The Cure - Seventeen Seconds

180-gram vinyl remastered

Includes the unforgettable single "A Forest"

Originally a postpunk outfit with gothic leanings, The Cure evolved into one of the most visionary, creatively satisfying and influential groups to come of age in the 1980s. From dreamy pop to moody expressionism, their signature sound is adventurous, hypnotic, and rich with texture. Formed in 1976 by Robert Smith and schoolmates Michael Dempsey (bass) and Laurence Tolhurst (drums), the band's early catalog — here newly remastered — is a series of masterpieces that laid the groundwork for their phenomenal and enduring popularity.

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 on Seventeen Seconds.

AllMusic writes: "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. ... Seventeen Seconds is where the Cure shed all the outside input and became their own band."

Side A

1. A Reflection

2. Play For Today

3. Secrets

4. In Your House

5. Three

Side B

1. The Final Sound

2. A Forest

3. M

4. At Night

5. Seventeen Seconds

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