Artist – The Cure

Album – Seventeen Seconds (Deluxe Edition)

Label – Fiction 1980, r. Rhino 2005

 

I got a little package in the mail the day I left for the Star Wars Celebration held in Indianapolis a few weeks ago.  In it were the latest The Cure re-issues Rhino has been releasing since the end of last year--starting with the re-release of ‘Three Imaginary Boys’.  Since I had a 10-hour drive ahead of me, I was really happy to have received them in time for the trip.  I knew they would especially come in handy for traveling through Ohio—state of drivers who for some reason seem to have no idea why the passing lane is called the passing lane.

 

Seventeen Seconds is one album I really never listened to all that much.  I only had it on tape, so I’d guess I haven’t listened to it in over 15 years.  I bought it way back when, when I had just discovered The Cure and couldn’t get enough of them.  It, along with everything else up until Staring At the Sea, eventually got pushed aside.  Staring…,Kiss Me…, and Disintegration took over and that was it. 

 

I put Seventeen Seconds in at dusk while we were still driving through the mountains and tunnels in western Pennsylvania.  It couldn’t have been a better choice.

 

1980’s Seventeen Seconds is the start of the more solemn Cure I fell in love with.  The Cure had begun to mature and evolve with this release—not only musically, but also with the additions of a keyboardist Matthieu Hartley, and new, much improved bassist—Simon Gallup.

 

Seventeen Seconds is an album definitely better at night time.  I listened to it a couple of times through while everyone else in the car was sleeping that night.   Even once we got into Ohio, I couldn’t care less I was driving 50 mph in a 65 zone behind some moron in the passing lane. The album has such a somber feel to it; I was totally relaxed listening to it.

 

The re-mastered Seventeen Seconds sounds amazing--especially ‘A Forest’. It surpasses by far the re-mastering on the Three Imaginary Boys reissue.  Listening through, the memories of my teenage years came back.  Like I had with the Three Imaginary Boys release—I had forgotten how good a lot of the songs were—‘M’ in particular.

 

The second rarity cd includes a bunch of live tracks of much better quality than the live tracks on the Three Imaginary Boys re-issue.  Also included are a couple of tracks by Cult Hero—the band Mr. Robert Smith sort of tested the waters out with bassist Simon Gallup before bringing him in to replace bassist Michael Dempsey.  Reading the liner notes, I also saw Porl Thompson played guitar for Cult Hero.  So, I’m wondering if that’s where their relationship began.  Tracks on Disc 2 include:

 

I'm A Cult Hero (Vinyl Single By Cult Hero)   

I Dig You (Vinyl Single By Cult Hero   

Another Journey By Train (Group Home Demo)   

Secrets (Group Home Demo)   

Seventeen Seconds (Live)   

In Your House (Live)   

Three (Alt Studio Mix)   

I Dig You (Cult Hero Live)   

I'm A Cult Hero (Cult Hero Live)   

M (Live)   

Final Sound (Live)   

A Reflection (Live)   

Play for Today (Live)   

At Night (Live)   

A Forest (Live)

 

Speaking of the liner notes, I’ve really enjoyed the packaging and booklets that come along with each of the re-issues.  This booklet’s narrative is complements of Johnny Black.

 

I can’t recommend these re-issues enough.  While Seventeen Seconds isn’t my favorite Cure album ever, it’s still a great listen. And most of all, I love being able to hear how my favorite band of all time started out—and even having the chance to hear them live back then.

 

I’ll have the reviews for the re-releases of ‘Faith’ and ‘Pornography’ up shortly—along with a continuance of my Star Wars Celebration experience.  Till then…