Faith

Performer: The Cure
Producer: Mike Hedges; The Cure
Distributor: WEA (Distributor)

Notes: The Cure: Robert Smith (vocals, guitar, keyboards); Simon Gallup (bass); Laurence Tolhurst (drums). Engineers: Mike Hedges, Graham Carmichael, David Kemp. The Cure: Robert Smith (vocals, guitar, keyboards); Simon Gallup (bass guitar); Laurence Tolhurst (drums). Certainly not the "darkest" the Cure would eventually get, Faith is, as represented by the cover art, one of the most "gray" records out there. Melancholy and despondent (the feel of funerals and old churches just oozes from this record) without the anger that would over take Pornography, Faith comes off as not just a collection of songs, but as a full piece. "The Holy Hour," "All Cats Are Grey," and the spectacular "Faith" are slow atmospheric pieces that take the softer elements from Seventeen Seconds, and -- when sidled up next to faster tracks like the single "Primary" and "Doubt" -- paint an overall picture of the ups and downs contained within a greater depressive period. But it's not all gloomy keyboards and minimalist percussion, Faith is also a milestone for Robert Smith lyrically, branching out into questions of faith and spirituality he never quite touched on so well ever again. A depressing record, certainly, but also one of the most underrated and beautiful albums the Cure put together. They would not touch on this sort of lush sadness so well again until 1989's Disintegration. ~ Chris True If you ever observed (or were) a pale depressed-looking teenager dressed entirely in black, sitting in the corner scribbling frantically into a marble bound notebook, then you already understand the Cure. In the 1980s, the Cure provided the soundtrack for an entire generation of misfit toys, and if SEVENTEEN SECONDS was a wake-up call for the dispossessed, FAITH is the daily affirmation. Scaled back down to a three-piece with the loss of keyboardist Hartley, the Cure is a lean, mean fighting machine, ready to rumble. "Rumble" is the best way to describe the propulsive bass playing of Simon Gallup, whose rolling bass anchors both mid-tempo numbers like "The Drowning Man" and faster fare such as "Primary." While no new ground is broken ("Doubt" is basically a rewrite of "Play for Today"), FAITH is stunning in its simplicity and haunting beauty, as evidenced by "All Cats Are Grey" and "The Funeral Party." Even drummer and mascot Lol Tolhurst's minimal beats work to perfection next to the spare-yet-effective instrumentation of "Faith." This is quintessential Cure.

Spin (p.109) - "'Primary' is as catchy as anything Ian Curtis managed." Uncut (p.124) - 4 stars out of 5 - "[T]here's a warmth and meditative quality to Smith's production and songwriting..." Alternative Press (11/01, p.104) - Included in AP's "10 Essential Goth Albums" - "...Epitomizes the Cure's sense of gravitas...It's short, but the earth stands still regardless."

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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