capsule
reviews of miscellaneous titles by
THE CURE
The Cure
Disintegration
The Cure? Yeah. I know, they stand out as the gothic
dirge-rock band with the clown-faced lead singer, and they’re popularly known for
shallow pop hits. But the album "Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me" showed them working
very hard to make art rather than pop, to become something as serious as U2 or R.E.M.
Robert Smith’s lyrics became ever more poetic, plumbing the depths of depression,
emptiness, lost love, and failure.
But is it healthy, all this dwelling on the dark side? Here, I
think, that’s part of the point. By exposing the dehabilitating effects of dwelling
on the past, perhaps Smith can free us; and by making such pleasurable music out of such
heartbreak, perhaps he can give us a boost.
"Disintegration" takes the brilliance of "Kiss Me"’s finer moments and expands upon it. It’s a vast, oceanic album, with
moody tidal waves of sonorous guitars, thunderous rhythms, and Smith’s vocals
stronger than they’d ever been. The album explores the consuming power of obsession
and the paralyzing effect of nostalgia. Lovers speak of those glimmering moments of
connection, always past. Insomniacs wail about nightmares and hauntings, as memories
descend like spiders to haunt them. Photographs of past loves come alive, beautiful
and appealing but always false, always out of reach. Contagious bass lines and
irresistable hooks make the songs stay with you.
Outstanding tracks: "Plainsong", "Pictures of You",
"Disintegration"
Jeffrey's Sum-Up: Excellent |
|
