Album Review: The Cure – Songs Of A Lost World
3 min read
It feels like a waste of time to explain who The Cure are, as it would feel strange to imagine anyone who hasn’t heard at least one of their copious hits, or not know exactly who they are. Formed in the 1970s, the band have gone down as one of the most creatively diverse acts of all time, contributing classics to the world’s collective discography such as Just Like Heaven, Lovesong, Close To Me, and Boys Don’t Cry. This latest release sees the group’s momentous return after sixteen years of radio silence.
Opener Alone hits hard immediately with powerful drums, glittering synth, and a gritty guitar line that takes president over the first few minutes of the track. Delay laden pianos and flute-esc synths fly in and out until singer Robert Smith finally utters his first words, three and a half minutes into the song. ‘This is the end; of every song that we sing’. His voice is as immaculate as its ever been, instantly recognisable as he croons the first verse. Backing harmonies strengthen the latter parts, the mix deep and rich. And Nothing Is Forever has a regal beginning of lavish synth strings, glittering chimes, and gorgeous piano. It’s another long introduction, more of a continuation of the last track, with pounding drums and another stellar performance from Robert. There’s an 80s tinge to the sound, but also a grand pro-rock element reminiscent of something from Pink Floyd. A more upbeat tempo takes lead single A Fragile Thing, the urgency being matched but in a different way by the following track Warsong. The guitars/bass are so distorted that it’s hard to make out the notes, feedback and the ever-present drums taking over fully as the song progresses.
Drone:nodrone has a hypnotic piano line that remains within the mix throughout, melding into the heavy bass and drums. It verges on heavy metal, the wah-wah guitar passages and endless chugging working with Robert’s voice but veering into nu-metal territory. I Can Never Say Goodbye brings the sounds back to familiar ground. The slower tempo and pretty pianos mix with the glitching synths and booming drums to create a satisfying ballad. The album ends on two high notes, All I Ever Am and Endsong. The former is a grandiose rocker that sees Robert pouring his heart out, while the latter is an expanse ten-minute odyssey that takes its time to build, eventually breaking into a new wave guitar riff and beautiful synth. When Robert finally reappears around six minutes in he sounds exasperated, singing lines about mortality. ‘I’m outside in the dark; wondering how I got so old’. It’s a poignant ending to the album that goes out with a bang.
Songs Of A Lost World feels like a rock opera lost to time but simultaneously modern in it’s construction, and its lyricism. Robert Smith, and the band as a whole, feel as though they have been plucked from their heyday and put into a studio. Their performances and energy as electric, as are the songs that feel slimline in arrangement but big in execution.
Writer and Musician, Ryan Bulbeck has been published with a number of online publications, and has worked with a myriad of great artists, both as a performer, and as a producer. His most recent band The 295 are still active, playing shows around the UK.
