I loved listening to Seventeen Seconds and writing about it; so I have now decided to do the same for every album by The Cure. If you’d like to place your bets on how long it takes before I change my mind, then go for it. I’m doing it for many reasons- one being I’d like to see if I can actually do it without being distracted and changing my mind. However, hardly anyone reads the nonsense I write so no one will notice if I stick at this or not. Now, with that out of the way, let’s discuss one of the most phenomenal debut albums of all time.

Three Imaginary Boys is THE essential album by The Cure isn’t it? It has to be. I know every single album is bloody amazing, but this one is stunning from start to finish. When you listen to it, you find it hard to believe that this is their first record. It picks up where Punk left off; it’s a slowed down version of Punk. A lot of Punk tracks were short, aggressive and fast. The Cure are about as aggressive as a goldfish. That’s why I love them so much, they made it okay for you to be delicate and vulnerable. I’m a stupidly shy person, and talking to people sometimes baffles me. The Cure made me (and still do) feel okay with how I am. As did/do Morrissey, which given the history between Robert Smith and Morrissey is a bit odd, but I love them both the same. The Cure’s music is a cure. It is a cure to loneliness, fragility, poor self-worth and longing. You get people who say, “Oh I know how you feel.” They don’t. Robert Smith does, and it is evident on every single bloody song.

Three Imaginary Boys is a masterpiece, deny that and you are a silly billy really. Another Day is so poetic and woeful. I love it so much. “The sun rises slowly on another day.” Robert just sounds so fed up singing this line, as someone who carries a tiny bif of frustration towards daily life; I just love this line so much. The bass in this song is so chilling, it lingers in your ears for a while after you’ve stopped listening. You can just picture a young Robert Smith looking out of the window writing this, singing this to himself. I love how the guitar throughout (especially at the end) has a drunken effect.

Object gives off a more Punk feel than any of the other tracks. By Punk, I mean it feels like a song by the Buzzcocks; so not really Punk. Post-Punk if you will. Unlike albums released after, The Cure didn’t get a say in the tracklisting of their debut album. Ever since, Robert Smith has been given creative control over what tracks goes on each album before it is released. The company also decided on the artwork too. To have your first EVER album released and you find out the songs you hated that you recorded are put on it  must be beyond frustrating. Robert has stated many times that he hates the songs Foxy Lady (Hendrix cover) and Object, and didn’t want them on the album.

Meathook has a slight reggae feel to it, the guitar is just brilliant on this one. But let’s be honest here, although the band didn’t get a say on what was put on this album; every track is wonderful making it one of the most important debut albums of all time. Not only is it such an important record, it is highly influential too. This album started a sound that many tried to copy, but only The Cure could well and truly carry. It is THEIR sound, many just tried to be like all too often. No other band has made such a wonderful debut. No other band has created a sound like this. There is no other band quite like The Cure.