--the Buzzcocks, the Jam, the Kinks. They've even picked up the same English slice-of-life themes--"I wanna wear my clothes tight/Matching jackets and a fistful of notes/New sneakers and a fresh pack of smokes," goes "Saturday Night." The resulting album, Employment, is just as catchy and captivating as you might expect, swinging from the stormy social commentary of "I Predict A Riot" to the shouty insouciance of "Oh My God." A Trainspotting sequel can't be far off. --Aidin Vaziri ... Read more

Reviews (54)

"Modernized" old-school pop/punk?
Rarely will I buy an album based on one song, but after hearing "I Predict a Riot" on the radio, and hearing good things about the band, I chanced it - glad I did too.

You can definitely tell the guys have a great sense of humor (also something kinda missing in mainstream rock for much of the 90's and very early 2000's) right down to the CD booklet itself -- where it says, "How to play EMPLOYMENT. Some of the songs go a little like this", then the lyrics begin.

In general, I'd describe their sound as mainstream punk, but not AT ALL on the level of Simple Plan/Good Charlotte/Blink 182, etc. Like those guys, they do use alot of humor in their songs, as stated above, but have much more of a classic punk influence. Imagine the punk of the late 70's, in a more "accessible" pop direction, updated for 2005 and somewhat in the vein of 80's new wave-inspired bands like the Killers. That's a general idea of this album's sound.

"Everyday I Love You Less and Less" starts out with electric, video game-type sound effects. A very humorous "falling out of love" song - Ricky Wilson's British accent only adds to the old-school punk charm, IMO.

The current big hit "I Predict a Riot", is an upbeat, satirical story of big city violence and chaos going on. Almost sounds like vintage 1977-era Clash or Ramones.

After that, though, the album takes a turn into more of a slow direction - say, along the lines of a less synthezied, slower version of HOT FUSS. A couple highlights include "Born to Be a Dancer", which starts with a piano and, despite the typical humor, has a certain dark element to it, and "What did I ever Give You", which is also in that vein, but slow all the way through. However, not really a ballad, per se.

In short, while the opening two songs are clearly the best (and worth the price for alone!), this is still a band to watch in the future! Maybe the other songs will grow on me more after repeated listens. :)

Fun fresh album!
Well this is the debut album by the New Brit-Pop group Kaiser Chiefs, filled with fun tracks to bop along with. Now let me start by saying you shouldn't take this group too seriously. From their mindless random yelling in every other song, to their ridiculous lyrics (It makes me sick to think of you undressed), it's not a very deep album. Still it is very good, suny by Ricky Wilson! What's great is that there are original, inco-orporating electro synthesisers into their rock
1. Everyday I love you less and less (3.37)- This is my favourite track with very cool electro-rock in there, funny lyrics and a great song to dance to. One of those where they randomly start yelling 11/10
2. I predict a riot (3.53) - Another silly yelling song, the chorus is sung in an oldies style, and has a rather spooky bridge 9/10
3. Modern Way (4.03)- Quite a serious song for a change, quite gentle singing. It's slow tempoed but I love it 10/10
4. Na na na na naa (3.01) - Um this one is interesting. The most silliest song, where they basically half chant/sing "Na na na na naa!" It kinda doesn't make sense but it's still funny! A faced paced song, almost like a beach-style song 8/10
5. You Can Have It All (4.35) - Another gentle song, sung almost like an oldies slow rock song. It's so cute this song! Practially no guitars but bass, pianos, gentle drumming and a high techno instrument 9/10
6. Oh My God (3.35) - Yay, what a great song! Not as fast as the first track, but half-way gentle, and half-way silly. Ricky Wilson yells in this one, just before the chorus. The music is pretty funky, like a heavy chanting guitar riffs. 10/10
7. Born To Be A Dancer (3.30) - Another half gentle, half-silly song, but venturing to more silly. Strong guitar electro-rock in this song. A really cool spooky bridge in included in this, where the band members join in chorus going "ahhh, ahhh" 9/10
8. Saturday Night (3.27) - Very heavy in the electro bass line. This is almost as funny as Na na na na naa, where Ricky is practically shouting the words. 8/10
9. What Did I ever give you? (4.09) - Not such a good song, but tolerable. It's a bit silly, with a pretty cool chorus. Quite a 'lazy' song. 7/10
10. Time Honoured Tradition (2.45) - Although it has been placed at number 10, I think it's a pretty good song. Quite funny when he sings "and that is the end of that", but the best part is the chorus where it goes quite rocky and chanty "oh oh oh oh, ho-oh" repeated several times in quite a pyschotic chant! 9/10
11. Caroline, Yes (4.12) - Quite a slow sleepy one, a nice song to listen to if you're in a mellow mood. This sound like a Dandy Warhols song, so if you like them, you love this. Cool sleepy guitars 8/10
12. Team Mate (3.24) - The slowest track, with miminal music, just a tambourine here and then, and pianos, and strings. Not such a strong way to end the album, but it's ok 7/10
The album is very good to get to get into a feel good mood. The songs are sufficiently long enough (The Hives songs are like 2 minutes!), and worth buying :)

