Faith Arkansas

Faith

The Cure

Elektra Records, 1981

REVIEW BY: Vish Iyer

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 11/10/2004

"There is nothing left but faith" -- this is what one is leftwith, as Faith ends, with Robert Smith repeating these words againand again, while the music behind him fades, or more like sinksitself slowly but surely into a quicksand. But the album, even asit ends with a song called "Faith," does nothing to assure. Worse,Robert Smith's manner of ending the song and the album, or rathersuffocating it and putting it to sleep forever, makes thebone-chilling experience of listening through Faith, even moreuncomfortable.

The Cure is gothic. They are masters in creating gloom anddespair with the beautiful music they make. If there is anyone whocan be as glum and spooky as The Cure, it is The Cure, itself; andif there is a 'The Cure' album, which is gloomier than thegloomiest 'The Cure' album, it is Faith.

Unlike The Cure's more guitar-driven sound, this album has apredominantly keyboard-laden one, and gives it, its unusuallyfunereal aura. Mainly laid-back, the songs on Faith have Robert Smith singing in a somber tone, with hisvocals reverberating all over the place, giving it an apparitionaledge.

This album of dirges has all the eight songs contributingcollectively to give it a rather suicidal atmosphere, every songbeing as cheerless as any other one. Songs like "Other Voices"(which ends with a befitting knell), "All Cats Are Grey," and"Faith," with their deceiving equanimity and stoicism, whereasothers like "The Holy Hour," "Primary" and "Doubt," with theirdisturbed composure and oozing passion, end up ultimatelyexpressing the same amount of grief and sadness.