Songs of a Lost World

The Cure

Matthew Zeichert

After 16 years without a new studio album release, English emo powerhouse The Cure is back and better than ever. Well… at least since “Friday I’m In Love” became a hit song in 1992. 

With “Songs of a Lost World”, frontman Robert Smith and company deliver a near-perfect trifecta of sorrowful vocals, guttural bass and guitar lines, and spooky synthesizers that serve as a perfect complement to these dark times. 

The album begins by teleporting listeners into a space of melancholy with an ethereal instrumental section that surpasses three minutes on “Alone.” The opening track’s lyrics verge on apocalyptic while longing for times gone by. Through most of its eight tracks, “Songs of a Lost World” pays homage to previous iconic albums like “Disintegration” and “Pornography” with its musical stylings, yet the album could  easily be enjoyed without any knowledge of the band’s extensive discography. Each song has so many sonic layers to it that they almost demand to be relistened to time and time again. Near the halfway point of “Songs of a Lost World” is “Drone:Nodrone,” one of the rare low points of the album. While “Drone:Nodrone” may be catchy with its repeated chorus, the jankiness of both the vocals and sloppy guitar make it feel like Red Hot Chili Peppers went goth. 

Whether it really is a sign of more music to come – as Robert Smith claims – or a final album to an impressive discography, “Songs of a Lost World” is a return to form.