The scale only goes from 1 to 5 stars but I want to give a 0
yeah I really don't like this CD, it wasn't at all what I was expecting. After the first listen of the cd I tried to give the cd away but no one wants it. I mean this cd is so bad my girlfriend dumped me because I own it; my friends don't talk to me any more, and my family is kicking me out of the house and changing their last name - no one wants any association with me since learning I own this cd. I even tried to give the cd away to a homeless man but he took one look at the cd and started to throw cats at me.

benefits
an invigorating and fresh dose of rock that gives hope to the legions of new rockers who wear their influences on their sleeves. Just like Placebo reveals such influences as Pixies and Smiths with every breath - while maintaining a constant flair for originality and unique brilliance - Kaiser Chiefs give new life to old sounds; draw inspiration from familiar chords; and more importantly, bring back all the raw, unbridled energy that once defined the pop music world but is now so freakin' rare.

Scot Rock: Again?
I picked up Employment with some other new releases after getting a glimpse of "I Predict A Riot."What I got was a few catchy singles and, good, rock songs that were all filler no killer.Talented musicians, yes, but the music on the record wasn't a branch away from albums that have already been done.

It seems that with the new year we lacked the new Franz Ferdinand album-insert the Kaiser Chiefs here.The songs are enjoyable, but lacking the depth that make more than a hit but a classic.I'll admit the band has the sketchy, upbeat, blatant rock down, but what was so unique last year is not as catchy the second time around.It is to be expected when a new sound hits the scene, good bands ride on the coat tail of the originals' success.

Don't get me wrong, the Kaiser Chiefs have potential, a few nice songs, and a good deal of talent.If they can perfect their sound on their next record they could have a fine career on their hands.On the Rolling Stones "Top 10 to Watch for 2005" I'd have to for once agree, though not one of my favorite records this year definitely a band you need to keep your eye on, I feel they have more up their sleeve.

Employment earns
A Bliss of 6 ... Read more

Amazon.com

One need hear only the first notes of this collection--the Edge's ringing guitar notes ushering in "Pride (In the Name of Love)"-to be taken back to 1984: Ronald Reagan and Maggie Thatcher rule the Western world, the L.A. Olympics is the top sports story, and Ms. Pac-Man reigns at arcades. In rock & roll, there's U2 growing in stature with each new title. Even doubters of the Irish lads have to concede that together they formed the one '80s band with the skill and sense of scale to take over the airwaves and concert stages in a decade of diminished expectations. This 15-song '80s best-of assortment (stick around for the hidden track) spans the decade, reaching back to 1980's "I Will Follow," when Bono and company were peach-fuzzy and earnest as choirboys, and tracking their path through their most glaring misstep, 1988's overblown Rattle and Hum. --Steven Stolder ... Read more

Reviews (196)

You can't give a "Greatest Hits" CD 5 stars...
I was introduced to U2 with their song, 'With or Without You', so I bought the Joshua Tree. I got "The Best of 1980-1990" for a Christmas present, and of course, it's a great album. The reason I didn't give it 5 stars is because, of course, this isn't anything new! If you have over five or six U2 CDs, don't buy this! It's common sense. You might as well buy the other albums, because full length albums are better than compilcations. If you know someone who really likes U2's 80s singles, get this as a gift. There's absoultely no reason to buy this if you already have a few U2 CDs.

Other than that, it's a great CD, that takes you through their early days of rage, through their experiments with sounds, and ending with their hard driving America Rock of "Rattle and Hum." There are some things missing here, however, such as 'Gloria,' 'Two Hearts Beat as One,' and 'In God's Country.'

So, overall, if you're a die hard U2 fan, don't buy this. For the rest of you, get this if you'd like U2's hits without getting all their albums.

