So far, 2004 seems to be the year of the “comeback,” especially when it comes to those musicians who played an important part in laying the foundation for Alternative Music as we know it today. The Cure, who have been around since 1978 and have influenced several generations of Gothic and Alt-Rock bands, recently released their 13th proper album. After the disappointment of their last two albums, I honestly wasn’t expecting too much from them on this release. However, I am very pleasantly surprised with “The Cure” and can safely recommend this as their best work since 1989’s epic masterpiece, “Disintegration.”
The overall tone of the album, like “Disintegration,” is more tense than most of their recent releases. However, there is an edgy energy coupled with this tension that recalls elements from the “Pornography” era [c. 1982]. The opening track “Lost,” where Robert Smith repeats “I can’t find myself” in the chorus as distorted guitars punctuate his feelings of alienation, seems to set the mood for the entire album. The use of sitars and eastern influenced guitar work lends an ethnic texture to the dense atmosphere on “Labyrinth.” “The End of the World,” which is the first single from the album, is more radio friendly than most of the remaining tracks but retains an edge not seen on any single since “Why Can’t I Be You.” It would seem that Robert Smith is going back in time, picking the best nuances from The Cure’s various stages of development and combining them into a modernized cauldron of sound.
For those not familiar with The Cure, this release is a great place to acquaint oneself with such a seminal band. For all old school “Cure fans out there, most should find “The Cure” thoroughlyly enjoyable and loaded with a newfound surge of energy not seen in over 15 years. In the end, it is The Cure sounding like “The Cure” and that should be good enough for anyone.
Reviewed by Alex Slawson and Herman Snell
Previous Comments
I’ve liked what I’ve heard of this album. I plan to purchase via ITMS this weekend.
#63658 | Author: kaust | Date: Jul 23 2004
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The Mississippi Free Press produced this story through the MFP Solutions Lab, supported by the Solutions Journalism Network. This series digs into Mississippi’s systemic issues and sheds light on responses to them in other communities. Beyond just reporting on problems, these stories interrogate their causes and inspect potential solutions.
