{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}} {{Infobox album | name = Faith | type = studio | artist = the Cure | cover = The Cure - Faith.jpg | alt = | released = 14 April 1981<ref name=release>{{cite magazine|date=18 April 1981|title=Polydor puts faith in Cure|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1981/Music-Week-1981-04-18.pdf|magazine=Music Week|page=2|access-date=20 July 2022|archive-date=9 November 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221109160517/https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1981/Music-Week-1981-04-18.pdf|url-status=live}}</ref> | recorded = September 1980 – March 1981 | studio = Morgan, London | genre = {{flatlist| * Gothic rock * post-punk }} | length = 36:54 | label = Fiction | producer = {{flatlist| * The Cure * Mike Hedges }} | prev_title = Seventeen Seconds | prev_year = 1980 | next_title = Pornography | next_year = 1982 | misc = {{Singles | name = Faith | type = studio | single1 = Primary | single1date = 27 March 1981<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1981/Music-Week-1981-03-28.pdf|title=Music Week|page=16}}</ref> }} }}
'''''Faith''''' is the third studio album by the English rock band the Cure, released on 14 April 1981 by Fiction Records. The album saw the band continuing in the gloomy vein of their previous effort ''Seventeen Seconds'' (1980). This stylistic theme would conclude with their next album ''Pornography'' (1982).
Preceded by the single "Primary", the album was well received by critics and was a commercial success in the UK, peaking at number fourteen on the UK Albums Chart and staying on the chart for eight weeks.
== Background == Following the tour for ''Seventeen Seconds'', the Cure returned to Morgan Studios on 27 September 1980 to record a new album, minus Matthieu Hartley, who had departed due to disagreement with the musical direction of the band. During this session, recordings of songs "All Cats Are Grey" and "Primary" were attempted, but neither ended up on the album. Robert Smith was hoping the tracks would sound "funereal", but instead he said "they just sounded dull". Several other studios were tried: Red Bus, Trident, The Roundhouse and Abbey Road.<ref name="Apter">{{cite book |title=Never Enough: The Story of The Cure |last=Apter |first=Jeff |publisher=Omnibus Press |year=2005 |isbn=1-84449-827-1 |url=https://archive.org/details/neverenoughstory00apte}}</ref>
Much of ''Faith'' was written in the studio. Tolhurst says: "We had been on the road constantly, switching between recording an album and touring."<ref>{{Cite book |last=Tolhurst |first=Laurence |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ouxFjwEACAAJ |title=Cured: The Tale of Two Imaginary Boys |date=2016 |publisher=Quercus |isbn=978-1-78429-339-0 |language=en}}</ref> At least two songs on the album, "All Cats Are Grey" and "The Drowning Man", were inspired by the ''Gormenghast'' novels of Mervyn Peake. ''Faith'' was the first album by the Cure to feature a six-string bass guitar; "All Cats Are Grey" (for which drummer Laurence Tolhurst has claimed a rare lyric-writing credit)<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hispacure.com/b/prensa/archivo/reportajes/hispacure/HispaCure_interview_to_Lol_Tolhurst_April2007.pdf |title="Interview to Lol Tolhurst" 27 June 2007 |access-date=29 October 2011|url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120208090429/http://www.hispacure.com/b/prensa/archivo/reportajes/hispacure/HispaCure_interview_to_Lol_Tolhurst_April2007.pdf |archive-date=8 February 2012 }}</ref> features Smith on keyboards and piano, with no guitar at all.
