THE CURE - Three Imaginary Boys (1979-2004) RM / 2CD Set / Deluxe Edition / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Maybe it was youthful exuberance or perhaps it was the fact that the band itself was not pulling all the strings, Three Imaginary Boys is not only a very strong debut, but a near oddity (it's an admittedly "catchy" record) in the Cure catalog. More poppy and representative of the times than any other album during their long career, Three Imaginary Boys is a semi-detached bit of late-'70s English pop-punk. Angular and lyrically abstract, it's strong points are in its utter simplicity. There are no dirges here, no long suites, just short bursts of energy and a rather strange cover of Hendrix's "Foxy Lady." For some, this is the last good Cure record, many fans of this album being in no way prepared for the sparse emptiness and gloom that would be the cornerstone of future releases. For the most die-hard Cure-head, however, it's an interesting sidenote, hard to place in the general flow of the band's discography. Cure leader Robert Smith has voiced many times over his mixed feelings about the record, most notably the cover art (the three "representative" appliances on the cover, the lack of a real track listing -- all the songs are represented with arty type pictures -- and in no real order) and the production, which at times is admittedly a little muddy, but even that lends it a certain youthful charm. What the Cure would do next wasn't entirely obvious to the listener of this album, but there are some definite hints. by Chris True  
Tracklist 1 :
The Original Album   
1    10:15 Saturday Night    3:42
2    Accuracy    2:17
3    Grinding Halt    2:49
4    Another Day    3:44
5    Object    3:03
6    Subway Song    2:00
7    Foxy Lady 2:29
Vocals – Michael Dempsey
Written-By – Jimi Hendrix
8    Meathook    2:17
9    So What    2:39
10    Fire In Cairo    3:23
11    It's Not You    2:51
12    Three Imaginary Boys    3:32
13    The Weedy Burton    0:53
- Bonus Track -
14 - Killing an Arab 2:21
Tracklist 2 :
    Rarities 1977-1979   
1    I Want To Be Old (SAV Studio Demo 10/77)    2:36
2    I'm Cold (SAV Studio Demo 11/77)    3:21
3    Heroin Face (Live In The Rocket, Crawley 12/77)    2:40
4    I Just Need Myself (PSL Studio Demo 1/78)    2:14
5    10:15 Saturday Night (Robert Smith Home Demo 2/78)    4:36
6    The Cocktail Party (Group Home Demo 3/78)    4:17
7    Grinding Halt (Group Home Demo 4/78)    3:31
8    Boys Don't Cry (Chestnut Studio Demo 5/78)    2:45
9    It's Not You (Chestnut Studio Demo 5/78)    3:16
10    10:15 Saturday Night (Chestnut Studio Demo 5/78)    3:41
11    Fire In Cairo (Chestnut Studio Demo 5/78)    3:42
12    Winter ('Three Imaginary Boys' Studio Out-Take 10/78)    3:46
13    Faded Smiles (Aka I Don't Know) ('Three Imaginary Boys' Studio Out-Take 10/78)    2:16
14    Play With Me ('Three Imaginary Boys' Studio Out-Take 10/78)    3:30
15    World War    2:38
16    Boys Don't Cry (Single)    2:37
17    Jumping Someone Else's Train (Single)    2:59
18    Subway Song (Live In Nottingham 10/79)    2:27
19    Accuracy (Live In Nottingham 10/79)    2:36
20    10:15 Saturday Night (Live In Nottingham 10/79)    4:38
Credits :
Bass – Michael Dempsey
Drums – Lol Tolhurst
Guitar – Robert Smith
Lead Guitar, Backing Vocals – Porl Thompson (faixas: 2-1 to 2-4, 2-6, 2-7)
Vocals – Robert Smith (faixas: 1-1 to 1-6, 1-8 to 2-20)
Written-By – Tolhurst (faixas: 1-1 to 1-6, 1-8 to 2-20), Dempsey (faixas: 1-1 to 1-6, 1-8 to 2-20), Smith (faixas: 1-1 to 1-6, 1-8 to 2-20)