A Problem With The Cure is that the production on albums like "Disintegration" can feel overbearingly reverb'd/synth'd-out to many contemporary ears, obscuring Robert Smith's pure pop-songwriting genius. Therefore their most accessible (and IMO best) album is this compilation of mostly-acoustic versions of their tunes, recorded in 2001 in London, originally included as the 2nd CD in the Japanese version of their Greatest Hits album but later reissued for (I think) Record Store Day in 2017. It's still hard to find in the streaming-verse so here are some youtube links:
The Cure - Complete A Side [ Acoustic Hits Picture LP ] (youtube.com)
The Cure - Complete B Side [ Acoustic Hits Picture LP ] (youtube.com)
The Cure - Complete C Side [ Acoustic Hits Picture LP ] (youtube.com)
The Cure - Complete D Side [ Acoustic Hits Picture LP ] (youtube.com)
Apr 21, 2024
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The early days of "gothic rock" Cure, from the 1980 "Seventeen Seconds" LP (still a favorite of mine). The whole album was recorded for something like 3000 GBP and the band worked 16-17 hours a day to finish it on budget.
One of the first times I can remember hearing flanger and phase applied to guitar (all of the guitarists I knew, me included, went out and bought these pedals immediately).
I just saw them in Mountain View on the last tour, what a magical night: https://magnetmagazine.com/2023/06/01/live-review-the-cure-mountain-view-ca-may-29-2023/
Apr 21, 2024
I looooove this song, always have. Robert Smith snapped and they recorded some pure exotic, sinister, and cinematic vibe concentrate here. It’s not the typical Cure dark and kinda sadsack longing style, this actually feels like it has some danger and menacing to it and it makes it what it is!
Nov 11, 2024
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"Crocodiles," the debut album -- amazing to think it was recorded/released in 1980 -- is everything you loved about the Doors and Velvets but without the Mojo Risin or Uncle Lou hangover. Ian McCulloch's voice is a once-in-a-generation instrument and "Going Up," "Monkeys" and "Rescue" point the way to a bunch of indie-guitar overcoat rock that came later. "Heaven Up Here" followed in 1981 and is even darker and druggier, if possible - "A Promise" might be my favorite Echo-tune ever. "Light on the waves" -- somehow hopeful even amidst the shade of Thatcher-era Britain.
Jan 16, 2024
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Finally saw this for the first time (on 35mm thxx Prince Charles Cinema) and wow. Jonathan Glazer and co-writer Jean-Claude Carrière spending all of pre-production re-writing the script without informing the studio… DP Harris Savides pushing the boundaries of underexposed film and getting the craziest deepest browns and purples out of Kodak stock… Alexandre Desplat starting with what seems like a very polite classical score and then gradually bringing in heavy synth bass… and of course Nicole Kidman throwing herself headlong into an insane role (and apparently bullying the producers for more $$$ when they finished under budget)
Nov 10, 2024
The less you read about it (or look at maps) the better. Just enter via Haight Street, turn your phone off and wander 'til you reach the ocean. If you go on a Sunday afternoon and you didn't already come across it, proceed to turn your phone back on and track back to the 6th Avenue Skate Park to check out the roller disco party 🛼🔊😎
Mar 3, 2024
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Because of the extensive tradition of pirate radio in the UK (from Radio Caroline on down), London probably has the most insane landscape of 24/7 internet radio in the world. I've tried to rank these in terms of approximate popularity ranging from NTS (as mentioned) on down to purely DIY weekend-only amateur collectives like LWSTD. If you don't know the stations in your city, just have a quick google and do some Instagram "Following" list exploration and it should be pretty easy to find more (e.g. in Amsterdam check out Echobox, Radio Tempo Não Pára, RRFM, etc...)
- NTS (Dalston) https://www.nts.live/
- Rinse FM (Hoxton) https://rinse.fm/
- Worldwide FM (Islington) https://worldwidefm.net/ (currently mostly on ice but great archive)
- Balaami (Peckham) https://www.balamii.com/
- Soho Radio https://sohoradiolondon.com/
- Reprezent Radio (Brixton) https://www.reprezentradio.org.uk/
- Netil Radio (Hackney) https://www.netilradio.com/
- Subtle Radio (Hackney) https://www.subtleradio.com/
- Voices Radio (Kings Cross) https://www.voicesradio.co.uk/
- Aaja (Deptford) https://aajamusic.com/radio/
- Do You!! Radio (Hackney) https://doyou.world/
- LWSTD https://www.lovewillsavetheday.fm/
Apr 4, 2024