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Rating: THE REVIEW
"Now it would be better to prevent than to cure. "But sure, let's hurt ourselves. Let's talk about Mr. Smith who, after turning 40, is still there playing with tricks, rouge, and frills, staging yet another adolescent dark circus of the Cure, as if we were still in the '80s, as if in the meantime everything hadn't changed (for the worse? who knows!) and our late Peter Pan had found his Neverland in the wave of countless fans who adore and support him (even financially) since the dawn of time. We would almost be a psychiatric manual case or, at the very least, a psychopathology to study and analyze at the cutting edge, but we're here to review, and we'll keep Robert's personal issues out of it for the moment, even though separating the human personality from the artistic one, in this case, is always very difficult.
It starts with a desolate "Lost" where our protagonist delivers a desperate chant/prayer declaring disarmingly "I'm lost" to continue on the classic stylistic motifs of the dark-pop song. "Labyrinth" travels on parallel paths without any striking novelties. With "Before Three", we return to the Cure-world with a typical Cure-song supported by three chords, where, as usual, the greatness of the unmistakable and unique voice, in its transversal and inspired proceedings, is celebrated, a true highlight of the album. "The End of the World" picks up, and objectively, it feels like hearing the same song already heard on various albums, with the same "normal" structure without a hint of novelty in sound, singing, effects, basically: it's the usual story: the Cure are good at being the Cure, period. The outside world changes, but Smith & co. don't care: they seem to say "this is who we are, take it or leave it." All the tracks flow quickly, very similar and quite predictable in their arrangements, where you expect the introductory drumroll ZAC, and there it is, ready and punctual. You expect the guitar riff with echo and distortion and ZAC, needless to say. But how can you explain it to the huge wave of die-hard fans who adore them and don't accept any criticism of their "spiritual" leader, and who basically WANT ONLY THIS, like during a religious service unchanging in its continuity? Even the following "Never" doesn't light up even half a bulb of novelty, we're at full recycling, at celebrative self-quotation creating an uninterrupted loop between demand (the fans want the Cure style) and supply (the Cure give the fans what they do best, which is themselves). The verbose "Promise" becomes a torn song for a good 10 minutes and 20 on a somewhat Doors-like base that gives all the space needed for the leader to showcase all his endless (and at this point, I believe) authentic despair. With "Going Nowhere" the circle closes and an album that, while enjoyable, I don't believe adds a single comma to what the Cure represented in the mid-'80s. And unfortunately, we'll never understand if all this is the result of true and heartfelt inspiration (but there I would suggest our guy to slightly open the blinders and start smelling what's happening in the world) or of a process now moldy in its repetitiveness made of rituals, gestures, attitudes, songs, and arrangements destined to extinguish themselves by their inability to MOVE AWAY from their landing or by INTEREST to NOT CHANGE the little toy that has brought so much good fortune to our guys (perhaps advised by some clever record manager who, calculator in hand, has done a couple of calculations between risks and opportunities).
Am I cynical? Am I heartless? Do I lack sensitivity for Mr. Smith's human drama of inability to adapt to real life? Perhaps, and I hope to be wrong by a long shot. Beyond everything, the album didn’t move me much, except for the agony of "The Promise" and the opening "Lost", always sung in a goosebump-inducing way. I hope for at least a minimal change in the next work, but I believe we are now in the midst of the descending peak of a once-great band that neither knew how nor wanted to renew itself and that, like everything in this world, is destined to dissolve in its slow Hara Kiri (perhaps, deep down, that's what Robert has always been seeking, who knows). And then, quite frankly, have you ever seen a forty-year-old change?
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Summary by Bot
This review of The Cure's self-titled album reflects on the band's adherence to their classic 80s dark pop style without offering new innovations. The reviewer praises Robert Smith's unique voice and certain emotional highlights like 'Lost' and 'The Promise'. However, the album is seen as repetitive and predictable, catering mostly to die-hard fans. The reviewer expresses hope for change in future works but views the band as possibly in decline due to lack of renewal.Tracklist Lyrics Videos
01 Lost (04:07)
I can't find myself
I can't find myself
I can't find myself
I can't find myself
In the head of this stranger in love
Holding on giving up
To another under faded setting sun
And I wonder where I am...
