The Cure 'The Cure': Intial thoughts, C/D?

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Picking up where the other thread left off...

My initial assessment: I've only listened to it once and a half but I have to say that I'm inclined to agree with the 'best album since Disintegration' hype. They managed to come up with something really dynamic and urgent, something that was missing IMO in their last three albums. It's varied but doesn't feel forced like WMS, pretty close in spirit to Head on the Door.
Most fan reviews I'd read so far complained about the poppy middle part, but apart from 'alt.end' these are probably my favorite songs so far (esp. 'I don't know what's going on').
I have a feeling VengaDan is gonna be in rapture over 'Us or Them' which condenses 'Watching Me Fall' into 4 minutes of pure rocking goodness.
And the closer 'Going Nowhere' could possibly be my favorite Cure song since 'Homesick' (to which it is pretty similar).

― Baaderoni (Fabfunk), Friday, 25 June 2004 08:32 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm still shocked by the cover.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 25 June 2004 10:34 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www3.hmv.co.uk/hmv/Large_Images/HMV/PRERELCDCURE.JPG
Boo!

― mark grout (mark grout), Friday, 25 June 2004 10:38 (twenty-one years ago)

GAH!

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 25 June 2004 10:45 (twenty-one years ago)

MOMMY, MAKE THE BAD MAN PUT IT AWAY! MAKE HIM STOP MAKE HIM STOP MAKE HIM STOP!!!!

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 25 June 2004 10:45 (twenty-one years ago)

The lyrics for the album are absolutely terrible, one of Robert's worst sets yet (this from the guy who wrote Faith at 22?). However, the music's their best since Disintegration although it does feel a bit too MOR at time due to the production (by the guy who did Limp Dipshit's albums, of course). Robert sounds really fookin' pissed, too, which is a nice change from the idle pace of recent albums. "Us or Them" is a highlight for me, it's probably the best lyric on the album (and I judge that by whether or not I would feel embarrassed singing it aloud) and has an extra punch knocking it above the rest of the tracks. "Taking Off" and "Never" are not terrible, but I found them the weakest as they were rather annoying, not terribly memorable, and I kept wanting them to end. The rest of the music resides on the same level of enjoyability, rather uniform, but it feels more like an album than a mess like WMS. Goodness, this is probably the worst summary of an album I have ever composed...but it's early and I am still sleepy, so I guess I could be excused for that.

― Ian Moraine (Eastern Mantra), Friday, 25 June 2004 11:54 (twenty-one years ago)

You're right. Thinking about the lyrics, I'm realizing that they are pretty weak, even 'Us or Them' is not really insightful.
On the other hand, I feel this is paradoxically maybe also why the album works, as the off-handedness and spontaneity of most tracks provide a welcome break from the ponderous self-absorption of 'Bloodflowers'.

― Baaderoni (Fabfunk), Friday, 25 June 2004 12:06 (twenty-one years ago)

/copy&paste/
The new album is good, really, I listened to it twice and I'm pretty satisfied. A couple of songs are genuinely great and most of the remaining ones are good too. As Dan wrote, _Lost_ is just amazing.
Yes, the lyrics aren't particularly exciting but he sings like he's spitting random words so it works somewhat. Somebody complained about the generic rock production but I think its a fresh departure from the horrible Pro-Tooled sound of _Bloodflowers_. Especially the vocals, unpolished and raw, are a highlight.
But again, I don't think it's possible ask for more to a band with a 25-year long career - this is not _Steel Wheels_ indeed.

― Marco Damiani (Marco D.), Friday, 25 June 2004 12:14 (twenty-one years ago)

The Guardian review: The Cure - The Cure
http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/reviews/story/0,11712,1246648,00.html

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Friday, 25 June 2004 12:16 (twenty-one years ago)

Alex get use to kids artwork, your daughter will be bringing home paintings like that in several years time !

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Friday, 25 June 2004 12:18 (twenty-one years ago)

Initial thoughts:

OMG!!!!!!!!!

