3. The Cure - Pornography - 1982

Now this one is really special. This isn't just great, it's a landmark record. That gets thrown around a lot, "landmark record". In this case it applies in spades. Almost every track is perfection. This is the granddaddy of all dark/goth records by a mile. Nothing else is even close in terms of both quality and impact. It starts off with One Hundred Years. The opening lines:
"It doesn't matter if we all die.
Ambition in the back of a black car".
That sets the pace. What follows is the most melodic trip through darkness and depression in rock and roll history. Written by an alcoholic deep in the grip of an overpowering disillusionment with the world and himself. Both the lyrics and music are stunning! Siamese Twins, The Figurehead, A Strange Day and Cold are among the best songs The Cure have ever made. Cold could easily be in an old horror film's soundtrack. The guitar work in A Strange Day gets better every time I hear it. The title track and Hanging Garden are the only tracks I skip on cd when listening in my car.

The Figurehead ends with Robert Smith wailing the line "I Will Never Be Clean Again". How appropriate.
Neither will I.

This is a new copy in pretty red vinyl to replace the old one I wore out.