No song on The Top sounds like any other. Thematic coherence? Nope, none of that. We start with a fevered rocker ("Shake Dog Shake"), switch gears completely for the lighter "Birdmad Girl" (great title on that one), then switch them again for the mesmerizingly hypnotic "Wailing Wall." This last one contains Smith's most "normal" singing on the album, making the next song ("Give Me It") that much freakier. From there we once again make a _complete_ about-face for the beautiful, melancholy pop of "Dressing Up" and the sad/cute "Caterpillar." What follows is the subdued weirdness of "Piggy in the Mirror," then another complete change into the military marching band tune of "The Empty World" ("stiff as toys and tall as men" is one of Smith's best lines ever), then yet another switch and more freakiness with the utterly incoherent "Bananafishbones," and finally an end with the pounding, despondent title track. The stylistic thrashing about makes for a difficult listen, but also actually serves to distinguish each song since every one of them stands out on its own. And the opaque, crazed lyrics add to the effect ("spurning sex like an animal of God"? whatever that is, it doesn't sound too happy, does it?).

It's hard to say which is the best track on the album, since they're all so different as to be incomparable. It's not an album to be played on every occasion, or even often, but for those times when you're feeling completely lost and confused, I daresay there's nothing better. Manic, paranoid and surreal, The Top is not an easy listen, but there's no other Cure album quite like it. The price is a bit steep, what with it being out of print in the States and all, but I declare it to be worth it. Purchase it today.


From Ghoulish Nightmares to Powder Pink Dreams   July 5, 1999
 12 out of 12 found this review helpful

I didn't know what to expect when I first popped this into my CD player. I had heard plenty of negative reviews in the music press (like their opinion matters anyway), which now seem horribly wrong.

The opener "Shake Dog Shake" is one of the most intense Cure songs ever, its brilliant layered sound and haunting lyrics push my mind into a dark realm reserved for my worst nightmares. Spectacular.

"Birdmad Girl", "Dressing Up", and "The Caterpiller" are the light and airy tracks reminescent of the 1983 "Japanese Whispers" EP. "Birdmad Girl" is my favorite track on this disc for reasons I have yet to figure out. The gorgeously ambigious way Robert sings about being a polar bear just gets to me.

"Dressing Up" is a dreamy little tune with the dated synth sound I really love. Probably Robert Smiths favorite track on The Top, or so I've heard.

"The Caterpiller" is a worthy single, incredibly fun to sing along to as well. Why only 1 single was picked is beyond me. "Birdmad Girl" and "Dressing Up" seem single worthy.

"Bananafishbones" is extremely weird, I can't even describe it... but it's very cool. Same goes for the fun little "Piggy In The Mirror".

"Empty World", "The Top", and "Wailing Wall" sound like lost sessions from the Pornography era.

The only song I don't care for (maybe I have to develop a taste for it?) is "Give Me It", which is just too disorderly. A frenzied mess!

If you are looking for an album full of "Friday I'm In Love" type songs, look elsewhere! This is suggested for people after they have been aquanted with The Cure for awhile. It's a bit much to jump into for the casual listener.


DO NOT BUY THIS CD   January 31, 2005
 10 out of 31 found this review helpful

Don't buy it! This a horrible listen the first time around, and the second, and the third. But, after numerous listens the songs start take you over. They suck you in and you can't get out. And if you listen too much, you become the slave to the top. To tell you the truth, this is not regular music, it is better than anything else. Each song is unlike anything you've heard. Hard to believe such odd songs could turn out to be so irresistably beautiful. I don't think I've ever heard a song as captivating as PIGGY or BIRDMAD. All the songs are pure genius! To tell you the truth, If i had to rate my 10 favorite songs of all time, from any band, here they are:
1.)Birdmad Girl
2.)Piggy in the Mirror
3.)Bannanafishbones
4.)Dressing Up
5.)Track 8
6.)Caterpillar Girl
7.)Shake Dog Shake
8.)The Top
9.)Give Me It
10.)The Wailing Wall
See how it's taken me as its slave! Before, I had a normal list of favorite songs- look at me now! I'm a basketcase. Don't buy this- you will not like it at first and it will destroy you. But, if you want to take the risk, and have yet to to fall in love with all the hunreds of cure songs, save these ten songs to be the last, as they really are the best. It will be like having a love affair with 10 very different woman at once. I know it's a mixed- emotions review, but, simply stated, these songs are so good, their scarry! josha@johnlscott.com


The "Forgotten" Cure Album   March 5, 2000
 8 out of 8 found this review helpful

"The Top" was an album that I dismissed at first, but that has really grown on me over the years. This is one of the more musically diverse efforts the Cure have produced, and it's a fascinating listening experience. "The Top" is almost like a sampler of the Cure's various musical styles. "Shake Dog Shake" is my favorite on the album (and one of my favorite Cure songs). The band still opens shows with it for good reason - it's an intense and powerful song. "Bird Mad Girl" and "Piggy In The Mirror" are poppier cuts (think "Let's Go To Bed"), "Wailing Wall" and "The Top" are slow and somber (think of almost anything from "Pornography"), "The Caterpillar" and "Dressing Up" are cute and goofy (think "Close To Me"), "Give Me It" is a frenzied wail of guitar and drums (think "Shiver and Shake," but more frantic). If you like 80's-era Cure, you should really pick this one up. Don't give up on it after one or two listens, as I nearly did. "The Top" is full of surprises and idiosyncracies, and is a much more satisfying listen than some better-known Cure albums ("Wish" springs immediately to mind). The fact that "The Top" seems to be the only Cure studio effort to be dropped from domestic circulation is inexplicable.


Scary circus fun...   January 23, 2005
 8 out of 9 found this review helpful

..is how i would describe the sound of one of my favorite and most underrated Cure albums, The Top. Not quite a masterpiece, like Disintigration or Pornography, but Robert continues in the fun and colorful pop direction of the Japanese Whispers singles with this somewhat scattered collection of catchy tunes and sharp-edged gloom. This album is both danceable and spooky, sometimes even on the same track. He must have been in a very strange place while writing this. I think it ranks as a creative peak in the evolution of The Cure.