The Frontman's Favourite

It's not a simple or straightforward relationship, the one that ties Robert Smith to his own back catalogue. While some works remain central for the Cure frontman, in other cases he continues to harbour doubts or reservations. Recently, speaking with BBC Radio DJ Matt Everitt, as well as revealing which songs make him proudest – in particular the title track of "Faith", "Untitled" from "Disintegration" and "To Wish Impossible Things" from "Wish" – Smith also recalled which release he doesn't look back on with any particular fondness, specifically naming the self-titled 2004 album. "It's the only album I don't think works," Smith admitted.

If there's a kind of widespread, cross-generational consensus among fans that pinpoints the peaks of their discography in "Disintegration", "Pornography", "Seventeen Seconds" and "Faith", the rest of the Cure's catalogue escapes any definitive hierarchy, shifting in critical judgment and in listening over time. The immediate impact of "Wish", for instance, is hard to replicate, but albums like "Bloodflowers" or "Wild Mood Swings" have emerged more slowly, growing richer with each listen and revealing new shades of the sonic kaleidoscope that defines the identity of the former Three Imaginary Boys. And it will be interesting to see, once the initial enthusiasm fades, how fans will regard in a few years' time the great 2024 comeback record, "Songs Of A Lost World", which some have perhaps rather hastily placed among the British band's finest achievements.

Robert Smith, however, has always kept his own personal map of preferences, which often doesn't match that of the public or the critics. Among the titles he considers essential – as Far Out magazine notes – is certainly "Pornography", despite it being seen at the time as an almost commercially suicidal gamble. Likewise, he defends "Bloodflowers", rarely counted among the band's major works, but central to his own vision since he conceived it as the ideal third chapter alongside "Pornography" and "Disintegration", as well as for lyric writing that, in his view, holds up against those two records. Smith also reads "Wild Mood Swings" against the grain. While acknowledging its flaws — an overlong runtime and questionable choices such as the inclusion of "Gone!" and "Round & Round & Round" — he still considers it one of the band's most accomplished works melodically and lyrically.

There is, however, another title that Smith has always pointed to, without hesitation, as the band's highest peak: the live album "Show", released in 1992. Despite his affection for most of their studio output, records like "Wish" marked for him the start of a phase of diminished creative drive, with the sense of moving forward without taking any real risks. "Show", on the other hand, represents a precise turning point. As Smith himself has recalled, that concert captured the Cure "at the peak of their powers", shortly before an internal rupture that he himself saw as inevitable by the end of the "Wish" tour.

Recorded at The Palace in Auburn Hills, Michigan, during the "Wish Tour" dates of 18 and 19 July 1992, "Show" documents the Cure at the height of their commercial exposure. The setlist alternates career-defining hits – such as "The Walk", "Let's Go To Bed" and "Just Like Heaven" – with a substantial selection of tracks from "Wish", then their latest release, alongside key moments from their back catalogue — from "Disintegration", to "The Head On The Door" to "Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me" — capturing on tape a balance that would be hard to replicate.

The album was released in two different configurations. The version issued in Europe, Asia and most international markets features 18 tracks spread across two CDs or two LPs. By contrast, the edition released in the United States and Oceania was trimmed down to 14 songs on a single disc. To complement this shorter edition, the single "Sideshow" was released, gathering the four tracks left off the album, including "Tape", the brief instrumental intro used to open the tour's shows.

Alongside the record release, an official video, also titled "Show", was issued, further expanding the live document. In addition to the 18 tracks on the full version of the album, the film includes five additional performances from the same show: "To Wish Impossible Things", "Primary", "Boys Don't Cry", "Why Can't I Be You?" and "A Forest".

"Show" thus marks an arrival point, more than a simple live snapshot, one that precisely captures the moment the Cure reached the very peak of their artistic trajectory.

Ride the wave of great music

Add OndaRock to your favorite sources on Google Discover. Don't miss our reviews, milestones and latest news straight in your feed.

Follow on Google

11/04/2026