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) 

THE CURE - Seventeen Seconds (1980-2005) RM / 2CD Set / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

It's hard to believe that the Cure could release an album even more sparse than Three Imaginary Boys, but here's the proof. The lineup change that saw funkstery bassist Michael Dempsey squeezed out in favor of the more specific playing of (eventually the longest serving member outside Robert Smith) Simon Gallup, and the addition of keyboardist Mathieu Hartley resulted in the band becoming more rigid in sound, and more disciplined in attitude. While it is not the study in loss that Faith would become, or the descent into madness of Pornography, it is a perfect precursor to those collections. In a sense, Seventeen Seconds is the beginning of a trilogy of sorts, the emptiness that leads to the questioning and eventual madness of the subsequent work. Mostly forgotten outside of the unforgettable single "A Forest," Seventeen Seconds is an even, subtle work that grows on the listener over time. Sure, the Cure did better work, but for a new lineup and a newfound sense of independence, Robert Smith already shows that he knows what he's doing. From short instrumental pieces to robotic pop, Seventeen Seconds is where the Cure shed all the outside input and became their own band. by Chris True  
Tracklist 1 :
    The Original Album    
1    A Reflection    2:12
2    Play For Today    3:40
3    Secrets    3:20
4    In Your House    4:07
5    Three    2:36
6    The Final Sound    0:52
7    A Forest    5:54
8    M    3:04
9    At Night    5:54
10    Seventeen Seconds    4:00
Tracklist 2 :
    Rarities 1979-1980    
1 Cult Hero–    I'm A Cult Hero 2:59
Producer – Chris Parry
2 Cult Hero–    I Dig You 3:25
Producer – Chris Parry
3 The Cure–    Another Journey By Train (aka 44F) (Group Home Instrumental Demo 1/80)    3:12
4 The Cure–    Secrets (Group Home Instrumental Demo 1/80)    3:40
5 The Cure–    Seventeen Seconds (Live In Amsterdam 1/80)    3:59
6 The Cure–    In Your House (Live In Amsterdam 1/80)    3:32
7 The Cure–    Three ("Seventeen Seconds" Alt Studio Mix 2/80)    2:45
8 Cult Hero–    I Dig You (Live In The Marquee Club London 3/80)    3:36
9 Cult Hero–    I'm A Cult Hero (Live In The Marquee Club London 3/80)    3:21
10 The Cure–    M (Live In Arnhem 5/80)    2:56
11 The Cure–    The Final Sound (Live In France 6/80)    0:26
12 The Cure–    A Reflection (Live In France 6/80)    1:39
13 The Cure–    Play For Today (Live In France 6/80)    3:46
14 The Cure–    At Night (Live In France 6/80)    5:37
15 The Cure–    A Forest (Live In France 6/80)    6:28
Credits :
Bass – Simon Gallup
Drums – Laurence Tolhurst
Keyboards – Matthieu Hartley
Vocals, Guitar, Violin – Robert Smith
Written-By – Laurence Tolhurst (faixas: 1-1 to 1-10, 2-3 to 2-7, 2-10 to 2-15), Matthieu Hartley (faixas: 1-1 to 1-10, 2-3 to 2-7, 2-10 to 2-15), Robert Smith, Simon Gallup (faixas: 1-1 to 1-10, 2-3 to 2-7, 2-10 to 2-15)

THE CURE - Faith (1981-2005) RM / 2CD Set / Deluxe Edition / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

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. by Chris True
Tracklist 1 :
    The Original Album   
1    The Holy Hour    4:26
2    Primary    3:39
3    Other Voices    4:23
4    All Cats Are Grey    5:27
5    The Funeral Party    4:14
6    Doubt    3:11
7    The Drowning Man    4:49
8    Faith    6:59
Tracklist 2 :
Rarities 1980 - 1981   
1    Faith (RS Home Instrumental Demo 8/80) 2:56
Performer – RS
2    Doubt (RS Home Instrumental Demo 8/80) 1:09
Performer – RS
3    Drowning (Group Home Instrumental Demo 9/80)    1:52
4    The Holy Hour (Group Home Instrumental Demo 9/80)    4:48
5    Primary (Morgan Studio Out-take 9/80)    4:22
6    Going Home Time (Morgan Studio Guide Vox Out-take 9/80)    3:31
7    The Violin Song (Faith Studio Guide Vox Out-take 2/81)    3:38
8    A Normal Story (Faith Studio Guide Vox Out-take 2/81)    3:04
9    All Cats Are Grey (Live Somewhere Summer/81)    5:37
10    The Funeral Party (Live Somewhere Summer/81)    4:38
11    Other Voices (Live Somewhere Summer/81)    4:45
12    The Drowning Man (Live Australasia 8/81)    5:48
13    Faith (Live In The Sydney Capitol Theatre 8/81) 10:23
Mixed By – Keith Walker
14    Forever (Live Somewhere Summer/81)    9:19
15    Charlotte Sometimes (Single 10/81)    4:13
Credits :
Bass – Simon Gallup (faixas: 1-1 to 1-9)
Bass, Piano, Synthesizer, Flute [Flutes] – Robert Smith (faixas: 1-9)
Drums – Laurence Tolhurst (faixas: 1-1 to 1-9)
Guitar – Robert Smith (faixas: 1-1 to 1-9)
Voice, Keyboards – Robert Smith (faixas: 1-1 to 1-8)
Written-By – Tolhurst, Smith, Gallup

