"OPEN" THE CURE (1992)

June 18, 2022

I’m not sure if there’s a band that I can claim as my favorite of all time, because the reality is I have a different favorite every day. This process of choosing one favorite over all others seems futile. But, for me, The Cure, is about as close as it gets. For me, their music is irreplaceable. There are things that I feel when I put on a Cure record that I can’t experience with anything else. For the month of June, I hope to share some of this as a I cover a different Cure song each day – counting down from #30 to #1. And, in this case, I have no qualms stating my #1. #30DaysofTheCure

U.S. original release: Wish (1992) - Track 1

Ranking: 13

The weight of importance of an album’s opening track cannot be exaggerated. It’s a big, big deal. Track 1 has to set the mood. It has to reel you in. It has to assure that all is good with the band you’re listening to. They haven’t gone off the deep end, but they continued to push things forward. I had high expectations for the Wish album when it came out. Disintegration was the band’s last studio output – a record that put the band on a whole other level. Then a year later, The Cure released a mix compilation called Mixed Up. In my opinion, it was pretty pedestrian. Wish was the band’s opportunity to get back to the studio and create something special. I think they pulled it off – and “Open” did its job as Track 1.

There are several stellar opening tracks by The Cure: Plainsong, The Kiss, One Hundred Years to name a few. “Open” may not be in the upper echelon, but it certainly deserves a spot in that next tier of Track Ones. Curiously, The Cure sounds like The Cure here, but the guitars have adapted almost seamlessly into the grunge era with a new feedback-soaked sound. This characteristic alone makes “Open” a compelling opener. Smith sings. “I really don't know what I'm doing here” as his post punk band stumbles into a musical period built around Seattle, not Crawley. And I’m utterly fascinated – and drawn into Wish. Not their best album, but an output that belongs firmly in the top half of their catalog.

“I really don't know what I'm doing here.”

"PLAINSONG" THE CURE (1989)

June 17, 2022

U.S. original release: Disintegration (1989) - Track 1

Ranking: 14

Before Disintegration was released, I heard a few individual tracks on my local alt rock radio station WDRE. If my memory serves me correctly, I heard at least three or four songs before I heard the full album. But that didn’t take anything away from the power of the album for me. There isn’t a mediocre track on the entire record. It’s also an incredibly cohesive album. And then there’s the fact that it opens with one of the strongest, most memorable, most mindblowing openers in music history. The one with the understated title: “Plainsong”.

There’s certainly nothing plain about it. “Plainsong” The track seems to awaken itself. Its slumber is disturbed by movement in the air with opening wind chimes. Then before you know it, the song has thrown itself into a state of catharsis. “Plainsong” is utterly lush. Almost stately in its orchestral wanderings. The protagonist in the lyrics could potentially be caught in a downpour, but it also might very well be a baptism. Smith’s echoing vocals sound like he’s underwater. The synthesizers sound like crystalline reflections sparkling along the surface, joined by Gallup’s bass meanderings that are higher than usual a la Hooky. By the end of the track, the listener is fully submerged. It’s unavoidable every single time.

“Sometimes you make me feel like I'm living at the edge of the world.”

"PLAY FOR TODAY" THE CURE (1980)

June 16, 2022

U.S. original release: Seventeen Seconds (1980) - Track 2

Ranking: 15

I won’t go as far as to say that the darker stuff from The Cure is the only good stuff. But more often than not, the band has been able to create darker moods and explore darker emotions rather successfully. It never feels contrived or overly dramatic when they go in this direction. The dark period began with Seventeen Seconds, an abrupt 180 degree change from Three Imaginary Boys, which contained varying strands of pop and post punk. On Seventeen Seconds, there was a concerted effort to create music more akin to Siouxsie & The Banshees than XTC. The biggest lineup change was Dempsey’s exit who was replaced by Gallup on bass. Almost overnight, the band’s aura and expression changed completely. Seventeen Seconds is one of my favorite Cure records – and “Play For Today” is one of my go-to tracks.