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 25 June 2004 13:27 (twenty-one years ago)

i think id feel mostly too embarrassed to sing along to any cure lyrics.

― peter smith (plsmith), Friday, 25 June 2004 13:32 (twenty-one years ago)

How about "The doleful cant of a bigot/ Blinded by fear and hate"?

― Baaderoni (Fabfunk), Friday, 25 June 2004 13:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Id just like to chime in and add that I think the new album cover is g-d brilliant.

― David Allen (David Allen), Friday, 25 June 2004 13:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Judging from the US version: Solid meh, very few decent melodies outside of "Lost", "The End Of The World", and "Before Three", and nothing texturally interesting outside of "Anniversary". The angst is downright embarrassing, I don't know how you guys can stomach "Us Or Them" or "The Promise". It's a couple notches above WMS, but I'd take Wish or Bloodflowers over this any day.

Does anyone on Slsk have "Going Nowhere" and the b-sides?

― Sansai, Friday, 25 June 2004 14:40 (twenty-one years ago)

I never thought RS would sink to recording so blatant and very Midnight Oil a poli-rock dud as "Us or Them". Hold me now. Whoa warm my heart.

― Chris Ott (Chris Ott), Friday, 25 June 2004 14:42 (twenty-one years ago)

R Smith looks like Jack White or is it the other way round.

― The Velvet Overlord (The Velvet Overlord), Friday, 25 June 2004 14:49 (twenty-one years ago)

Um, "Lost" has a melody? That song takes Sprachgesang to creepy new depths.

Also, OMG ANGST ON A CURE RECORDING WHERE THE HELL DID THAT COME FROM???

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 25 June 2004 14:53 (twenty-one years ago)

"Um, "Lost" has a melody? That song takes Sprachgesang to creepy new depths".

Dan OTM.

― Marco Damiani (Marco D.), Friday, 25 June 2004 14:57 (twenty-one years ago)

Um, "Lost" has a melody? That song takes Sprachgesang to creepy new depths.

Also, OMG ANGST ON A CURE RECORDING WHERE THE HELL DID THAT COME FROM???

-- VengaDan Perry

Oh, you. Obviously the brilliance of "Lost" is more in the arrangement and performance, but it's a very clever chord progression, and it's not catchy per se but it's very moving - obviously there must be something there in the songwriting that elevates it above many of the other tracks, which also feature plenty of impassioned yelping and blazing guitars and yet suck so very much ("Alt.End" and "Labyrinth", I'm looking at you).

Here you're completely stretching what I said out of context. "Killing An Arab" is great, "One Hundred Years" is great, "The Kiss" is great, "Disintegration" is great, etc. But this time around the rage is so lyrically unfocused and backed by such ineffective songwriting that it's pointless (which ties nicely into the paragraph above).

― Sansai, Friday, 25 June 2004 15:42 (twenty-one years ago)

Thanks Ott, that's the worst piece of music writing I have read today. That makes me feel a lot better.

― Ian Moraine (Eastern Mantra), Friday, 25 June 2004 15:54 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm still not sure about having 'Lost' as the opener, but I'm ready to be converted.

― Baaderoni (Fabfunk), Friday, 25 June 2004 15:59 (twenty-one years ago)

Dude, I didn't take anything you said out of context; it isn't my fault that you can't express yourself.

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 25 June 2004 16:12 (twenty-one years ago)

In retrospect that was a slip-up on my part, I can see how my disdain for the angst *on the new record* could've been applied to the Cure's work in general. Sorry.

(For the record I do prefer swoony girly Cure to angry doom Cure, tho.)

― Sansai, Friday, 25 June 2004 16:21 (twenty-one years ago)

Sweet Baby Jesus, 'Anniversary' has been on repeat for the last half-hour in this household. Best song ever omgwtfrofl!!!!!11

― Baaderoni (Fabfunk), Friday, 25 June 2004 17:20 (twenty-one years ago)

I like it, quite a lot. Lost makes a pretty good opener, in my opinion - on the whole, the album is a million times better than how, in the back of my mind, I feared it might be (not that I admitted I had any doubts, of course).