A solid, although uneven, collection...
Although one could argue that this isn't a "Best Of" as much as it is a "Most Well Known" collection of U2's eighties work, as a fan, I couldn't help but pick it up if only for the remastered tracks and remade version of "Sweetest Thing", originally the b-side to "Where the Streets Have No Name" (if you can still find the version of this compilation with the b-side disc, it's definitely worth the inflated price). Most of their earlier work is neglected...Boy has one track present, October has none (sacrilege!), and War has two. I can understand the lack of their lesser known singles like "Fire" and "A Celebration," but the absence of "11 O'Clock Tick Tock," "Gloria," and "Two Hearts Beat As One" is downright blasphemous.

"The Unforgettable Fire" is well-represented, with not only the definitive U2 anthem "Pride" ringing in the album, but the title track and the live favorite "Bad," which is the only track on the collection that was not released as a single. The three obvious picks off "The Joshua Tree" are here as well, but are somewhat more skippable in this setting.

The track list is rather good, if you excuse that the four Rattle and Hum selections (and as much as I adore "Angel of Harlem" and "When Love Comes To Town," they're a bit unnecessary here) that were just thrown on the end of the disc. The entire section from "Bad" to "Sweetest Thing" works surprisingly well.

It's not a bad place to start if you're new to the band, although you may as well just pick up "The Joshua Tree" and "Achtung Baby," which are far more rewarding experiences. There is only one new track (the live versions of "Bad" and "Bullet the Blue Sky" that the Edge once said would make it didn't), so it's a little light, and the edited versions of "New Year's Day" and "Bad" are just plain annoying, but the track order makes it very listenable regardless.

A 15 year search completed!
Ok, I'm not a rock fan and I definitely don't like that goth, misogynist stuff that rock is ruined with. Then I heard "With or Without You" some 15 years ago while scanning the radio dial and was captured. The lyrics and that guitar haunted me forever and crept up on me when I least expected it - was it Slash or was it Clapton, you see I knew nothing.

It was only after years of listening to classic rock radio that I became somewhat skilled at figuring it out for myself (no thanks to those radio jocks who NEVER tell you the names of the songs they play).

My first rock purchase was this CD and yes I am a green rocker but this compilation, for me, has it all - powerful lyrics and haunting riffs. I've worn out two of them already. Now with online help - website playlists, discographies and MP3s - I'm on my way!

Good, but...
How did 'Sort of Homecoming' and 'Two Hearts Beat As One' (among others) get left off of this? Disappointing...

Purposeless compilation of played-out FM radio fodder
The beginning drum cracks of "Sunday Bloody Sunday"... the sight of Bono walking down Las Vegas' Main Street with that ridiculous hat... the white flag at Red Rocks... how much longer do citizens of this great nation have to be tortured with such images (and their associated sounds) so that we can pad these guys' bank accounts? Enough of karaoke-era U2.

Give me "A Celebration", in its entirety, on CD, for good, RIGHT NOW.

I mean it.

You do NOT need to buy this CD. ... Read more

Amazon.com

U2's second decade often seemed as preoccupied with the band's burgeoning superstardom--and how to confront/confound it--as it did with creating music. The band managed only four albums during the era (only half of its '80s output), projects whose gestations seemed perennially plagued by turmoil as much as mercurial creative instincts. But as this anthology chronicles, U2 ultimately managed a considerable feat: producing a memorable, lasting body of work in a decade where one of pop music's chief attributes was its disposability. The disc mixes hits like "Mysterious Ways" and "One" with seductive soundtrack cuts (the title track to Wim Wenders's Until the End of the World, Batman Forever's "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me"), new mixes of "Discotheque," "Staring at the Sun," and "Numb," and a pair of strong new tracks, the Orbit mix of "Electrical Storm" and "The Hands that Built America," the title track from Martin Scorsese's Gangs of New York. --Jerry McCulley ... Read more

Reviews (60)

All They Couldn't Leave Behind
U2's 1990s "Best Of" album is a rather strange collection. The band recorded only four studio albums during that time, all of which ardent U2 fans most likely already own. So this disc is for casual fans who want only the highlights, right? Well, not exactly. 1991's "Ach-tung Baby" gets the most conventional treatment--the four selections from it ("Even Better than the Real Thing," "Mysterious Ways," "One" and "Until the End of the World") are all the original versions. Likewise, the band's most recent studio album, "All That You Can't Leave Behind" is grossly underepresnted with only two selections ("Beautiful Day" and "Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of") that are also original versions.

It is the rest of the material where things really get strange. The three songs from the album "Pop" are all remixes, probably in acknowledgement that it was U2's least successful album. Likewise, the "Zooropa" cut "Numb" gets a similar realtering, but one that serves it very well. Otherwise that album is also underrepresented. Of the non-studio album tracks, "The Hands That Built America" from the "Gangs of New York" soundtrack is a ho-hum ballad (like the movie), while the two other new songs included add little to the band's legacy. The CD booklet, however, is quite cool--lots of photographs of the band looking pretty slick for a bunch of forty-somethings.