There’s a dark, brooding atmosphere enveloping the album as a whole, but Track 2 marches to the beat of a different drum. The upbeat nature of “Play For Today” stems from the drum part and bass line from which the rest of the song seems to build out from. Smith’s opening guitar harmonics and ensuing grating strums are memorable, but they’re not what drive the song. Even the melody seems to be birthed out of the rhythm section. Hartley’s melodious, single-note ode on the keys hums along the surface and in the spotlight, but even his notes ride the rhythmic bed laid down by Tolhurst and Gallup. Not the other way around. “Play For Today” is a study in restraint. Never in excess. Just enough to work marvelously.

“It's not a case of doing what's right. It's just the way I feel that matters.”

"THE HANGING GARDEN" THE CURE (1982)

June 15, 2022

U.S. original release: Pornography (1982) - Track 3

Ranking: 16

Just outside my Top 15 sits the lone single from Pornogrpahy: “The Hanging Garden”. You could easily make the argument that the album shouldn’t have had any singles. It just wasn’t that kind of album. A sort of purge for Smith, the album was a way to get the demons out of his head during a very dark period wrought with suicidal thoughts. It’s one of the finest examples of hyper creativity and expressions born out of desperation, an album best suited to listen in its entirety. But, at the same time, there are a handful of tracks that I can listen to in isolation on repeat. “The Hanging Garden” is one of them.

The song is a perfect example of the influence that Siouxsie & The Banshees had on The Cure’s own musicality. Smith played with Siouxsie briefly in 1979 – and then again the year after Pornography was released. Interestingly, “The Hanging Garden” sounds a lot like early Siouxsie. Tolhurst’s frantic, incessant pounding on his kit are reminiscent of Budgie’s drumming. Gallup’s furious bass playing bares an uncanny resemblance to Steven Severin. And even Smith’s atmospheric guitar riffs sound eerily similar to both McKay’s and McGeoch’s playing style. On “The Hanging Garden”, every instrument – including Robert’s voice – is a rhythm instrument. I think that’s a big reason why I’ve always loved this track so much.

“Catching haloes on the moon gives my hands the shapes of angels. In the heat of the night the animals scream. In the heat of the night walking into a dream.”

"FASCINATION STREET" THE CURE (1989)

June 14, 2022

U.S. original release: Disintegration (1989) - Track 7

Ranking: 17

The Cure’s ability to embody the full range of human emotions is a topic that I’ve brushed upon these past couple of weeks. I think it’s an underrated aspect of the band because there are two common misconceptions of the band that prevent casual listeners from realizing this truth. First, many listeners simple write them off as a “doom & gloom” goth band. Second, others say The Cure oscillates between two extremes: misery and elation. The reality is The Cure catalog spans every imaginable emotion that a person can feel. People say Disintegration is downcast throughout, but there are a few songs that exude something far different. One of those tracks is “Fascination Street”.

This was one of the first songs I heard from Disintegration, and I’ve loved it from the beginning. It has held up remarkably well over time. This one’s a true banger. Sonically The Cure are in full force here, there’s little nuance, and there’s plenty of force. The instrumental layering that The Cure is so good at here isn’t subtle. On “Fascination Street”, the guitars shimmer and swirl – and erupt in intervals. The keys play a more atmospheric and complementary role on the track – doing just enough and highlighted by those unforgettable arpeggios. The driving force of “Fascination Street”, of course, is the rhythm. Boris’ drumbeats are nearly stumbling over one another while Simon’s bass line crawls insistently inside your head and stays put. Robert doesn’t start singing until the 2:22 mark, and rightfully so. He nails the vocals, but the instruments are the elements that create the thrilling mood of a reckless, liberating night in New Orleans.

“So just pull on your face. Just pull on your feet. And let's hit opening time down on Fascination Street.”

