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THE REVIEW
Robert Smith, over the years, has read his own mind, suffering, risking suicide but always clarifying his condition. Clarifying after an outburst, that’s the power of writing.
Some define him as a philosopher, others as a poet of sadness... the fact is that it would be wrong not to consider the importance of this strange character, so real with his doubts and troubles and so transcendent in the way he narrates them, immersed in fantasy, like children or great geniuses have.
After teetering between post-punk, dark, new wave, the horizon of intelligent pop begins to appear, never banal, mixed with the usual dark shades. The music of the Cure becomes a bit more catchy but not consequently commercial and of little value. The so-called turning point occurs with this EP, which features music much less sad than previous albums, using keyboards and very captivating rhythms (sometimes almost dance), playful and humorous lyrics but always with that dreamy and mysterious aftertaste that makes us reflect.
“The walk”, “Let’s go to bed” are rhythmic, surreal tracks on the theme of love. In the case of “Just one kiss” (an evocative tale), “The upstairs room” and “La ment” (a play on words?), we return to the dark and rarefied atmospheres of previous albums.
The best track is at the end: “The Lovecats”, the Cure at a swing pace, Robert Smith meows among the verses of this classic, very amusing about “the love cats”. This “Japanese Whispers” is a way to understand the evolution, for others devolution, of Robert Smith's Band.
We are not yet at the levels of future masterpieces (“The top”, “The head on the door”, “Kiss me Kiss me Kiss me”) but it remains a good attempt that highlights changes in progress, a bit immature, especially in the music.
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Summary by Bot
The review highlights Robert Smith's poetic exploration of dark and emotional themes through The Cure's EP Japanese Whispers. It shows a transition toward more melodic, catchy music without losing the band's characteristic depth. The EP mixes playful, surreal, and dark tracks, with 'The Lovecats' as a standout. Though not yet reaching the heights of later masterpieces, it is praised as an important step in the band's evolution.Tracklist Lyrics Videos
The Cure
The Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley and led by singer-songwriter Robert Smith. Since the late 1970s they have moved between post-punk, gothic atmospheres and pop-oriented experiments, producing widely admired albums such as Disintegration and Pornography.89 Reviews
Other reviews
By vikcrow
"I admit to shedding a few tears listening to it."
"A rising climax that explodes like fury, drenching the heart in tears, down to the bones, which helplessly shatter."
By Algeone
The break from the prolifically dark and nihilistic atmospheres of Pornography is immediately evident.
Japanese Whispers encapsulates the essence of this phase and becomes its unique testimony.
