Wish

Performer: The Cure
Engineer: Steve Whitfield; David M. Allen
Producer: The Cure; David M. Allen
Distributor: WEA (Distributor)

Notes: The Cure: Robert Smith (vocals, guitar, 6-string bass, keyboards); Perry Bamonte (guitar, keyboards, 6-string bass); Porl Thompson (guitar); Simon Gallup (keyboards, bass); Boris Williams (drums, percussion). Recorded at The Manor, Oxfordshire, England. On the surface, Wish sounds happier than Disintegration, and the sunny British Invasion hooks of the hit single "Friday I'm in Love" certainly seem to indicate that the record is a brighter affair than its predecessor. Dig a little deeper and the album reveals itself to be just as tortured, and perhaps more despairing. Granted, the sound of the record, with its jangling guitars and simple arrangements, is more immediately accessible than the epic gloom of Disintegration, but nearly every song finds Robert Smith wracked with depression. Unfortunately, the even-handed production makes the record sound very similar, so it is less compelling than it might have been, but there are a handful of gems ("High," "A Letter to Elise," "Wendy Time," "Friday I'm in Love") that make the record worthwhile. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine Undoubtedly more commercial than previous albums, Wish nevertheless represented the Cure doing what they do best, oblivious to prevailing musical trends. Once again, Robert Smith tore out his innards and offered them to the listener (the wrenching and chilling 'Apart'), spitting bile in 'Cut' and effectively evoking the feeling of wretched, helpless drunkenness in 'Open'. Amid the darkness, there is still time for a couple of classic pop songs, particularly the catchy 'Friday I'm In Love', and the customary obsessive love odes. Although frequently dismissed by hardcore Cure fans as too pop-orientated, Wish managed to strike a balance between the extremes of utter despair and intoxicating joy.

Rolling Stone (5/14/92, p.101) - 4 Stars - Excellent - "...this outstanding album, like all the Cure's best music, runs on its own brash logic, making a virtue of its emotional polarities..." Spin (5/92, p.75) - Recommended - "...showcases [vocalist, guitarist] Smith's considerable skills as a craftsman..." Q (1/93, p.69) - Included in Q's list of the 50 Best Albums Of 1992. Q (May/92, p.72) - 4 Stars - Excellent - "...comes respectably close to being the perfect Cure album..." Uncut (p.91) - "[S]ome of the most straightforward pop The Cure had ever written." Musician (6/92, p.96) - "...The Cure demonstrate considerable skill at laying down grooves to induce either dance or trance..."

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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