Overall, "The Best of...1990-2000" contains a lot of outstanding music, but is nevertheless a terribly confused anthology.

Classic songs and awesome new ones!
Well, I've read a few reviews on this album, and all have been either ok or negative. However I personally believe that these are some of U2's best songs ever. They're a bit more electronic than the ones on the previous Best Of album, but that's the normal course of evolution for this band. Plus, it includes hits from the 2 best U2 albums ever, Achtung Baby and All That You Can't Leave Behind. The new songs are VERY good, especially "Electrical Storm". William Orbit is a genius and it's great that he added his ethereal sound to this track. Other great additions are "Miss Sarajevo" featuring Luciano Pavarotti and "Hold Me Thrill Me Kiss Me Kill Me" from the Batman Forever soundtrack. While it's a great album, I think it'll suffer from the I-like-their-earlier-stuff-better syndrome, which is a popular opinion for second greatest hits albums. Look at Madonna's GHV2, another fabulous album that has been ignored for this same reason. I own both U2 Best Of albums plus quite a few of their studio albums. Maybe it's because in 1990 I was 13, but I actually like this newer stuff better...

The best
Its very hard for me to be critical of anything U2 does because they are just an amazing band! I've been totally into them for over 20 years and my collection is humungus. Having read some of the reviews posted here, I can however understand where they are coming from. I have always believed that 'greatest hits' and 'bests of's' are always aimed at a mass audience and not entirely focused on dedicated fans - fans should already have all the tracks anyway!

This compliation, for U2 hardcore fans, is a little dissapointing. I thought the first best of was ok but lacked an obvious structure. Would it not have been better to start from the very beginning and include all the rare original tracks - Boy/Girl, Another Day and Celebration (I cant believe this was not included - also, I wish they had taken that awful Xylophone (spell?) out of I Will Follow). Maybe all this will come together in the future when a Beatles-like Anthology comes out. It is just obviously aimed at the mass audience who wont buy U2 albums but like the odd song.

The Best of 1990-2000 has a little something extra that the first didnt. The remixes of the songs was a bonus for all U2 fans - if you prefer the originals then simply play the album versions. What happened on Mysterious Ways though? There is a slight change in lyrics from the original single, yet there is no mention on the sleeve.

I am trying to be as objective as I can here which is not easy. Everything they do is superb and cant be knocked. I will only try to comment on things I find a little negative (not easy for me to do).

I was never a big fan of Even Better Than The Real thing and only gave that song its due respect when I heard it live.

Electrical Storm is a must because its not on an album - the other mix on the flip side is better. It does seem to follow the usual U2 template that they seem to be sticking to more than ever though (Edge could have really gone to town on a lead at the end but seemed to hold back).

Gone - yes, the album version is better and yes I will only play the album version. This version seems an after thought from developing it live but its far better live.

The Hands That Built America - This could have been done better and lacks what it promises in the beginning.

Staring At The Sun - I would have prefered this song if it hadn't been done by U2!!! It so un-U2. What are those lyrics??? Still, it has a feeling and the feeling is good. Its a cracker live.

Numb - This is one of the few U2 songs I dont like at all. Why is it here?

I would like to have heard a remix of The Fly. Granted, the original is murky. If they could have redone it as they did on the Boston concert DVD I would have been happy - now if I want The Fly, I play Boston!

Thats the negative comments out of the way.

My advice, like most of the other reviewers is - if you are into U2 buy the albums. If you are just passing by, buy the compilations.

I too like U2 :)
While admittedly not a diehard fan of U2, I remember checking out my sister's U2 cds as a teen and I liked some of the songs. This is a good compilation of what I feel is their better more talented era, although I love "Sunday Bloody Sunday" from the other "best of" U2 cd.

