"The Head On The Door" was the follow-up to the "The Top" and on its release I thought it was a much stronger LP. Containing two major hit singles, a couple of rock standards, there was also the continued experimentation with different styles from around the world. In comparison with "The Top" the quality was much more even, and I could recall all the tracks except the final two.
The opening track "In Between Days" was the first single and released in advance of the LP as a taster. Featuring a great intro of strummed acoustic guitars with a simple but effective synthesizer it was a breath of fresh air, although some critics accused The Cure of jumping on New Order's train. In any case it remains a great pop song although the joyous feel is slightly at odds with the slightly sad lyrics about getting old. The video also revealed the latest look of the band, with the increasing Gothic and make-up look.
"Kyoto Song", as suggested in the title, has a Japanese flavour although the keyboards sound like the sort of piano given to a 7 year old.
"The Blood" has a Spanish guitar feel, similar to "Piggy In The Middle" and "Bad Mad Girl" from "The Top but over a middle-eastern vibe. The melody is strong, and the dominant lyric is "I am paralysed by the blood of Christ".
The mood changes with "Six Different Ways", which has a quirky off-beat intro, an old fashioned happy synthesizer, and a naive almost nursery rhyme feel to it. It's one of my favourite songs on the album.
Side one finishes with "Push", which has big dramatic guitars building up as the intro continues for almost 2 minutes 20, and is as close as The Cure get to a stadium rock anthem, although they follow-up with "A Night Like This" on side two !
Side Two starts with "The Baby Screams", which chugs along in a run-of-the mill fashion but is unmistakably The Cure. If you were attempting a parody of the band, it would probably sound like this.
"Close To Me" was the second single, but the album version is without the New Orleans style brass band at the end of the single. There is the simple single notes keyboard, a danceable bass line, hand-claps, and a toe-tapping sing-a-long. The video for the single was memorable, with the band playing the song in a wardrobe, eventually falling off Beachy Head.
"A Night Like This" is another stadium anthem with a sax solo, and it could easily have been the third single from the album. It also has perhaps the best chorus on the album "I'm coming to find you if it takes me all night, a witch-hunt for another girl, for always and ever is always for you, your trust, the most gorgeously stupid thing I ever cut in the world"
The album peters out a little with the final two songs. "Screw" has a heavy bass line trying and whilst trying to be funky, it doesn't quite work and I'd be quite happy if I never hear it again.
The final song "Sinking" has the type of organ riff that would not be out of place on Disintegration, played over piano and bass. It is perhaps an updated version of "The Drowning Man" from "Faith"
In summary, listening to "The Head On The Door Again" after just over 35 years, it remains one of the best releases by The Cure.
Track Listing :
Side One :
1. In Between Days
2. Kyoto Song
3. The Blood
4. Six Different Ways
5. Push
1. The Baby Screams
2. Close To Me
3. A Night Like This
4. Screw
5. Sinking
Released : 1985
UK Chart Position : No 7
Singles :
In Between Days ( No 15 - 1985 )
Close To Me ( No 24 - 1985 )
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