In May of 1989 I was blissfully wandering a record store looking for something that would reflect the raw emotional discord that I often felt at the time. It had to be good — in my mind that usually meant that it needed some kind of emotional complexity. I tended towards a wide range of music including Pink Floyd, Duran Duran, The Alan Parsons Project, Rush, and Depeche Mode, as well as the guilty pleasure of Debbie Gibson.
As I browsed the record bins (remember record bins?) there was a change in the music being played over the store's sound system. I didn't recall there being music playing at all when suddenly a song began that I couldn't ignore. It was like listening to Beethoven with drums and keyboards. It was powerful, even epic. I can't remember ever being transfixed so quickly by music I'd never heard before.
I made my way to the counter and asked the guy what he'd just put on, what this music was. He looked at me like he was on the verge of dozing off and grunted something to the effect of, "The Cure, Disintegration. Just came out."
The Cure? I was pretty sure I'd heard a song or two by them. I seemed to remember seeing a video with a strange looking guy in some sort of furry costume ("Why Can't I Be You" from Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me). I quickly made my way to the 'New Release' rack to see what I could find.
In 1989 the format choices were either record album or cassette and I rarely bought cassettes. My money was limited and I always felt that an LP was a much better investment than a little plastic box with a fold-out that may or may not have the lyrics printed on it. Besides, I always recorded my LPs onto blank cassettes for listening in my car. In this case however, I had an hour long drive back home and I had to hear this album now. I bought the cassette and listened to it exclusively for the next several weeks.
The song that captured my attention so much that afternoon is called "Plainsong" and 17 years later it still has a profound effect on me. A few days ago I heard this same song on an advertisement for the new movie Marie Antoinette. I was a bit surprised but pleased as the song fit the movie trailer well. As you can see, it also got me to thinking about this stunning album and how it has held up after all this time.
Article comments
1 - Triniman
Nice review. For me, this is one of my favorite albums, and possibly the pinnacle of Cure albums for me. I hope others who have not heard it, give it a chance, if it sounds like something they may like. Desert island recording, for sure.
2 - Kyle
Thanks for the comment Triniman. This is my first blogcritic post so I'm excited. This is truly one of the great albums to come out of the '80s in my opinion. It ages so much better than a lot of music from that decade.
3 - Mark Saleski
nice review kyle. The Cure is an interesting band. they ended up sounding almost nothing like their early selves.
my introduction to them was from an ep that i won from my college (umaine) radio station during a christmas break. it was from the "Lovecats" era. no clue there (well...not much anyway) of their future.
4 - El Bicho
The songs transferred well to a live setting. I saw them at Dodger Stadium with Love and Rockets, The Pixies, and I think the other band was called The Cranes.
Welcome to the site. We need to work on your definition of "a wide range of music", but give us time.
5 - Julien
Nice review. The Cure is one of those bands that, looking back, you knew you were growing up when you got into their music. This brought back memories.
6 - Kyle
Thanks all, for the nice comments. El Bicho, I would have loved to see the Disintegration tour, that was one I missed.
I admit the bands I listed probably don't sound too diverse, though I would put Pink Floyd and Debbie Gibson at distant ends of the Rock/Pop spectrum.
Thanks again.
7 - Rodney Welch
I've never heard this disc; I'm holding out for the full two-disc reissue treatment they've been giving their old stuff, some of which (Seventeen Seconds, Pornography, Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me)I've bought here and there. Any word when Disintegration is going to come out? From the Rolling Stone Album Guide to allmusic.com to the kids on "South Park," everyone says it's their best.