Wish | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 21 April 1992 | |||
Recorded | 1991–1992 | |||
Studio | The Manor (Shipton-on-Cherwell, England) | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 65:42 | |||
Label | Fiction | |||
Producer |
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The Cure chronology | ||||
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Singles from Wish | ||||
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Wish is the ninth studio album by English rock band the Cure, released on 21 April 1992 by Fiction Records in the United Kingdom and Elektra Records in the United States.[3] Wish was the Cure's most commercially successful in the band's career, debuting at number one in the UK and number two in the US, where it sold more than 1.2 million copies.
Recording
The record is the final studio album featuring drummer Boris Williams and the first featuring Perry Bamonte, who was initially working as a roadie for the band,[4] as well as being the last album featuring guitarist Porl Thompson for sixteen years.[5]
Whilst retaining their trademark gothic rock sound and mood on some tracks, Wish often found the band emphasizing the lighter, broader guitar-driven alternative rock direction that was hinted on their previous three records. According to Thompson, Wish was recorded on 48 tracks and "almost everything was used".[6] Robert Smith also revealed the hit song "Friday I'm in Love" was purposely sped up a quarter-tone sharp on the recording tape, halfway between D and E-flat. Smith commented on the speeding up of the tape of the song in a 1993 interview: "[…] that was an accident. I was playing with the vari-speed and forgot to turn it off. But the whole feel changed, and the fact that it's the only song on Wish that's not in concert pitch really lifts it out and makes it sound different. After working on the record for months, hearing something a quarter-tone off makes your brain take a step backwards."[6] Smith also revealed that the "detuning" of the guitars played a role in the unique "sound" of the album, as did the subliminal overdubs and the extensive use of feedback.[6] "A lot of things on our record that sound like heavy chorusing are actually just detuned instruments. The only drawback to that is onstage it's very confusing sometimes, especially with lots of phasing effects going on. It turns into this overwhelming pulsing sound, and you can't hear anything."[6]
Smith also revealed that the songs "Mesmerise" by Chapterhouse, and "Human" by The Human League were an influence on the album, he commented on both songs in 1993: "For every album we do, I assemble a bunch of songs that have something that I'm trying to capture. For Wish, I would listen to 'Mesmerise' by Chapterhouse for its feeling of abandon and 'Human' by The Human League. You couldn't spot anything sonically or structurally that would influence anything we did, but there's an indefinable something that I'm trying to capture. One night I must have played 'Mesmerise' 20 times, drinking and turning it louder and louder, putting myself into a trance."[6]
Release
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [7] |
Chicago Tribune | [8] |
Christgau's Consumer Guide | C+[9] |
Entertainment Weekly | B[10] |
Los Angeles Times | [11] |
NME | 8/10[12] |
Pitchfork | 8.4/10[13] |
Q | [14] |
Rolling Stone | [15] |
Select | 5/5[16] |
The album's lead single was "High", released on 16 March 1992.[17] The single peaked at number eight on the UK Singles Chart, number 42 on the US Billboard Hot 100, and number one on the Billboard Modern Rock Tracks chart.[18][19][20] The album's second single, "Friday I'm in Love", was released on 15 May 1992, a Friday,[21] later reaching number six on the UK Singles Chart, number 18 on the Billboard Hot 100, and number one on the Modern Rock Tracks chart.[22][19][20] The final single was "A Letter to Elise", issued on 5 October 1992.[23] This song reached number twenty-eight in the UK and number two on the Modern Rock Tracks chart.[22][20]
Wish was released on 21 April. It received positive reviews upon release, including a four-star review in Rolling Stone that stated: "For its cult of millions, the Cure offers the only kind of optimism that makes sense."[15] Wish was also the band's overall highest-charting album, and most commercially successful in the band's career. Upon release, Wish would soon debut at number one on the UK Albums Chart, and number two on the US Billboard 200, where it sold more than 1.2 million copies.[22][24] It also reached number one on Cash Box's Top 200 Pop Albums chart in the US on 16 May 1992.[25] Wish was nominated for the Grammy Award for Best Alternative Music Album in 1993.
