Steering away again from a simple followup, the Cure created Wish not as Disintegration Part II but looking more to the variety and reach of albums like The Head on the Door and Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, an implicit argument that the Cure’s approach is simply whatever it wants to be. Songs like “From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea” and “End” kept the howling guitar angst, others like “To Wish Impossible Things” had the wondrous nighttime romance and melancholy, all while “Friday I’m In Love” scored them yet another giddy, sweet pop smash.

– Ned Raggett