Join The Dots: B-Sides & Rarities 1978-2001 (The Fiction Years) [Box]

Performer: The Cure
Artist: Earl Slick
Distributor: WEA (Distributor)

Notes: Includes 76-page book. The Cure includes: Robert Smith (vocals, guitar); Porl Thompson (guitar); Simon Gallup, Michael Dempsey (bass); Lol Tolhurst (drums). Producers include: Chris Parry, Robert Smith, Mike Hedges, Dave Allen, The Cure. Compilation producer: Robert Smith. Recorded between 1978 & 2001. Includes liner notes by Robert Smith, Simon Gallup, and Johnny Black. A remarkable four-disc set of B-sides and rarities, JOIN THE DOTS serves as a sort of alternate history for the Cure, one of the world's most beloved post-punk/alt-rock bands. Painstakingly compiled by Cure frontman (and the group's only constant member) Robert Smith, DOTS provides dozens of glimpses into the literal flip-side of their singles by collecting many long-lost tracks, including the classic songs previously featured only on the cassette version of STARING AT THE SEA: THE SINGLES. Disc one begins in the late 1970s and consists of early tracks that show the Cure in a wildly adventurous mode--tearing into the punky "Pillbox Tales," drifting through the gloomy "Descent," and bouncing along to the oddly danceable "Throw Your Foot." By disc two, Smith and the lads have become college-rock heroes, and despite their goth looks, they move steadily into poppier territory on songs such as the synth-laden "Breathe" and the upbeat "Hey You!!!," eventually settling into their dreamy post-DISINTEGRATION era on "This Twilight Garden," "Halo," and "Home" on the third and fourth discs. Also included are cover tunes and remixes, topping off an impressive collection that features many could've-been A-sides (particularly "The Exploding Boy," "Harold and Joe," and "Signal to Noise") and reveals why a younger generation has become entranced by the Cure's dynamic sound.

Rolling Stone (2/19/04, p.72) - 3 stars out of 5 - "Many of the songs on JOIN THE DOTS would have fit perfectly on various Cure records..." Spin (2/04, p.100) - "[I]t's a fine survey of their ambient pop sorrow, simultaneously pained and giddy." Entertainment Weekly (3/5/04, p.68) - "[D]isc 1 is essential [and] even the lesser material leaves lipstick traces." - Rating: B+ Uncut (2/04, p.86) - 3 stars out of 5 - "This 70-song curiosity box mopes about the dank bus terminals and spooked back alleys of Curetown....In its own darkling way, this collection might even give you the best feel for the place." Mojo (Publisher) (2/04, pp.106-7) - 4 stars out of 5 - "[A] band whose influence is, against all the odds, still active, still oozing through the teenage consciousness into full-grown bands."

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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