On 16 November 1993, a limited-edition EP titled Lost Wishes was released on cassette with four new tracks on it.[26]
In 1995, Q included Wish in its publication "In Our Lifetime: Q's 100 Best Albums 1986–94", a list compiled to celebrate its 100th issue.[27]
In 2000 it was voted number 646 in Colin Larkin's All Time Top 1000 Albums.[28]
Reissue
On 13 April 2018, in an interview with BBC Radio 6 Music, Robert Smith confirmed that the deluxe edition of Wish is finished.[29] A release date is yet to be announced.
Track listing
All songs composed by the Cure (Perry Bamonte, Simon Gallup, Robert Smith, Porl Thompson, Boris Williams).
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Open" | 6:51 |
2. | "High" | 3:37 |
3. | "Apart" | 6:40 |
4. | "From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea" | 7:44 |
5. | "Wendy Time" | 5:13 |
6. | "Doing the Unstuck" | 4:24 |
7. | "Friday I'm in Love" | 3:39 |
8. | "Trust" | 5:33 |
9. | "A Letter to Elise" | 5:14 |
10. | "Cut" | 5:55 |
11. | "To Wish Impossible Things" | 4:43 |
12. | "End" | 6:45 |
Lost Wishes EP
Four instrumental tracks taken from the Wish sessions at the Manor Winter 1991. Released in 1994 as a limited edition cassette, through mail order only.
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "Uyea Sound" | 5:21 |
2. | "Cloudberry" | 5:19 |
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
3. | "Off to Sleep..." | 3:38 |
4. | "The Three Sisters" | 4:11 |
Personnel
All credits taken from liner notes [5]
The Cure
- Robert Smith – vocals, guitars, six-string bass, keyboards
- Perry Bamonte – guitars, keyboards, six-string bass on "Friday I'm In Love" and "A Letter to Elise"
- Porl Thompson – guitars
- Simon Gallup – bass guitar
- Boris Williams – drums, percussion
Additional musicians
- Kate Wilkinson – viola on "To Wish Impossible Things"
Production
- Producers: Dave Allen, the Cure
- Engineers: Dave Allen, Steve Whitfield
- Assistant engineer: Chris Bandy
- Mixing: Mark Saunders
- Mixing assistants: Andy Baker, William Parry, Danton Supple, Mark Warner
- Album Cover: Parched Art (Porl Thompson and Andy Vella)
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
Certifications and sales
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[52] | Platinum | 70,000^ |
Canada (Music Canada)[53] | Gold | 50,000^ |
New Zealand (RMNZ)[54] | Gold | 7,500^ |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[55] | Gold | 25,000^ |
United Kingdom (BPI)[56] | Gold | 100,000^ |
United States (RIAA)[57] | Platinum | 1,000,000^ |
Summaries | ||
Worldwide | — | 3,000,000[58] |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
References
- ^ Classic album: The Cure: The Head On The Door. Telford, England: NLA Media. 17 October 2020. p. 51. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
- ^ Sutherland, Mark. "THE CURE Wild Mood Swings". NME. Archived from the original on 17 August 2000. Retrieved 11 May 2022.
- ^ "The Cure : Official Site: Discography :: Wish". thecure.com. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
- ^ "The Cure Cut Two, Ending 10-Year Run with Same Lineup". MTV.
- ^ a b Wish (CD, Vinyl, Cassette). The Cure. Fiction. 1992.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ a b c d e "Interview: Confessions of a Pop Mastermind".
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Wish – The Cure". AllMusic. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
- ^ Kot, Greg (21 April 1992). "They're Lonely At The Top". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (2000). "The Cure: Wish". Christgau's Consumer Guide: Albums of the '90s. St. Martin's Griffin. pp. 67–68. ISBN 0-312-24560-2. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
- ^ Arnold, Gina (24 April 1992). "Wish". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
- ^ Willman, Chris (19 April 1992). "This Cure Is Not Worth the Pain". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
- ^ Quantick, David (18 April 1992). "Bats' Entertainment!". NME. p. 26.
