The Cure began as an arty postpunk trio, doing skewed guitar tunes about reading Camus ("Killing an Arab") and not crying ("Boys Don't Cry"). But Robert Smith was just warming up for the deluge of protogoth gloom rock that he would unleash. 

 The Cure began as an arty postpunk trio, doing skewed guitar tunes about reading Camus ("Killing an Arab") and not crying ("Boys Don't Cry"). But Robert Smith was just warming up for the deluge of protogoth gloom rock that he would unleash. 

 The Cure began as an arty postpunk trio, doing skewed guitar tunes about reading Camus ("Killing an Arab") and not crying ("Boys Don't Cry"). But Robert Smith was just warming up for the deluge of protogoth gloom rock that he would unleash. 

 His melodies got richer with The Walk, Japanese Whispers, and The Head on the Door, his king-of-the-mopey-Brits smackdown, as he proved he could outdo New Order ("In Between Days") and Depeche Mode ("Close to Me"). 

 His melodies got richer with The Walk, Japanese Whispers, and The Head on the Door, his king-of-the-mopey-Brits smackdown, as he proved he could outdo New Order ("In Between Days") and Depeche Mode ("Close to Me"). 

 His melodies got richer with The Walk, Japanese Whispers, and The Head on the Door, his king-of-the-mopey-Brits smackdown, as he proved he could outdo New Order ("In Between Days") and Depeche Mode ("Close to Me"). 

 Standing On A Beach put the Cure on a roll, and Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me had the Cure's best-known, best loved, and just plain best song ever, "Just Like Heaven." Smith sings about spinning on that dizzy edge with a dream muse. 

 Disintegration is the Cure's high point for most fans, especially male ones born in the late Seventies; according to the kids on South Park, it's the greatest album ever made. Although it's dark and depressive, it spawned the hit "Love Song."  

 Wish is lighter and frothier, a valentine to the band's younger girl fans, with bubblegoth love ditties like "High," "Friday I'm in Love," and "A Letter for Elise," which nicked the melody from Bon Jovi's "Never Say Goodbye."  

 Join The Dots is a cult collection of rarities; Galore is a feeble remix album; Show and Paris are weak live albums. 

 Join The Dots is a cult collection of rarities; Mixed Up is a feeble remix album; Show and Paris are weak live albums. 

 Smith had a long dry spell in the Nineties; he even stopped wearing makeup around the time of Wild Mood Swings and Bloodflowers.  

 Galore collects the best of the late Eighties/early Nineties Cure, plus a load of late filler.  

 Smith had a long dry spell in the Nineties; he even stopped wearing makeup around the time of Wild Mood Swings and Bloodflowers.  

 Greatest Hits is a fizzy delight–and a good place for the uninitiated to start.  

 Join The Dots is a cult collection of rarities; Mixed Up is a feeble remix album; Show and Paris are weak live albums. 

 The Cure had the band's most passionate music since Disintegration, hitting an all-time peak in the twisted romantic devotion of "Lost," "Anniversary" and "Before Three."