The Cure
Disintegration (1989)
Romeo
The year of 1989, power rock and Milli Vanilli, ruled the charts (Billboard charts). Nirvana was in bloom (no pun intended) with their first album "Bleach" and Korn getting beat by their parents, don't we all know it? Don't weâ¦
Enter - The Cure, Goth legends, released the album Disintegration. And no, this is not a Marilyn Manson or Switchblade Symphony kind of goth band (I hope you would have known this before you clicked the link for the review) This is music more along the lines of Joy Division. The previously released album Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me was a huge sucsess and sold half a million copies and Robert Smith, as always, thought The Cure would be throwing in the towel after this one. Fortunately this didn't happen, and hasn't.
Disintegration spans a whole 72 minutes, of pure emotion, spit out by Robert Smith and backed up by this albums line up. In most songs Simon Gallup uses a 6 string bass, which is rather cool, the drumbeats by Boris Williams are distinctive and powerful. And without the keyboards played out by Roger O'Donnell and Robert Smith this band would not be the same. Throughout the album various things like chimes and percussion instruments are brought to you by Laurence Tolhurst. For those of you who have never heard The Cure, this album takes some getting used to but it is nearly flawless.
Stand out tracks
"Plainsong" starts the album off, and heads straight into the Cures darkest, depressing writings since Pornography. Example "I think it's dark and it looks like rain" you said "and the wind is blowing like it's the end of the world" you said "and it's so cold it's like the cold if you were dead" and then you smiled for a second.
"Pictures of You" was inspired by a fire that burned all of Smiths most valued possessions, but he still had two pictures in his wallet that were not in the fire. The song ranges 7 minutes, but never loses your attention. As most the songs on the album are structured, an instrumental begining building up to the song. It's a rather happy sounding song about a nostalgic time.
"Love Song" is a great example of what The Cure really sounds like. The opening drumbeat overlapped with eerie keyboards brings forth a chart topping hit from the Cure. The lyrics are pretty self explanatory, but Smiths vocals make the meaning more, and that is what sets the Cure aside from everyone else.
"Lullaby" starts out with a clean guitar riff into a slow beat song. Smith sings with one of the creepiest whispers out of any singer I have ever heard. At 4 minutes and 10 seconds long it is one of the shortest songs on the album.
"Fascination Street" is the heaviest song on this album. It starts out with what sounds like a soft whisper, but from a keyboard, that leads into a profound bassline. Lyrics are a bit risqué for description, but it's a swell, enjoyable song.
"Homesick" is where the piano plays the lead roll. The piano sets out with what it is meant to do and you can feel what is being expressed with every note. And yet again, Smith's voice adds every bit of depression into the song. "And I forget when to move when my mouth is this dry and my eyes are bursting hearts in a blood stained sky"
All in all this album is one of The Cures best but it takes a bit of getting used to and the length to some songs are⦠lengthy and are drawn out. Go buy this album with the money you got for Christmas to put in the bank for college, its well worth it, who needs college when you have the Cure?