Could she run away with him?
So happy and so young
And I stare
As I sing in the lost voice of a stranger in love
Out of time letting go
In another world that spins around for fun
And I wonder where I am...
Could he ever ask her why?
So happy and so young
And I stare...but...
I can't find myself
I can't find myself
I can't find myself
I can't find myself
In the heart of this stranger in love
Giving up holding on
To this other under faded setting sun
And I'm not sure where I am...
Would he really turn away?
So happy and so young
And I stare
As I play out the passion of a stranger in love
Letting go of the time
In this other world that spins around for one
And I'm not sure where I am...
Would she know it was a lie?
So happy and so young
And I stare...but...
I can't find myself
I can't find myself
I can't find myself
I can't find myself
In the soul of this stranger in love
No control over one
To the other under faded setting sun
And I don't know where I am...
Should he beg her to forgive?
So happy and so young
And I stare...
As I live out the story of a stranger in love
Waking up going on
In the other world that spins around undone
And I don't know where I am...
Should she really say goodbye?
So happy and so young
And I stare...but...
I can't find myself
I can't find myself
I can't find myself
I can't find myself
I got lost in someone else
02 Labyrinth (05:14)
Say it's the same sun spinning in the same sky
Say it's the same stars streaming in the same night
Tell me it's the same world whirling through the same space
Tell me it's the same time tripping through the same day
So say it's the same house and nothing in the house has changed
Yeah say it's the same room and nothing in the room is strange
Oh tell me it's the same boy burning in the same bed
Tell me it's the same blood breaking in the same head
Say it's the same taste taking down the same kiss
Say it's the same you
Say it's the same you and it's always been like this
Say it's the same you
Say it's the same you and it always and forever is
Say it's the same you
Say it's the same you and it's always been like this
Say it's the same you
Say it's the same you and it always and forever is
Say it's the same you
Say it's the same you
Yeah tell me it's all the same
This is how it's always been
But if nothing has changed...
Then it must mean...
But the sun is cold - the sky is wrong
The stars are black - the night is gone
The world is still - the space is stopped
The time is out - the day is dropped
The house is dark - the room is scarred
The boy is stiff - the bed is hard
The blood is thick - the head is burst
The taste is dry - the kiss is thirst
And it's not the same you
It's not the same you
No it never was like this
It's not the same you
It's not the same you and it never really is
It's not the same you
It's not the same you
No it never was like this
It's not the same you
It's not the same you and it never really is
It's not the same you
It's not the same you
Oh it's not the same
This isn't how it's always been
Everything has to have changed...
Or it's me...
05 The End of the World (03:43)
Go if you want to
I never tried to stop you
Know there's a reason
For all of this you're feeling
Low, it's not my call
You couldn't ever love me more
You couldn't love me more
You couldn't love...
Me, I don't show much
It's not that hard to hide you
See in a moment
I can't remember how to
Be all you wanted
I couldn't ever love you more
I couldn't love you more
I couldn't love...
You want me to cry and play my part
I want you to sigh and fall apart
We want this like everyone else
Stay if you want to
I always wait to hear you say
There's a last kiss
For all the times you run this way
It's not my fault
You couldn't ever love me more
You couldn't love me more
You couldn't love...
Love me more
Couldn't ever love me more
I couldn't love you more
I couldn't love
You want me to lie not break your heart
I want you to fly not stop and start
We want us like everything else
Maybe we didn't understand
Not just a boy and a girl
It's just the end of the
End of the world
Me, I don't say much
It's far too hard to make you
See in a moment
I still forget just how to
Be all you wanted
I couldn't ever love you more
I couldn't love you more
I couldn't love you more
I couldn't love you more
I couldn't love you more
06 Anniversary (04:22)
A year ago today we stood
Above this same awakening world
I held you...
You never wanted me to know
Another year ago today
Before this same awakening world
I held you...
