The Cure - Dark Publications

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Customer Reviews: Read 155 more reviews...

2 out of 5 stars

I can't find the Cure November 9, 2004
15 out of 30 found this review helpful

The Cure returns! Just when it seemed that the legendary band was permanently gone, they returned with their 2004 self-titled album. If only "The Cure" had lived up to expectations, but the lackluster musicianship and fragmented feel make it one of the worse albums this band has made.

"I can't find myself!" Robert Smith wails about a hundred times in the opening song, flailing guitar-rocker "Lost." That feeling of "lostness" lingers on in the undulating "Labyrinth," utterly generic guitar pop of "Before Three," and the howling whirlwind of "Us Or Them," where Smith howls above a backdrop of building electrowhispers. The grand finale is a ten-minute sprawl called "The Promise" -- it's a bit bloated, but it has more passion, sizzle and feeling than the rest of the album put together.

Seven words: The Cure can do better than this. While there are a few excellent songs on this album, the musical styles are all over the place -- hard gloom-rockers, catchy light pop and atmospheric electro-rock. There's no cohesion, no sense of buildup, nothing but a bunch of songs pasted together on the same disc.

Their past grandeur -- and possible future genius -- are hinted at in scorching riffs and basslines, sometimes spiralling down to a sort of dungeon genius level. But the sound is just too bland at times -- some of the songs are very repetitive, and they lack passion, darkness or grit. In half the songs, the guitarwork sounds (dare I say it) ordinary and unexceptional. Uptempo, catchy melodies and cleaner, less brooding sounds don't work well when the Cure do them.

Robert Smith's vocals certainly haven't changed -- still wailing, still raw and very solid. He gets the chance for some vocal gymnastics -- howling, screaming -- in songs like "Us or Them." But he's still going strong in songs like "I Don't Know What's Goin' On," where he gets to sound dramatic without the wails and howls.

The lack of cohesion and lusterless music causes the Cure's self-titled album to stumble over itself. Close, but no cigar -- a few more months in the studio would have done this puppy some good.

1 out of 5 stars

OVER THE EDGE AND DOWN THE CLIFF July 7, 2004
11 out of 17 found this review helpful

There is a fine line between beautiful dissonance and dreadful dissonance. The Cure has always ridden very close to the edge and has managed to pull it off in the past. DISINTEGRATION was perhaps The Cure's most astonishing achievement in taking bent sounds and making great rock. These days, many young bands proudly cite The Cure and DISINTEGRATION in particular as inspirations.

As much as I love the band, I'm afraid I have to say they have veered over the edge with THE CURE. I have played this album over and over thinking surely I was wrong. But I keep coming up with the same conclusion. Of the eleven cuts, I only like two: "Before Three" and "Taking Off". The rest are only so-so or down right unpleasant.

I really wanted to greet The Cure's resurfacing with enthusiasm; but I just can't do it. Be forewarned. Maybe you'll like it; but I doubt it.

4 out of 5 stars A terriffic return June 29, 2004
9 out of 11 found this review helpful

A fabulous album in it's entirety!
Songs like Anniversary and Before Three should have 'older' Cure fans yelling in triumph as they represent what The Cure do better than most artists i.e. mixing sweet'n'sour, top-notch lyrics in the most peculiar way and leaves the listener with all spirits up even though you just might have heard the saddest tale told.

The album is surely very massive in sound structure on many tracks with wall-to-wall guitar, Robert screaming and loads of layered keyboards, but still carefully arranged so it never gets out of hand.
Intense beautiful album indeed and very much in touch with time leaving no Cure devotee behind, and very likely still managing to gather new members to the flok:)

The promo video for 'End of the World' is now on my top 3 among Cure promo clips.
simply amazingly funny with it's old-school stop-motion technique, having Robert awkwardly situated in a house where everything(furniture, books, blankets, walls, floors etc) disintegrates, falls apart and crawls about and generally creating a life on it's own:) - hugely entertaning!!

The album(CD) is also released on double vinyl which should be worth a look!

2 out of 5 stars This isn't the "newest" Cure, it is just poor quality. July 9, 2004
9 out of 13 found this review helpful

After loving every minute of every cure CD up to this point, I am now totally depressed and disappointed by the latest effort of the band. I am a dedicated fan, but I had a single moment after listening to this recording that almost made me sell my tickets for their concert at the end of the month...it is that bad. You know how The Cure has that one song on each album that makes you say, "What was Robert thinking?" This is an album that is comprised of only those songs.

It sounds like Trent Reznor whispered sweet nothings in Robert's ear when the album was being made. It is dirty, trite, unpolished, and chaotic. Make no mistake, sounding unpolished and chaotic is one thing, but actually BEING this careless on an album is just unforgiveable. This is The Cure attempting to spoof all the grunge metal that have ripped him off all these years.

Some Cure recordings take multiple sessions of listening to enjoy them to their fullest. I felt like if I just listened to this record ten times or more, I would begin to understand and enjoy it. That has yet to happen. Here are a few thoughts:

1. Lyrical content is NSync quality, not Cure quality.
2. Lush layered vocals are all but vacant.
3. Deep powerful emotion that makes you gasp for air is replaced by hateful, childish lashing out.
4. I can't think of the last time I've heard Robert use the F-word so often. It doesn't fit.
5. Usually, after listening to a new Cure album, I feel overcome with emotion to love my wife and family,I feel energized by the pop tracks, I feel sad that the world is not perfect, and I long for a reuinion with old friends. After listening to this album, I feel nothing except a bit annoyed with myself for expecting so much. I still love you Robert, but I am dissapointed.

4 out of 5 stars The 13th. July 30, 2004
9 out of 16 found this review helpful

Simply put, The Cure is the most consistent work the band has done since 1989's Disintegration. It may not be as close to perfection as that album was, but it beats 1992's Wish, 1996's Wild Mood Swings and 2000's Bloodfowers for vitality and energy. There could be a slew of alternative radio staples such as Before Three, The End Of The World, Anniversary, alt.end, (I Don't Know What's Going)On and Taking Off. While the 10 minute plus The Promise ought to satisfy anyone who longs for The Cure when they peformed longer songs. My least favorite track is Us Or Them in which Robert Smith felt the need to use the f-word repeatedly to get across the idea that he was angry. The rest of the songs are good, but the bottom line is consistency as a whole album, and that is definitely what The Cure has on it. If I were to compare this album with any previous Cure album it would be 1985's The Head On The Door, which is one of my favorites. My least favorite Cure albums are 1984's The Top and Bloodflowers. There are several songs on The Cure that ought to remind fans of why they liked the band in the first place. So, enough quibbling, just buy the cd!

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