The Cure has never done anything in the vein of synth pop, that is very true. No similarities whatsoever between these two bands historically. I fully agree!
A lot of Japanese Whispers could be classed as synth pop, that album alone tops the depeche mode's back catalogue.
Apart from both bands using keyboards, I hear very little similarities between the bands. The Cure's contemporaries were more New Order, Cocteaus, Bunnymen, Banshees, Furs.
steve
Big Hand
Songs Of A Lost World *CRUMPET BOY*
Steve, I shouldn't attempt silly irony online! I love both bands and find the countless similarities between them fascinating.
I think it's hard sometimes to put a finger on what attracts fans to two seemingly quite different bands. I think sometimes a lot lies in both their abilities to swing from light to dark moods within their repertoires which will win fans of different tastes (just my theory). I'll admit I could take or leave DM at first. They did seem a bit mainstream for an alternative band. But they gradually got a lot darker & heavier which I really enjoyed as it struck a chord with me & I suppose I learnt to appreciate the earlier output a bit more. I now think New Life is an amazing tune when I never really gave it too much thought before. The Cure sort of did it in reverse.
Steve, I shouldn't attempt silly irony online! I love both bands and find the countless similarities between them fascinating.
I think it's hard sometimes to put a finger on what attracts fans to two seemingly quite different bands. I think sometimes a lot lies in both their abilities to swing from light to dark moods within their repertoires which will win fans of different tastes (just my theory). I'll admit I could take or leave DM at first. They did seem a bit mainstream for an alternative band. But they gradually got a lot darker & heavier which I really enjoyed as it struck a chord with me & I suppose I learnt to appreciate the earlier output a bit more. I now think New Life is an amazing tune when I never really gave it too much thought before. The Cure sort of did it in reverse.
Funny... I'm recently listening to some of old DM that I thought had gone into oblivion on my part & were just OK back in the days. New Life is a killer and Dreaming Of Me is right behind... That renewed need to listen to that again may have been triggered by some "lighter" sounds of Ghosts Again. A "new old" song to my ears, in a way, which I like a lot - I HAD TO learn that guitar part ! (but the rest of the album doesn't cut it for me)...
Like with The Cure I tend to listen to a lot of the live stuff these days. Never get tired of listening to '90 and '93 shows among others. Watched some clips from this tour, it's pretty good. This album seems a bit better than the last one but yeah, songwriting is not easy to keep fresh over the decades. They play Sister of Night from Ultra on this tour. Not that well known of a song but it's just, another level of songwriting next to the latest stuff.
Pipperoo
Big Hand
Songs Of A Lost World Moon Moderator
You cannot go by me as a Cure fan. I have very eclectic musical taste. From classical all the way to disco. My main listens are classic rock, punk, new wave, goth rock. Yes i like DM but not sure on the new album yet. Still sorting it out in my ears.
I wouldn't say that I'm a huge fan but I look forward to seeing them in Berlin. Like Steve, I never really liked their early stuff because they were too mainstream for me. Black Celebration was the first album I really liked and it made go and check our their earlier stuff. The new album is ok. Having low expectations certainly has its advantages. I like how it sounds and there are some beautiful bits here and there. I haven't really wanted to listen to it again after the first time but I stuck with it and some songs have grown on me.
https%3A%2F%2Fsoundcloud.com%2Fuser-464073186%2F2023-05-28-depeche-mode-everything-counts-bratislava-narodny-futbalovy-stadion I simply enjoyed their show in Bratislava. Just music and not trying to schoolmaster (or boring / annoying people) the crowd as U2. The latter making total irrelevant music too. (my opinion)
Are you attending the Budapest show in July? I am quite sure they will do an indoor show next year
I think I'll swerve them to be honest. The new album's yet another snooze fest & nobody needs to hear Enjoy The Silence or Personal Jesus ever again
I did not buy their last album because being a pale shadow of their previous efforts. But live they are still excellent. I enjoyed both songs in Bratislava btw. - in the opposite of One 2018 for e.g. regretting nomy decision watching only one Cure show 2022
I've just seen them in Dublin tonight and it was a pretty good show. It was my second time only seeing them live. First time was also in Dublin, but in winter and indoor, whereas tonight it was outdoor and at the end of a very sunny summery day, so different vibe overall.
Both great shows, though.
For me, their best stuff is from mid-late eighties to early nineties, but I think Playing The Angel was a pretty solid return-to-form album.
What they have done afterwards has been more hit and miss, but still with some very good songs here and there (I would say something similar for The Cure since WMS onwards. However, for me there's The Cure, in their own league, and then other bands/musicians, in a different, lesser league. But I'm digressing...)
! (but the rest of the album doesn't cut it for me)... 
