MORE CURE

The Cure have given three more of their albums the deluxe remastered double CD treatment: The Top (1984), The Head on the Door (1985), and Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me (1987). Each of the first discs features a remastered version of the album, while the second discs have over a dozen extra tracks in the form of demos, outtakes, and live cuts. I'm trying to figure out if I need to buy any of these (again), and I don't know where to start.

The Top is a bleak, cacophonic 10 song collection written and recorded at a turbulent time for band leader Robert Smith, and it shows (exhibit A: "Bananafishbones"). Fueled by drink and drugs, he played nearly every instrument in the studio, while moonlighting as guitarist for Siouxsie and the Banshees. It has its moments ("Piggy In The Mirror"), but it's mostly a strained, harsh effort. (5 thumbs up)

Released the following year, The Head on the Door marked a jarring departure from the gloom and doom, as the lead-off track "Inbetween Days" showcased the band's keen pop sensibilities. Naturally, the lyrics still describe failure and isolation (heck, it's a CURE album), but at least they were letting a little light into the dusty attic on this one, with minimal filler. "A Night Like This" is a classic pop song. (8 thumbs up)

Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me is the most fully released of the three releases, although it's a bit of a sprawling mess. Originally released as a double album ("Hey You!" rejoins the album after being omitted from the initial CD release; I guess they didn't think it would fit--how quaint) this disc has something for everyone, with the uptempo ravers ("Why Can't I Be You?"), the dirges ("The Snakepit"), and the uncategorizable ("Hot Hot Hot!!!"). But it was the ebullient "Just Like Heaven" officially put them on the map in the U.S., and it still holds up. (7 thumbs up)

Having purchased all three of these upon their release the first time around, I can't justify re-buying any of them for the remastering alone, since the extra tracks on each of these releases are curiosities at best. The astonishing 17 extra tracks on Top are all completely unessential and would be a bit grating to sit through; the 16 on Head are mostly upbeat but not very polished; the 17 tracks on Kiss Me³ are the exact same songs from the album in different forms, and everyone of them seems like a mere footnote.

My assessment: these are strictly for the überfan, though Head on the Door might be worth it for the 4 tracks that never saw the light of day before in any form. Overall, I think it's best to just save your money for the next classic album on the list to be given the remastered deluxe treatment (*COUGH*disintegration*COUGH*).