THE CURE - Pornography (1982-2005) RM / 2CD Set / Deluxe Edition / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Later hailed as one of the key goth rock albums of the '80s and considered by many hardcore Cure fans to be the band's best album, Pornography was largely dismissed upon its 1982 release, witheringly reviewed as a leaden slab of whining and moping. The truth, as usual, is somewhere in between: Pornography is much better than most mainstream critics of the time thought, but in retrospect, it's not the masterpiece some fans have claimed it to be. The overall sound is thick and murky, but too muddy to be effectively atmospheric in the way that the more dynamic Disintegration managed a few years later. For every powerful track like the doomy opener "One Hundred Years" and the clattering, desolate single "The Hanging Garden," there's a sound-over-substance piece of filler like "The Figurehead," which sounds suitably bleak but doesn't have the musical or emotional heft this sort of music requires. Pornography is an often intriguing listen, but it's just a bit too uneven to be considered a classic. by Stewart Mason
Tracklist 1 :
    The Original Album    
1    One Hundred Years    6:41
2    A Short Term Effect    4:22
3    The Hanging Garden    4:34
4    Siamese Twins    5:28
5    The Figurehead    6:15
6    A Strange Day    5:03
7    Cold    4:26
8    Pornography    6:27
Tracklist 2 :
    Rarities 1981-1982    
1    Break (Group Home Instrumental Demo)    2:11
2    Demise (Rhino Studio Instrumental Demo)    2:09
3    Temptation (Rhino Studio Instrumental Demo)    4:00
4    The Figurehead (Rhino Studio Demo)    6:12
5    The Hanging Garden (Rhino Studio Demo)    5:29
6    One Hundred Years (Rhino Studio Demo)    7:00
7    Airlock: The Soundtrack 13:07
Voice, Noises, Bass – Simon Gallup
Voice, Noises, Percussion – Laurence Tolhurst
Voice, Piano, Synth, Flute, Bass – Robert Smith
8    Cold (Live In The Hammersmith Odeon)    3:54
9    A Strange Day (Live In The Hammersmith Odeon)    4:05
10    Pornography (Live In The Hammersmith Odeon)    5:55
11    All Mine (Live In The Hammersmith Odeon)    2:54
12    A Short Term Effect (Live In Brussels)    4:05
13    Siamese Twins (Live In Brussels)    6:03
14    Temptation Two (AKA LGTB) (RS Studio Demo) 3:57
Performer – RS
Credits :
Bass, Keyboards – Simon Gallup
Drums, Keyboards – Laurence Tolhurst
Voice, Guitar, Keyboards, Cello – Robert Smith
Written-By – Tolhurst (faixas: 1-1 to 2-10, 2-12, 2-13), Smith, Gallup (faixas: 1-1 to 2-10, 2-12, 2-13)

THE CURE - The Top (1984-2006) RM / 2CD Set / Deluxe Edition / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Recorded in the midst of Robert Smith's tenuous tenure with Siouxsie and the Banshees, The Top is arguably the most hedonistic record the Cure ever produced. Essentially Smith and Lol Tolhurst working with studio musicians (this being the period when the Cure's lineup was never assured), it's an album obviously recorded under stress, drink, and drugs. More wildly experimental musically than anything before it, it laid the foundations for the Cure's pattern of unpigeonholable albums that were to erase their reputation built by Pornography and eventually culminating in Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me. That said, it's still very much a Cure record. Heavy on the percussion and quaint keyboard effects that were so big in the '80s, the melodies ("The Caterpillar," "Shake Dog Shake") are unmistakably Robert Smith. The big change this time around is his ability to fuse the paranoia and neuroses of former work (Pornography) with his newfound use of pop melody and outside influences (i.e., world travels, sounds, instruments) to moderate success ("Wailing Wall," "Piggy in the Mirror"). A more psychedelic descent than Pornography, The Top is a transition, never really feeling like a full-length release, but it does meld all former phases of Rob and company, which would fully gel on The Head on the Door. At best an imperfect record, The Top is a necessary step in the evolution of the band. by Chris True
Tracklist :
    The Original Album    
1        Shake Dog Shake    4:56
2        Birdmad Girl    4:05
3        Wailing Wall    5:23
4        Give Me It    3:42
5        Dressing Up    2:51
6        The Caterpillar    3:41
7        Piggy In The Mirror    3:39
8        The Empty World    2:36
9        Bananafishbones    2:59
10        The Top    6:58
Tracklist 2 :
        Rarities 1982-1984    
1    You Stayed... (RS Home Demo 8/82) 2:21
Performer – RS
2    Ariel (RS Home Demo 8/82) 2:58
Performer – RS
3    A Hand Inside My Mouth (Des Dames Studio Demo 8/83)    3:40
4    Sadacic (Olympic Studio RS Demo 12/83) 4:17
Performer – RS
5    Shake Dog Shake (Garden/Eden Studio RS&AA Demo 12/83) 4:56
Performer – AA, RS
6    Piggy In The Mirror (Garden/Eden Studios RS&AA Demo 12/83) 3:40
Performer – AA, RS
7    Birdmad Girl (Garden/Eden Studios RS&AA Demo 12/83) 3:36
Performer – AA, RS
8    Give Me It (Garden/Eden Studios RS&AA Demo 12/83) 3:43
Performer – AA, RS
9    Throw Your Foot (Garden/Eden Studios RS&AA Demo 12/83) 3:31
Performer – AA, RS
10    Happy The Man (Garden/Eden Studios RS&AA Demo 12/83) 2:46
Performer – AA, RS
11    The Caterpillar (Garden/Eden Studios RS&AA Demo 12/83) 4:17
Performer – AA, RS
12    Dressing Up (Genetic Studio Guide Vocal/Rough Mix 2/84)    2:14
13    Wailing Wall (Genetic Studio Rough Mix 2/84)    4:59
14    The Empty World (Live Bootleg - Hammersmith Odeon London 5/84)    2:47
15    Bananafishbones (Live Bootleg - Hammersmith Odeon London 5/84)    2:57
16    The Top (Live Bootleg - Hammersmith Odeon London 5/84)    7:13
17    Forever (Version) (Live Bootleg - Zenith Paris 5/84)    4:58
Credits :
Bass – Phil Thornalley (faixas: 2-14 to 2-17)
Drums – Andy Anderson (faixas: 1-1 to 1-10, 2-14 to 2-17)
Guitar – Porl Thompson (faixas: 2-14 to 2-17), Robert Smith (faixas: 2-14 to 2-17)
Instruments – Robert Smith (faixas: 1-1 to 1-10)
Instruments [Other] – Laurence Tolhurst (faixas: 1-1 to 1-10)
Keyboards – Laurence Tolhurst (faixas: 2-14 to 2-17), Porl Thompson (faixas: 2-14 to 2-17)
Percussion – Andy Anderson (faixas: 1-1 to 1-10)
Saxophone – Porl Thompson (faixas: 1-1 to 1-10, 2-14 to 2-17)
Voice – Robert Smith (faixas: 1-1 to 1-10, 2-14 to 2-17)
Written-By – Tolhurst (faixas: 1-2, 1-6, 1-7, 2-6, 2-7, 2-11), Smith