"TORTURE" THE CURE (1987)

June 13, 2022

U.S. original release: Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me (1987) - Track 3

Ranking: 18

This month, as I’ve been picking my favorite Cure songs I’m reminded of the sheer depth of the band’s music. Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me is generally regarded as one of the better albums – ahead of the stinkers (The Top, I’m lookin’ at you), but behind the heavy hitters: Disintegration, Seventeen Seconds, Pornography and The Head On The Door. Thing is, listening back to this album, I’m thoroughly impressed at how deep this album is. For a double-length album, it has very few low points. The record captures a very fruitful period of songwriting for the band. And Track 3 is right up there with the best of them.

The Cure has some real bangers – and this is one of them. I don’t care so much for the lyric’s meaning (is it about domination?). For me, the strength of the song is the instrumentation. The song kicks off like a solemn march into a dark dungeon where escape isn’t an option. Once inside, the torture begins (“Hanging like this. Like a vampire bat.”) Gallup’s bass line erupts like a volcano, and sounds like the thing that’s administering the pain. “Torture” is a song I wish they would play live more – I’d go for this one over “Just Like Heaven”, “Hot Hot Hot!!!” and “Why Can’t I Be You?” any night of the week.

“I'm here for one more treacherous night.”

"THE UPSTAIRS ROOM" THE CURE (1983)

June 12, 2022

U.S. original release: “The Walk” 12” Single (1983) - Track 1

Ranking: 19

A significant departure from Pornography, the 12-inch release of “The Walk” seemed to have a pep in its step. It was like a 180 degree turn toward a poppier, catchier agenda. While “The Walk” was one of those early classic Cure singles that brought me into the fold, the b-side gem “The Upstairs Room” is actually my favorite track from the single release. Despite the departure of Simon Gallup, one of my favorite bass players of all time, the band found a way to move forward and do some interesting things musically.

“The Upstairs Room” has a few subtle, unexpected tendencies, starting with its abrupt beginning. It’s a song that seems to waste no time getting ramped up with Tolhurst’s dreamy, layered synth hooks that feel like a lullaby. Then Robert’s signature guitar riff enters the song like a night terror bout, waking us from our synth bubble. Gallup’s absence from the band is certainly felt on “The Upstairs Room” and its single counterpart “The Walk”. But Smith and Tolhurst deserve credit for staying the course after this tumultuous period in the band’s history.

“I love it all, these games we play. I close my eyes. You run away.”

"A NIGHT LIKE THIS" THE CURE (1985)

June 11, 2022

U.S. original release: The Head On The Door (1985) - Track 8

Ranking: 20

In my opinion, this is where the golden age of The Cure began. A string of early albums (Seventeen Seconds, Faith, Pornography) had exceptional moments. But The Head on the Door is where it all came together. The sound was full, now featuring a quintet: Robert Smith who wrote all the songs, Lol Tolhurst on keys, Porl Thompson as a multi-instrumentalist, Simon Gallup laying down the bass lines and Boris Williams on drums. The album is tight from start to finish – and one of the standouts appears midway through Side B: “A Night Like This”.

Probably one of my all-time favorite Cure jams, “A Night Like This” is a prime example of the band’s expertise in musical layering, where each instrumentalist finds his own unique territory and no one is stepping into another’s territory. Yet, the power of The Cure is that the songs are so incredibly cohesive. In this Head On the Door classic, Tolhurst’s iconic chords on the keys fade in first and luring us in. Smith and Porl spin these gorgeous, intricate webs on their guitars. Their riffs form the bedrock of the song, not the rhythm section, which becomes the most prominent aspect of the track. Gallup’s bass lines are perhaps the most memorable aspect of the song, and Williams goes toe to toe with Gallup’s heavy imprint on his drum set. On the studio version, session contributor Ron Howe blasts out a sax solo for the ages. One of the most epic concerts I’ve ever been to was The Cure at MSG in 2016 – “A Night Like This” sounded as sharp and relevant as it was 30 years prior.

“You never looked as lost as this. Sometimes it doesn't even look like you.”