The instrumental piece "Carnage Visors" (i.e., an antonym for "rose-coloured spectacles"; originally available only on the long-play cassette release) is the soundtrack to ''Carnage Visors'', a short film by Ric Gallup, Simon Gallup's brother, that was screened at the beginning of shows in place of a support band on the 1981 Picture Tour, and featured animation of several dolls in different positions and stances.<ref name="Apter"/> The film has since disappeared, and only Smith, Lol Tolhurst and Simon Gallup own copies of it, though during a televised interview in the mid-1980s, the host of the program surprised the band by playing a clip of the film on set.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GnpAU6MkB_4 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211212/GnpAU6MkB_4| archive-date=2021-12-12 |url-status=live|title=The Cure – ''Carnage Visors'' – 45 Seconds Clip <nowiki>!</nowiki> – YouTube |date=20 March 2007 |work=YouTube |access-date=14 October 2012}}{{cbignore}}</ref>
The album's cover, designed by former and future member Porl Thompson, is a veiled picture of the church Bolton Priory, in the fog.<ref name="Apter"/>
== Release and re-issues== ''Faith'' was released on 17 April 1981.<ref name=release/> It reached No. 14 in the UK Albums Chart.<ref name=chart>{{cite web |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/20492/cure/ |title=The Cure |publisher=Official Charts Company |access-date=21 August 2015 |archive-date=11 September 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220911075513/https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/20492/cure/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The album was remastered in 2005 as part of Universal Music's Deluxe Edition series. The new edition featured "Carnage Visors", demos and live tracks as well as the non-album single "Charlotte Sometimes". It also included a few never-before-released tracks (in demo form, all instrumentals). In 2021, a 40th anniversary vinyl picture disc was released for Record Store Day.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://consequence.net/2021/04/record-store-day-2021-releases/|title= 35 Record Store Day Titles to Blow Your Stimulus Check On |first=Alex |last=Young| website=Consequence of Sound|date=7 April 2021 |access-date=19 September 2023}}</ref>
== Critical reception and legacy == {{Music ratings | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1score = {{Rating|3.5|5}}<ref name="AllMusic">{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/faith-mw0000195048 |title=''Faith'' – The Cure |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=15 June 2013 |last=True |first=Chris |archive-date=29 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130529104805/http://www.allmusic.com/album/faith-mw0000195048 |url-status=live }}</ref> | rev2 = ''Blender'' | rev2score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://blender.com/guide/reviews.aspx?id=3481 |title=The Cure: ''Faith'' |magazine=Blender |issue=41 |date=October 2005 |access-date=2 November 2015 |last=Wolk |first=Douglas |author-link=Douglas Wolk |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051130054300/http://blender.com/guide/reviews.aspx?id=3481 |archive-date=30 November 2005 |url-status=dead}}</ref> | rev3 = ''Entertainment Weekly'' | rev3score = B+<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.ew.com/article/2005/04/11/ew-reviews-latest-album-reissues |title=EW reviews the latest album reissues |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=11 April 2005 |access-date=7 January 2016 |last=Sinclair |first=Tom |archive-date=26 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211126045833/https://ew.com/article/2005/04/11/ew-reviews-latest-album-reissues/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | rev4 = ''The Guardian'' | rev4score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2005/may/20/popandrock.shopping10 |title=The Cure, ''Faith'' |newspaper=The Guardian |date=20 May 2005 |access-date=12 November 2012 |last=Sweeting |first=Adam |author-link=Adam Sweeting |archive-date=22 September 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210922060013/https://www.theguardian.com/music/2005/may/20/popandrock.shopping10 |url-status=live }}</ref> | rev5 = ''Mojo'' | rev5score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Death became them |magazine=Mojo |issue=139 |date=June 2005 |last=Perry |first=Andrew |page=116}}</ref> | rev6 = ''Pitchfork'' | rev6score = 8.8/10<ref>{{cite web |url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/11706-seventeen-seconds-faith-pornography/ |title=The Cure: ''Seventeen Seconds'' / ''Faith'' / ''Pornography'' |website=Pitchfork |date=12 May 2005 |access-date=14 October 2012 |last=Abebe |first=Nitsuh |archive-date=25 October 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121025114918/http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/11706-seventeen-seconds-faith-pornography/ |url-status=live }}</ref> | rev7 = ''The Rolling Stone Album Guide'' | rev7score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{cite book |chapter=The Cure |last=Sheffield |first=Rob |author-link=Rob Sheffield |title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide |title-link=The Rolling Stone Album Guide |editor1-last=Brackett |editor1-first=Nathan |editor1-link=Nathan Brackett |editor2-last=Hoard |editor2-first=Christian |editor2-link=Christian Hoard |publisher=Simon & Schuster |edition=4th |year=2004 |isbn=978-0-7432-0169-8 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/205 205–06]}}</ref> | rev8 = ''Smash Hits'' | rev8score = 7/10<ref name="Hepworth">{{cite magazine |title=The Cure: ''Faith'' |magazine=Smash Hits |volume=3 |issue=8 |date=16–29 April 1981 |last=Hepworth |first=David |author-link=David Hepworth |page=29}}</ref> | rev9 = ''Sounds'' | rev9score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}<ref name="Gill">{{cite magazine |title=Faith, Hope and Reverse Psychology |magazine=Sounds |date=25 April 1981 |last=Gill |first=John}}</ref> | rev10 = ''Uncut'' | rev10score = {{Rating|4|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Power of three |magazine=Uncut |issue=97 |date=June 2005 |last=Martin |first=Piers |page=124}}</ref> }}
''Faith'' divided critics upon release. ''Sounds'' reviewer John Gill wrote that while the more uptempo songs "Primary" and "Doubt" were reminiscent of the Cure's previous work, with a "sense of strong, haunting melody", the remainder of the album marked a stark departure for the band; he noted a "Neu!-ish sense of smudged melody, soft tones flowing around a languorous, groaning bass", and found that the band's new sound evoked 1960s acts such as Pink Floyd and the Doors. Gill remarked that "listening to ''Faith'' requires a personal act of involvement, the reward being a sense of belonging."<ref name="Gill"/>
''Melody Maker'' deemed the record "impressive", praising its "richness and deceptive power". Writer Adam Sweeting described ''Faith'' as "a sophisticated exercise in atmosphere and production", adding, "It's gloomy but frequently majestic, never using brute force where auto-suggestion will do. You may not love it, but you'll become addicted to it."<ref>{{cite magazine |title=The Cure's funeral party |magazine=Melody Maker |date=18 April 1981 |last=Sweeting |first=Adam |author-link=Adam Sweeting}}</ref> David Hepworth of ''Smash Hits'' said that "despite some rather stilted lyrics", the Cure "continue to develop one of the most individual and pleasing styles around."<ref name="Hepworth" /> ''NME''{{'}}s review of the album, written by Ray Lowry, was accompanied by a picture of the band and a caption reading: "Gloomy? Gothic? Us?". Lowry wrote that the album "says absolutely nothing meaningful" and dismissed it as "just the modern face of Pink Floydism."<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Cure: cancerous? |magazine=NME |date=18 April 1981 |last=Lowry |first=Ray |author-link=Ray Lowry |page=34}}</ref> ''Record Mirror''{{'}}s Mike Nicholls found that "The Cure remain stuck in the hackneyed doom-mongering that should have died with Joy Division" and panned ''Faith'' as "hollow, shallow, pretentious, meaningless, self-important and bereft of any real heart or soul".<ref>{{cite magazine |title=Grinding halt for the Cure |magazine=Record Mirror |date=18 April 1981 |last=Nicholls |first=Mike |page=16}}</ref>
In a retrospective review, Chris True of AllMusic called ''Faith'' "a depressing record, certainly, but also one of the most underrated and beautiful albums the Cure put together."<ref name="AllMusic"/> In 2010, ''Fact'' ranked the album as one of the 20 best "goth records ever made".<ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.factmag.com/2010/11/02/20-best-goth/ |title=20 best: Goth records ever made |magazine=Fact |date=2 November 2010 |access-date=29 November 2020 |last=Sande |first=Kiran |page=1 |archive-date=28 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220528103132/https://www.factmag.com/2010/11/02/20-best-goth/ |url-status=live }}</ref>
== Track listing ==
{{track listing | headline = Side A | all_lyrics = Robert Smith | all_music = The Cure (Smith, Simon Gallup and Lol Tolhurst) | title1 = The Holy Hour | length1 = 4:25 | title2 = Primary | length2 = 3:35 | title3 = Other Voices | length3 = 4:28 | title4 = All Cats Are Grey | length4 = 5:28 }} {{track listing | headline = Side B | title1 = The Funeral Party | length1 = 4:14 | title2 = Doubt | length2 = 3:11 | title3 = The Drowning Man | length3 = 4:50 | title4 = Faith | length4 = 6:43 }} {{track listing | headline = Cassette/2005 CD Deluxe Edition bonus track | title5 = Carnage Visors: The Soundtrack | length5 = 27:51 }} {{track listing | headline = 2005 CD Deluxe Edition bonus disc: ''Rarities 1980–1981'' | title1 = Faith | note1 = Robert Smith home instrumental demo 8/80 | length1 = 2:56 | title2 = Doubt | note2 = Robert Smith home instrumental demo 8/80 | length2 = 1:09 | title3 = Drowning | note3 = group home instrumental demo 9/80 | length3 = 1:52 | title4 = The Holy Hour | note4 = group home demo 9/80 | length4 = 4:48 | title5 = Primary | note5 = Morgan studio out-take 9/80 | length5 = 4:22 | title6 = Going Home Time | note6 = Morgan studio guide vox out-take 9/80 | length6 = 3:31 | title7 = The Violin Song | note7 = 'Faith' studio guide vox out-take 2/81 | length7 = 3:38 | title8 = A Normal Story | note8 = 'Faith' studio guide vox out-take 2/81 | length8 = 3:04 | title9 = All Cats Are Grey | note9 = live "somewhere", "Summer 1981" | length9 = 5:37 | title10 = The Funeral Party | note10 = live "somewhere", "Summer 1981" | length10 = 4:38 | title11 = Other Voices | note11 = live "somewhere", "Summer 1981" | length11 = 4:45 | title12 = The Drowning Man | note12 = live "Australasia", "Summer 1981" | length12 = 5:48 | title13 = Faith | note13 = live at Capitol Theatre, Sydney, August 1981 | length13 = 10:23 | title14 = Forever | note14 = live "somewhere", "Summer" 1981 | length14 = 9:19 | title15 = Charlotte Sometimes | length15 = 4:13 }}