― Kevin Gilchrist (Mr Fusion), Friday, 25 June 2004 17:30 (twenty-one years ago)

One of the best album covers of the year!

― Gilles Meloche (Gilles Meloche), Friday, 25 June 2004 17:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Fear not Ian, there's plenty more where that came from.

― Chris Ott (Chris Ott), Friday, 25 June 2004 20:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Now it seems like the Japanese version might not be available until July 7th. Poo. But I'll wait contentedly.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Tuesday, 29 June 2004 01:30 (twenty-one years ago)

I finally got "Going Nowhere"! Worse than "Lost", better than "Anniversary" or "Before Three". Definitely should've been on the American version.

― Sansai, Tuesday, 29 June 2004 03:13 (twenty-one years ago)

have you seen the video for "End Of The World"?

― teeny (teeny), Tuesday, 29 June 2004 13:33 (twenty-one years ago)

it's up on the Geffen site

― miloauckerman (miloauckerman), Tuesday, 29 June 2004 15:46 (twenty-one years ago)

Us or Them is the only major misstep on this record. I like the rest of it quite a lot, certainly more than WMS and probably more than Bloodflowers. It's not Wish, but it's better than it could have been.

― kyle (akmonday), Tuesday, 29 June 2004 15:54 (twenty-one years ago)

http://www.usatoday.com/life/music/reviews/2004-06-28-listen-up_x.htm

The Cure (* ½) Forty-five is the new 18, or so one might gather from these sophomoric tirades from middle-aged mope-rocker Robert Smith and colleagues on their latest effort. Songs such as Us or Them and alt.end may hint at more substantial subject matter than post-post-adolescent navel-gazing. But the caterwauling Smith still hasn't figured out the difference between addressing pain and taking a bubble bath in it. Nor has anyone informed him about the advances in recording technology that now enable the most musically challenged singers to sound pitch-perfect on their CDs. Or maybe he's afraid that singing on key would make him sound too grown up. —Gardner

― teeny (teeny), Thursday, 1 July 2004 16:58 (twenty-one years ago)

HAHAHAHAHAHA! That's stellar!

I just ordered the Japanese import WHEEEEEEE.

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 1 July 2004 17:02 (twenty-one years ago)

They got a two out of five in the new Blender.

― CeCe Peniston (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 1 July 2004 17:02 (twenty-one years ago)

The review itself doesn't intrigue me, but it lists Robert Smith's current listening as Elbow and Keane.

― CeCe Peniston (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 1 July 2004 17:03 (twenty-one years ago)

That video is horrifying.

― Chris Ott (Chris Ott), Thursday, 1 July 2004 17:05 (twenty-one years ago)

the new album is classic. some of the guitars havent sounded this good in years

― kephm, Thursday, 1 July 2004 17:13 (twenty-one years ago)

I have only heard "Lost" so far but I really like it. awesome guitars and emotion.

― tk, Thursday, 1 July 2004 17:14 (twenty-one years ago)

Robert Smith is on the front cover of this month's Uncut magazine
http://www.uncut.net/

― DJ Martian (djmartian), Thursday, 1 July 2004 18:36 (twenty-one years ago)

i listened to this record so much this week i got totally sick of it. hopefully that feeling won't last. I think the only thing I don't like about it is (surprise) the production, there is something very harsh about it and fatiques my ears. there aren't a lot of warm sounds and it seems very trebel-y.

― kyle (akmonday), Thursday, 1 July 2004 18:54 (twenty-one years ago)

WHERE ARE THE SYNTHS?

― kephm, Thursday, 1 July 2004 18:56 (twenty-one years ago)

yes, they're hard to hear. if this had has the mix treatment that was given to Wish I'd like it more. not that I don't like it.