THE CURE - The Head on the Door (1985-2006) RM / 2CD / Deluxe Edition / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

After recording one of their darkest albums, 1984's The Top, the Cure regrouped and shuffled their lineup, which changed their musical direction rather radically. While the band always had a pop element in their sound and even recorded one of the lightest songs of the '80s, "The Lovecats," The Head on the Door is where they become a hitmaking machine. The shiny, sleek production and laser-sharp melodies of "Inbetween Days" and "Close to Me" helped them become modern rock radio staples and the inspired videos had them in heavy rotation on MTV. The rest of the record didn't suffer for hooks and inventive arrangements either, making even the gloomiest songs like "Screw" and "Kyoto Song" sound radio-ready, and the inventive arrangements (the flamenco guitars and castanets of "The Blood," the lengthy and majestic intro to "Push," the swirling vocals on "The Baby Screams") give the album a musical depth previous efforts lacked. All without sacrificing an ounce of the emotion of the past, which songs as quietly desperate as "A Night Like This" and "Sinking" illustrate. With The Head on the Door, Robert Smith figured out how to make gloom and doom danceable and popular to both alternative and mainstream rock audiences. It was a feat the band managed to pull off for many years afterward, but never as concisely or as impressively as they did here. by Tim Sendra  
Tracklist 1 :
    The Original Album    
1        Inbetween Days    2:57
2        Kyoto Song    4:16
3        The Blood    3:43
4        Six Different Ways    3:18
5        Push    4:31
6        The Baby Screams    3:44
7        Close To Me    3:23
8        A Night Like This    4:16
9        Screw    2:38
10        Sinking    4:57
Tracklist 2 :
        Rarities 1984-1985    
1    Inbetween Days (RS Home Demo Instrumental 12/84) 1:25
Performer – RS
2    Inwood (RS Home Demo Instrumental 12/84) 2:18
Performer – RS
3    Push (RS Home Demo Instrumental 12/84)
Performer – RS
4    Innsbruck (RS Home Demo Instrumental 12/84) 2:37
Performer – RS
5    Stop Dead (Fitz/F2 Studios Demo 2/85)    3:21
6    Mansolidgone (Fitz/F2 Studios Demo 2/85)    4:06
7    Screw (Fitz/F2 Studios Demo 2/85)    3:09
8    Lime Time (Fitz/F2 Studios Demo 2/85)    2:56
9    Kyoto Song (Fitz/F2 Studios Demo 2/85)    4:28
10    A Few Hours After This... (Fitz/F2 Studios Demo 2/85)    4:36
11    Six Different Ways (Fitz/F2 Studios Demo 2/85)    3:00
12    A Man Inside My Mouth (Fitz/F2 Studios Demo 2/85)    3:00
13    A Night Like This (Fitz/F2 Studios Demo 2/85)    4:08
14    The Exploding Boy (Fitz/F2 Studios Demo 2/85)    3:06
15    Close To Me (Fitz/F2 Studios Demo 2/85)    4:03
16    The Baby Screams (Live Bootleg - Bercy Paris 12/85)    3:46
17    The Blood (Live Bootleg - Bercy Paris 12/85)    3:34
18    Sinking (Live Bootleg - Bercy Paris 12/85)    5:06
Credits:
Bass – Simon Gallup (faixas: 1-1 to 1-10, 2-16 to 2-18)
Drums – Boris Williams (faixas: 1-1 to 1-10, 2-16 to 2-18)
Guitar – Porl Thompson (faixas: 1-1 to 1-10, 2-16 to 2-18), Robert Smith (faixas: 1-1 to 1-10, 2-16 to 2-18)
Keyboards – Laurence Tolhurst (faixas: 1-1 to 1-10, 2-16 to 2-18), Porl Thompson (faixas: 1-1 to 1-10, 2-16 to 2-18), Robert Smith (faixas: 1-1 to 1-10)
Percussion – Boris Williams (faixas: 1-1 to 1-10)
Producer [Original Album] – Dave Allen (faixas: 1-1 to 1-10), Howard Grey (faixas: 1-2, 1-5, 1-8), Robert Smith (faixas: 1-1 to 1-10)
Research [Tape] – Zoe Roberts
Saxophone – Ron Howe (faixas: 1-1 to 1-10)
Voice – Robert Smith (faixas: 1-1 to 1-10, 2-16 to 2-18)
Written-By – Smith