"LOVESONG" THE CURE (1989)

June 10, 2022

U.S. original release: Disintegration (1989) - Track 4

Ranking: 21

One thing about the entire Disintegration album is that my love for it has never really wavered. I can’t say the same for other Cure albums. My affinity for Seventeen Seconds and Pornography has grown over time. And my love for The Head On the Door and Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me may have slipped a bit over the same period. But Disintegration has always been up there for me. “Lovesong” might be so obvious a pick that it’s actually not obvious at all. After all, it’s one of the few Cure anthems that non-Cure fans actually know. Coincidentally, it’s one of the few songs from the band that I truly admire despite its mainstream-ness. That’s certainly not the case for me when it comes to lighter, poppier songs like “Just Like Heaven” or “Friday I’m In Love”.

On “Lovesong”, it feels like each element of the song is making love to the other elements in its own way. The guitar is in command and on top. The synth layers are underneath, responding and moving in rhythm. And the unforgettable bass line spends time both on top and underneath. For me, there’s nothing temporal about the song’s composition as I’ve never gotten sick of it. The instrumental layers are just perfectly in step with each other. And the lyrics, there’s nothing temporal about those either. The song is about being there for the love of your life – through thick and thin.

“Whenever I'm alone with you, you make me feel like I am home again.”

"THE FIGUREHEAD" THE CURE (1982)

June 9, 2022

U.S. original release: Pornography (1982) - Track 5

Ranking: 22

The album Pornography is widely considered to be among the band’s most influential recordings. It’s one of those albums whose admiration and appreciation seem to grow over time. Its legacy was obvious early on as one of the seminal recordings of gothic rock. But its influence extended well into the early 2000s with bands like Interpol and Editors. Pornography is also one of those albums that’s best suited for listening from start to finish. That said, “The Figurehead” is a standout for me from the album and the band’s catalog at large.

The weight of “The Figurehead” is nearly unbearable. Either it’s pulling you down with it – or it meets you down below where you already are. It’s no coincidence that the songs of Pornography – including this one – coincide with one of the band’s darkest periods, an era ridden with heavy drug use, in-fighting and Robert’s suicidal thoughts. Just as every circumstance surrounding the band felt unbearably heavy at the time this song was written and recorded, every element of the track seems to carry that same heaviness. The deathly drum march. The dense bass meanderings. The tormented, minor-chord musings of Smith’s guitar. And the overwhelming sense of finality echoing out of his mouth and mind.

“I can never say no to anyone but you.”

"HOT HOT HOT!!!" THE CURE (1987)

June 8, 2022

U.S. original release: Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me (1987) - Track 11

Ranking: 23

This track has lived under the shadow of “Just Like Heaven” and “Why Can’t I Be You?” since the day Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me was released. But it’s the single that I prefer most from the album. It’s proof of one of the most unique qualities of The Cure: their ability to capture a wide range of emotions and expressions. This is one of the qualities that has made The Cure so desirable among its fans. It’s hard, indisputable evidence that the band is far more than doom & gloom. They can do euphoric. They can do whimsical. And in the case of “Hot Hot" Hot!!!”, they can capture pure ecstasy.

The track is far more than just a catchy pop single. To this day, I still am unclear what “Hot Hot Hot!!!” is about, but that hasn’t impacted my appreciation for it. The song captures a sense of ecstasy in all its layers – most notably through Robert’s dynamic and playful vocals, Gallup’s unforgettable bass line groove, Porl’s twangy guitar chords and the keys which mimic a horn section at one point in the song. Somehow the song hasn’t received the best of reviews from the critics. But it’s still one of my favorites from a vast, double-length album.

“For a second, that room was on the moon. Then everything went black. I left that house on fire and I never went back.”

"UNTITLED" THE CURE (1989)

June 7, 2022

U.S. original release: Disintegration (1989) - Track 12

Ranking: 24

This is the second song from Disintegration to appear on my top 30 and the final track on the record. Cure fans have many favorites on Disintegration, but what makes the album so special is its song sequence and cohesiveness. It is indeed one of those albums that you have to listen to all the way through to appreciate how great it is. Disintegration hovers in a middling malaise for its first five tracks, then starts to ramp up with “Lullaby” and hits its emotional peak with “Fascination Street”. From there, tracks 8-12 take the listener on a downward spiral, deeper and deeper into despair, culminating in the closing track, “Untitled”.