― kyle (akmonday), Thursday, 1 July 2004 18:57 (twenty-one years ago)

there's a three-page "Dear Superstar" article with Fat Bob in the new Blender where he answers fan questions. It should more than pacify the Cure fans offended by their negative review.

The guy is sooooo sweet when he talks about Mary.

― CeCe Peniston (Anthony Miccio), Thursday, 1 July 2004 20:38 (twenty-one years ago)

Robert Smith used to be difficult to miss. Now I can hardly tell the difference between him and that guy from The Darkness.

― Stephen Stockwell (Stephen Stockwell), Friday, 2 July 2004 02:09 (twenty-one years ago)

When I first heard The Darkness on the radio, I imagined this portly, 40-something bouncing and flailing all over the stage as if it was his 21st birthday ala: Japanese Whispers, The Top. Only much, much worse.

― Stephen Stockwell (Stephen Stockwell), Friday, 2 July 2004 02:26 (twenty-one years ago)

The song I heard on the radio sounded INDIE

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Friday, 2 July 2004 02:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Stephen, you might have a point I would agree with if The Cure's music sounded like a glamrock pastiche.

― VengaDan Perry (Dan Perry), Friday, 2 July 2004 02:37 (twenty-one years ago)

This is true, but for a while there I was thinking I haven't paid any attention to the Cure for well-over a decade - maybe this glamrock pastiche is Smith's latest heartbreaking attempt to re-invent himself/stay relevant.

It seemed plausible because I'd long since abandoned any creative expectations I'd had of the man.

― Stephen Stockwell (Stephen Stockwell), Friday, 2 July 2004 02:47 (twenty-one years ago)

Skipping 124 messages at this point... Click here if you want to load them all.

OMG IT REALLY IS

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Sunday, 14 November 2004 00:55 (twenty-one years ago)

And the new one too. :-)

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 14 November 2004 00:57 (twenty-one years ago)

Yeah, Why Can't I Be Me is pretty crucial too.

― Baaderonixxx le Jeune (Fabfunk), Sunday, 14 November 2004 10:23 (twenty-one years ago)

_The Cure_ would have been a COMPLETELY different album if they'd put on more of the darker tracks. "This Morning" is astuonding because it evokes a similar mood to "Fear Of Ghosts" without sharing any of the sonics (I think it's the song construction and arranging that makes that link for me), while "Why Can't I Be Me" and "Your God Is Fear" are just... damn.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 15 November 2004 14:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Which songs would you have left out, then?
I guess 'Us or Them' could have been nicely replaced by 'Your God is Fear' and I'd have ditched 'The Promise' in favor of 'This Morning'

― Baaderonixxx le Jeune (Fabfunk), Monday, 15 November 2004 16:14 (twenty-one years ago)

The Promise is my favourite song on it atm.

― flowersdie (flowersdie), Monday, 15 November 2004 17:02 (twenty-one years ago)

I think both "The Promise" and "This Morning" would be essential because of the difference in moods.

― The Ghost of Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Monday, 15 November 2004 18:08 (twenty-one years ago)

Well, got the "alt.end" single which means that I am now hearing and enjoying "Why Can't I Be Me?" and "Your God is Fear." The latter in particular = oh man. WHAT a song.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Sunday, 28 November 2004 05:57 (twenty-one years ago)

one year passes...

Is anyone still listening to this? Kind of meh a year and half, or so, after the fact. "Lost" has not, er, lost its power, though.

― The Boy Who Cried YSI? (Freud Junior), Sunday, 30 April 2006 23:08 (twenty years ago)

I still have to hear this. I am a terrible goff :(

― Curt1s St3ph3ns, Sunday, 30 April 2006 23:17 (twenty years ago)

one year passes...

This album is still great, guys. "Us or Them" is kind of weak, though.

― HI DERE, Thursday, 29 November 2007 20:13 (eighteen years ago)

"Lost", "Labyrinth" and "The Promise" are still totally kick-ass (especially the latter) but I'm not sure about the rest.

