Variety rules on this Cure tribute filled with under-the-radar artists.
This encomium is Top-40 Cure done by under-the-radar artists. Though the selections here are safe, they are reinterpreted with no singular musical approach. The title-track opener, by Joy Zipper, is nearly as devastating as the original, while the Brunettes take “Lovesong” on a noir-lounge detour, and Dean and Britta do an intimate version of “Friday I’m in Love.” Though musical stylings from many genres have been unleashed on these covers, several miss the mark, most notably Kitty Karlyle’s emo-tinged take on “Inbetween Days,” and the Wedding Present’s punk version of “High.” Though the Rosebuds’ rendition of “The Walk,” is decidedly benign, Elizabeth Harper’s “Pictures of You” tugs at heartstrings just like it should. Instead of reinventing the Cure, artists here celebrate the divine mass appeal their tunes have offered for decades.