Three Imaginary Boys sounds basically nothing like the sweeping, sorrowful goth epics The Cure would later be known for (see their magnum opus Disintegration for the reaaal good stuff) which makes it a pretty interesting start to their discography. The record is wiry and stripped to the bone sonically, with jangly guitars and sharp drums, which is a statement that seems almost fake when talking about The Cure. But while Robert Smith hadn’t yet found the cavernous production and emotional sprawl that defined their latter work, you can hear the uncercurrents of what was to come if you listen close enough. The blueprint in the tension between the band’s punk minimalism and Smith’s unsettling melodic instincts can be found on tracks like “Another Day”, showcasing the duality that would become the DNA of the goth-pop hybrid they gave birth to shortly after. Three Imaginary Boys is the sound of a band inventing a future it hadn’t yet fully realized.
Standout Songs: “Another Day”, “Boys Don’t Cry”, “Fire In Cairo”
