Five years after The Cure’s debut, the Robert Smith-led group began experimenting with its trademark dark textures and pop sensibilities by adding new sounds and new members. Rhino Records revisits this fertile period of the band’s past with deluxe versions of ‘The Top,’ ‘The Head on the Door,’ and ‘Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me’ loaded with previously unreleased music.
In addition, Rhino will release a deluxe two-disc edition of Smith side project The Glove’s only album, ‘Blue Sunshine’. Each two-disc set will be available on August 8th for the suggested retail price of $24.98.
Covering music the band recorded between 1984-87, these three albums continue Rhino Records’ revitalization of The Cure catalog. Each album has been remastered using the latest sonic technology and features a second disc filled with previously unreleased music and rarities, as well as a lavish booklet filled with lyrics, rare photos of the band and tour memorabilia from the personal archives of vocalist Robert Smith along with a track-by-track commentary by U.K. music journalist, Johnny Black.
A bridge between The Cure’s earlier music and the eclectic tendencies of the band’s future releases, 1984’s ‘The Top’ features the U.K. hit single “The Caterpillar,” along with key tracks “Shake Dog Shake,” “Give It To Me” and the title track. The deluxe edition contains the original, 10-song album on the first disc. The bonus disc boasts 17 tracks available on CD for the first time including home and studio demos along with rough mixes featuring Smith and drummer Andy Anderson working through several albums cuts such as “Shake Dog Shake,” “Piggy In The Mirror” and “Give It To Me.” The bonus disc also features live performances of “The Caterpillar,” “The Empty World,” and the title track recorded in 1984.
The Cure returned a year later with their sixth studio album, ‘The Head on the Door.’ A Top Ten hit in the U.K., the album propelled The Cure onto the American charts for the first time, thanks to the singles “In Between Days” and “Close to Me.” The bonus disc contains 18 tracks available on CD for the first time featuring home and studio demos including a rare, instrumental home recording of “In Between Days.” The bonus disc also features live recordings of “The Baby Screams,” “The Blood,” and “Sinking” from a 1985 performance in Paris.
Following the release of a successful singles collection, The Cure resurfaced in 1987 with the acclaimed double album, ‘Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me.’ A bold collection of songs that refined The Cure’s eclectic ambitions, the album includes the band’s first U.S. Top 40 hit, “Just Like Heaven,” as well as the U.K. hits “Why Can’t I Be You?,” “Hot Hot Hot!!!” and “Catch.” The bonus disc contains 18 tracks available on CD for the first time, featuring home and studio demos including an instrumental version of “The Kiss” recorded at Smith’s home studio. The bonus disc also features instrumental studio demos for album tracks such as “Hot Hot Hot!!!,” “Just Like Heaven” and “Like Cockatoos,” as well as live versions of album tracks “Catch,” “Snakepit,” and “Why Can’t I Be You?” recorded in 1987.
Robert Smith and longtime-friend, Siouxsie & The Banshees’ bass player, Steve Severin formed The Glove in 1983, taking their name from a character in the film “Yellow Submarine.” The pair made only one album, ‘Blue Sunshine,’ a diverse excursion into experimental pop. Jeanette Landray sang most of the album’s lead vocals, with the exception of two Smith leads. Cure fans will be especially excited by the reissue’s bonus disc, since it features Smith’s original vocal versions of the songs.
It’s been almost three decades since a 17-year-old Smith formed The Easy Cure in Crawley, England. Despite various lineup changes, The Cure has forged an ongoing career highlighted by an astonishing run of artistic and commercial successes, including chart-topping hit singles, gold and platinum records, countless awards, critical acclaim, and an international fan base that follows the band with religious fervor. They have secured their place in music history by shaping modern rock as we know it today.
Complete Track Listings include:
The Top - Disc 1
The Top - Disc 2
The Head on the Door - Disc 1
The Head on the Door - Disc 2
Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me - Disc 1
Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me - Disc 2
The Glove: Blue Sunshine – Disc 1
Blue Sunshine – Disc 2
USA
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