David Rehak
author of "Love and Madness"

Clearly, not a "best of"
The second U2 "best of" was a waste of time. The first one, "The best of 1980-1990" was a pretty good compilation, but quite short ( 65 minutes, U2 could have added 2 extra songs like Gloria, Out Of Control or MLK ). This time, this compilation is 50% horrible.
The hands that built America is so boring, one of the worst U2 songs, without a doubt. All the remixes are so bad !!!!. This is overall a big, big mistake. This is not the best of. I remember once participating in a U2 poll, in which they asked to the fans the best song from each album, before this "best of". One of those songs was "Please"... so where is this song ??? why U2 didn't include it ??. I don't know why U2 keep putting "Until The end Of The World" as one of their best songs. "The Fly" or "Who's Gonna Ride..." were real songs for a "Best Of".
This would be my "Best of 1990-2000"

1- Even Better Than The Real Thing
2- Mysterious Ways
3- Beautiful Day
4- Electrical Storm
5- One
6- Miss Sarajevo ( COMPLETE )
7- Stay ( faraway so close )
8- Stuck In A Moment You Can't Get Out Off
9- Lemon
10- Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
11- The Fly
12- Discotheque ( ORIGINAL )
13- Hold me, Thrill me, Kiss me, Kill me
14- Staring At The Sun ( ORIGINAL )
15- Please ( single )
16- If God Will Send His Angels ( single ) ... Read more

Amazon.com

The same year American college students and FM radio stations found hipness in the Clash's "Train in Vain," a quartet of students from England's Leeds University calling themselves Gang of Four released their debut album. Politically charged and pumped full of extremist theories and punk rock vehemence (and now out of print since 1997), Entertainment continues to rank among the most critically acclaimed and influential records of the post-punk epoch it helped to define. The record is funkified by stop-start rhythms and sharp vocals that mimic Joe Strummer's sing-to-shout shifts, a sound that has turned up in the music of a quarter-century of bands, from the Minutemen to Fugazi. The original 12-song track list--including the vehement slam on media and politics "I Found That Essence Rare" and the punk passion play "Damaged Goods"--is reinforced with all four songs from the band's 1980 EP Yellow, as well as four others never-before-released, including a live cover of the Velvet Underground's "Sweet Jane." --Scott Holter ... Read more

Reviews (2)

marriage of intelligence, angst, politics, and aesthetics
The roots of Gang of Four can be traced back to 1976, but from opposite ends of the globe. In their native England during that year, The Sex Pistols, The Damned, and The Clash dropped the bomb that was punk whose shockwaves can still be felt to this day through music, literature, art, politics, fashion, etc. In China also in 1976, a renegade faction of communists staged a leadership coup after the death of Mao Zedong, holding out for 10 days and calling themselves the Gang of Four. Back in England a year later, a punk band began as four art students from Leeds appropriated not only the name but also the insistance upon bold ideological stances from those Maoist revolutionaries. After achieving considerable success with their debut Damaged Goods EP on the remarkably prescient Fast Productions (who also signed The Mekons early on as well), Gang of Four landed a deal with EMI which resulted in Entertainment. This album -- like Joy Divisions' Unknown Pleasures and the first three Wire albums -- transformed punk with its ingenious marriage of intelligence, angst, politics, and aesthetics, and has not been improved upon since, despite the best efforts from the current crowd of post-punk revivalists (i.e. The Rapture, Bloc Party, Franz Ferdinand, etc.).

Gang of Four were Andy Gill, Jon King, Dave Allen, and Hugo Burnham; well at least for Entertainment and the two follow up records. Entertainment's politics have been at the center of most of the reviews you'll find praising this record, but those politics wouldn't have been heard had Gang of Four not been a f---ing tight band, with Gill's rapid fire guitar arppeggios, Allen's agitated funk-punk basslines, and Burnham's explosive post-disco rhythms. Every thing that has been written about Gang of Four in the past is true, especially from those kind people at Pitchfork who sneered at the end of their review of Entertainment that "anyone who says it's played out is a douchebag." Truer words have not been spoken.

Waited so long...
Since coming across a list of the best albums of all time on a music website I respect, I have made an attempt to collect as many of the 10's I could (out of some 110+, I have gotten about 40 or so). One of the highest ranking albums, Gang of Four's 1979 debut "Entertainment!", was the one I could never come across in a respectable package. Most of those albums have been remastered, and when I received word that "Entertainment!" would be remastered by the fine folks at Rhino, I knew I would have a keeper.
I am highly pleased with this album. The actual packaging is somewhat flimsy, a small cardboard slip that will likely not last very long. However, the liner notes and especially the music make up for it. It's easy to see where current bands like Franz Ferdinand, Rapture, and Bloc Party looked for some inspiration: jerky funk-punk workouts that never shy away from making the Grand Statement of political intent. The bass is melodic, the drums are primal, the guitar is more of a sonar, and the vocals are alternately sneery and soulful. I have yet to listen to the album more, but my first impressions have been one of quiet awe: this is the real deal. Get your copy today! ... 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 (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