THE CURE - Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me (1987-2006) RM / 2CD Set / Deluxe Edition / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Simultaneously more accessible and ambitious than any of the Cure's previous albums, the double album Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me finds Robert Smith expanding his pop vocabulary by tentatively adding bigger guitars, the occasional horn section, lite-funk rhythms, and string sections. It's eclectic, to be sure, but it's also a mess, bouncing from idea to idea and refusing to develop some of the most intriguing detours. Even if Kiss Me doesn't quite gel, its best moments -- including the deceptively bouncy "Why Can't I Be You?" and the stately "Just Like Heaven" -- are remarkable and help make the album one of the group's very best. by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Tracklist 1 :
    The Original Album    
1 The Kiss    6:16
2 Catch    2:44
3 Torture    4:16
4 If Only Tonight We Could Sleep    4:53
5 Why Can't I Be You?    3:13
6 How Beautiful You Are...    5:13
7 The Snakepit    7:00
8 Hey You! 2:23
Saxophone – Andrew Brennen
9 Just Like Heaven    3:32
10 All I Want    5:21
11 Hot Hot Hot!!!    3:34
12 One More Time    4:31
13 Like Cockatoos    3:39
14 Icing Sugar 3:49
Saxophone – Andrew Brennen
15 The Perfect Girl    2:33
16 A Thousand Hours    3:23
17 Shiver And Shake    3:28
18 Fight    4:31
Tracklist 2 :
    Rarities 1986-1987    
1    The Kiss (RS Home Demo)    3:40
2    The Perfect Girl (Studio Demo)    3:26
3    Like Cockatoos (Studio Demo)    2:11
4    All I Want (Studio Demo)    3:33
5    Hot Hot Hot!!! (Studio Demo)    3:49
6    Shiver And Shake (Studio Demo)    2:55
7    If Only Tonight We Could Sleep (Studio Demo)    3:16
8    Just Like Heaven (Studio Demo)    3:26
9    Hey You! (Studio Demo)    2:32
10    A Thousand Hours (Studio Alt Mix)    3:27
11    Icing Sugar (Studio Alt Mix)    3:20
12    One More Time (Studio Alt Mix)    4:36
13    How Beautiful You Are (Live Bootleg)    5:22
14    The Snakepit (Live Bootleg)    7:30
15    Catch (Live Bootleg)    2:32
16    Torture (Live Bootleg)    4:04
17    Fight (Live Bootleg)    4:30
18    Why Can't I Be You? (Live Bootleg)    7:43
Créditos
Bass – Simon Gallup (faixas: 1-1 to 1-18, 2-13 to 2-18)
Drums – Boris Williams (faixas: 1-1 to 1-18, 2-13 to 2-18)
Guitar – Porl Thompson (faixas: 1-1 to 1-18, 2-13 to 2-18), Robert Smith (faixas: 1-1 to 1-18, 2-13 to 2-18)
Keyboards – Laurence Tolhurst (faixas: 1-1 to 1-18, 2-13 to 2-18), Porl Thompson (faixas: 1-1 to 1-18), Robert Smith (faixas: 1-1 to 1-18), Roger O'Donnell (faixas: 2-13 to 2-18)
Lyrics By – Robert Smith
Music By – Boris Williams, Laurence Tolhurst, Porl Thompson, Robert Smith, Simon Gallup
Percussion – Boris Williams (faixas: 1-1 to 1-18)
Remastered By [Reissue, Digitally] – Gary Moore
Saxophone – Porl Thompson (faixas: 1-1 to 1-18)
Voice – Robert Smith

