442 - The Cure - Boys Don't Cry

Boys Don't Cry is actually a mix of compilation and studio release. The Cure's debut album, Three Imaginary Boys, was only released in the UK and the band wasn't particularly pleased with how the producer had complete control over the songs put on there. So, when the label decided to create a release for the US, they took TIB, removed some of the songs, replaced them with singles that weren't (for some reason) on TIB ("Killing an Arab," "Boys Don't Cry," and "Jumping Someone Else's Train"), and Ta-dah!...that's Boys Don't Cry. To make things even more interesting, the songs and running order for this album varies from vinyl/cassette to CD (and, even then, nearly each CD release changes the lineup). For this listening session, I've restricted myself to the original cassette/vinyl running order as listed on Wikipedia.

While I consider myself a bit of a fan of The Cure, I have never listened to any of their albums predating Pornography (their 5th album). My exposure to music before then is what I've heard on concert CDs and Standing on a Beach/Staring at the Sea. I was looking forward to finally listening to this album. I hate to say it, but I've been very disappointed. It's not that I don't like their early sound, I just found myself bored during much of the album. I've listened to it about a dozen times over the past day and a half. Still, once you get past the singles and a few other songs, my brain loses interest.

It is easy to enjoy much of the first half - "Jumping Someone Else's Train," "Boys Don't Cry," "Plastic Passion," and "10.15 Saturday Night." The songs fit together well with their crisp guitars, softly brooding vocals, and mix of tempos. After that, things go wonky for me. "Accuracy" and "Object" aren't really different from the others other than maybe being a bit quieter, but I can't find anything in those songs I enjoy. "Subway Song" is interesting, but felt a little incomplete to me. Things pick up with "Killing An Arab," where the crisp guitars are joined by moments of jagged, distorted crashes of guitar cords. "Fire in Cairo" annoys me to death with the repeated spelling out of "Fire in Cairo." Ugh. After that, the rest of the album blends in together with songs that don't interest me and yet don't really give me negative feelings about them either. "Grinding Halt" almost sounds like early B-52's on Quaaludes and heroin. I think this album may be the most inconsistent one I've listed to yet on the Rolling Stone Top 500, as far as how my mood swings from enjoyment to "meh."


Songs I knew I liked: "Killing an Arab," "Boys Don't Cry," "10.15 Saturday Night," and "Jumping Someone Else's Train"

Songs I didn't know but now like: "Plastic Passion" and "Subway Song"

Songs I can go the rest of my life without hearing again: I wouldn't miss any of the songs not listed above. I will actively avoid listening to "Fire in Cairo" in the future.