The Personal Impacts Of The Cure's 'Seventeen Seconds' | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Entertainment

The Personal Impacts Of The Cure's 'Seventeen Seconds'

A piece on how The Cure's 1980 album made an impact on me.

211
The Personal Impacts Of The Cure's 'Seventeen Seconds'
Post-Punk.Com

For me, there is very little out there that touches the music of The Cure. Having been a favorite of mine ever since my high school days, The Cure has always been an artist that I hold in very high regard. Creating classics such as 1982's 'Pornography' and 1989's 'Disintegration', The Cure has made a distinctive mark on the music world since their formation in 1976. I love The Cure's dark but highly atmospheric sound, accompanied by Robert Smith's frail voice and overwhelming sense of melancholy. The Cure's music manages to be beautiful in a transcendent way as well, and they have a surprising amount of diversity. The Cure is an excellent band, and one album that has stuck with me is 1980's 'Seventeen Seconds'.

'Seventeen Seconds' has affected me for its minimalist nature. The keyboards play over the music in an understated fashion, and Robert Smith's choppy guitars are infused with a subtly dreamy sound. Fluid basslines combine with mechanical drums to create a simple rhythm section, and 'Seventeen Seconds' has an austere mood that gets me every time. I find the album to be an excellent example of subtlety in music, as its simplicity creates a barren feeling that washes over me. 'Seventeen Seconds' is similar to traveling in a desolate wasteland, and the nuances of the music creates a creepy aura that sends chills up my body.

I also love how 'Seventeen Seconds' carries The Cure's trademark sound in spellbinding ways. Its lyrics are full of Robert Smith's sad observations of the world, as he discusses themes of depression and misery. 'Seventeen Seconds' shows the pain that Robert Smith goes through in its songs, and it carries a sorrow that never fails to move me. Songs such as 'A Forest' and 'In Your House' carry the textures that are present in The Cure's music, and 'Seventeen Seconds' has a scary sound that can disturb me. The album captures the essence of The Cure, and its haunting sound can ring in my mind for hours.

The album is also an excellent fit for late night adventures. 'Seventeen Seconds' is exactly the kind of music that I can listen to at one in the morning, as its eerie sound suggests unsettling scenarios in my mind. Listening to 'Seventeen Seconds' is like meeting a bizarre creature that comes out of the night, and it fits a darkness that occurs at midnight. The icy nature of the musicianship emphasizes the obscure aura that I get from 'Seventeen Seconds', and it comforts me during the mysterious elements of the night. 'Seventeen Seconds' is an album that is made for the darker parts of the day, and its bleak sound is perfect for lonely nights.

Overall, 'Seventeen Seconds' shows why The Cure are one of my favorite bands. I love the simplicity that went into the album, as it shows how The Cure still manage to affect me so much while utilizing so little. 'Seventeen Seconds' contains The Cure's classic sound in unique ways, through its sadness and incredible atmosphere. I also like how the album is meant to be heard at night, as its sound is perfect for nocturnal times of the day. The Cure is a fantastic band, and 'Seventeen Seconds' is another gem in their discography.

Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
Student Life

The 5 Painfully True Stages Of Camping Out At The Library

For those long nights that turn into mornings when the struggle is real.

219
woman reading a book while sitting on black leather 3-seat couch
Photo by Seven Shooter on Unsplash

And so it begins.

1. Walk in motivated and ready to rock

Camping out at the library is not for the faint of heart. You need to go in as a warrior. You usually have brought supplies (laptop, chargers, and textbooks) and sustenance (water, snacks, and blanket/sweatpants) since the battle will be for an undetermined length of time. Perhaps it is one assignment or perhaps it's four. You are motivated and prepared; you don’t doubt the assignment(s) will take time, but you know it couldn’t be that long.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

The 14 Stages Of The Last Week Of Class

You need sleep, but also have 13 things due in the span of 4 days.

286
black marker on notebook

December... it's full of finals, due dates, Mariah Carey, and the holidays. It's the worst time of the year, but the best because after finals, you get to not think about classes for a month and catch up on all the sleep you lost throughout the semester. But what's worse than finals week is the last week of classes, when all the due dates you've put off can no longer be put off anymore.

Keep Reading...Show less
Student Life

28 Daily Thoughts of College Students

"I want to thank Google, Wikipedia, and whoever else invented copy and paste. Thank you."

920
group of people sitting on bench near trees duting daytime

I know every college student has daily thoughts throughout their day. Whether you're walking on campus or attending class, we always have thoughts running a mile a minute through our heads. We may be wondering why we even showed up to class because we'd rather be sleeping, or when the professor announces that we have a test and you have an immediate panic attack.

Keep Reading...Show less
Lifestyle

The Great Christmas Movie Debate

"A Christmas Story" is the star on top of the tree.

2214
The Great Christmas Movie Debate
Mental Floss

One staple of the Christmas season is sitting around the television watching a Christmas movie with family and friends. But of the seemingly hundreds of movies, which one is the star on the tree? Some share stories of Santa to children ("Santa Claus Is Coming to Town"), others want to spread the Christmas joy to adults ("It's a Wonderful Life"), and a select few are made to get laughs ("Elf"). All good movies, but merely ornaments on the Christmas tree of the best movies. What tops the tree is a movie that bridges the gap between these three movies, and makes it a great watch for anyone who chooses to watch it. Enter the timeless Christmas classic, "A Christmas Story." Created in 1983, this movie holds the tradition of capturing both young and old eyes for 24 straight hours on its Christmas Day marathon. It gets the most coverage out of all holiday movies, but the sheer amount of times it's on television does not make it the greatest. Why is it,
then? A Christmas Story does not try to tell the tale of a Christmas miracle or use Christmas magic to move the story. What it does do though is tell the real story of Christmas. It is relatable and brings out the unmatched excitement of children on Christmas in everyone who watches. Every one becomes a child again when they watch "A Christmas Story."

Keep Reading...Show less
student thinking about finals in library
StableDiffusion

As this semester wraps up, students can’t help but be stressed about finals. After all, our GPAs depends on these grades! What student isn’t worrying about their finals right now? It’s “goodbye social life, hello library” time from now until the end of finals week.

1. Finals are weeks away, I’m sure I’ll be ready for them when they come.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments