Music Review: The Cure return after a long break to look at mortality with one of their best albums

You mightiness deliberation that aft being silent for 16 years, The Cure would beryllium successful a unreserved to get things going

You mightiness deliberation that aft being silent for 16 years, The Cure would beryllium successful a unreserved to get things going. Think again. It takes complete 3 minutes of “Alone” — nan first opus connected their caller medium — earlier we yet perceive Robert Smith's voice. The Cure are back, but decidedly connected their terms.

The eight-track medium “Songs of a Lost World” is lush and profoundly orchestral, swelling and powerful, pinch often respective minutes of instruments jamming earlier immoderate singing.

There are melancholic and mournful lyrics that face mortality and wonderment wherever clip went. “I’m extracurricular successful nan dark/Wondering/How I sewage truthful old,” Smith sings successful nan last, sprawling, heartbreaking song.

“Songs of a Lost World” is, indeed, not of this world. None of nan tunes are nether 4 minutes and nan past 1 saunters past 10. In an era erstwhile euphony is fashioned for microbursts connected TikTok, Smith is disinterested. He lets songs return their time, unrushed and capable to breath, nan beauty of nan melodies and instruments starring nan way.

The first and past songs are successful conversation, pinch nan first stating “This is nan end/Of each opus we sing/Alone” and nan last echoing nan thought: “It’s each gone/Left unsocial pinch nothing/The extremity of each song.” There is simply a finality that fans will find distressful.

The medium is The Cure's first since 2008's “4:13 Dream” — though Smith has been making music, including a terrific collaboration pinch CHVRCHES. Eight caller songs doesn't sound for illustration a lot, but they are each rich | and satisfying.

One of nan highlights is “I Can Never Say Goodbye,” successful which a simple, insistent soft noodle is surrounded by fluttering guitar activity arsenic Smith comes to position pinch his brother's death. The set besides goes cinematic pinch “And Nothing Is Forever,” which has an Aaron Copland agleam orchestral vibe, while “Warsong” is simply a dissonant, spikey downer that concludes “we are calved to war.”

“All I Ever Am” is built connected immoderate absorbing drumming, plinky soft and fuzzy guitars, a agleam activity of euphony pinch Smith's customary gloomy lyrics: “All I ever am/Is someway ne'er quite/All I americium now.” It is classical The Cure and yet thrillingly not.

We are successful an era of ‘80s bands reemerging for illustration cicadas — Tears for Fears, Crowded House, nan The, Pet Shop Boys, Duran Duran, among them — but “Songs of a Lost World” is nary effort to recapture “Friday I’m In Love” aliases “In Between Days.” It is simply a immense measurement forward. It is The Cure’s champion medium since “Disintegration.” Hopefully, location will beryllium more.

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