― Just got offed, Thursday, 29 November 2007 20:18 (eighteen years ago)

"Anniversary", "Before Three", "Going Nowhere", "Truth, Goodness and Beauty", "Fake" and "alt.end" all run the gamut from really good to outstanding.

― HI DERE, Thursday, 29 November 2007 20:26 (eighteen years ago)

I am ashamed for saying "goff"

― Curt1s Stephens, Thursday, 29 November 2007 20:27 (eighteen years ago)

You should be. And yes, album still fantastic.

― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 29 November 2007 20:29 (eighteen years ago)

Meh...

― baaderonixx, Thursday, 29 November 2007 22:35 (eighteen years ago)

About half a dozen great songs, half a dozen passable-to-boring ones. (Haven't heard the b-sides or anything, just the USA regular issue.) So overall, it's not as good as Bloodflowers or Wish or Disintegration, but much better than Wild Mood Swings. And that's basically it.

― stephen, Thursday, 29 November 2007 23:07 (eighteen years ago)

(And it should go without saying, it doesn't hold a candle to any of the '80s stuff.)

― stephen, Thursday, 29 November 2007 23:07 (eighteen years ago)

what is a "goff"?

― M@tt He1ges0n, Thursday, 29 November 2007 23:36 (eighteen years ago)

a goth with a lisp, i'd wager

― stephen, Thursday, 29 November 2007 23:40 (eighteen years ago)

Okay so I just got tickets for the rescheduled concert tour.

Row P, seats 1-2.

I'm 15 rows back from the stage in a major arena.

I LOVE HAVING DISPOSABLE INCOME

― HI DERE, Tuesday, 4 December 2007 22:54 (eighteen years ago)

:-D Nice. :-)

― Ned Raggett, Tuesday, 4 December 2007 22:59 (eighteen years ago)

fourteen years pass...

Heard “end of the world” today and noticed it sounds a lot like Pavement. Seriously add a lead guitar playing the same melody as the vocals and it’s very Malkmus-esque at least in the verses.

― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Wednesday, 13 April 2022 01:52 (four years ago)

one month passes...

"lost" is so gd amazing

― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Friday, 3 June 2022 15:08 (four years ago)

Yup

― Ned Raggett, Friday, 3 June 2022 15:11 (four years ago)

i loved this album when it came out and played it all the time and the first three tracks are prob my favorite start to any cure album, sorry i'm like this!!!!

― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Friday, 3 June 2022 15:14 (four years ago)

*robert smith "before three" voice* YEAH YEAH YEAH

― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Friday, 3 June 2022 15:14 (four years ago)

I thought this revive was going to be about that French interview doing the rounds where Smith dismisses the royal family as "fucking useless".

― calzino, Friday, 3 June 2022 15:16 (four years ago)

First two tracks are definitely really good, as is The Promise. At least to memory

― imago, Friday, 3 June 2022 15:19 (four years ago)

"truth goodness and beauty" is also amazing

the us release was way too truncated even though i enjoyed the novelty of a modern cure record with a runtime that didn't approach an hour

― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Friday, 3 June 2022 15:33 (four years ago)

i feel like i revisited this record only a few years ago but... i totally forgot about "anniversary" and it sounds like the best song in the world to me rn

― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Friday, 3 June 2022 15:39 (four years ago)

feels like them successfully accessing the faith/pornography gloom again

― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Friday, 3 June 2022 15:40 (four years ago)

*almost inaudible voice* shout out to jason cooper on "anniversary"

― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Friday, 3 June 2022 15:41 (four years ago)

i would remove "us or them" from this album and replace it with one of the several excellent b-sides and it would be the best post-wish cure album easy. easy

― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Friday, 3 June 2022 15:47 (four years ago)

it probably still is

― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Friday, 3 June 2022 15:48 (four years ago)

Heard “end of the world” today and noticed it sounds a lot like Pavement. Seriously add a lead guitar playing the same melody as the vocals and it’s very Malkmus-esque at least in the verses.