Formed in NYC in the mid-'70s by David Byrne, Chris Franz, Tina Weymouth, and ex-Modern Lover Jerry Harrison, the Talking Heads evolved out of their now-legendary humble beginnings at CBGB's to become one of the most adventurous and influential bands ever. Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2002, the Heads' visionary, polyrhythmic sound daringly combined funk and punk, African beats, avant-garde minimalism, and pure pop. From their 1977 debut through their Brian Eno-produced classics to their '88 farewell, Naked, they both pushed artistic boundaries and delivered indelible radio hits like "Once In A Lifetime" and "Burning Down The House." ... Read more

Album Description

"THIS IS MY FAVOURITE NICK CAVE & THE BAD SEEDS ALBUM." - NICK CAVE

Spanning the full twenty-one years of Nick Cave And The Bad Seeds illustrious career, this comprehensive three CD set, entitled B-Sides & Rarities, presents a thrilling and eclectic retrospective collection of material by the band, some of which has been deleted, featured on a disparate number of soundtrack albums or has never been officially released before. From the menacing 'The Six Strings That Drew Blood', through the distraught 'The Girl At The Bottom Of My Glass', the fragile beauty of 'Little Empty Boat', the outlaw romance of '(I'll Love You) Till The End Of The World', the plaintive 'Bluebird' through to the murderous attack of 'The Ballad Of Robert Moore & Betty Coltrane', long term Bad Seeds aficionados, recent converts or the merely curious will find much to appreciate and enjoy in this landmark 56 track compilation. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Full of Tasty Surprises
And I thought I had it all! I've become a fairly rabid fan of Nick Cave over the past several years and have eagerly bought and listened to almost everything I am aware that he's done. Then along comes B-Sides and Rarities and I find that there was all kinds of Nick Cave music out there I had no idea about.
There's lots to like, so I'll give a disc by disc rundown on what I like best.
Disc I contains mostly B-sides, but also alternate versions of songs that can be found on his regularly issued CDs. My favorites are: a spare and barren take on Mercy Seat, a hilarious version of Scum, a raucous The Girl At The Bottom Of My Glass, a plaintive rendition of Neil Young's Helpless, the rollicking God's Hotel and what I think is the best song on this disc, Cave's take on Rye Whiskey.
Disc II gets even better than the first. Standouts are Rainy Night in Soho, the hilarious There's No Night Out In The Jail, Where the Wild Roses Grow, a madman's rendition of the epic slaughterfest O'Malley's Bar, and the Scream 3 version of Red Right Hand on which you can immediately identify former bandmate Barry Adamson's involvement. But, the best song is a haunting, mystical, violin-led and Van Morrison-like stunner Time Jesum Transeuntum Et Non Riverentum. If you like Van Morrison and the Nick Cave of his No More Shall We Part period, you will want to hear that one over and over.
Disc III contains more songs in the style developed by Cave from The Boatman's Call and No More Shall We Part to the present. My favorites are Right Now I'm A Roaming; Babe, I Got You Bad; Sheep May Safely Graze; Opium Tea; Everything Must Converge; and the riotous She's Leaving You. While those are excellent, the best song musically and lyrically is Little Empty Boat.
If you are new to Nick Cave, this is an excellent starter set as it covers a wide variety of styles spanning his career with the Bad Seeds. If you are an old fan, then this should bind you to Cave's music even more, even if you are like the reviewer from Slovenia that found this compilation to be old hat. At around twenty bucks almost any place you can find it, its truly a bargain, so order it while its still cheap. I highly recommend it!

Fantastic
One man's refuse is another's gold. This vast and fulfilling collection reveals an inspired artist who mines gems in his sleep. While others are struggling to sell out to the highest bidder, Cave refuses to compromise while constantly blazing new trails of audible ambrosia.

a collection of gems
I believe this truly holds some of Cave's best efforts. Definately for the die-hard fan, perhaps a few songs for a curious listener. The packaging is unique, and has all sorts of goodies inside.

Much a fan of Disc 1.

