Staring at the Sea: The Singles [Import]

• Track Listing

Out of print in the U.S. Import pressing of this collection, the first and still most popular Cure compilation on the market. Staring at the Sea contains 17 absolute gems spanning their first eight years (1978-85) ranging from the dark, minimalist "Killing An Arab" to the almost symphonic "A Night Like This". This set traces The Cure's evolution from Post-Punk trio through the early years of the band's reinvention as gloomy and mildly psychedelic romantics. Staring at the Sea (AKA Standing on a Beach) includes the catchy "Boys Don't Cry" and "The Walk", The Cure's response to New Order's early attempts at electronic dance music. Also present here are the hauntingly beautiful "Charlotte Sometimes", not available on any of the band's studio albums, and "The Lovecats", one of The Cure's more unique and most commercially successful singles. This excellent compilation effectively summarizes the growth of one of new wave's most formidable forces. It also serves as an ideal introduction to The Cure.