Release Date: Nov 1, 2024
Genre(s): Pop/Rock
Record label: Capitol
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Buy Songs of a Lost World from Amazon
Robert Smith starts at the end for The Cure's first album in 16 years. 'This is the end / Of every song that we sing' is the cheery opening line, and a repeated refrain of 'nothing' closes things some 50 minutes later (the full line is 'Left alone with nothing / The end of every song'). It's safe to say that the godfathers of gloom haven't altered their disposition in the intervening years, and we're all the better for it.
For a band 45 years deep into a career they've worn remarkably well. First there's the aesthetics of it all - the hairspray and eyeliner hides a multitude of sins, and Robert Smith's unmistakable voice is somehow untouched by age. More importantly, though, it's clear how much they care. Songs Of A Lost World's lengthy incubation period seems to be the result of perfectionism and a surfeit of songs, with Smith telling NME that some of these tracks were first demoed over a decade ago, and that one if not two more records could shortly follow.
Sometimes, fans can wait so long for something that when it’s finally in their hands – or ears, in this case – they are filled with a sense of disbelief. After 16 years, British figureheads The Cure have finally delivered a follow-up to their last full-length, ‘4:13 Dream’. They've hardly been resting on their laurels during this time.
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