But we're not reviewing those albums, or The Cure's indisputable talent. We're reviewing a greatest hits compilation that has been played out (with the exception of the two, yes, count 'em, TWO, new tracks).

If you're a fan of The Cure, you already own every song on this CD (ok...all but two). If you're just discovering The Cure, there are several more pertinent releases to acquaint you with this band's immeasureable gift to the world of music.

Then again...I could be wrong.


Now hold on...   February 21, 2004
 4 out of 4 found this review helpful

I read some of the reviews on this cd, many people complaining that this album just features the Cure's most mainstream/poppy tracks.
What's wrong with that? For one thing, they are not all bubble-gummy just because they are for the most part more upbeat than other Cure songs. Take "Close to Me", for example. Listen to the lyrics of that song and tell me what it is actually about. That is what I like about the Cure. Sure, they feature some really dark tunes on other albums (Faith is especially moody) but life is not just about darkness and pain. Robert Smith is different because he can take a serious song and put it behind an upbeat background, and have it still make sense. Then when he does a truly optimistic song, it is more honest and genuine. "Mint Car" is an example of this, because it is truly happy and carefree and not superficial like a lot of pop tunes you hear on mainstream. "Lovesong" and "Just Like Heaven", I must admit are among the most mainstream but they are also a couple of my favorites. "Lovesong", for example, may be a love song, but I could definitely listen to it over and over and it would never get annoying.
So I say don't criticize this album just because it is all the popular tunes. Granted, I only gave this album 4 stars. This is because it does leave out a lot of really great songs. "Pictures of You" is one tune that I was very disappointed not to see. So if you really want those tracks get Galore or Staring at the Sea. Galore has newer stuff, Staring at the Sea has older stuff (these two albums were released 10 years apart). Also there is a new box set out with all the B-sides. Give this album some credit, though.


The Cure's "Greatest Hits"?   November 17, 2004
 4 out of 4 found this review helpful

There is something funny that happens through your journey of the Cure's "Greatest Hits" records. It is something I ahve rarely seen in the greaetest hits records I have heard before, and I have rarely heard it since. The Cure's "Greatest Hits" shows a bands tranformation from experimental jangly pop musicians to arena filling goth royality to a former great band that has obviously lost its muse.
You can trace the journey on the tracks on "Greatest Hits". Early jangly pop ditties like "Boys Don't Cry" give way into more experimental material like "Let's Go to Bed" and "The Lvoecats", melodic songwriting with "Inbetween Days" and "Close to Me" to dark goth stars with "Lullaby" and "Disintigration" to holy crap, what the hell happened here? with tracks like "Mint Car", "Wrong Number", and the truly horrendous(and worst song in the Cure's entire library) "Just Say Yes".
Though the record does include on new song of note, the surprising "Cut Here", the best song the Cure have written since "Burn" off the Cure soundtrack, it goes without fail. As the disc goes past "Friday I'm In Love", it is unlistenable, leaving you to wonder to yourself: where did it all go wrong?
But are three or four bad songs enough to warrent a low rated review? Not really. But what does is the fact that I just can't find the purpose in this record at all.
If you can find the version with the acoustic disc, then the acoustic versions of many of these songs are excellent. But as the single disc stands, the CUre play it entirely to safe. Unlike their two previous singles collections, "Staring at the Sea" which followed the Cure from "Boys Don't Cry" to "The Head on the Door" and the lesser but still noteworthy "Galore" which follwed the band from "Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me" to (shudder) "Wild Mood Swings", "Greatest Hits" greatly ignores much of the Cure's darker, more insular material. There are no tracks here to represent "Pornography", "Faith" or "The Top", or the sadly missing "Killing An Arab", "Jumping Someone Else's Train", "Letters to Eloise", "Catch"... The list goes on and on. By leaving off tracks that could have shown the Cure for what they really are, an eclectic pop band with serious dark undertones, they present an incorrect image of the band. This records plays like a jangly pop record with a few dark tunes in to change the mood a little.
If you are new to the Cure, you should really consider checking out "Staring at the Sea" and "Galore" first(just make sure you ignore the "Wild Mood Swings" crap on the latter disc). It may cost you a few extra bucks, but you will get a much better idea of who the Cure are(were?). And if you're a longtime fan, try to track down the two disc version of this, because the single disc edition as is isn't worth much of your time.


Great compilation for new fans !   June 15, 2005
 4 out of 5 found this review helpful

Stop crying please ! Of course this is not the ultimate greatest hits from Robert Smith and friends. This is not the goal, neither.

This kind of album is a retrospective of a band, not an anthology. So, the choice of songs is great considering that you are not a big fan of the band. If so, buy a box set or the best albums from the 80s. Same thing if you want to explore the overall creative sense of Robert Smith.

If you heard a bit about The Cure before, but you don't want to pay to hear all songs, good and bad, (you just want to discover a bit more about the great songs they wrote), this is for you. I knew 2 or 3 hits from the band and bought this album because I was curious about other songs. I discovered great hits and another aspect of Smith's creativity. The sound is great, the CD duration is OK with 16 songs (some greatest hit albums offer much less), and the overall playlist is a good choice of old, newer and different kind of rythms and lyrics (happiness, sadness, love, you'll get a great mix of atmosphere.) You like the 80s and you know a few nice songs from this band, but you want to know a bit more for a great value....this is a MUST for your CD collection.


Definitely worth looking for the acoustic double album   August 19, 2005
 4 out of 4 found this review helpful

This album is a great starter for the intro Cure fan. It is true that many of the Cure's greatest songs are missing from this album, especially those from disintegration, however, it can be also be argued that fans who don't already have both "Staring At the Sea" and "Galore are newcomers and would prefer something more comprehensive. I believe that is who "Greatest Hits" is marketed towards. I don't know what these reviewers who gave the album one and two stars were expecting.
In addition, a previous reviewer falsely stated that the "Acoustic Hits" version of this CD was packaged as a double album in the UK only. This is not true. This was a great move by the band in an effort to get those reviewers giving the album one and two stars to buy it. I purchased the album simply for the bonus acoustic disc which was available in the U.S. for a limited time. I am sure with a little effort, tose interested will be able to find the double disc version in their local used CD store or online for a pretty reasonable cost. Being a owner of this acoustic disc I can tell you it's definitely worth looking for.