From: mtl2001@andy.bgsu.edu (gretchen)
Subject: Re: Cure: I Wish...
Followup-To: alt.music.alternative
Organization: bgsu
Date: Tue, 13 Oct 1992 21:55:37 GMT

In article <ibhan.718982393@husc8>, ibhan@husc8.harvard.edu (Ishir Bhan)
wrote:
> 
> u882517@bruny.cc.utas.edu.au (Blos!) writes:
> 
> >djperry@husc11.harvard.edu (Lord of deXness) writes:
> 
> >>Compare Open to Shake Dog Shake.
> 
> >No comparison.  "Shake Dog Shake" is searing, blunt and ugly..."Open" follows
> >its footsteps (but it's not one of the horror areas of _Wish_).
> 
> They're not even similar songs, in my opinion.  How does "Open" follow in
> "Shake Dog Shake's" footsteps?  Open is about being drunk.  Shake
> is about anger.
> Shake Dog Shake is a classic that shouldn't even be in the same sentence with Open...Open's good, but not that good. 
>  >>Compare Friday to The Caterpillar.
> 
> >My God.  This stretches the bounds of credulity...an acid dizzy pop whirl
> >compared to "Friday I'm in Love"?  If there are similarities for you, then
> >I don't think there's a lot of point arguing, but for me, one is a classic
> >and the other leaves a taste of bitter disappointment.
> 
> Agreed, but I don't think they're attempts at the same thing.  Smith
> himself said that Friday was a stupid pop song that they cooked up when they
> were drunk.
> 
> >>The ENTIRE Japanese Whispers album is more poppy than Wish, especially since all
> >>the singles from it were deliberate attempts at pop songs.  As far as I can see,
> 
> >	Yes!  Though I wish it didn't need spelling out, the singles
> >compiled on _Japanese Whispers_ were jokes, a sly dig at idiot pop designed
> >to stop people taking the Cure so seriously and to enable them to start afresh.
> >The lowpoints of _Wish_ are idiot pop done *without* irony, and without the
> >redeeming charm or idiosyncracy of "Lullaby" or even "Boys Don't Cry".
> 
> What?  Give me a break.  That's a load.  I've heard interviews with the
> Cure about this album, and they seemed to indicate the opposite.  Japanese
> Whispers is not a joke, and I don't even think the songs are idiot songs. 
> I'll grant you that Friday is an idiot pop song (Smith said so himself). 
> But what are the other so-called idiot pop songs?  Perhaps Doing The
> Unstuck.  Now what's left?  High is a traditional Cure pop song, which is
> done very well (unfortunately didn't get much air-time around here).  But
> Japanese Whispers is not a joke, and not idiot pop either.  They are a
> humorous collection songs, perhaps (not La Ment), but one reason they may
> appear to be different is that they were written by Smith at a time when
> he thought there would not be another Cure album, so they were more for
> just his own sake then for his "band".  
> 
> >	As much as people want to be "open-minded" and say that success is OK
> >(which it is) and can't understand why getting commercial airplay is anathema
> >(which it IS!) the fact remains that the Cure were once a special band with
> >intelligent fans, who have now swerved into the tastes of the bland public.
> >Whatever you say, the music commercial radio plays is SHIT and if the Cure
> >are making inroads there then that is all the proof of a sad demise that
> >you need.  If you've only been a fan since, say, the 90% appaling "Kiss Me
> >Kiss Me Kiss Me" then you just won't understand, because the back catalogue
> >will always be just the back catalogue to you, and you won't have known
> >what it was like when they were important.  _Disintegration_ was a miracle,
> >a return to beauty I thought had gone forever, but _Mixed Up_ and _Wish_
> >have continued the saddening process that really started with the singles
> >collection.
> 
> What?  Give me a break.   I agree that Friday was a mistake, but the Cure
> obviously had fun doing it, so let them have fun.  I don't think they
> could care less about being top 40 heroes.  I didn't hear Open on pop
> radio stations.  I have all their US releases, and I think Wish is pretty
> strong (not quite good enough to be on Disintegration's level, but easier
> to listen to).  Mixed Up?  That wasn't an album, that was a collection of
> remixes done to satisfy requests for hard to find remixes.  I don't think
> that was a bad move at all.  Wish is a pretty good album overall, if not
> great.  Here, all you Wish-whiners should do this.  Set up your CD player
> to do:
> 1)Open
> 2)Apart
> 3)This Twilight Garden (From the High single)
> 4)From The Edge Of The Deep Green Sea
> 5)Play (from the High single)
> 6)Trust
> 7)A Letter To Elise
> 8)High
> 9)Halo (from the Friday I'm In Love single)
> 10)To Wish Impossible Things
> 11)Cut
> 12)End
> 
> Try it, you'll like it.  But if you don't like any of the Cure's current 
> music, don't whine.  They Cure is not a static band (both in musical
> direction and members).  Maybe their current style isn't for you.  Who
> cares?  Tough.  Wait around.  Maybe they'll change to something you like
> more.  
> 
> -- 
>              --      Ishir Bhan (ibhan@husc.harvard.edu)      --