An Extraordinary Collection
Usually, when a record label released a boxed set, I expect -when it comes to an artist I revere- to spend a large amount of money for those few songs that were unreleased or belonging to EPs I did not buy. In general, I am resigned to the fact that the rarities and occasional collaborations will be few and varying in quality, And I if buy these collections is due to my heart being hostage to my passion for having the complete works of someone I respect.
This could not be farther from the truth, when it comes to this collection. The material selected throughout this 3CD set -by the band's Mick Harvey, by the way- finds Cave and his esteemed Bad Seeds show a wealth of great songs. The quality of what's goes from very good and interesting to superb. Actually, some of these songs are inexplicable exclusions from his albums, given their depth and beauty.
On Disc 1, you get a thorough sample of Cave's fiercer output, when a certain "literate Punk" spirit reigned over the Bad Seeds' material. Selections like "The Moon Is In The Gutter," "Rye Whiskey" -which sways like you might, if you ever drank the stuff- or "The Girl At The Bottom Of My Glass, are great examples of such period.
In addition, there are some rare beauties like the stunning acoustic version of "The Mercy Seat," the tender melody of "The Train Song," the somber "Blue Bird." Also noteworthy are his version of Neil Young's "Helpless" and "Cassiel's Song" from the movie "Faraway, So Close."
Disc 2, in my opinion, is dominated by the mood, if not the songs, from Cave's "Murder Ballads" period, in which the acoustic rendition of "Jack The Ripper," the raucous multi-part "O'Malley's Bar," and "The Willow Garden" and the gorgeous "Where The Wild Roses Grow" with the original guide vocals by Herr Bargeld.
And then comes, to my taste, the best of the three CDs which is infused of Cave's most recent material, ranging from the "The Boatman's Call"s atmosphere of "Little Empty Boat," "Right Now I'm A-Roaming," and the band version of "Black Hair," to the moving outtake of "Sheep May Safely Grace," anticipating the hymn-like ballads of No More Shall We Part."
Speaking of this last mentioned album, if you've been moved by the work contained in it as much as I have, you are in for an abundance of gems. Both, "Grief Came Riding" and "Bless His Ever Loving Heart," are Cave's poetry and melodies at their dramatic peak ("where beauty lies exhausted on the streets").
The great songs don't end there, with Nocturama being represented through the B-sides of several singles. Actually, if you already like Cave's most recent album, you may be further enthralled with it when listening to these songs. "Shoot Me Down" is stunning, and "Everything Must Converge" is the band at their most hopeful, a call to hope that has always been part of Cave's vision side by side with his dark denunciations.
All in all this is superb collection of songs that, to many, weren't known nor recognized. It is a tribute to a great band that three CDs worth of more obscure material can hold such depth of graces.
Whether you are a faithful worshipper already or a curious beginner, this collection is an excellent retrospective of an artist who has written some of the most remarkable material recorded over the last twenty years.
Cave's name does not only deserve to be mentioned along Tom Waits, or even Leonard Cohen -both obvious musical comparisons- but also it must be included in any list you may compile of those singer-songwriters whose music may shape your life.
I can't imagine any other future releases this year that can surpass this one, for reissue of the year.

Hard Core fans - hallo!
If you are a really hard-core NC&BS' fan (as I was until recently) you already have all those songs spread over tens of compilations and singles.
If you don't have them, you never were a NC&BS fan. That is the fact.
My opinion about this record is, that is released just for milking of some newborn fans. A shame on you, Mr. Cave. ... Read more

Amazon.com essential recording

An appreciable leap forward in almost every fashion from the group's first trio of albums, The Unforgettable Fire is its first with the production team of Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois. And while they take a strong hand in wrestling U2's music out of the mainstream and into a more individualistic area, it's the songs themselves that demand a more subtle approach. Moody gems such as "A Sort of Homecoming" and the entrancing "Bad" set the table for more explosive fare such as "Pride," "Wire," and the title track. This is the album that made U2 a career act, showing that their music could grow by leaps and bounds, even at the hand of another, without sacrificing its soul. --Daniel Durchholz ... Read more

Reviews (138)

U2's new sounds here lifted them to new heights
U2 in the 1980's evolved in a way that many bands don't , or won't - they matured in a questing, yearning sort of way and progressed from adolescent ingenues in 1979-80 (Boy era) to highly-skilled artisans and richly-experienced globetrotters before the decade was out. 1984's The Unforgettable Fire album was the midpoint of this process, where the band tried more experimental soundscapes and semi-obscure imagery than before. True, they had often included half-realised ideas on previous LP's, but here they mixed "ambient sounds" in with unusual , passionate rockers that did not conform to the usual hit single style of many of their 80's chart rivals. The obvious high point of this set is Pride. I will never forget seeing the B&W video of this on a TV pop countdown in October 1984 when I was fourteen- my first knowledge of U2 - and being struck by the burning intensity of this song. It remains one of my top 20 all-time favourite songs. The other fantastic song is Bad, which evokes struggle, adversity and pain , but which is a song of rare beauty. A Sort Of Homecoming is a song I also love- it has taken many listens to fully appreciate this passionate tune. I believe MLK , though more a quiet, elegiac chorus than a "song" as such, is a restful companion piece to Pride (they both pay respect to the late Dr. Martin Luther King jr).The title tune is also very fine indeed. The remaining tracks are more experimental pieces. Wire is more uptempo and interesting.

