meet the cure’s robot smith

I just realized something today, and maybe I am wrong. It seems like the only Robert Smith appearances I can recall over the past half a decade (nearly) have been guest appearances on electronic tracks. Has Robert gone Robot? Or have I just overlooked other collaborations in different genres? Are there additional electro-cameos I missed?

Of all the tracks on eMusic I only really like one, Tweaker’s Truth Is (which my girlfriend believes should be a pole dancing staple, and isn’t entirely electronic). I would also like to strongly recommend both Tweaker ablums (2 A.M. Wakeup Call and The Attraction To All Things Uncertain) which finds ex NIN drummer Chris Vrenna collaborating with other notables including Will Oldham/Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy, David Sylvian, Shudder to Think’s Craig Wedren, Modest Mouse’s Johnny Marr, The Walkmen’s Hamilton Leithauser and Elysian Fields’ Jennifer Charles.

Actually I take that back, I was just listening to the Paul Hartnoll/Robert Smith single for Please and I really liked the Remember 1992 version which features more prominent female vocals and some very Orbitalesque treatment (fitting). I find it much more appealing than the original.

The Junkie XL and Junior Jack tracks I find a bit disposable, neither would hold their own very well without Robert’s involvement. A little disappointing considering I do like a fair bit of Junkie XL’s stuff. I much prefer the Gary Numan and Chuck D contributions to that album.

The strangest ditty is on the latest Faithless album To All New Arrivals, an experimental track with pitch shifted vocal weirdness throughout most and a single reprise of the chorus of The Cures Lullaby. Very weird and not all that listenable. I couldn’t figure out if all the pitch shifty stuff was Robert, or just the apparently re-recorded Lullaby part.

A mixed bag to be sure, but still some worthwhile stuff. Perhaps we will see a new Cure album this year though, since they seem to be releasing one every 4 years now.