The Cure - Songs Of A Lost World (Fiction) - God Is In The TV
Oh my gosh, it feels like I've been waiting ages to share my thoughts on this. It has been 16 years since The Cure dropped their last album, 4:13 Dream, back in 2008. For me, that accounts for about a third of my life spent in anticipation. No big deal, right?
There were definitely hints along the way. The Cure has remained quite active with live performances over the years. Their dedicated fanbase is still eagerly anticipating new music, despite worries expressed on online forums about the possibility of another studio album never being released. This has led to speculation about whether the band might be shifting into nostalgia territory, or even worse, transforming into a mere sideshow, reminiscent of the imagery used in their 'Never Enough' video, which was released an astonishing 34 years ago.
However, that wasn't the case. During their 2022 tour, they performed several new tracks that hadn't yet been released. Introducing new music can be a gamble, especially with fans who generally prefer familiar hits, but these songs were embraced positively by the audience. Nearly three decades earlier, when they headlined Glastonbury in 1995, lead singer Robert Smith humorously remarked that you could likely find their forthcoming album, *Wild Mood Swings* (which wouldn’t come out until the next year), at Camden Market. Fast forward to today, and you can easily watch performances from that era on YouTube.
The album kicks off with "Alone," an outstanding track that stands out as one of their best openings—comparable to classics like "The Kiss" from Kiss Me and "Plainsong" from Disintegration (even "Want" from the often overlooked Wild Mood Swings). It establishes the overall mood of the album. While it may not possess the bleakness of Pornography, it aligns well with it, along with Disintegration and Bloodflowers.
No, you won't find any of the lighter tracks like "Lovecats" or "Friday I’m In Love" here, and honestly, they wouldn’t quite fit. However, this album is not hard to get into. Whether you've been a longtime fan or have only enjoyed select songs curated for you, it’s definitely worth giving this a listen. While it touches on themes of aging and loss – which are familiar topics in The Cure’s discography – this time it feels particularly personal. Since their last release, Smith has experienced the loss of both his parents and his brother. The song "I Can Never Say Goodbye" includes the poignant line, "something wicked this way comes/to steal away my brother's life," and while it might sound cliché, it truly resonates.
The standout track on the album is definitely the closing song, ‘Endsong.’ If you think it's a bit too predictable to end with a track called that, just wait until you listen to it. Perhaps because The Cure emerged during a time when people experienced albums in their entirety rather than skipping around with CDs or streaming, the entire piece feels cohesive. It reflects back to a young Smith, just ten years old, gazing in awe as he witnessed humans walking on the moon for the very first time, and how that experience connects to his feelings now as an older man. It's truly grand in scope, and it's easy to see why bands like Mogwai have cited them as a significant influence.
There's something comforting about the way the band has come together. Drummer Jason Cooper and bassist Simon Gallup, who have been a solid rhythm section for a long time, are now joined by Roger O’Donnell on keyboards, who is returning, and Reeves Gabrels on guitar, who is making his debut on a Cure studio album. During live performances, Perry Bamonte has also been seen playing guitar, though he isn't featured on this album. While their previous two albums, 4:13 and The Cure from 2004, weren't terrible, few fans would consider them as standout works. However, with Songs Of A Lost World, the band is back in top form, demonstrating why they are cherished by so many fans.
It's uncertain whether this will be their final album or if there are more releases ahead. Let's just appreciate that it has arrived and is as amazing as we hoped. If it turns out to be their last (and we've been told that before!), it would be a remarkable way to conclude their journey. However, based on what we’ve heard, they clearly have plenty left to share. Let Smith and his unexpectedly cheerful band take their time with whatever comes next.