The Unforgettable Fire still sounds excellent today, and I do not believe this music will date. Highly Recommended!!

Setting the Stage from the Broken Castles in Ireland
i was five or six when i heard this album from my father's vinyl collection. at that age, you are easily drawn into anything that makes sounds (usually). for me, the unforgettable fire is an album that built on sounds as well as songs. but more than that... it has atmosphere.

there is of course the trademark songs: "pride (in the name of love)" is great (except i personally find it too overplayed) and the title track is heart wrenching (especially when i found out later that it was inspired by an art exhibit of paintings from survivors of hiroshima). "bad" is also great as well. not there's the issue of the so-called "filler" songs.

the rest of the songs provide a buttress for the major songs. "a sort of homecoming" is atmospheric and poetic (like early Joyce... chamber music i'm thinking). "wire" is intense, angry and probably an early precursor to "until the end of the world" thematically. "promenade" is airy and idyllic. "4th of july" is airy and bleak (reminds me a lot of godspeed you black emperor in terms of atmospherics and a connection of apocalyptic ends). "indian summer sky" is similar to "a sort of homecoming." "elvis presley and america" - even if the lyrics are difficult to depicher (bono was under stress and strain becoming up with lyrics) - is an ambient piece that uses effectively a drum set (it's "a sort of homecoming" played at half-speed). then "mlk" is a great closer and one of the best tributary songs i've heard (non-cliché, simple, haunting and appropriate).

it is not an album for everyone. it is an album that enjoys creating atmosphere and whole complex universes upon listening as oppose to have something passively to listen to or to sing to every song. i like this album both then and now. and yes i really believe this sets the stage for their future endeavours.

Their Best Album
I just want to concur with the reviewer below. This is their best period and best album. The Amazon.com reviewer that said 4th of July and Elvis Presley and America were bad songs obviously did not listen to those songs to completion. The thing about Presley's melody is that it is understated. The beauty of the melody is brought out by Edge's guitar work at times. It's far from a bad song and maybe my favorite on "Fire". U2 never sounded better. Enjoy the whole album!

Most unique and easy to listen to U2 CD.
Most of the songs on this recording still have passion and deep meaning, yet the signature U2 sound of early days is left behind. I enjoy the departure from the anthems and marches we have gotten used to in the past. The Eno influence is noticeable and provides a new direction for the band. Different melodies are experimented with and work very well.

Unforgettable Indeed
In their offtime between the 'War Tour' and the recording of "The Unforgettable Fire", U2 saw an exhibit in Japan about Hiroshima, which subsequently led to many of the ideas and images throughout this album. For this album, U2 let go of producer Steve Lillywhite, who had been at the helm of the group's first three records, and hired duo Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois(pronounced Len-Wa), a move that would pay off in more ways than U2 ever could have imagined when they made it. Eno and Lanios created a much more polished, atmospheric sound for and with the band, and it was quite apparent right from the opening chords of the record. To quote bassist Adam Clayton, on the transition between the end of the previous tour and this record, "It was either the end of something, or the beginning of something else...and The Unforgettable Fire was that new beginning".

The castle on the record's cover(NOT, contrary to popular belief, Slane Castle) is very indicitive of the relaxed and wintry feel of this record. It's very quiet yet very loud at the same time. Highlights include anthem classic "Pride(In The Name Of Love)", the title track(which also happens to be one of the more orchestral tracks in U2's catalog), "The Unforgettable Fire", live classic "Bad", the opener, "A Sort Of Homecoming", "Indian Summer Sky", and the closer, "MLK", which is a rather comforting yet heartbreaking song about death(MLK's in particular). This is a great and even magical record in its own right, it went perhaps deeper musically, it was perhaps more sophisticated, than anything U2 had done before it, U2's second masterpiece if you ask me, yet it is still only a prelude, by most standards, to what comes next. ... 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

Manchester's pivotal post-punk quartet offer a 16-track opus that skips obscurities and early material in favor of their greatest singles. Highlights include "Blue Monday," "Thieves Like Us" and "The Perfect Kiss" and sparkling Stephen Hague remixes of "True Faith" and "Bizarre Love Triangle." --Jeff Bateman ... Read more

Reviews (47)

The Best of New Order? Not Exactly.
Putting together a single disc anthology of the best of New Order would be a difficult undertaking in any circumstances. The band had no easily identifiable hits, and many of their most popular songs were dance mixes (like "Bizare Love Triange") radically different from the original versions that appeared on the original albums.

Having said all of that, &q