It’s been 16 long years since The Cure released an album. 4:13 Dream dropped in 2008, and while not an awful album it was disappointing. There were great songs there, but they seemed to have been muddled in murky production and a somewhat lack of focus on the part of The Cure’s leader/front man/songwriter Robert Smith. The songs came to life on the stage, thankfully, but 4:13 Dream is an album that sits in the shelf for me most of the time.
After several false starts, promises, release date cancellations, and cheeky teasing on the part of Smith we have a release date for the long-gestating follow-up to that kind of disappointing record. Songs Of A Lost World is dropping 11/1, just a little over a month away. And today The Cure have revealed their first single in nearly two decades, the glorious and epic “Alone”.
“Alone” is a return to form for The Cure. It’s big, bold, and just a beautiful song that feels like both a return -and sadly- a goodbye in the same breath. If it took 16 years to release this album, in another 16 years Robert Smith will be 81-years old. So I think we should all just assume this is the band’s swan song. But hey, if the rest of the record is as lush and emotional as “Alone” I think this would be a beautiful way to say goodbye to the fans.
I’ve seen The Cure live four times, all with my best friend whom I’ve known since the 3rd grade. I was actually supposed to see them the summer after our Senior year of high school with him as well. It was the Wish Tour. I wasn’t a fan of The Cure then, not at all. I decided then that I wanted to spend as much time with my girlfriend that summer before she moved to Tennessee to attend ETSU on a music scholarship, so I told him I couldn’t go. I don’t regret that choice, as that girlfriend eventually became my wife, but I would have loved the perspective of seeing them 30 years ago and then now. I imagine they are just as vital live now as they were then. Listening to Smith’s vocal performance you’d think this was recorded 30 years ago. His voice is as poignant, emotional, and expressive as its ever been. With lush synth strings and chiming guitar parts backing Smith, this song is classic Cure.
I talked to my best friend this morning about the song and he said he was hit with some real emotional heft while listening. I said the same, and that if there’s massive tour and they come reasonably close that we should go see them one last time. He agreed.
If you’re a fan of The Cure you are going to love this song. Take a listen below. Even if you’re not, give it a listen anyways. What’s it gonna hurt? Nothing, that’s what.
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