With a now mostly stabilized lineup — Lol Tolhurst was increasingly caught in his addictions but the return of Simon Gallup and especially the addition of Boris Williams meant a crackerjack rhythm section was in place — the Cure hit a new, remarkable high with The Head on the Door. It turned out to be the last short album they ever released, but it’s practically a demonstration of the Cure as concept, able to move from the shuddering angst of “The Baby Screams” and “Sinking” to the bright but still wry pop beauties of “Inbetween Days” and “Close To Me.”

– Ned Raggett