The CureĀ āTorn Down: Mixed Up Extrasā 2018 (Record Store Day 2018 exclusive, limited release). Yesterday, April 21st, was Robert Smithās 60th birthday (b. 1959). Iāve been hanging onto this 2 LP colored vinyl/picture disc filled with 18 tracks culled from The Cureās discography beginning at theirĀ first album - and remixed by Robert Smith himself -Ā since last year in anticipation of his big day (which I missed because we were visiting family for Easter).Ā
Side A begins with the title track from Three Imaginary BoysĀ (their debut, 1979),Ā āThree Imaginary Boys (Help Me Mix),ā which is sparse and alien as compared to the gothy original, followed by a much less urgentĀ āM (Attack Mix)ā off of Seventeen SecondsĀ (1980), dreamyĀ āThe Drowning Man (Bright Birds Mix)ā from FaithĀ (1981) and the goth-goes-psychedelicĀ āA Strange Day (Drowning Waves Mix)ā pulled from PornographyĀ (1982). Early Cure is my favorite Cure so the remixes are super-cool but also weird to my ears since Iām so used to the originals.Ā
Side B continues with The Cureās earlier recordings and also more material Iām most familiar with: a barely brightened version ofĀ āJust One Kiss (Remember Mix)ā from Japanese WhispersĀ (a singles comp released inĀ ā83), a really heavy take onĀ āShake Dog Shake (New Blood Mix)ā from The TopĀ (1984, and in my opinion one of their more under-appreciated LPās),Ā āA Night Like This (Hello Goodbye Mix)ā from The Head on the DoorĀ (1985) which is one of the more bizarre remixes (to me, anyway) -- itās got this funky, pop beat with 80ā²s era saxaphone thatās jarring me a ton since this particular song (and album) was instrumental to teenage goth despondency (one reviewer I read said Smith, āturns it into a strange blend of yacht rock and acid jazz, with trademark levels of angst thrown in for good measureā)Ā --Ā and an electronica goes carnival funhouse version ofĀ āLike Cockatoos (Lonely in the Rain Mix)ā from Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss MeĀ (1987, this was the first Cure release I bought on CD back in the day, when vinyl was on its wayĀ āoutā hahaha).Ā
Side C kicks off with a track fromĀ Disintegration (1989, I think this was the last Cure LP I bought for many, many years):Ā āPlainsong (Edge of the World Mix)ā followed byĀ āNever Enough (Time to Kill Mix)ā from Mixed UpĀ (1990, a remix album, which this 2018 release is the sequel to;Ā āNever Enoughā was the only new track on the LP),Ā āFrom the Edge of the Deep Green Sea (Love in Vain Mix)ā from WishĀ (1992) andĀ āWant (Time Mix)ā off of Wild Mood SwingsĀ (1996).Ā
Side D hasĀ āThe Last Day of Summer (31st August Mix)ā from BloodflowersĀ (2000),Ā āCut Here (If Only Mix)ā from the 2001 compilation Greatest HitsĀ (one of two new tracks among a bunch of their earlier singles),Ā āLost (Found Mix)ā from The CureĀ (2004) and concludes withĀ āItās Over (Whisper Mix)ā off of 4:13 DreamĀ (2008). Since Iāve only half-heartedly listened to The Cureās releases post-1989 I donāt have much to say about any of the remixes since I donāt really know the originals but some of the tracks on the final side remind me a lot of what David Bowie was doing in his later years.
Overall this is a really beautiful release - the vinyl is particularly mesmerizing as it spins on the turntable - and while I might not agree with all of the remixing (itās not my place, really, to agree or disagree), it is certainly interesting to hear how Robert Smith reimagines his compositionsĀ from the past 40 years.
