Revisiting 'Japanese Whispers'

Yesterday's grey skies and unseasonable chill -- we're experiencing mid-November weather in mid-October -- had me listening to THE CURE in the car.
"JAPANESE WHISPERS" provided my soundtrack and as I listened to the 1983 compilation several thoughts emerged.
I considered how this album loomed large during my high-school years. It seemed like everybody had a copy -- almost always on cassette -- and songs such as "Let's Go to Bed" and "The Walk" seemed to be playing in a vast number of cars and bedrooms.
I also considered how the collection of singles and their B-sides provided an introduction to The Cure for many of my friends.
I had been hooked on the earlier, darker version of the band's sound found on "FAITH," a 1981 album whose shadowy, grey cover images perfectly suited the music contained inside.
The Cure that "Japanese Whispers" presented was a band with bouncy pop songs such as "Speak My Language" and "The Love Cats" -- a far cry, I thought, from the dour, earlier tunes such as "The Funeral Party" and "The Drowning Man."
I enjoyed listening to "Japanese Whispers" during my busy day of work. It reminded me of the time when the music was new, and I was so young and impressionable.