- ^ Sodomsky, Sam (29 May 2022). "The Cure: Wish". Pitchfork. Retrieved 29 May 2022.
- ^ Sandall, Robert (May 1992). "The Cure: Wish". Q. No. 68. p. 72. Archived from the original on 10 May 2000. Retrieved 11 April 2019.
- ^ a b Hunter, James (14 May 1992). "Wish". Rolling Stone. No. 630. p. 101. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
- ^ Morrison, Dave (May 1992). "The Cure: Wish". Select. No. 23. p. 73.
- ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 14 March 1992. p. 21.
- ^ Official Charts
- ^ a b "The Cure - Chart history | Billboard". www.billboard.com. Archived from the original on 11 April 2013.
- ^ a b c "The Cure Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Alternative Songs for The Cure. Nielsen Business Media
- ^ "Chart Focus". Music Week. 23 May 1992. p. 9.
The Cure's idiosyncratic decision to release Friday I'm In Love on Friday instead of Monday...
- ^ a b c "Artists". OfficialCharts.com.
- ^ "New Releases: Singles". Music Week. 3 October 1992. p. 19.
- ^ "Album Search for "wish"". AllMusic.
- ^ a b "Top 200 Pop Albums" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. LV, no. 38. 16 May 1992. p. 14. ISSN 0008-7289 – via World Radio History.
- ^ "The Cure : Official Site : Discography :: Lost Wishes". www.thecure.com. Archived from the original on 15 December 2013.
- ^ "In Our Lifetime: Q's 100 Best Albums 1986–94". Q. London (100). January 1995.
- ^ Colin Larkin (2000). All Time Top 1000 Albums (3rd ed.). Virgin Books. p. 212. ISBN 0-7535-0493-6.
- ^ "Robert Smith Says the Cure's "Wish" Remaster is Finished for Deluxe Edition". 13 April 2018.
- ^ "Australiancharts.com – The Cure – Wish". Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
- ^ "Austriancharts.at – The Cure – Wish" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
- ^ a b c "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 22. 30 May 1992. p. 31. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
- ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – The Cure – Wish" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
- ^ "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 20. 16 May 1992. p. 29. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
- ^ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – The Cure – Wish" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
- ^ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 1992. 31. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
- ^ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 19. 9 May 1992. p. 29. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
- ^ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 20. 16 May 1992. p. 25. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
- ^ "Charts.nz – The Cure – Wish". Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
- ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – The Cure – Wish". Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
- ^ Salaverrie, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. ISBN 84-8048-639-2.
- ^ "Swedishcharts.com – The Cure – Wish". Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – The Cure – Wish". Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
- ^ "The Cure Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 10 December 2013.
- ^ "1992 Year-End Sales Charts – Eurochart Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 9, no. 51/52. 19 December 1992. p. 17. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
- ^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts – 1992" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
- ^ "Top Selling Albums of 1992". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
- ^ "Year End Charts – Top Albums" (PDF). Music Week. 16 January 1993. p. 10. ISSN 0265-1548 – via World Radio History.
- ^ "Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1992". Billboard. Archived from the original on 22 April 2020. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
- ^ Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia’s Music Charts 1988–2010 (PDF ed.). Mt Martha, Victoria, Australia: Moonlight Publishing. p. 71.
- ^ "Canadian album certifications – The Cure – Wish". Music Canada.
- ^ "New Zealand album certifications – The Cure – Wish". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 6 June 2019.
- ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards (The Cure; 'Wish')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien.
- ^ "British album certifications – The Cure – Wish". British Phonographic Industry.
- ^ "American album certifications – The Cure – Wish". Recording Industry Association of America.
- ^ "The Cure - Wish (Album review ) | Sputnikmusic".