Songs Of A Lost World. The Cure

16 Years. That is four more than this blog exists. You have not found The Cure on it for obvious reasons. Except as a reference to identify a genre or as a reference to place a more recent band. This year it is 43 years since I heard 'A Forest', which must have been my The Cure introduction. And my one of three favourite songs by the band, if not THE best. After 'A Forest' I've bought several LPs, but nothing after 'Disintegration'. On the face of things, I've always been more a singles The Cure fan than an album one. Just like with almost all big bands from the 1980s for that matter.

Comes 2024 and there was 'Alive', the aptly titled single after such a long silence, where new records are concerned. I reviewed it positively but with a side note: "why does it have to sound like as if Pink Floyd came back together again?".

Now there is Songs Of A Lost World. What I notice is that the real fans are very happy with the new album. Positive reviews all around and a number 1 entry in the U.K. albums chart is predicted at the time of writing. Do not forget that Bob Dylan only recently had his first #1 record, simply because no one else is buying records any more. If all The Cure fans of old and a few new ones buy it at once, success is guaranteed but nothing compares to sales in the 1980s for the band.

As a not so fan, how does this album land here? Well, positively. Robert Smith's voice, always seemingly on the verge of bursting into tears without doing so, always went down well with me. It was the ever darker music that made me go away, 'Faith' and especially 'Pornography', made me stop buying the band's records. 'Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me' was the exception because of 'Why Can't I Be You' and that other hit. 'Disintegration' was that one album too many. That's 1989! For the first time since I'm contemplating to buy a The Cure record. The question is why, you might ask. (Checking my collection, I found a totally forgotten album 'The Top' as well.)

Well, I notice that I like the extremely solemn atmosphere on Songs Of A Lost World. The album is synth laden, with long-held chords that flow like swaths of fog through the record. Underneath it all is the mid tempo but solid rhythm. It's that fog that is making the album very attractive. Okay, it's just one part of the album but still. It is the first 13 plus minutes of it, so quite defining and it returns later. With the third song, 'A Fragile Thing', the fog lifts and again a new The Cure shows itself. A clear piano is at the front of the song, but also a nice guitar solo, with that typical The Cure sound.

If anything, The Cure made sure that it pleases its fans of the past 45 years. Everyone who decided to follow the band will not be disappointed. Smith's voice is in great shape as all songs show. There are overall all sorts of hooks the fan can attach himself to and enjoy the view of the individual songs from there. As I already wrote, it's the huge synths that are new (at least to me) pumping up The Cure' sound no little. The contrast with the slow piano is well done and gives the album a little extra.

It is the guitar that is absent in several songs or at least not so prominently present. Former Tin Machine guitarist Reeves Gabrels is the band's lead guitarist, besides Robert Smith. They are present, more so in this song than the other. Behind everything long-serving bass player Simon Gallop and drummer Jason Cooper give all the songs a fundament that makes sure that the new The Cure album is firmly grounded. It is keyboard player Roger O'Donnell, also a member of several decades, who makes sure that The Cure can hold on to its gothic rock moniker.

Songs Of A Lost World is an album filled with several long songs with very long, repetitive intros. The easy comment would be the band is masking a lack of inspiration. Having listen several times, I opt for stating that the band lays down a great mood that hangs all over this album, sprinkled with a few somewhat shorter songs, that sound different. Just listen to the epic ending of the album, 'Endsong'. Prophetic? Let's hope not. The band really goes for it with huge guitar walls all interplaying, while the others keep up the rhythm and atmosphere. The kind of song we used to call epic and deserves a spot in the Top 2000, like other songs this huge and epic.

As you'd gathered, I never was a real The Cure fan. I have never been to a live show and on the face of it have too many of the band's albums. With Songs Of A Lost World something changed. I was not waiting for anything and got a great present. I'm sure fans of old disagree but the band's latest, 14th studio album is The Cure's best to date.

Wout de Natris - van der Borght