THE CURE - Desintegration (1989-2010) RM / Deluxe Edition / 3CD SET / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Expanding the latent arena rock sensibilities that peppered Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me by slowing them down and stretching them to the breaking point, the Cure reached the peak of their popularity with the crawling, darkly seductive Disintegration. It's a hypnotic, mesmerizing record, comprised almost entirely of epics like the soaring, icy "Pictures of You." The handful of pop songs, like the concise and utterly charming "Love Song," don't alleviate the doom-laden atmosphere. The Cure's gloomy soundscapes have rarely sounded so alluring, however, and the songs -- from the pulsating, ominous "Fascination Street" to the eerie, string-laced "Lullaby" -- have rarely been so well-constructed and memorable. It's fitting that Disintegration was their commercial breakthrough, since, in many ways, the album is the culmination of all the musical directions the Cure were pursuing over the course of the '80s. by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Tracklist 1 :
    Disintegration (1989)   
1    Plainsong    5:18
2    Pictures Of You    7:29
3    Closedown    4:20
4    Love Song    3:30
5    Last Dance    4:46
6    Lullaby    4:09
7    Fascination Street    5:16
8    Prayers For Rain    6:08
9    The Same Deep Water As You    9:22
10    Disintegration    8:21
11    Homesick    7:09
12    Untitled    6:30
Tracklist 2 :
    Rarities (1988 - 1989)   
1        Prayers For Rain (RS Home Demo (Instrumental)) 3:01
Performer – RS
2    Pictures Of You (RS Home Demo (Instrumental)) 3:32
Performer – RS
3    Fascination Street (RS Home Demo (Instrumental)) 2:41
Performer – RS
4    Homesick (Band Rehearsal (Instrumental))    3:14
5    Fear Of Ghosts (Band Rehearsal (Instrumental))    2:59
6    Noheart (Band Rehearsal (Instrumental))    2:42
7    Esten (Band Demo (Instrumental))    3:15
8    Closedown (Band Demo (Instrumental))    2:51
9    Lovesong (Band Demo (Instrumental))    3:42
10    2 Late ((Alternate Version) Band Demo (Instrumental))    2:52
11    The Same Deep Water As You (Band Demo (Instrumental))    6:06
12    Disintegration (Band Demo (Instrumental))    6:37
13    Untitled ((Alternate Version) Studio Rough (Instrumental))    3:39
14    Babble ((Alternate Version) Studio Rough (Instrumental))    3:01
15    Plainsong (Studio Rough (Guide Vocal))    4:46
16    Last Dance (Studio Rough (Guide Vocal))    4:43
17    Lullaby (Studio Rough (Guide Vocal))    3:49
18    Out Of Mind (Studio Rough (Guide Vocal))    3:00
19    Delirious Night (Rough Mix (Vocal))    4:31
20    Pirate Ships ((RS Solo) Rough Mix (Vocal)) 3:38
Engineer – Anne Marie Doyle, Chris Bevington
Instruments [All Instruments Played By] – RS
Performer – RS
Producer – Mark Saunders, RS
Written-By – Wendy Waldman-Parker
Tracklist 3 :
    Entreat Plus   
1    Plainsong    5:19
2    Pictures Of You    7:04
3    Closedown    4:22
4    Lovesong    3:24
5    Last Dance    4:37
6    Lullaby    4:14
7    Fascination Street    5:10
8    Prayers For Rain    4:50
9    The Same Deep Water As You    10:03
10    Disintegration    7:55
11    Homesick    6:47
12    Untitled    6:45
Credits:
Bass, Keyboards – Simon Gallup (faixas: 1-1 to 1-12)
Drums – Boris Williams (faixas: 1-1 to 1-12)
Guitar – Porl Thompson (faixas: 1-1 to 1-12)
Instruments [Other Instrument] – Laurence Tolhurst (faixas: 1-1 to 1-12)
Keyboards – Roger O'Donnell (faixas: 1-1 to 1-12)
Music By – Williams (faixas: 1-1 to 2-19, 3-1 to 3-12), Tolhurst (faixas: 1-1 to 2-19, 3-1 to 3-12), Thompson (faixas: 1-1 to 2-19, 3-1 to 3-12), Smith (faixas: 1-1 to 2-19, 3-1 to 3-12), O'Donnell (faixas: 1-1 to 2-19, 3-1 to 3-12), Gallup (faixas: 1-1 to 2-19, 3-1 to 3-12)
Voice, Guitar, Keyboards – Robert Smith (faixas: 1-1 to 1-12)
Words By – Robert Smith (faixas: 1-1 to 2-19, 3-1 to 3-12) 

THE CURE - Wish (1992) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

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. by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Tracklist :
1    Open    6:51
2    High    3:37
3    Apart    6:38
4    From The Edge Of The Deep Green Sea    7:44
5    Wendy Time    5:13
6    Doing The Unstuck    4:24
7    Friday I'm In Love    3:38
8    Trust    5:32
9    A Letter To Elise    5:14
10    Cut    5:55
11    To Wish Impossible Things 4:43
Viola – Kate Wilkinson
12        End    6:45
Credits :
Bass, Keyboards – Simon Gallup
Drums, Percussion – Boris Williams
Guitar – Porl Thompson
Guitar, 6-String Bass, Keyboards – Perry Bamonte
Voice, Guitar, 6-String Bass, Keyboards – Robert Smith
Written-By [All Songs] – Williams, Bamonte, Thompson, Smith, Gallup

