The Glove- Blue Sunshine (1983) Deluxe Edition (Bonus Disc) MP3 & FLAC

"The first idea flew thin and uninvited from the sky. I reached out my hands and held the knife of ice."

The process of recording and touring Pornography took a huge toll on The Cure, as bassist Simon Gallup quit the band and Robert Smith decided to step in as guitarist for Siouxsie and The Banshees (a job he had held briefly in 1979) after the brilliant John McGeoch was jettisoned due to severe alcohol abuse. During this time, Smith and fellow-Banshee Steve Severin hatched the idea to write and record a single as a one-off collaboration, but the project soon escalated into a full album. However, things took a surreal turn when it was revealed that Smith's recording contract with The Cure prevented him from singing on other releases, so in a pinch, Jeanette Landray, the girlfriend of Banshee drummer Budgie and a dancer on Top of the Pops with no singing experience, was recruited to provide most of the vocals. By most accounts, the sessions for Blue Sunshine were a hedonistic affair, but Smith and Severin somehow came up with an album's-worth of material. The sound of Blue Sunshine is a volatile cocktail of Goth, Psychedelia, and eccentric pop, and while Smith's distinctive vocals are certainly missed (although he does manage to sing on two tracks), Landray does a respectable job, though it's hard to overlook her similarity in tone to Siouxsie Sioux, a comparison in which Landray comes up considerably short. On "Like an Animal," one of Landray's best performances, Steve Severin's bass takes the lead to great effect, as cheesy keyboard washes and frenetic percussion keep the song from moving too far into darker territory. Where Blue Sunshine gets really interesting is on songs such as "Orgy" with its Middle-Eastern aesthetic and quirky twists and turns. It's all so vaguely Cure, but ultimately unlike anything else in Smith's considerable discography.

Blue Sunshine (2006 Deluxe Edition)

Disc I: Blue Sunshine (2006 Remaster)
 1. Like an Animal  (4:44)
 2. Looking Glass Girl  (4:56)
 3. Sex-Eye-Make-Up  (4:22)
 4. Mr. Alphabet Says  (3:50)
 5. A Blues in Drag  (3:12)
 6. Punish Me with Kisses  (3:40)
 7. This Green City  (4:34)
 8. Orgy  (3:19)
 9. Perfect Murder  (4:27)
10. Relax  (6:13)
-Bonus Tracks-
11. The Man from Nowhere (Original Instrumental Mix)  (1:46)
12. Mouth to Mouth (Landray Vocal Mix)  (5:40)
13. Punish Me with Kisses (Mike Hedges Mix)  (3:30)
14. The Tightrope (Original Instrumental Mix)  (3:22)
15. Like an Animal (12" Club What Club? Mix)  (5:38)

MU: Lossy (MP3@320) 

MU: Lossless (FLAC)

Disc II: Rarities (1983)

 1. Like an Animal (Robert Smith Vocal Demo)  (4:38)

 2. Looking Glass Girl (Robert Smith Vocal Demo)  (4:28)

 3. Sex-Eye-Make-Up (Robert Smith Vocal Demo)  (4:27)

 4. Mr. Alphabet Says (Alternate Robert Smith Vocal Demo)  (4:06)

 5. A Blues in Drag (Alternate Robert Smith Vocal Demo)  (3:11)

 6. Punish Me with Kisses (Robert Smith Vocal Demo)  (3:30)

 7. This Green City (Robert Smith Vocal Demo)  (4:31)

 8. Orgy (Robert Smith Vocal Demo)  (3:41)

 9. Perfect Murder (Alternate Robert Smith Vocal Demo)  (4:04)

10. Relax (Alternate Robert Smith Vocal Demo)  (6:15)

11. The Man from Nowhere (Alternate Instrumental Mix)  (1:47)

12. Mouth to Mouth (Robert Smith Demo Vocal)  (6:06)

13. Opened the Box (A Waltz) (Robert Smith Vocal Demo)  (1:29)

14. The Tightrope (Almost Time) (Robert Smith Vocal Demo)  (3:14)

15. And All Around Us the Mermaids Sang (AKA Torment) (Robert Smith Vocal Demo)  (3:26)

16. Holiday 80 (Original Instrumental Mix)  (1:45)

MU: Lossy (MP3@320)

MU: Lossless (FLAC)