Rocktrospectiva: The Cure Remixes Album "Mixed Up" Turns 35

Released on 20 November 1990 "Mixed Up" was a remix album by the English rock band the Cure. The songs included here were remixes of some of their hits, reflecting the popularity of remixing of existing songs and dance culture of the late 1980s and early 1990s. The album spawned three singles "Never Enough", "Close To Me (remix)", "A Forest (tree remix)".

Most of the songs were extended mixes. Several had been previously released on 12" singles, but some were completely remade, with Smith recutting vocals due to the original tapes not being available. The record closes with the extended version of a new single, "Never Enough". The remix of "Pictures of You" was originally released under the title "(Strange Mix)".  Robert Smith described the remix album as something "fun after the doom and gloom of Disintegration".

The Cure also released some other new mixes as the B-sides of the singles from Mixed Up: the first single, "Never Enough", featured a remix of "Let's Go to Bed", titled "Let's Go to Bed" (Milk Mix) on the 12", cassette and CD versions, as well as a new song, "Harold and Joe", while the second single, "Close to Me" (Remix) contained "Just Like Heaven" (Dizzy Mix) on all formats and "Primary" (Red Mix) on the 12", CD and cassette versions as B-sides; the third single, "A Forest" (Tree Mix), contained the original version of the song and "In Between Days" (Shiver Mix) only on 5-inch CD as B-sides

Critics were mixed at the time, several said and saw the band was trying to stay relevant and their attempt to join in the trendy dance style known as house music, and thought some of the songs were poor choices, saying they  really don't need the rhythmic charge they get from added drum tracks. Other said the remixes were quite radical and didn't add something relevant to the songs cause were pure oddities and rare tracks to satisfy fans, but on the hand the tunes were too specialized for casual listeners, so the album regarded as a pause that confused the band career well-known for the creativity.  

 

Mixed Up Track List:  

 

1. Lullaby

2. Close To Me

3. Fascination Street

4. The Walk

5. Lovesong

6. A Forest

7. Pictures Of You

8. Hot Hot Hot!!!

9. The Caterpillar

10. In Between Days

11. Never Enough