THE CURE - Show (1993) 2CD / FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The Cure's second full-concert film shows the band on the Detroit stop of its 1992 American tour in support of Wish, directed by Aubrey Powell and Leroy Bennett. It was done both because Smith was tired of people thinking The Cure in Orange represented the group in concert and because of Thompson's imminent departure after the tour's completion. After its release, Smith expressed the feeling that the results weren't what they could be, but if anything Smith is being unduly harsh. While a different film in visual feel than Orange, Show is actually a fairly strong effort, showcasing some excellent performances and often perfectly capturing the visual and performative charisma of Smith and company in a surprisingly close, intimate fashion. Structurally, Show and Orange are similar in that both capture a performance without narrative, interviews or any sort of detailed behind-the-scenes look. Show does have an interesting framing device at the start, though, filming a wide variety of the concertgoers as they assemble, hang around and kill time waiting for the show to start, while "Tape," the instrumental introduction piece the band used on this tour, plays on the soundtrack. Though there are more than a few people gothed up in terms of looks, if anything it shows that Smith's contention of a far wider fanbase than might be guessed is true, with a wide variety of looks and sorts featured. The segment is also filmed in grainy sepia, making for a quietly dramatic shift when the show is featured in clear, clean color. The show itself is mostly captured on the live soundtrack album (and in America the accompanying Sideshow EP), but interestingly the film is the much better way to experience Show. Partially this has to do with the fluid flow of the filming - it's much like Orange, but with a wider array of angles, camera shots and especially close-ups. Cameras swoop in close to the performers, even Williams, who tended to be in the background of most Orange shots, and whose fan-blown hair, energetic performance and the like actually help him stand out quite a bit. Gallup and Thompson also get their fair share of time, the former indulging in his favored combination of spot-on bass and just-strong-enough rock-out fun, while Bamonte isn't so ill-served himself. As for Smith, he projects the same aura of slight uncomfortableness and playful intensity as in Orange, but the camera just knows how to treat him right, with gentle close-ups, pans around his face, and more. Happily the final cut keeps in quite a few fun exchanges of nods, winks and smiles between the bandmembers, helping show they're not the gloom-laden doomhounds of myth. At one point Smith even sneaks in a quick riff on the Kinks' "All Day and All of the Night" before "Inbetween Days." The band's great performance throughout, meanwhile, is immeasurably enchanced by the great set - a crumbling Greek temple and light show song for song, sometimes accompanied by particular films and images. It's a very artistic set-up for a rock show and works much better than might be guessed. With the material from Kiss Me, Disintegration and Wish to draw on, Show also provides a good contrast to Orange in terms of the band's commercial ascendance. The audience reaction to numbers like "Just Like Heaven" and "Lullaby" shows that much! The real treasure of Show, however, appears at the end with the encore, which didn't appear on the soundtrack album at all. Besides strong runthroughs of older number like "Primary" and "Boys Don't Cry," there's an astonishingly beautiful version of Wish's "To Wish Impossible Things" and, to wrap it all up, a monster version of "A Forest" that's the best of all the officially released versions yet. If nothing else, one thing about the Cure hasn't changed at all between Orange and Show - Smith's between-song comments are still incomprehensible. by Ned Raggett 
Tracklist 1 :
1    Tape 2:25
Engineer – David M Allen, Steve Whitfield
Producer – David M Allen, The Cure
2    Open    7:19
3    High    3:31
4    Pictures Of You    7:38
5    Lullaby    4:25
6    Just Like Heaven    3:37
7    Fascination Street    5:01
8    A Night Like This    4:46
9    Trust    5:15
Tracklist 2 :
1    Doing The Unstuck    4:20
2    The Walk    3:32
3    Let's Go To Bed    3:41
4    Friday I'm In Love    3:45
5    Inbetween Days    3:12
6    From The Edge Of The Deep Green Sea    7:54
7    Never Enough    4:52
8    Cut    5:25
9    End    7:58
Credits :
Bass [Basses] – Simon Gallup
Drums – Boris Williams
Guitar [Guitars], Keyboards – Perry Bamonte, Porl Thompson
Voice, Guitar [Guitars] – Robert Smith
Written-By – Williams (faixas: 1-1 to 1-7, 1-9, 2-1, 2-4, 2-6 to 2-9), Tolhurst (faixas: 1-4 to 1-7, 2-2, 2-3), Bamonte (faixas: 1-1 to 1-3, 1-9, 2-1, 2-4, 2-6, 2-8, 2-9), Thompson (faixas: 1-1 to 1-7, 1-9, 2-1, 2-4, 2-6 to 2-9), Smith, O'Donnell (faixas: 1-4, 1-5, 1-7), Gallup (faixas: 1-1 to 1-7, 1-9, 2-1, 2-4, 2-6 to 2-9)

THE CURE - Paris (1993) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

Show featured mostly hit singles; Paris features the songs that built their cult, including "Close to Me" and "Letter to Elise." Consequently, most fans will find this the more interesting of the two live albums, and, out of the two records, it is the more consistent and satisfying. by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Tracklist :
1    The Figurehead    7:27
2    One Hundred Years    7:15
3    At Night    6:39
4    Play For Today    3:50
5    Apart    6:37
6    In Your House    3:59
7    Lovesong    3:31
8    Catch    2:41
9    A Letter To Elise    4:50
10    Dressing Up    2:49
11    Charlotte Sometimes    3:58
12    Close To Me    3:58
Credits :
Bass – Simon Gallup
Drums – Boris Williams
Guitar – Porl Thompson
Guitar, Keyboards – Perry Bamonte
Voice, Guitar – Robert Smith
Written-By – Williams (faixas: 5, 7 to 9), Tolhurst (faixas: 1 to 4, 6 to 8, 11), Hartley (faixas: 3, 4, 6), Bamonte (faixas: 5, 9), Thompson (faixas: 5, 7 to 9), Smith, O'Donnell (faixas: 7), Gallup (faixas: 1 to 9, 11)

THE CURE - Wild Mood Swings (1996) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

