Staring at the Sea: The Singles

Today’s "Play It Through Thursday" features a record that holds a unique place in my collection because, it isn't a traditional studio album at all. While the CD version of “Staring at the Sea: The Singles 1979-1985" by The Cure is a compilation, whoever arranged the 17 tracks created a cohesive masterpiece. Apart from singles dominating the airwaves, this was my true introduction to the band’s haunting, melodic world.

Listening to this collection from start to finish felt like a class in the evolution of post-punk and alternative rock. One moment I’m submerged in the stark, minimalist gloom of "A Forest," the next I’m swept up in the quirky, caffeinated pop energy of "The Lovecats.” The bright, melodic synth lines of "In Between Days" also later became a siren song for tuning into the 4th quarter of the LA Lakers on Prime Ticket.

But whoever chose to close the release with “A Night Like This” made an excellent call. A listening session today as a grown assed man weaves the same strange tapestry of gloom, catharsis, and joy that Robert seemed to weave expertly for my developing mind and heart.

While hardcore purists might cite Disintegration or Head on the Door as the definitive Cure album experiences, "Staring at the Sea" rewired my brain to appreciate the nuanced ways of Smith, Gallup, and Tolhurst. Hitting play on this specific sequence of 17 songs will always be my favorite way to celebrate them.