“Fly Me To the Moon”

I’m sitting at my computer, iPod at full blast. Listening to the first CD I ever bought.

You always remember your first: first kiss, first car, first concert . . . you just do. Jen, freshman year, 1988 Buick LeSabre and Andy Gibb at Six Flags. The first CD I ever bought still remains one of my favorites today: The Cure “Disintegration.”

Hailed as the “Dark Side of the Moon” for the alternative crowd, this masterpiece was just recently reissued in a 3-disc deluxe set. I plugged the updated version into my iPod last night and got lost in its gorgeousness. Yeah, I used gorgeousness!

“Plainsong” starts off innocently with windchimes you’d have on your back porch . . . then all of a sudden, a kick to your midsection with the keyboards!

I’ll admit, it was an indie record store in Massapequa. Didn’t have a driver’s license at the time. My ‘rents dropped me off before they went food shopping at the Walbaums’ across the street (still can’t remember the name of the store–it was next to Massapequa HS, next to the bagel store that had the Batman signal graffitied on the side wall) and I went through my ritual of browsing used vinyl & cassettes. Behind the counter, a brown box with less than a dozen advanced copies of the Cure’s latest screamed “BUY ME.” We had a record player but no CD player . . . yet. I plunked down my $8.99 plus tax and waited for my folks to pick me up.

My dad’s best friend had the latest in technology, he transferred the disc to high res cassette for me.

Upon first listen, the wind chimes of “Plainsong” were just a subtle warning to what my ears weren’t ready to comprehend . . .

Many nights were spent listening to “Disintgration” in its entirety. And now, 21 years later, I’m still overwhelmed by it’s majesty.

The re-release contains Robert Smith’s home demos and an expanded version of the Cure’s “Entreat” live album.

“Disintegration” will still blow the doors off of your musical boundaries.