A lot of musical artists just run out of gas it seems. In the past year or so, many bands important bands from the eighties have released new albums, and for every great album like Bauhaus Staircase (OMD), there are a half dozen like, well, we won’t name names. Those albums have run the gamut from just o.k. to downright snoozefest. Now comes The Cure with their first record in 16 years, Songs of a Lost World, their 14th studio album.
Thumbs up
It’s really good. All eight songs were written and arranged by the band’s co-founder, frontman, leader, and only constant member, Robert Smith. Perhaps he felt that there were too many cooks in the kitchen on previous albums. Whatever his reasoning, it certainly produced very satisfactory results. It’s also short. It’s a mere eight songs that clocks in at just under 50 minutes. Less is more seems to be another philosophy employed by Smith and again, it works.
The album oscillates nicely between melancholy (but not downright Goth) Cure, and the band’s peppier side heard on the likes of The Head on the Door and Wish. There are no toe-tappers like “The Lovecats,” “In Between Days,” or “Friday I’m in Love,” though.
The album starts with “Alone,” which was released as the first single earlier this year. Like most of the rest of the tracks, this one is allowed time to breath. A lot of time. The vocal doesn’t kick in until the 3:22 mark. Same with the closer, appropriately titled “Endsong,” which rolls along for six minutes before “Mad Bob” starts to warble. At over ten minutes, it makes “A Forest” look like “Blitzkrieg Bop.” It works though, especially if you dig Disintegration-era Cure.
Lyrically it’s quite interesting too, as Smith seems to be reflecting on his life and career. “Remembering the hopes and dreams I had, and all I had to do,” he muses, “wondering became of that boy in a world he called his own. I’m outside in the dark wondering how I got so old.”
Light and dark
Unlike Disintigration, though, the production is bright. Paul Corkett produced along with Smith. Corkett also engineered 1996’s Wild Mood Swings and produced 2000’s Bloodflowers.
Things get orchestral (but not “in the Dark”) with “And Nothing is Forever,” which stars with a lovely (synthesized) string opening before the guitars come in. You’re in for another long wait on the vocals, but it’s worth it. Definitely the album’s best track.
Interesting mix of sounds
If you’re in a rocky mood, try “Drone: Nodrone,” which really guitars it up, while also adding a little keyboard flavor a la Thompson Twins circa 1982. Subtle, the synths never get crushed in the wall of sound.
The most upbeat moment on the album comes on “A Fragile Thing,” the second single, and it’s not all that bouncy. It does, however, sound more like “classic” Cure, if there is such a thing.
Judging from the Spotify stats on the day of release, a lot of folks started off listening to the whole album and then gradually dropped off. That’s a shame, because this is not only an album worth sticking with, it’s definitely one of the year’s best.
PF Wilson has been writing about music, TV, radio, and movies for over 20 years. He has also written about sports, business, and politics with his work appearing in Cincinnati CityBeat, The Houston Press, Cleveland Scene, Cincinnati Magazine, Cincy Magazine, Atomic Ranch, and many more. Check out his podcast PF’s Tape Recorder available from Podbean or in iTunes.