To simply cast this song as a “doom and gloom” dirge is to overlook the humanity of its lyrics. “Untitled” is not about misery, it’s a song about regret. A song that pinpoints that utterly hopeless feeling of things left unsaid with no time to do it all over again. In his brief stint with The Cure, Roger O’Donnell plays the keys like a funeral procession, the final nail in the coffin. The sound is much more akin to an accordion than the more common grand and symphonic tones of The Cure. The downward spiral on “Untitled” occurs over and over again with Williams’ cascading drum tumbles. How rare it is to hear a song that’s seemingly lifeless, but actually full of life.

“Never quite said what I wanted to say to you. Never quite managed the words to explain to you. Never quite knew how to make them believable.”

"ALL I WANT" THE CURE (1987)

June 6, 2022

U.S. original release: Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me (198 7) - Track 10

Ranking: 25

This is my first entry from the double album Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me — a record that recently celebrated its 35th anniversary. Hard to believe it’s been that long – and it’s quite impressive how well it holds up. The album contains one of The Cure’s greatest mainstream breakthroughs: “Just Like Heaven”. The album, in general, is full of delicious pop melodies, but delivered The Cure way – with scorching guitar riffs and Smith’s torturous tenor vocals. The second disc leans in hard with a couple of heavy hitters – “All I Want” is flanked by “Just Like Heaven” and “Hot Hot Hot!!!”.

Smith and Porl’s guitar work on the album is distinctive and a bit of a departure from previous records. The guitar riffs felt sharper, more metallic. They seemed like they could cut your heart open on a moment’s notice. “All I Want” is one of the prime examples of this type of guitar playing. The opening riff has a Middle Eastern aura to it as it descends note by note, scorching our ears in the process. Tolhurst’s single-note flourishes are perfectly placed and make the crushing, emotional weight of “All I Want” just bearable enough. What a glorious moment in the history of The Cure.

“Tonight I'm feeling like an animal. Tonight I'm howling inside.”

"THE WALK" THE CURE (1983)

June 5, 2022

U.S. single release: 1983

Ranking: 26

The interesting thing about music is that often the songs that first introduced us and attracted us to certain bands aren’t necessarily the same songs that we consider our favorites. Regardless, they served a purpose. And an important one at that. My journey as a fan of The Cure is long and winding. There are certain masterpieces that I’ve always loved – the entire The Head on the Door and Disintegration albums, for instance. Other parts of the catalog are more like an acquired taste, like Seventeen Seconds. There are also Cure songs that intrigued me and pulled me in that are no longer my favorite Cure anthems today. But I’m indebted to them. At the top of that list is the standalone single “The Walk”.

“The Walk” was easy for me to get into. At the time, I recall already having an affinity for British dance-rock and synth pop outfits, from New Order to Yaz. “The Walk” was immediately accessible for me. It’s an endearing Cure song. It brings me back to the wonderful moment that I first discovered the band. As Smith sings, “In an instant, I remembered everything.”. The track was written and performed by Smith and Tolhurst only, as Gallup made his first exit from the band. The end result: less edge and mood and a lot more focus on the synth hooks and beats. “The Walk” hasn’t aged so well. If The Cure canon was a museum and this song was a work of art displayed inside, I probably wouldn’t go searching for it. But, if I accidentally stumbled upon it, I would be absolutely delighted.

“I called you after midnight. Then ran until my heart burst.”

"M" THE CURE (1980)

June 4, 2022

U.S. original release: Seventeen Seconds (1980) - Track 8

Ranking: 27

One of the most revered albums in The Cure canon, Seventeen Seconds had a cohesiveness about it that was just perfection. Each song bled right into the next. The Cure’s reputation as a doom & gloom band was solidified here – from the sullen sparseness of the opening track “A Reflection” to the closing title track’s repetitive, dizzying state. A few songs in my top 30 hail from this hallmark record, starting with the track only titled with the letter “M”, his nickname for his then girlfriend, now wife of nearly 40 years, Mary Poole.

