Seventeen Seconds

by The Cure

Overview

It's hard to believe that the Cure could release an album even more sparse than Three Imaginary Boys, but here's the proof. The lineup change that saw funkstery bassist Michael Dempsey squeezed out in favor of the more specific playing of (eventually the longest serving member outside Robert Smith) Simon Gallup, and the addition of keyboardist Mathieu Hartley resulted in the band becoming more rigid in sound, and more disciplined in attitude. While it is not the study in loss that Faith would become, or the descent into madness of Pornography, it is a perfect precursor to those collections. In a sense, Seventeen Seconds is the beginning of a trilogy of sorts, the emptiness that leads to the questioning and eventual madness of the subsequent work. Mostly forgotten outside of the unforgettable single "A Forest," Seventeen Seconds is an even, subtle work that grows on the listener over time. Sure, the Cure did better work, but for a new lineup and a newfound sense of independence, Robert Smith already shows that he knows what he's doing. From short instrumental pieces to robotic pop, Seventeen Seconds is where the Cure shed all the outside input and became their own band. ~ Chris True

Product Details

Release Date:	09/06/2005
Label:	Um3
UPC:	0602498218327
Rank:	22384

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Cure   Primary Artist
Cult Hero   Primary Artist
Simon Gallup   Guitar (Bass),Bass
Robert Smith   Violin,Guitar,Violin,Vocals,Guitar,Vocals
Matthieu Hartley   Keyboards
Robin Banks   Vocals
Nick Loot   Vocals
Lol Tolhurst   Drums
Porl Thompson   Guitar
Mathieu Hartley   Keyboards
Janet Smith   Keyboards
Robert J. Smith   Guitar,Vocals
Michael Dempsey   Keyboards
Frank Bell   Vocals

Technical Credits

Mike Dutton   Engineer
Robert Smith   Photography,Executive Producer,Producer,Composer,Producer,Assistant Producer
Bill Airey Smith   Cover Art
Chihiro Nozaki   Art Coordinator
Matthieu Hartley   Composer,Producer,Assistant Producer
Bill Smith   Artwork
Chris Parry   Producer,Assistant Producer
Lol Tolhurst   Composer,Producer,Assistant Producer
Joe Black   Project Coordinator
The Cure   Artwork,Cover Art
Gallup   Composer
Mathieu Hartley   Composer,Assistant Producer
Mike Hedges   Engineer,Producer
Andrew Douglas   Photography
Hartley   Composer
Laurence Tolhurst   Composer
Daryl Bamonte   Project Coordinator
Ebet Roberts   Photography
Michael Hedges   Producer
Bob King   Photography
Shinjiro Kawashima   Art Research
Minoru Harada   Product Manager
Robert J. Smith   Producer
Simon Gallup   Composer,Photography,Assistant Producer
Chris Blair   Mastering Engineer,Digital Remastering
Nigel Green   Assistant Engineer
Denis O'Regan   Photography
Bunny Lake   Photography
Julien Potter   Reissue Design
John Taw   Photography
Andrew Warwick   Assistant Engineer