They do sound as good as ever on this album, Kevin! I listened to the record for the first time last night booming through my living room. It was magic. I plan to listen all day today. Gratefully, I got to see The Cure's debut show of their last world tour here at home in New Orleans in May 2023. They played several songs from this new album, and it was one of the greatest concerts I've experienced in my life. The Cure was my first adult concert at 14 years old and seeing them 36 years later was unforgettable. They've just gotten better. Long live Robert and The Cure!
I listened to this album last night after seeing several glowing comments on yesterday’s “What Are You Listening To” and liked what I heard. I’ve been Cure-curious for a while, but have never listened to anything beyond their hits. Maybe this is the album what will pull me in! I’m dealing with a parent with dementia these days and the lyrical content seems to be just what I need for now.
I'm sorry to hear that! Dememtia is a cruel enemy. Elder care is something I wish we'd have all gotten a little more of heads up on. I hope the record takes some of that weight off your shoulders, if only for a little bit.
The production is exquisite? Are we kidding? I have never listened to such a bad recording where the sound is so compressed that I can’t play the songs without feeling like the composition being spoiled by the audio quality. I have tried also with earbuds but again no audio separation or imaging all instruments are collided in one horrible mix and master…
I wasn't kidding. I'm not sure where you're listening, but when I was listening it sounded great. I don't exactly have the best of hearing anymore, but it didn't sound compressed.
Interesting for sure! Well, I guess now I have to check it out in multiple formats. As noted, I didn't notice any compression of lack of separation while playing it, but now I'm curious. There are some parts where I assumed the band chose to make it sound a specific way, but that was it.
I wasn't too focused on that aspect so much, but on one of the other posts about this I mentioned that it already sounds dated. There's just something off about it, and I haven't been able to put my finger on it (maybe it's the strings patch being used). Also: maybe it's just because I've been listening to a lot of 70s prog, but... feels a little too simplistic to be drawn out sooooo long. Not anything new for The Cure, but it feels different this time. IDK, I actually am a little upset that I don't like it — I have no problem saying I don't even acknowledge anything beyond Wild Mood Swings, but the context of this one kinda makes me feel bad for not liking it.
Interesting take! In my mind, that simplicity (or space, if you will) was intentional and meant to evoke a stark(er) landscape/mood. Maybe I'm overthinking it.
I was just going to praise the production when I read this comment. What you say is interesting, Jerry, as I had the same feeling as Kevin, but these audio debates always pull me in. Might I ask how you listened? I listened on Apple Music, hi-res lossless (which we know should be taken with a pinch of salt). It didn’t sound compressed to me, but I noticed they cranked up the distortion in some of the tracks (especially near the middle of the record). I took it as an aesthetic choice but maybe I’ll need to listen more closely.
Andres I am listening on Apple Music too, through my stereo’s loudspeakers. Every day I am exposed to good audiophile recordings and less ideal recordings but never refused to listen to an album because its poor audio mix/master…
And thank you for bringing this up. I doubt it was your intent to spark the curiosity of a bunch of audiophiles, and send us down a rabbit hole about compression and specific formats/platforms, but that's also half the fun of a place like this.
There were a couple of parts that stuck out, but like you, I assumed they were intentional, aesthetic choices. As noted downthread, now I'm curous to hear what others have noticed. As good of reason as any to check it out on multiple formats, I suppose.
Robert Smith lost both his parents and his older brother while this album was being made. It results in a rich and painful insight that is both heartbreaking and yet uplifting. My first Cure gig was in November 1979. That they can move me now even more than they did then is something quite extraordinary.
You already know I love this album. Certainly their best work since Disintegration. The themes hearken back to their earliest days: Seventeen Seconds, Faith and Pornography. But the music is so much more mature and robust a la Disintegration and Bloodflowers. It really is a stunning achievement for a band 45 years removed from their debut.
Hard disagree. Wish blew this out of the water. Even Wild Mood Swings was better (that’s really as far as I’m willing to go… WMS is the last album by The Cure as far as I’m concerned)
I’m in love with it for sure!! I’ve been a huge Cure fan forever. Pornography was my favorite album until Disintegration came out. I used to spend hours just driving around listening to Disintegration blasting in my car. This new album is definitely that level. If I had a CD player in my car, I would have spent all of my extra money to buy both vinyl and CD. I was super stoked that I was able to get the pretty vinyl edition!
i was talking on election night how much i love this album as a conceptual album. no singles, just one full ten-song complete piece of work. i decided that my final test would be listening to in the car. i did that yesterday, in a post election night fugue, and somehow understood that these truly were the songs of a lost world.
They do sound as good as ever on this album, Kevin! I listened to the record for the first time last night booming through my living room. It was magic. I plan to listen all day today. Gratefully, I got to see The Cure's debut show of their last world tour here at home in New Orleans in May 2023. They played several songs from this new album, and it was one of the greatest concerts I've experienced in my life. The Cure was my first adult concert at 14 years old and seeing them 36 years later was unforgettable. They've just gotten better. Long live Robert and The Cure!
Long live the Cure indeed! Wish I would've been able to see one of those shows.
They did a live stream on YouTube from London on Nov 1. It was a great show. In addition to the new album, they played 23"classics" https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/the-cure/2024/troxy-london-england-6b50da2a.html
Thank you for the link!
It's so gorgeous. It almost feels like a sequel to Disintegration, if that makes sense.
It makes total sense! At least to me, anyway. That was one of my immediate takeaways.
Time may be screaming by, but…wonderful review. I’m going to be living inside this LP for years to come.
Thank you, Travis!