After the relatively straightforward pop of Wish, the Cure moved back toward stranger, edgier territory with Wild Mood Swings. Actually, that's only part of the truth. As the title suggests, there's a vast array of textures and emotions on Wild Mood Swings, from the woozy mariachi lounge horns of "The 13th" to the perfect pop of "Mint Car" and the monolithic dirge of "Want." In between the extremes, Robert Smith and the Cure -- which now feature a radically reworked lineup, with several key players from Wish now missing -- explore some simpler territory, from contemplative acoustic numbers tinged with strings to swooning neo-psychedelia. But what ties it all together is conviction -- Smith sounds more content than he ever has, but he sings with more passion than he has for a number of years. Of course, the Cure haven't significantly changed their sound -- tinny synthesizers and guitar effects that haven't appeared on an album since 1988 are in abundance throughout the record -- but the variety of sounds and strength of performance offers enough surprises to make Wild Mood Swings more than just another Cure record. by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Tracklist :
1    Want 5:07
Mixed By – Alan Moulder
Strings [String Quartet, Cello] – Audrey Riley
Strings [String Quartet, Viola] – Sue Dench
Strings [String Quartet, Violin] – Chris Tombling, Leo Payne
2    Club America 5:01
Drums – Louis Pavlou
Mixed By – Paul Q. Kolderie, Sean Slade
3    This Is A Lie 4:30
Drums – Ronald Austin
Mixed By – Tim Palmer
Strings [String Quartet, Cello] – Audrey Riley
Strings [String Quartet, Viola] – Sue Dench
Strings [String Quartet, Violin] – Chris Tombling, Leo Payne
4    The 13th 4:09
Brass [Brass Section, Trumpet] – Jesus Alemany, Sid Gauld, Steve Dawson
Mixed By – Mike 'Spike' Drake
5    Strange Attraction 4:19
Mixed By – Adrian Sherwood
6    Mint Car 3:33
Drums – Mark Price
Mixed By – Paul Corkett
7    Jupiter Crash 4:16
Mixed By – Robert Smith, Steve Lyon
8    Round & Round & Round 2>39
Mixed By – Robert Smith, Steve Lyon
Strings [String Quartet, Cello] – Audrey Riley
Strings [String Quartet, Viola] – Sue Dench
Strings [String Quartet, Violin] – Chris Tombling, Leo Payne
9    Gone! 4:32
Brass [Brass Section, Saxophone] – Will Gregory
Brass [Brass Section, Trombone] – Richard Edwards (2)
Brass [Brass Section, Trumpet] – John Barclay, Steve Sidwell
Mixed By – Robert Smith, Steve Lyon
10    Numb 4:50
Mixed By – Mike 'Spike' Drake
Strings [String Quartet, Cello] – Audrey Riley
Strings [String Quartet, Viola] – Sue Dench
Strings [String Quartet, Violin] – Chris Tombling, Leo Payne
Violin [Violins] – Mr Chandrashekhar
11    Return 3:28
Brass [Brass Section, Saxophone] – Will Gregory
Brass [Brass Section, Trombone] – Richard Edwards
Brass [Brass Section, Trumpet] – John Barclay, Steve Sidwell
12    Trap 3:37
Drums – Mark Price
Mixed By – Tom Lord Alge
13    Treasure 3:45
Drums – Mark Price
Mixed By – Robert Smith, Steve Lyon
Strings [String Quartet, Cello] – Audrey Riley
Strings [String Quartet, Viola] – Sue Dench
Strings [String Quartet, Violin] – Chris Tombling, Leo Payne
14    Bare 7:56
Mixed By – Robert Smith, Steve Lyon
Strings [String Quartet, Cello] – Audrey Riley
Strings [String Quartet, Viola] – Sue Dench
Strings [String Quartet, Violin] – Chris Tombling, Leo Payne
Credits :
Arranged By [Brass Section] – RS (faixas: 4, 9, 11), SG (faixas: 4), WG (faixas: 9, 11)
Arranged By [String Quartet] – AR (faixas: 1, 3, 8, 10, 13, 14), RS (faixas: 1, 3, 8, 10, 13, 14)
Artwork – Andy Vella, The Cure
Bass [Basses] – Simon Gallup
Drums, Percussion – Jason Cooper (faixas: 1, 4, 5, 7 to 11, 14)
Guitar [Guitars], 6-String Bass – Perry Bamonte
Keyboards – Roger O'Donnell
Music By – Cooper, Bamonte, Smith, O'Donnell, Gallup
Voice [Voices], Guitar [Guitars], 6-String Bass – Robert Smith
Words By – Robert Smith

THE CURE - Bloodflowers (2000) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

The Cure edged into new territory with Wild Mood Swings, but nevertheless drew scorn from certain quarters because it eschewed goth rock for pop, both pure and twisted. For 2000's Bloodflowers, Robert Smith decided to give the people what they wanted: a classic Cure album, billed as the third part of a trilogy begun with Pornography and continued with Disintegration. That turns out to be more or less true, since Bloodflowers boasts all of the Cure's signatures: stately tempos, languid melodies, spacious arrangements, cavernous echoes, morose lyrics, keening vocals, long running times. If that's all you're looking for, Bloodflowers delivers in spades. If you want something transcendent, you're out of luck, since the album falls short of the mark, largely because it sounds too self-conscious. As one song segues into the next, it feels like Smith is striving to make a classic Cure record, putting all the sounds in place before he constructs the actual songs. That makes for a good listening experience, especially for fans of Disintegration, but it never catches hold the way that record did, for two simple reasons: there isn't enough variation between the songs for them to distinguish themselves, nor are there are enough sonic details to give individual tracks character. While Disintegration had goth monoliths, it also had pristine pop gems and elegant neo-psychedelia; with a couple of exceptions, the songs on Bloodflowers all feel like cousins of "Pictures of You." The album is certainly well made, and even enjoyable; however, its achievement is a bit hollow, since it never seems like Smith is pushing himself or the band. Nobody else can come close to capturing the Cure's graceful gloom, but it's hard to shake the suspicion that Bloodflowers could have been something grand if he had shaken up the formula slightly. by Stephen Thomas Erlewine  
Tracklist :
1     Out of This World 6:43
Perry Bamonte / Jason Cooper / Simon Gallup / Roger O'Donnell / Robert Smith
2     Watching Me Fall 11:13
Robert Smith
3     Where the Birds Always Sing 5:44
Robert Smith
4     Maybe Someday 5:04
Perry Bamonte / Jason Cooper / Simon Gallup / Roger O'Donnell / Robert Smith
5     The Last Day of Summer 6:26
Robert Smith
6     There Is No If.... 5:36
Robert Smith
7     The Loudest Sound 3:43
Robert Smith
8     39 7:19
Robert Smith
9     Bloodflowers 7:28
Robert Smith
Credits :
Bass – Simon Gallup
Drums, Percussion – Jason Cooper
Guitar, 6-String Bass [6String Bass] – Perry Bamonte
Keyboards – Roger O'Donnell
Vocals, Guitar, 6-String Bass [6String Bass], Keyboards, Words By – Robert Smith
Written-By – Cooper, Bamonte, Smith, O'Donnell, Gallup 