― ✖✖✖ (Moka), Tuesday, April 12, 2022 6:52 PM (one month ago) bookmarkflaglink

"never" is also extremely '00s indie rock to my ears

― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Friday, 3 June 2022 15:58 (four years ago)

recursive influence... robert smith being like "these interpol guys are pretty good"

― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Friday, 3 June 2022 15:59 (four years ago)

There's some Mogwai in there too imo

― imago, Friday, 3 June 2022 16:00 (four years ago)

(also recursive)

― imago, Friday, 3 June 2022 16:00 (four years ago)

I thought this revive was going to be about that French interview doing the rounds where Smith dismisses the royal family as "fucking useless".

The accuracy.

― Ned Raggett, Friday, 3 June 2022 16:01 (four years ago)

'How dare they presume they could give me an honour? I'm much better than them. They're fucking idiots.' pic.twitter.com/1yroYGYzLI
— j (@jrc1921) June 3, 2022

it was "fucking idiots" not useless!

― calzino, Friday, 3 June 2022 16:18 (four years ago)

Oooo, somehow I missed that there were more tracks on the non-U.S. and vinyl versions. Off to Slsk. What b-sides are worth tracking down?

― early rejecter, Friday, 3 June 2022 16:43 (four years ago)

literally all of them

― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Friday, 3 June 2022 16:54 (four years ago)

"truth goodness and beauty" and "going nowhere" are essential to the record; my other favorites are "this morning," "your god is fear," and "fake"

― flamenco drop (BradNelson), Friday, 3 June 2022 16:55 (four years ago)

Brad OTM, pretty much every song called out (including extra tracks/b-sides) is fantastic and "Us or Them" is very, very unfortunate (every time I've felt like "oh this lyric I've written to amuse myself is terrible" I remember that Robert put "The doleful cant of a bigot/Blinded by fear and hate" into a song and said "nailed it")

― castanuts (DJP), Friday, 3 June 2022 18:42 (four years ago)

just wanna rep for "before three." kind of "doing the unstuck" meets "a strange day." love love love.

and yep: non-album songs for this are all top gear.

― Let's disco dance, Hammurabi! (Austin), Friday, 3 June 2022 20:03 (four years ago)

Nice revive. Unfairly panned album although some of the pop stuff (Taking Off, Alt End was pretty disposable) and Us Or Them was indeed an aberration (extrapolating everything bad about Watching Me Fall). Never heard the derided Ross Robinson influence on it tbh. Got a special place for I Don’t Know What’s Going On too

― licorice oratorio (baaderonixx), Saturday, 4 June 2022 06:14 (four years ago)

there was nothing bad about Watching Me Fall except that it could have gone on for another couple of choruses

― imago, Saturday, 4 June 2022 08:37 (four years ago)

A quick update on the 'Robert Smith considers the royals' train of thought:

CITIZENS NOT SUBJECTS X #CITIZENSNOTSUBJECTS
— ROBERT SMITH (@RobertSmith) June 3, 2022

― Ned Raggett, Saturday, 4 June 2022 16:43 (four years ago)

two years pass...

Revisited this today, strong album until it falls over at the 3/4 mark - if it went straight from Alt.End to The Promise then ended with Going Nowhere then good LP - Ross Robinson probably a knob but the recording is ok and the band sound energetic

Felt that it was overlong at the time & the economy of the new LP really confirms it - IDK what’s going on / Taking Off / Never all totally disposable b-side material - The Promise goes on a bit but it seemed important to him at the timd

Controp perhaps but I quite like Us Or Them - successful attempt to work up some Shiver & Shake Dog Shakey vitriol - and as for That Line, a bit ripe perhaps but let us not forget that the beloved Faith contains “r___ me like a child / christened in blood” - which feels just as needlessly florid to me

― Cognosc in Tyrol (emsworth), Sunday, 10 November 2024 07:23 (one year ago)

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