Galore

Performer: The Cure
Distributor: WEA (Distributor)

Notes: Producers: Robert Smith, The Cure, Dave Allen, Mark Saunders, Steve Lyon, Mark Plati. All songs digitally remastered by Stuart Hawkes at Metropolis, London, England. Audio Mixers: Chris Parry; Robert Smith ; Dave Allen ; Adrian Sherwood; Mark Plati; Mark Saunders; Paul Corkett; Paul Oakenfold ; Ron Saint Germain; Mike Drake. Audio Remixers: Chris Parry; Robert Smith ; Fran�ois Kevorkian; Mark Saunders; Ron Saint Germain; Bob Clearmountain. It's ironic that the Cure, a band whose albums have always seemed like definitive artistic statements, were at their best as a singles band. On the group's singles, Robert Smith's ideas reached their full potential, since they captured not only the group's off-kilter pop sense, but also the haunting melancholy and wacky humor that interlaced Smith's songs. Galore rounds up the singles from the second part of the Cure's career, beginning with "Why Can't I Be You?" from 1987's Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me and ending with "Gone!" from 1996's Wild Mood Swings. Between those two are 15 more songs, nearly every one of which is a gem. The Cure were never a repetitive singles band, and there's a dizzying array of styles here, from infectious jangle pop ("Friday I'm in Love," "Mint Car") and monolithic, chilly goth rock ("Fascination Street," "Pictures of You," "Just Like Heaven") to jaunty, clever dance-club pop (the remix of "Close to Me"), eerie crawls ("Lullaby"), neo-mariachi madness ("The 13th"), and even love songs ("Catch," "Lovesong"). There are a couple of missteps along the way -- the pounding dance and pseudo-rap of "Hot Hot Hot!!!" sounds dated, as does the ill-conceived Madchester diversion "Never Enough" -- but Galore emphatically confirms the Cure's status as one of the best and most adventurous alternative bands of the '80s. And the new song, "Wrong Number," is pretty good, too. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine STANDING ON THE BEACH compiled The Cure's singles from 1979 to 1986, cuts from Cure classics such as BOYS DON'T CRY, PORNOGRAPHY, and HEAD ON THE DOOR. The singles period between 1987 to 1997, chronicled on GALORE, runs from KISS ME, KISS ME, KISS ME up to and including WILD MOOD SWINGS. Unlike STANDING ON THE BEACH, GALORE contains a previously unreleased single, "Wrong Number," a song that mixes standard Cure-isms with electronica. No great stretch, seeing as how Robert Smith and company produced their most popular songs by blending Eighties dance club music and The Cure's unique blend of mysterious lyricism and sexual anxiety. GALORE marks a period in the band's history that saw them move away from gloom-rock in favor of danceable-but-still-twisted pop. This collection should make any Cure fan happy, or at least as happy as any Cure fan can get.

Spin (1/98, pp.114-115) - 7 (out of 10) - "...a reminder that there was a time when a fey, smudged, roly-poly fright wig could break your heart..." Entertainment Weekly (12/12/97, p.91) - "...When they try to be funky...they seem forced and corny. But when they stick to gothic guitar drones...their optimism is endearing..." - Rating: B

Led by depressive pop prince Robert Smith, the Cure have taken their legions of fans on a journey from post-punk to gothic to new wave to art rock, stopping only for refills of hairspray along the way. An amazing band both live and in the studio, the Cure may have shifted its lineup numerous times, but Smith has remained a consistently fascinating rock icon throughout the changes. The group's most popular work (DISINTEGRATION, THE HEAD ON THE DOOR) was recorded in the 1980s, but it has held up incredibly well, leading to continued tours and albums despite exaggerated rumors of their demise.

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