The Cure

Performer: The Cure
Producer: Ross Robinson; Robert Smith
Distributor: Universal Distribution

Notes: This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files. The Cure: Robert Smith (vocals, guitar); Perry Bamonte (guitar); Roger O'Donnell (keyboards); Simon Gallup (bass guitar); Jason Cooper (drums). Although rumors of the Cure's demise circulated after 2000's BLOODFLOWERS, and even frontman Robert Smith claimed the group was finished on numerous occasions, the revered post-punk band remained united, and released this self-titled album in 2004. Expertly timed to follow the excellent JOIN THE DOTS rarities box set and ride a wave of adoration from hip, younger bands, THE CURE marks a new chapter for the goth-rockers, while incorporating many of the quartet's key sonic elements. Though Smith doesn't seem inclined to write lighter pop ditties on par with "The Lovecats" or "Let's Go to Bed," he's still happy to pen gloomy, distortion-filled rock songs and atmospheric mood pieces. Marked by tinges of Middle-Eastern music, the slowly building "Labyrinth" hearkens back to the band's gloriously bleak 1982 album, PORNOGRAPHY. Co-producer Ross Robinson (Korn, Slipknot) makes his presence known by amping up the guitars, most notably on the reverb-heavy "Before Three," the fierce "Us or Them," and the epic closer "The Promise." Of course, Smith can't resist the occasional upbeat melody, particularly on the dynamic single "The End of the World" and the buoyant, keyboard-driven "Taking Off." Twenty-five years after the group's first album, THE CURE sees Smith and his bandmates in fine form and ready to win over another generation of fans.

Rolling Stone (p.128) - 4 stars out of 5 - "The Cure are on a roll these days, and the new album is their most adventurous and passionate since DISINTEGRATION." Rolling Stone (p.142) - Included in Rolling Stone's Top 50 Records Of 2004 - "[Smith] turns up the guitars and wails in the sumptuous bathos of gems..." Spin (p.103) - "[T]hey rock like the hair-raising live band they've become since the current lineup stabilized nine years ago." - Grade: B Entertainment Weekly (p.86) - "[N]ewly vibrant music....The Cure have a few stomps left in them." - Grade: B Q (p.107) - 3 stars out of 5 - "The opening tracks are highlights of their recent career..." Uncut (p.90) - 4 stars out of 5 - "The freshness of Smith's songwriting, combined with Robinson's intense production techniques, make THE CURE an invigorating and occasionally breathtaking experience." Uncut (p.76) - Ranked #47 in Uncut's "Best New Albums of 2004" - "[I]t's anguished and raw, with distorted guitars squalling around Smith's howls of discontent." Mojo (Publisher) (p.87) - 3 stars out of 5 - "[H]e's bought a harmonium. It's used to spellbinding effect....Once in a while the old JoJo returns to surprise us."

Led by depressive pop prince Robert Smith, the Cure have taken their legions of fans on a journey from post-punk to gothic to new wave to art rock, stopping only for refills of hairspray along the way. An amazing band both live and in the studio, the Cure may have shifted its lineup numerous times, but Smith has remained a consistently fascinating rock icon throughout the changes. The group's most popular work (DISINTEGRATION, THE HEAD ON THE DOOR) was recorded in the 1980s, but it has held up incredibly well, leading to continued tours and albums despite exaggerated rumors of their demise.

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