I never meant to let you go
There was a moment
There always is
When time stood still
And always was this...
One endless moment
You turn in pain
And I always let you go
Over and over again...
A year ago tonight we lay
Below this same remembering sky
I kissed you
You never wanted me to know...
Another year ago tonight
Behind this same remembering sky
I kissed you...
I never meant to let you go
Another moment
There always is
As time stands still
And always is this...
One endless moment
You tell me all
And I hold you and I kiss you
And I never let you go
I never let you go...
07 Us or Them (04:09)
There is no terror in my heart
Death is with us all
We suck him down with our first breath
And spit him out as we fall
There is no terror in my heart
No dread of the unknown
Desire for paradise to be...
We love this on our own
No I don't want you anywhere near me
I don't want you anywhere near me
Get your fucking world out of my head
I don't want you anywhere near me
I don't want you anywhere near me
Get your fucking world out of my head
I don't want your 'us or them'
No I don't need your 'us or them'
Oh I don't want your 'us or them'
I don't need your 'us or them'
Your 'us or them'
'I live in knowledge of real truth
And all my gods are great!'
The doleful cant of a bigot
Blinded by fear and hate
You live in knowledge of real truth?
Oh the biggest lie I heard
How sick in your mind and soul
To be scared of my voice and my words
Oh you don't want me anywhere near you
You don't want me anywhere near you
Get my fucking head out of your world
You don't want me anywhere near you
You don't want me anywhere near you
Get my fucking head out of your world
I don't want your 'us or them'
No I don't need your 'us or them'
Oh I don't want your 'us or them'
I don't need your 'us or them'
As the only way this ever ends is 'me'
10 Taking Off (03:19)
Tomorrow I can start again
With back to earth and carry on
The same as I did yesterday
Yeah I'll pick it up once more
And morning I'll be onto it
From square one start
And push it for a bit
Like I do every day...
I'll get it down for sure
But tonight I climb with you
Tonight
So high with you
Tonight I shine with you
Tonight
Oh I'm so alive with you
Tomorrow I'll begin again
With heavy head to hold it
As I do it all like yesterday
Yeah I'll break it out again
And morning I'll be there in time
For clock back move
And make it for awhile
To get through every day...
I roll it out the same
But tonight I climb with you
Tonight
So high with you
Tonight I shine with you
Tonight I'm so alive...
With you it's always here and never there
With you it's always here and never where
With you it's always here and never how
With you it's always here and always now
Yeah tomorrow I will start again
With back to earth and carry on
The same as I did yesterday
Yeah I'll pick it up once more
And morning I'll be onto it
From square one start and bit a for it push
Like I do everyday...
I'll get it down for sure
But tonight I climb with you
Tonight
So high with you
Tonight I shine with you
Tonight
12 The Promise (10:21)
How time will heal
Make me forget
You promised me
Time will heal
Make me forget
You promised me
Love will save us all
And time will heal
You promised me...
How love will save
Make me forget
You promised me
Love will save
Make me forget
You promised me
Time will heal us all
And love will save
You promised me...
I trusted you
I wanted your words
Believed in you
I needed your words
Time will heal
make me forget
And love will save us all
You promised me another wish
Another way
You promised me another dream
Another day
You promised me another time
You promised me another life
You promised me..
So I swallowed the shame and I waited
I buried the blame and I waited
Choked back years of memories...
I pushed down the pain and I waited
Trying to forget...
You promised me another wish
Another way
You promised me another dream
Another day
You promised me another time
You promised me...
Another lie
Oh you promised me...
You promised me... You promised me...
And I waited... And I waited... And I waited...
And I'm still waiting...
The Cure
The Cure are an English rock band formed in Crawley and led by singer-songwriter Robert Smith. Since the late 1970s they have moved between post-punk, gothic atmospheres and pop-oriented experiments, producing widely admired albums such as Disintegration and Pornography.89 Reviews
Other reviews
By NickGhostDrake
Robert Smith, he knows me. He knows each of us.
This is just an album that demands to be listened to for the honesty it is made of.
