The New Day – Voices LP
Something I often admit in conversation is that many of the obscure bands I champion as a DJ/blogger/overall nerd often sound remarkably similar to the bigger, more commercially successful ones. For every true original (whatever that means) there are arguably twenty other bands who tap into the same set of influences and wind up in the same ballpark. Then, of course there are bands where the influences are so strong, it’s uncanny.While my tolerance for new bands doing this is extremely low in 2025, I still have a big soft spot for bands from the 80s and 90s who wore their influences on their sleeves, especially if they’re evoking a particular band whose vocalist sports big floppy hair and copious amounts of lipstick.
With that in mind, here’s the best Cure album you may not have heard from a band from Houston, Texas. Similar to bands like The Essence, Crimson Ivy, and Silent Creatures, The New Day simply adore The Cure from top to bottom, so much so that their name even references one of the best Cure b-sides from The Head on the Door era. Not only that, but this album plays like a series of tracks from that era (as well as Three Imaginary Boys, Seventeen Seconds, and Faith), full of jangly guitar, big hooks, cold synths, similar lyrical themes, and of course, that voice, complete with some yelps here and there.
This is the band’s only album, released on Morning Glory Records in 1986. Of course, you could argue that this album hits too close for comfort, but the truth of is that, for me, the songs are great and there’s some true DIY magic at play here that makes this an instant favorite. I love this album, through and through. Maybe you will as well?
The New Day – Voices LP
1. Sharp Object
2. Flames of Colours
3. The Words
4. Breathing Walls
5. That Noise
6. Scratch
7. Alone
8. Change
9. Pictures R Vague
10. The Voices
June 18, 2025 at 8:56 pm
Sorry but this Curish band never really appelaed to me, cause they re only emulating the Cure but without strong melodies… That’s why the dutch Essence were so unique, they had original talent and songs going with. Indomito.
June 23, 2025 at 8:53 pm
Time to give it a try
Thanks a lot Frankie. Hope you’re fine
June 24, 2025 at 1:16 am
Hmm. Not a bad listen at all, sir. Thanks again.
June 24, 2025 at 7:42 am
i agree with you Indomito about The Esence, they are very special
despite beeing quite influenced, and i like them a lot too.
if you’re interested in The Cure like bands, put an ear on “JE T’AIME”
a contemporary french band, on the pornography vein.
thank’s for the post
antoine
June 25, 2025 at 1:51 pm
also one of my favourite spanish band of the 80’s (de la onda siniestra)
DECIMA VICTIMA
to listen to on bandcamp
June 27, 2025 at 11:27 pm
The Essence tried to be ‘too’ dark. Even Smith, later on, said he wanted to veer away from that in his later work.
June 29, 2025 at 2:40 pm
The current bands that emulate post-punk or shoegaze warm my heart a little with the thought that those sounds and ideas are still inspiring people who are my kids’ age.
The groups from the 80’s who are so clearly indebted to bands like The Cure but can’t escape their influence, on the other hand, seem to prove that talent without inspiration is talent wasted; and that it’s hard work to be a clever thief.
July 3, 2025 at 8:47 am
for those who like cure influenced bands go to Urban Aspirines:
https://urbanaspirines.blogspot.com/2025/07/sei-still-sei-still-2020-el-refugio-2021.html
el refugio, their second album, is really worth a listen
Antoine