Seventeen Seconds (1980)
"A Reflection" (Instrumental) – 2:09
"Play for Today" – 3:39
"Secrets" – 3:20
"In Your House" – 4:07
"Three" – 2:36
"The Final Sound" (Instrumental) – 0:53
"A Forest" – 5:55
"M" – 3:03
"At Night" – 5:54
"Seventeen Seconds" – 4:02
The first thing I feel is note worthy about this album is how far the Cure had come in the year since the release of Three Imaginary Boys. Whereas that record sounded like a group attempting to find themselves within the trail end of punk and the beginning of post-punk.
Another notable, is concept of the 'dark' trilogy which is formed by Seventeen Seconds, Faith and Pornography. These three albums if connected by concept in actuality, chronicle the descent into madness. The atmosphere created in this record is relentlessly cold. One reviewer described it as "a sad cure, sitting cold and alone in a room, watching clocks", for me this is almost the exact image that it conjures up for me as I listen. The recorded is pervaded by a sense of apathetic melancholy and boredom which I find all to easy to relate to.
As for the songs themselves, this album has been very overlooked. It has aged quite well, more so than some of their dated later output. The only song which I could say I don't like, is Three, that beat just reminds me of michael jackson for some reason.
For the most part the songs are driven by simple single not melodies provided by both guitar (sounding quite like the trademark Bass vi) and synth/keys and underpinned by slowly pulsing Bass. The proceedings are swimming in echoing reverb, choruses, flange and phase, a stew of modulation. Robert Smith's voice is more developed and defined here, and is usually quite distant like he's only half-paying attention. The hall-marks of classic cure songs are here in terms of sound, production and theme, but what is missing to a large degree is the depth in songwriting.
However, despite this albums strong points in terms of cohesion and maturity, it does suffer from a lack of remarkable songs, featuring only the infallible 'A Forest'. It strikes me that perhaps that is half the point, as this album is about boredom and apathy, and creating that mood. This may go a way to explaining why this album is oft looked over in favour of faith and pornography, the desperation of faith and the total nihilistic madness of pornography make for far more engaging set pieces.
I find the evolution of the Cure's image quite interesting and relevant to the music as it seems to have developed with the concept of the music. Here the band are still in a phase of Anti-image, which fits with the music, as it attempts to portray somewhat of a blank canvas of indifference.
Overall Impression:
This is the first glimpse of the Cure as a fully formed band with their identity assured. As a mood piece this album is incredibly evocative. Its just that, the mood isn't particularly engaging unless you are already in that mood, and really who wants to feel bored and apathetic just cause Robert Smith tells you to?
I find that it flows well one song into the next, but there are the odd weak songs which do not work within the context, I'm pointing at Three and oddly M because the chord progression and general mood doesn't sit right.
A remarkable progression from the previous year, and a stepping stone for things to come.
Good: but a very high good
Key tracks: A forest, Play for today and Seventeen Seconds