Smith’s minor chord-laden guitar riff on “M” are beautiful and unforgettable. It’s doubtful that Nirvana intentionally used it for Cobain’s riff in the verses for “About A Girl” more than 10 years later. But the riffs are eerily similar. What’s important to remember about “M” is that Robert Smith was a highly influential and extremely underrated guitarist. His unique frontman presence and songwriting prowess have overshadowed his guitar chops all these years. But his riffs and the way he plays off of Gallup’s bass lines throughout Seventeen Seconds is a thing of beauty.

“Sing me a line from your favorite song. Twist and turn but you're trapped in the light.”

"THE BABY SCREAMS" THE CURE (1985)

June 3, 2022

U.S. original release: The Head On The Door (1985) - Track 6

Ranking: 28

This is my first entry from the album that turned me on to The Cure in the first place. For me, The Head On The Door was palatable. It was 100% Cure, but it. had this ease and accessibility about it. It’s common to deem this trait as a weakness. But nothing could be further from the truth. It isn’t so much a mainstream album, and it certainly isn’t The Cure selling out. The album explores a number of different genres and influences, conjures up a dozen different emotions, and it just happens to be danceable. Just maybe you’re dancing in a cemetery, not at prom. The unheralded track “The Baby Screams” clocks in at #28 on my list.

Here’s proof that the quintet works. It thrives. Smith, Tolhurst, Thompson, Gallup and Williams sound like they’re having a ball playing this. To this day, I still don’t know what the song is about, although it’s definitely not about colicky babies. Like many Cure songs, it’s not about what the song is telling you, it’s about how it makes you feel. When I play “The Baby Screams”, I wanna play air bass to those chunky bass hooks from Gallup. I wanna play air keys with those ironic flourishes from Tolhurst. I wanna get behind Boris’ kit and wail on the drums all afternoon and skip work. I wanna crush those guitar riffs side by side Porl. And I want to scream like a hyena with Robert. But the headphones will do just fine for now.

“Heaven, give me a sign. Waiting for the sun to shine. Pleasure fills up my dreams and I love it, like a baby screams.”

"JUMPING SOMEONE ELSE'S TRAIN" THE CURE (1980)

June 2, 2022

U.S. original release: Boys Don’t Cry (1980) - Track 6

Ranking: 29

For me, the golden years of The Cure occurred with the first three studio albums after the band became a quintet, starting with 1985’s The Head On The Door. But I find many of their recordings as a trio – and even the shortlived moments as a duo – to be fascinating in their own way. The quintet years allowed the instrumental layering to shine. But the trio years allowed each individual element to shine, not simply blend into the ether. One of the best examples of this are the individual performances of Smith, Tolhurst and Dempsey on the early single “Jumping Someone Else’s Train”.

“Jumping Someone Else’s Train” is a wry observation of the things people will do to steal the spotlight from each other. The trio seem to be almost competing against each other for the spotlight on this one. And it’s not a bad thing. It sounds almost as if they’re trying to jump each other’s train by outdoing one another instrumentally. Listen to it and you’ll realize that “Jumping Someone Else’s Train” is a three-way duel between Smith’s cutting and slashing guitar notes, Tolhurst’s drum chops that mimic the sound of a train steamrolling over tracks at the 2:20 mark, and Dempsey’s bass lines that snake around at the :15 mark and never, ever let up.

“Everyone's happy. They're finally all the same 'cause everyone's jumping everyone else's train.”

"CLOSEDOWN" THE CURE (1989)

June 1, 2022

U.S. original release: Disintegration (1989) - Track 3

Ranking: 30

I’m starting off with a song from Disintegration. And by the time this countdown is over, I’ll be covering off on many more from the same legendary album. The process of choosing my top 30 Cure songs is both exhilarating and excruciating. How do you narrow down from such a rich, vast catalog as The Cure’s? The very act of rating my favorite songs seems almost futile when I look at “Closedown”, the song that barely made the list at #30. Here’s a song that on any given day might be the only song I really need. It’s always been this way for me – from the very first time I heard it.

