Wild Mood Swings

by

The Cure

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On this album, the Cure does what it does best: it goes where none of its fans think it should go (upbeat); it goes where no one else in the music industry was going at the time (a little out of sync with what was currently popular); and it's very daring...new instruments, new rhythms. The album opens with "Want," a five-minute tour de force that begins with 2 minutes of guitar riffs that sound like a wailing siren (much like Pornography's "100 Years"), before descending into Robert Smith's plaintive yearning for more... of everything. The album's next song is "Club America," one of the few rock songs the Cure has written, with Robert Smith donning a detached, cool voice and reflecting on the trite, superficial club scene in the US, as he enters a club that (mocking the credit card notices posted at the front of nearly every American store), has a sign reading, "We accept all major lies, we love any kind of fraud." The 3rd song, "This is a Lie," is a measured and lush questioning of why we all believe we can only love one person forever. Whether you believe that Smith meant what he's singing, the song makes you ponder and doubt yourself, and your loved one, until..."The 13th" which was The Cure's rather daring choice for a 1st single from the record, as you find yourself in a small Brazilian jazz club listening to Robert Smith get snared by the provocative and seductive singer on stage, as she threatens to test his fidelity and ruin his relationship, yet he yells a triumphant, "but it feels good!" with each chorus as the horns blare in approving unison. Utterly fantastic and original, it was released as the first single instead of "Mint Car" because of the latter's infectious enthusiasm and glee and The Cure's fear that it would remind too many people of Friday I'm In Love, and thus limit the band's credibility as pure but thoughtless pop. "Mint Car" is a fantastic song, and easily the most unabashed shriek of happiness that The Cure's ever written. "Strange Attraction" was released as a single only in America (hence no video), yet it is a lyrical wonder, recounting a sexy love story between two people who share letters each year, when suddenly, like so many relationships, the infatuation period ends and so does the love. "Jupiter Crash" has a dreamy acoustic backdrop, and tells of the disappointment when we feel so much excitement and have so many expectations with new love that it inevitably disappoints us...much like the grand expectations we had when we expected a fantastic explosion when a large meteor collided with Jupiter, only to be quickly and unceremoniously swallowed by the larger planet. "Round & Round & Round" is a short and upbeat whirlwind criticism of the way we "fake it" with each other, and how we just can't seem to stop. The album's last single was "Gone!," where flirtatious keyboards were paired with saxophones to create a nouveaux jazz sound; yet another example of The Cure's successful experimentation with new and old sounds to create something quite distinct. "Return" is also very upbeat, with shouts of happiness as Robert Smith is ironically mystified by the woman he thought he knew, dressed in PVC and tempting him to engage in adventures that both excite him and scare him at the same time...before he desperately asks for someone to "get me out of here." "Trap" is a raucous cry for freedom from the low self-esteem one feels when trapped in a bad relationship; "Treasure" is a tender, melodic final request for a loved one to remember and smile, for "it's better to forget, than to remember me and cry." The final song, "Bare," is just that, a simple, 8 minute mini-epic that engages the reader in the singer's monologue when he realizes his relationship has been fueled on past happiness instead of dealing with the inability to relate to each other any more, before ending with the Smith repeating, "I will never forget." This album is fantastic because it is massive, complex, diverse, and can be listened to over and over no matter what mood you're in, and this album alone can put you in touch with your feelings regarding any relationship you have or had. With songs like "Mint Car," "The 13th," and "Return," you can always pull yourself out of the deepest and most prolonged blues, or if you'd prefer to let yourself sink in self-indulgent depression, there's always "This is a Lie," "Jupiter Crash," and "Bare." This album is absolutely wonderful because you can use it for whatever you need to feel at any given moment. I can't recommend it enough.

Since "Wild Mood Swings" is one of the weaker Cure albums, and inferior to the other three post-"Disintegration" albums, I hadn't listened to it for quite a while. I'm glad I did, because it's not bad when you give it a second chance. I think the problem might be that Robert Smith and Co. try to do too much, sometimes using an excessive amount of horns, other times attempting to create a pseudo Calypso or bluesy feel. Some tracks, such as "The 13th" and "Treasure" sound almost like past songs, just not as good. "Round & Round & Round," and perhaps a couple of other selections, gives one a greater appreciation for the "skip" button on the c.d. player. Some of the extraneous sounds made by Smith after the song ends are quite annoying, and I really didn't need to hear his "strawberry kiss" in "Mint Cars."

However, WCM starts and ends off strong with the contemplative "Want" and "Bare." Along the way, "Jupiter Crash" is quite good (who besides Robert Smith would memorialize in song this celestial event?), as is "Numb," which almost sounds as if it were an extra from "Disintegration" or "Wish." My favorite song on the album is "Trap," an atypically straightward rocker with a memorable hook.

Perhap The Cure overstretched here, trying to be all things to all of their fans. Nevertheless, "Wild Mood Swings" is certainly worth it, and, if you're like me, deserves another listen.