--- product_id: 36166116 title: "Seventeen Seconds" brand: "the cure" price: "468 Lei" currency: RON in_stock: false reviews_count: 11 url: https://www.desertcart.ro/products/36166116-seventeen-seconds store_origin: RO region: Romania --- # Seventeen Seconds **Brand:** the cure **Price:** 468 Lei **Availability:** ❌ Out of Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Seventeen Seconds by the cure - **How much does it cost?** 468 Lei with free shipping - **Is it available?** Currently out of stock - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.ro](https://www.desertcart.ro/products/36166116-seventeen-seconds) ## Best For - the cure enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted the cure brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Originally a Goth-flavored post-punk outfit, the Cure evolved into one of the truly seminal bands of the '80s, and ultimately one of modern rock's most celebrated and influential acts. Guided by creative visionary Robert Smith, the Cure's signature sound balances a dreamy pop savvy with a dark, brooding majesty and fuses superbly crafted, literate songs with a feverish emotional intensity. The band's early catalog-newly remastered and expanded wtih a wealth of rarities-is a series of masterpieces that laid the groundwork for their phenomenal and enduring popularity. ## Images ![Seventeen Seconds - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/312zQ6jeHnL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ stark, hauntingly seductive--the Cure's first masterpiece *by M***N on Reviewed in the United States on June 23, 2006* Robert Smith explains in the 2005 2 CD deluxe edition reissue of "Seventeen Seconds" that this is "the first record I felt was really The Cure", and although I feel this statement is pushing it a bit, it's still very understandable. Although Smith was just turning 21 around the time of "Seventeen Seconds"' initial release in April of 1980, the Cure had already made their first masterpiece. (It has now been reissued in single CD form in April of 2006.)It shouldn't be overlooked though that The Cure's 1979 debut "Three Imaginary Boys", a strong album in its own right, did point the way toward "Seventeen Seconds", in particular on tracks like "Another Day" and especially the title track. There's no denying though that "Seventeen Seconds" marks a major turning point for The Cure--the sound here is more thoroughly haunting, more claustrophobic, with an incredibly icy snare drum sound throughout, and with Smith's vocals often being pushed WAY back in the mix and never as upfront as on many of the songs from "Three Imaginary Boys".Smith also explains in the deluxe edition liner notes that the group made virtually no modifications to their 'basic set-up' throughout the album's entire 10-day recording session, and quite frankly, this method proved to be an absolute blessing. For one thing, it allowed the band to work quickly and affordably since they were still relatively low on money at the time. At the same time, it also accounts for the album's consistent sound which gives it an irresisible, mesmerizing flow. There don't appear to be that many overdubs at all on the album, which could be attibuted to the lack of time and money the band had at their disposal, but again, this proved to be an advantage--the starkness of the album is absolutely arresting.It appears that Smith pretty much had in mind exactly what he wanted when the band went into the studio to record "Seventeen Seconds". As the saying goes, there doesn't appear to be a note out of place anywhere on the entire album--the overall level of craftsmanship is astonishing. The performances themselves are nearly as precise--the only time the band sounds a bit 'off' is on the intro portion of "Play For Today" where Lol Tolhurst's bass drumming seems to be a tad behind the beat. Tolhurst's lack of technical proficiency on the drums has been well-documented, but aside from this extremely minor gripe, his limitations don't hinder the album whatsover. Frankly, on most of the songs you could almost swear the band was using a drum machine opposed to a real living drummer.Keyboardist Matthieu Hartley joined the band for just this one album before leaving. "Play For Today", "In Your House", "M", "A Forest", and the title track all use synthesizers in a mind-blowingly unobtrusive manner that enhances their moody feel.Every song here is in a minor key, and even with such a strong emphasis on 'mood', the band still managed to pile in catchy hooks and/ or arresting melodies into pretty much every song. Much of this is thanks to Smith's guitar work, which is brilliant throughout--check out his superbly 'rubbery' rhythm work on "Play For Today"; his dreamy arpeggios on "In Your House"; and his ingeniously dissonant chords on "At Night". "A Forest" is a thrilling uptempo epic that culminates in Smith's cathartic, frantic riffing, and the 8-note guitar riff that appears on the intro leaves such an impression that you might not even realize that it never reappears after the first minute & a half of this nearly-6-minute song.Like Pink Floyd before them, the Cure prove themselves to be masters of pacing. There are three instrumentals/ near-instrumentals here, and they each work as links in the chain as opposed to just album fillers. The album starts off with the gentle, yet creepy and contemplative instrumental "A Reflection". "Three" has a robotic kind of repetitiveness to it, and is basically an instrumental, although there are some extremely buried vocals that seem to be mostly spoken and are almost totally inaudible. The atonal, haunted house-style "The Final Sound", which is less than a minute, perfectly sets up "A Forest".There's just so much musical invention here... Smith's guitar kind of takes a backseat on "Secrets" which has a prominent, memorable bass line and extremely distant-sounding piano chiming. The beginning part of "Play For Today" features brilliant interplay between Gallup's bass and Smith's expert use of guitar harmonics.The only track on the album that comes up a little short is the album-closing title track. It's not BAD--it does have a neat build-up and build-down, but it feels a bit too sketchy and melodramatic, as if they couldn't quite figure out how to bring the album to a satisfying conclusion.The Cure would go on to make more elaborately-produced recordings later on, but "Seventeen Seconds" remains a key touchstone in their discography, and a phenomenal record in its own right. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Why buy the more expensive album? *by J***L on Reviewed in the United States on January 5, 2023* When you see the same album listed for sale twice, and one is more expensive, get the more expensive one—there’s a reason for it ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Ahh! The Second Album by The Cure And It Is A Deluxe Edition *by J***K on Reviewed in the United States on July 10, 2019* This, I consider, to be the album that sold me on The Cure in the first place. Back in the 80's, we had a club in Cherry Hill, New Jersey called "Emerald City". I had gone frequently to see various bands play live. The one and only time I had seen The Cure, was there. They had played several tunes from "Seventeen Seconds" as well as from their first album. They were a four-piece at that time and were very good live. The main song from this album that sold me was "A Forest". That tune had always blown me away whether it be record or live. I, however, proceeded to go out the next day to buy this album and when I got home and gave it a listen, I was floored and I couldn't believe how great it was. From there on I proceeded to purchase their other album, which was their first, and the same with that album. You should get this deluxe edition before it gets away and can not be caught because it is great. The audio quality is great and the tunes are great! --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.ro/products/36166116-seventeen-seconds](https://www.desertcart.ro/products/36166116-seventeen-seconds) --- *Product available on Desertcart Romania* *Store origin: RO* *Last updated: 2026-05-02*