== Personnel == '''The Cure'''
* Robert Smith – vocals, guitars, keyboards, Bass VI,<ref>{{Cite web |title=12 Incredible Bass VI Performances |url=https://www.fender.com/articles/fender-performances/12-incredible-bass-vi-performances |website=Fender |access-date=2025-02-08}}</ref> production * Simon Gallup – bass guitar, production * Lol Tolhurst – drums, production
'''Production'''
* Mike Hedges – production, engineering * David Kemp – engineering * Graham Carmichael – engineering * Porl Thompson – album cover design
==Charts== {{col-begin}} {{col-2}}
===Weekly charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ 1981 weekly chart performance for ''Faith'' ! scope="col"| Chart (1981) ! scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- ! scope="row"| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)<ref>{{cite Kent|page=79}}</ref> | 38 |- {{album chart|Netherlands|9|artist=The Cure|album=Faith|rowheader=true|access-date=22 June 2021}} |- {{album chart|New Zealand|1|artist=The Cure|album=Faith|rowheader=true|access-date=22 June 2021}} |- {{album chart|Sweden|38|artist=The Cure|album=Faith|rowheader=true|access-date=22 June 2021}} |- {{album chart|UK2|14|date=19810419|rowheader=true|access-date=22 June 2021}} |}
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |+ Weekly chart performance for ''Faith''<br/>(2005 deluxe edition) ! scope="col"| Chart (2005) ! scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- {{album chart|Wallonia|73|artist=The Cure|album=Faith|rowheader=true|access-date=22 June 2021}} |- {{album chart|France|84|artist=The Cure|album=Faith|rowheader=true|access-date=22 June 2021}} |}
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" |+ 2008 weekly chart performance for ''Faith'' ! scope="col"| Chart (2008) ! scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- {{album chart|Italy|74|artist=The Cure|album=Faith|rowheader=true|access-date=22 June 2021}} |}
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ Weekly chart performance for ''Faith''<br/>(40th anniversary edition) ! scope="col"| Chart (2021) ! scope="col"| Peak<br />position |- {{album chart|Scotland|18|date=20210618|rowheader=true|access-date=30 December 2023}} |- ! scope="row"| UK Albums Sales (OCC)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/albums-sales-chart/20210618/7511/ |title=Official Albums Sales Chart |publisher=Official Charts Company |access-date=30 December 2023}}</ref> | 18 |- ! scope="row"| UK Physical Albums (OCC)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/physical-albums-chart/20210618/2/ |title=Official Physical Albums Chart |publisher=Official Charts Company |access-date=30 December 2023}}</ref> | 16 |- ! scope="row"| UK Vinyl Albums (OCC)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/charts/vinyl-albums-chart/20210618/9/ |title=Official Vinyl Albums Chart |publisher=Official Charts Company |access-date=30 December 2023}}</ref> | 8 |- {{album chart|Billboard200|196|artist=The Cure|rowheader=true|access-date=22 June 2021}} |- {{album chart|BillboardAlternative|25|artist=The Cure|rowheader=true|access-date=30 December 2023}} |- {{album chart|BillboardRock|41|artist=The Cure|rowheader=true|access-date=30 December 2023}} |- {{album chart|BillboardTastemaker|11|artist=The Cure|rowheader=true|access-date=30 December 2023}} |} {{col-2}}
===Year-end charts=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" |+ Year-end chart performance for ''Faith'' ! scope="col"| Chart (1981) ! scope="col"| Position |- ! scope="row"| New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-albums/1981-12-31|title=Top Selling Albums of 1981|publisher=Recorded Music NZ|access-date=1 February 2022|archive-date=24 December 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211224051924/https://nztop40.co.nz/chart/albums?chart=3870|url-status=live}}</ref> | 17 |} {{col-end}}
==Certifications== {{certification Table Top}} {{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=New Zealand|artist=the Cure|title=Faith|award=Gold|id=1981-10-09|source=newchart|access-date=2024-11-20|relyear=1981}} {{certification Table Entry|type=album|region=United Kingdom|artist=the Cure|title=Faith|award=Silver|certyear=1985|relyear=1981|access-date=1 June 2019|id=2196-1031-2}} {{Certification Table Bottom | nosales=true}}
== References ==
{{reflist|30em}}
== External links ==
* {{Discogs master|21131|Faith|type=album}}
{{The Cure}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:The Cure albums Category:1981 albums Category:Albums produced by Mike Hedges Category:Fiction Records albums Category:A&M Records albums Category:Elektra Records albums Category:Albums recorded at Morgan Sound Studios