Perfect as Cats: A Tribute to the Cure

Bat For Lashes, the Muslims, Indian Jewelry, and other awesome avant-garde bands contribute their take on the Cure in this consummate collection.

Bands who fly even further under the radar than those featured on Just Like Heaven do experimental renditions on this two-disc set. The selection of songs on this consummate collection match the avant-garde vibe of the artists featured, with tracks taken from weirder albums like The Top, Japanese Whispers, and Seventeen Seconds. Highlights include a freaky folk rendition of “The Caterpiller” by Astrid Quay, a literal, post-punk interpretation of early Cure gem “Grinding Halt” by the Muslims, and Bat for Lashes’ heartbreaking “A Forest.” Superfans will geek out over the insane Indian Jewelry cover of “The Walk”: its haunting, layered vocal loops, searing guitar, and chilly drums echo the confused industrial pop of Steven Severin and Robert Smith’s ’80s side project, the Glove. Though there’s a bounty of generally unknowns here who are hard-pressed to improve a Cure song, that’s not the point. Consider Perfect a glimpse into today’s underground scene through the eyes of a no-fail avant-pop standard.