“Songs of A Lost World” - The Cure Album Review

*This album contains topics of depression and death that could be triggering. Read at your own discretion*

Fans of The Cure have been looking for so long for more revolutionary music similar to what they experienced the first time listening to the iconic band.

After 16 years of silence, Robert Smith and some of the original members have come together after their Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction. The gothic shoegaze sound strikes again in a way that hits right at home for new and old fans alike.

The Cure can not and will not be discussed without mentioning their guitar strength. True fans receive a sense of bliss when hearing the bellowing melodies of this new album.

The Cure has personified the guitar over their 48 years of existence. This new album gives this character a voice again, expressing sorrow, longing and the end.

In “Alone,” listeners are welcomed back to the smooth static that partnered up with the melodic piano. One classic characteristic many Cure songs utilize is the absence of lyrics until the mood is achieved. This gave the band members room to prove themselves again.

Orchestral components really made the journey from song one to eight worthwhile.

In “Endsong,” the works of several string instruments create a full sound that is adjacent to how it might feel if a person is unsure if they are falling or flying. The mood shifts keep the listeners curious, but not worried, about what trajectory the artists will be going next.

In “Alone” the strings section adds a flowing tide to the song. In the grand scheme of the piece, this is the equivalence of being lifted off the ground by a cartoon pie.

The orchestra’s touch in “And Nothing Is Forever” carries the listener to a personal sanctuary in the mind.

Bands that have had such a fruitful life over many decades can find it hard to have a similar outlook on life. The Cure famously discusses feelings paired with death.

As the band members mature and become older, death can be feared or embraced. The members are all reaching 70 years old.

The lead singer, Robert Smith, had a harder time writing about the subject. Due to this fear, the band has created an audience that comes to them for comfort.

Bands like this will never truly understand their impact on the minds of the listeners. By creating songs about their struggles so purely, the band members are telling the world it is okay to feel.

This album has the potential to be the best in the genre this year. With such classic sounds and meaningful lyrics contributing to eight individual great pieces, it forces the music industry to take some notes.

The band battles the pre-perceived expectations with new experiences and outlooks.

After their 16-year hiatus, they quickly filled the gap in music delivery. Although Robert Smith’s voice has matured over the years, this album could easily be a standout in their heyday.

It is a peculiar feeling to think of instruments aging, but the musicians behind them seem to take what once was and add more meaning to it. For some fans, the return of the band’s light will only inspire them to listen to The Cure’s previous installments.

When discussing bands who have been around for so long, the fans are not sure what to expect with a new album. In the case of The Cure, the wait was worth it.

There was not an apparent need for another album, but boy did they deliver.

The love child of gothic 1980s sound and a matured mental space lets fans experience songs from a former age. With over 48 minutes of new music, the expectations have been fulfilled and exceeded.

Rating: 9/10

Reviewer’s Favorite Song(s): “And Nothing Is Forever”

Reviewer’s Least Favorite Song(s): N/A

Scott Moorhead is a fifth year majoring in communications. To contact him, email srm5943@psu.edu