Some bands are just plain inexplicable. Somehow, The Cure has remained popular for thirty solid years despite being unbelievably weird and off-putting. Their pop songs have kept them afloat in a sea of strange, abrasive and often experimental music. They have been claimed by any number of subcultures, from the goths to the post-punkers to the general cultists of all things 80's. The truth is that, like most acts that survive this long, The Cure isn't really any of these things. In fact, the band itself has only been one thing consistently, and that's the home of Robert Smith. I can't think of a single rock band that has gone through as many lineup changes as The Cure, not that it really makes much of a difference. All Cure albums stand on their own, even defying expectations within themselves. Read more