I listened to this album last night after seeing several glowing comments on yesterday’s “What Are You Listening To” and liked what I heard. I’ve been Cure-curious for a while, but have never listened to anything beyond their hits. Maybe this is the album what will pull me in! I’m dealing with a parent with dementia these days and the lyrical content seems to be just what I need for now.
I'm sorry to hear that! Dememtia is a cruel enemy. Elder care is something I wish we'd have all gotten a little more of heads up on. I hope the record takes some of that weight off your shoulders, if only for a little bit.
The production is exquisite? Are we kidding? I have never listened to such a bad recording where the sound is so compressed that I can’t play the songs without feeling like the composition being spoiled by the audio quality. I have tried also with earbuds but again no audio separation or imaging all instruments are collided in one horrible mix and master…
I wasn't kidding. I'm not sure where you're listening, but when I was listening it sounded great. I don't exactly have the best of hearing anymore, but it didn't sound compressed.
That’s interesting, because one of my main complaints was the production.
(I wanted to like it, just couldn’t.. not just because of that, but that was part of it)
Interesting for sure! Well, I guess now I have to check it out in multiple formats. As noted, I didn't notice any compression of lack of separation while playing it, but now I'm curious. There are some parts where I assumed the band chose to make it sound a specific way, but that was it.
I wasn't too focused on that aspect so much, but on one of the other posts about this I mentioned that it already sounds dated. There's just something off about it, and I haven't been able to put my finger on it (maybe it's the strings patch being used). Also: maybe it's just because I've been listening to a lot of 70s prog, but... feels a little too simplistic to be drawn out sooooo long. Not anything new for The Cure, but it feels different this time. IDK, I actually am a little upset that I don't like it — I have no problem saying I don't even acknowledge anything beyond Wild Mood Swings, but the context of this one kinda makes me feel bad for not liking it.
Interesting take! In my mind, that simplicity (or space, if you will) was intentional and meant to evoke a stark(er) landscape/mood. Maybe I'm overthinking it.
I rarely agree with Fantano, but... it looks like this one of the rare occasions we're n'sync: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0zouW-xIuI
I was just going to praise the production when I read this comment. What you say is interesting, Jerry, as I had the same feeling as Kevin, but these audio debates always pull me in. Might I ask how you listened? I listened on Apple Music, hi-res lossless (which we know should be taken with a pinch of salt). It didn’t sound compressed to me, but I noticed they cranked up the distortion in some of the tracks (especially near the middle of the record). I took it as an aesthetic choice but maybe I’ll need to listen more closely.
Andres I am listening on Apple Music too, through my stereo’s loudspeakers. Every day I am exposed to good audiophile recordings and less ideal recordings but never refused to listen to an album because its poor audio mix/master…
Some interesting comments on this thread:
https://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/the-cure-songs-of-a-lost-world.1209550/page-65
Looks like the vinyl version sounds better that the streaming version
Wild!
And thank you for bringing this up. I doubt it was your intent to spark the curiosity of a bunch of audiophiles, and send us down a rabbit hole about compression and specific formats/platforms, but that's also half the fun of a place like this.
There were a couple of parts that stuck out, but like you, I assumed they were intentional, aesthetic choices. As noted downthread, now I'm curous to hear what others have noticed. As good of reason as any to check it out on multiple formats, I suppose.
I first saw The Cure in concert in the summer of 1989. Disintegration is still such a special record for me. Can’t wait to hear their new album.
I saw them on that tour at Rosemont (Chicago suburb). It was magical!
It was! I saw them at Giants Stadium in NJ!
I don't want to spoil it or speak for you, but if you loved Disintegration I have to think you'll love this too.
I’ve been listening. It really does remind me of why I love them. That sound brings back such good memories.
Robert Smith lost both his parents and his older brother while this album was being made. It results in a rich and painful insight that is both heartbreaking and yet uplifting. My first Cure gig was in November 1979. That they can move me now even more than they did then is something quite extraordinary.
Right? I know there have been lineup changes and what not, but to be as good as ever 45 years in is pretty remarkable.
You already know I love this album. Certainly their best work since Disintegration. The themes hearken back to their earliest days: Seventeen Seconds, Faith and Pornography. But the music is so much more mature and robust a la Disintegration and Bloodflowers. It really is a stunning achievement for a band 45 years removed from their debut.
Certainly their best work since Disintegration.
Hard disagree. Wish blew this out of the water. Even Wild Mood Swings was better (that’s really as far as I’m willing to go… WMS is the last album by The Cure as far as I’m concerned)
That is quite the take. But hey, we like what we like!
100%
I’m in love with it for sure!! I’ve been a huge Cure fan forever. Pornography was my favorite album until Disintegration came out. I used to spend hours just driving around listening to Disintegration blasting in my car. This new album is definitely that level. If I had a CD player in my car, I would have spent all of my extra money to buy both vinyl and CD. I was super stoked that I was able to get the pretty vinyl edition!
Ha! I'm only one car removed from having a tape deck. Maybe I should get the CD first and the vinyl after.
Within 17 seconds it was already sounding epic and timeless. A classic in the canon of Cure work.
Agreed!
Trump Vance 2024!! Remembering all the hate people in this 'stack directed at me when all I came here for was some fun music discussions. Go America.
Well done, Kevin. Hard not to think of Disintegration when listened to this. I think it's great too.
Thank you, Justin!
i was talking on election night how much i love this album as a conceptual album. no singles, just one full ten-song complete piece of work. i decided that my final test would be listening to in the car. i did that yesterday, in a post election night fugue, and somehow understood that these truly were the songs of a lost world.