I, Brian

Got Staring at the Sea (early singles compilation) and Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me. Both are quite excellent albums, and got me nito wanting more from The Cure. And there's a new album out: The Cure - The Cure. So I bought it.

*shudders*

I tried to listen to it a few times, but all I'm hit by is sheer monotomy. There's no sense of fun - not even a sense of melody - anywhere on the album. Robert Smith wails that he's lost and the band plays only distorted eletric guitars, bass, and drums. A rock album? No - that's the point - there's no sense of tume - even rhythm.

In fact, there's a lot in the music that is purposefully discordant. Whereas this may make it some form of post-modernist work of musical art, in terms of the listener experience it's just flat, boring, tuneless, and empty.

The complete lack of instrumentation and tune just begs the question of what on earth the Cure were thinking - did they have their new music composed by 15 year-olds who had yet to learn to play their instruments? Is the album created as a conceptual work of pseudo-intellectual artform? Or have The Cure simply run out of tunes?

I'll be happy looking for the older music by The Cure - but the latest work can only make their previous B-sides seem like masterful classics.

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Hypes

Sounds painful.

Ivo

I've followed The Cure for many years and have liked the changes they have made during that time. The new album is growing on me. I've listened to it a number of times and it definitely seems more in the same vein as 'Disintegration' was which is my favorite album by them outside of The Top.

Maybe thats why I like it a bit more than some...

I, Brian

Disintegration had *melody* in it though.

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angrybuddhist

I have a bunch of their 12" singles. Boys Don't Cry, Blasphemous Rumours, Inbetween Days, Master and Servant, etc. I also have Staring at the Sea and Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me on those little silver discs. I haven't played too much vinyl lately. The roads around here are too bumpy and they tend to skip.

I, Brian

Did the Cure have a "Master And Servant" issue, or is this simply a great way to bring Depeche Mode into the discussion?

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angrybuddhist

I've got to start getting more than 4 hours of sleep a night. I'm getting my fast fashion confused with my successful treatment of disease. That is blasphemous!

Ivo

I, Brian

Still haven't listened to "The Cure - The Cure" since this thread. Just can't even get into the idea.

Seems to be a lot of general angst thrown into the album - Robert Smith's life falling apart - and it's a little hard for me to get into.

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nangel78

I like a lot of the older material more by The Cure. I have liked some of their newer material as well. I have just been pickier about it. I like Nothing Left To Say off of Bloodflowers.

wendyrock21

i like the new stuff also

HaoXiaoXi

I find the idea of Robert's life falling apart kind of humorous. He's just getting older, we all do that.

Johnny Taronja

The new (4 years ago) album is a grower.
And it's quite radical. The thing is, The Cure always got some stick.
If they do a poppy album full of melodies they are slagged off as sellouts.
If they do something "discordant" and not "commercial" then it's all what were they thinking...???

HaoXiaoXi

I agree, the move towards just distorted guitar sounds can get boring quickly. I miss the "old" Cure. The old pop-sounding Cure, and the old dark & brooding Cure.

Throughout their career, they've always had to deal with an army of fans who have strong opinions in either direction about all the material The Cure produces.