THE CURE - The Cure (2004) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

For a long time, maybe 15 years or so, Robert Smith rumbled about the Cure's imminent retirement whenever the band had a new album ready for release. Invariably, Smith said the particular album served as a fitting epitaph, and it was now time for him to bring the Cure to an end and pursue something else, maybe a solo career, maybe a new band, maybe nothing else. This claim carried some weight when it was supporting a monumental exercise in dread, like Disintegration or Bloodflowers, but when applied to Wild Mood Swings, it seemed like no more than an empty threat, so fans played along with the game until Smith grew tired of it, abandoning it upon the 2004 release of his band's eponymous 13th album. Instead of being a minor shift in marketing, scrapping his promise to disband the Cure is a fairly significant development since it signals that Smith is comfortable being in the band, perhaps for the first time in his life. This sense of peace carries over into the modest and modestly titled The Cure, which contains the most comfortable music in the band's canon -- which is hardly the same thing as happy music, even if this glistens in contrast to the deliberate goth classicism of Bloodflowers. Where that record played as a self-conscious effort to recreate the band's gloomy heyday, this album is the sound of a band relaxing, relying on instinct to make music. The Cure was recorded and released quickly -- the liner notes state it was recorded in the spring of 2004, and it was released weeks later, at the end of June -- and while it never sounds hurried, it never seems carefully considered either, since it lacks either a thematic or musical unity that usually distinguish the band's records. It falls somewhere between these two extremes, offering both towering minor-key epics like the closing "The Promise" and light pop like "The End of the World." It's considerably more colorful than its monochromatic predecessor, and the rapid recording gives the album a warmth that's pleasing, even if it inadvertently emphasizes the familiarity of the material. Which is ultimately the record's Achilles' heel: the Cure have become journeymen, for better and worse, turning out well-crafted music that's easy to enjoy yet not all that compelling either. It's not a fatal flaw, since the album is a satisfying listen and there's also a certain charm in hearing a Cure that's so comfortable in its own skin, but it's the kind of record that sits on the shelves of die-hard fans, only occasionally making its way to the stereo. by Stephen Thomas Erlewine  
Tracklist :
1    Lost    4:07
2    Labyrinth    5:14
3    Before Three    4:40
4    Truth Goodness & Beauty    4:19
5    The End Of The World    3:43
6    Anniversary    4:22
7    Us Or Them    4:09
8    Alt.end    4:30
9    (I Don't Know What's Going) On    2:57
10    Taking Off    3:19
11    Never    4:04
12    The Promise    10:21
13    Going Nowhere    3:28
Credits :
Bass – Simon Gallup
Drums, Percussion – Jason Cooper
Guitar – Perry Bamonte, Robert Smith
Keyboards – Roger O'Donnell
Voice – Robert Smith

THE CURE - 4:13 Dream (2008) FLAC (tracks+.cue), lossless

4:13 Dream may open with the doomed romanticism of "Underneath the Stars," but that slow-crawling mini-epic is a feint, momentarily disguising how this is the Cure's poppiest album since 1992's Wish. Poppy doesn't necessarily mean that 4:13 Dream spills over with fully formed pop songs along the lines of "High" and "Friday I'm in Love," as the 13 songs here lack the tight construction of those two minor classics, along with their beguiling light touch. Despite the preponderance of sprightly tempos and singsong hooks, nothing about 4:13 Dream feels especially light, perhaps because Robert Smith chooses to pair these purported pop songs with a heavy dose of affected angst. On the "The Reasons Why," the catchiest tune here, Smith sings about suicide with no trace of irony, or even that much interest, either; it's hard to escape the notion that he sings about darkness because that is what is expected from the king of goth. The pristine production emphasizes Smith's stylized mannerisms -- nowhere more so than on "The Only One," where his caterwauls feel too clearly articulated -- which in turn highlights that for all the purported pop of 4:13 Dream, only "The Perfect Boy" and "This. Here and Now. With You" have hooks that dig underneath the skin. These two songs are buried in the back of 4:13 Dream, surrounded by too many half-baked tunes and formless, colorless sound surges on either side, music that perfectly fits the definition of the pop side of the Cure without ever truly embodying the spirit. by Stephen Thomas Erlewine  
Tracklist :
1    Underneath The Stars    6:18
2    The Only One    3:57
3    The Reasons Why    4:35
4    Freakshow    2:30
5    Sirensong    2:23
6    The Real Snow White    4:43
7    The Hungry Ghost    4:30
8    Switch    3:45
9    The Perfect Boy    3:21
10    This. Here And Now. With You    4:07
11    Sleep When I'm Dead    3:52
12    The Scream    4:37
13    It's Over    4:17
Credits :
Bass – Simon Gallup
Drums, Percussion, Loops – Jason Cooper
Guitar – Porl Thompson
Handclaps – The Catsfield Sub Rhythm Trio
Music By – The Cure
Percussion [Extra Percussion And Programming] – Smud
Producer, Mixed By, Engineer – Keith Uddin, Robert Smith
Vocals, Guitar, Bass [6 String], Keyboards – Robert Smith
Words By – Robert Smith
Written-By – Cooper, Thompson, Smith, Gallup