I was one of the lucky ones to hear “Closedown” before May 2, 1989, the day Disintegration was released out into the wild. My local alt rock station, WDRE, got its hands on the track and was playing it on heavy rotation despite its non-single status. “Closedown” is the anti-single. It has seven lines of lyrics in total. Just one verse without a chorus. But those seven lines are something else. The common interpretation of Disintegration – and most Cure albums, for that matter – is that the subject is dark and gloomy. But on “Closedown”, there’s a glimmer in the final line. In his final hours, the protagonist (Robert himself?) utters what he truly longs for: love – above all else.

“If only I could fill my heart with love.”

"FOOL'S GOLD" THE STONE ROSES (1989)

May 31, 2022

This month, the Mental Jukebox revisits the movie soundtracks of the nineties. The music I’m highlighting are some of my personal favorites. In many cases, the movies themselves were huge for me as well. But the focus will still be on the music – as always. Let’s bring on the throwback classics, the grunge, the gangsta rap, and the indie gems. #31DaysOf90sMovieSongs

Movie: Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels

The Stone Roses was one of those bands that made me want to be in a band myself. They didn’t last long, but for a couple of years, it seemed like they were almost larger than life. They paved new musical territory and are considered by many to be the catalysts of the Madchester scene. The debut album is one of my Top Ten albums of all time, and several of the songs are among some of my favorites. At the top of that list is the infectious “Fools Gold”.

Highly unusual, the album version of the song clocked in at nearly ten minutes. It was the last song on the debut album, serving as the coda to a brilliant record. It was all funk, all beats. While many rhythm sections do their thing in the background, Mani and Reni were often thrusted into the foreground — and “Fools Gold” was their song. The bass line cascades down and the trippy snare hits are relentless. John Squire adds the funk with his wah-wah effects while Ian Brown murmurs a story about the unlikely perils of searching for gold with friends. Every song on the band’s debut album seemed to be a brash statement — and on “Fools Gold” the band used the rhythm to deliver it.

“Sometimes you have to try to get along dear. I know the truth and I know what you're thinking.”

"INCENSE AND PEPPERMINTS" STRAWBERRY ALARM CLOCK (1967)

May 30, 2022

Movie: Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery

The 60’s sounded like a concoction of different genres – soul, doo-wop, garage rock, folk, proto-punk, straight-ahead rock and, of course, psychedelic rock. The latter is probably the genre that comes to mind first for many of us. The style of music was almost secondary to the culture, which included mind-expanding drugs and movements like Woodstock. This was the playground and realm for many big acts, including Jefferson Airplane, Jimi Hendrix, the Yardbirds, the Dead and a lesser-known band by the catchy, peculiar name of Strawberry Alarm Clock. They had a few songs on the radio, none bigger and more popular than “Incense and Peppermints”.

The first time I heard the song was 30 years after it hit the radio waves. The movie Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery was a mocking celebration of the 60’s – its spirit, fashion, vernacular and music. “Incense and Peppermints” is one of the soundtrack highlights, maybe only trumped by Quincy Jones “Soul Bossa Nova”. There’s a YouTube video of Strawberry Alarm Clock performing the song where something off is noticeable right away. Mark Weitz’s organ riff might’ve been the musical highlight of the track, but the drummer stole the spotlight. The drum kit was situated at the front of the stage with the guitarists, bassist and organist in the background. A few bars into the song we hear drummer Randy Seol delivering the first verse. It’s not the only time we heard a drummer sing by any stretch – Phil Collins, Don Henley and Roger Taylor all shared this somewhat unusual claim. But Seol’s setup created an unforgettable inverted poise for the song and the era.

“Occasions, persuasions clutter your mind. Incense and peppermints, the color of time.”