The moment I heard that The Cure was going to be releasing new music, I became ecstatic. The 1980’s gothic rock/new wave band hasn’t come out with new music in over 16 years, so you can imagine how a die-hard fan like me would react.
The Cure is an alternative post-punk band that gained popularity in the late 80’s, when they released their most popular album “Disintegration”. The band started in 1976, and the only consistent (and most crucial) member is Robert Smith. Smith started The Cure (originally called Easy Cure) when he was only 17, making him the lead singer and lyricist for the band for over 48 years. They were easily one of the most influential bands in the alternative rock/pop scene, and they continue to be an inspiration to young musicians around the world.
Originally from the UK, The Cure got their start from touring around Southern England, slowly but surely growing their fanbase. When they released their debut album, “Three Imaginary Boys”, in 1979, the songs “Boys Don’t Cry” and “Jumping Someone Else’s Train” were instant hits. From then on The Cure continued creating new and even better music. In 2019, they were inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Their new album, “Songs of A Lost World”, which was released on November 1st, is their 14th studio album.
Track #1 – Alone
Many of Smith’s songs are jam-packed full of literary and historical references, and the song “Alone” is no exception. Smith stated that he drew inspiration for the song from Ernest Dowson’s “Dregs”, a poem about loss, regret, and the inability to avoid death. As the opening track on the album, it sets the tone for the rest of “Songs Of A Lost World”. It starts out with a slow, melancholic guitar and synth solo, which lasts for 3:27. This is very much in character for The Cure, who have a reputation for their long and drawn out intros, such as their song “Plainsong” (1989, Disintegration), which has an intro that is 2:37 long. “Alone” is overall a decent track, with lyrics that are thought-provoking and meaningful, but the music itself is pretty repetitive and slow. This can grow tiresome, given that the track is almost 7 minutes long. I give this song a 3/5.
Track #2 – And Nothing Is Forever
“And Nothing Is Forever” is a slow, power ballad about Smith’s promise to a loved one that he couldn’t fulfill. In an interview, he said that the song was: “about a promise that I made to someone who was very ill that I would be with them when they died, it’s that simple, and I wasn’t. And because I wasn’t, I wrote the song as a small compensation for one of my darker moments. I wasn’t able to be with the person for what were good reasons, but still, it upset me because as you can imagine when you make a promise to someone, it’s not good to break promises. So this song was just an attempt to reconcile myself with something that had happened. There’s nothing I can do to change it, so I thought that perhaps by memorializing it it would make it easier for me to deal with.” The lyrics are heartfelt, and the music is mournful with a vibrant mix of piano, strings, and guitar. While it’s definitely a good song, it doesn’t quite meet the high bar The Cure has set for themselves with their past music. I give this track a 4/5.
Track #3 – A Fragile Thing
Smith has described “A Fragile Thing” as the “love song” of the album, but not in the same way the their song “Lovesong” (1989, Disintegration) is. He says: “It’s the most powerful emotion [love], and it’s incredibly resilient. And yet at the same time, incredibly fragile.” The track was originally called “Kill The Sun”, and was much different then the final product. The song starts out with a dramatic piano solo, and continues to build from there. It’s definitely one of the more upbeat songs on the album, which makes it more memorable considering all of the gloomy tracks on “Songs Of A Lost World”. The lyrics, as always with Smith’s work, are heartfelt and powerful, but the music’s not on par with the other tracks. I give this song a 3/5.
Track #4 – Warsong
“Warsong” is an angsty ballad about Smith’s experience with people being prone to arguing and fighting, and how as he’s grown older it’s gotten harder to see the good in others. The song starts out with a drawn out synth and guitar solo, giving it a dreary and bleak sound. Smith himself even described the track as “the most dismal song on the album”. The lyrics are deep, and properly portray Smith’s frustration with the anger and spite in the world that he views as completely unnecessary. His vocals are also reminiscent of a battle cry, which only further convey Smith’s point. The overall tone and music are good, making this song one of the best songs on the album. I give this track a ⅘.
Track #5 – Drone:Nodrone
Funnily enough, “Drone:Nodrone” was inspired by Smith’s encounter with a drone behind his house. He stated how self conscious it made him about how intrusive the modern world can be. Smith also said that the song was partially about him coming to terms with his age and how much the world has changed since he started the band. In this song The Cure demonstrates their versatility when it comes to the genre they perform. While the other tracks on “Songs Of A Lost World” display their dark and gloomy side, this song brings out the pop-punk aspect of their music. It starts out with a chaotic guitar solo, immediately giving the track an upbeat tone. This song in particular is the most energetic track on the album, with catchy lyrics that are sure to get stuck in your head. Overall, I think this is one of the best tracks on the album. I give this song a 5/5.
Track #6 – I Can Never Say Goodbye
Smith showcases his ability to fill his lyrics with sincerity with the song “I can Never Say Goodbye”. The song describes the death of his older brother, Richard Smith, and his struggle with accepting his passing. He references this directly with the words, “Something wicked this way comes/To steal away my brother’s life”. Out of all of the songs on the album, this track in particular has a sort of poetic vulnerability to it that fans won’t be able to get enough of. It begins with a soulful piano solo, then slowly introduces the cymbals, then drums, then guitar. This track most definitely has the best music, and when it’s paired with the overwhelmingly emotional lyrics and vocals, you’ve got the best song on the entire album. I give this track a 5/5.
Track #7 – All I Ever Am
“All I Ever Am”, is about Smith’s perspective when it comes to our memories. Smith said that, “ It’s about how you remain yourself, but not in the sense like ‘I don’t want to change’. It’s the persistence of being through time.”. He said that he feels as though his experiences shape how he views his past memories, which make him feel detached from those previous encounters. The lyrics, “I think too much of all that’s gone/Of how it was before my thoughts”, expand on this even further, making us as the listeners begin to question our own memories. Everytime we think of a memory, it’s like we’re re-drawing it in our heads, and as we grow and gain more experiences, that drawing changes a bit. Smith is trying to express the discomfort he feels when he thinks about how much his memories have changed, and has a hard time associating those memories with himself. The music expresses this point very well, with a good blend of both energy and gloom. The lyrics are inspiring and earnest, making this an overall great track. I give this song a 4/5.
Track #8 – Endsong
The appropriately named “Endsong” is the last track on the album, but ironically it feels as though it’ll never end. The song spans a total of 10:24, making it the second longest song ever performed by the Cure, with the song “Watching Me Fall” from their album Bloodflowers (2000) just barely beating it with 11:13. The lyrics describe Smith’s view on how much the world has changed since his youth, and when speaking about the song he said, “I feel the same looking up at the moon as I did when I was 10, but I’m not the same as I was when I was 10. And yet I kind of am.” The song reflects his disappointment with where the world is as of now, and how things were much different when he was younger. The music itself is good, and builds continually throughout the song. The track is good, but it’s quite lengthy. For those who are willing to appreciate the slow-burn, this song is definitely worth listening to. I give this track a 3/5.
Overall, “Songs Of A Lost World” is a good album full of wonderful tracks. Smith did an amazing job telling his stories through his lyrics and incorporating them into the music with his vocals. Smith stated that he tried to keep the topics in the album universal so that everyone could relate to them, and I believe that he accomplished that perfectly. Even after 48 years, The Cure is still creating great music that everyone can enjoy. They’re not done yet though, because in a recent interview Smith hinted that “Songs Of A Lost World” might be part of a trilogy. While the album as a whole doesn’t quite live up to some of the band’s past music, it’s still a fantastic example of how good The Cure actually is. All in all, I give this album an 4/5.
