Songs Of A Lost World

This is what it sounds like when instruments sing. This is also what yearning sounds like. One of the best cure albums, period.

First of the newbies... The Cure - Songs of a Lost World. Its quite frightening how good this is. Especially as 4:13 Dream is okay, and self titled is ..okay I worried that the huge time between albums would have made the album a bit baggy or too broad, but to come back with this is incredible. To get it under 50mins, to make it sound different but incredibly familiar. It would have been easy for them, in the current era in where a lot of young popstars are name checking the cure, to try and make a poppy song. Its almost weird to think, but in 2024, they have released a top...5(?) Curr album. I'm going 5 lads

This is me discovering that they’ve added new albums to this list?! This is the second The Cure album I’ve listened to so far and I can confirm I really like their sound!

9/10 In the three days since new albums were added to the list, I've gotten two. I'm not saying that's unusual, but it is curious. At first blush, this album is representative of some of my biggest issues/complaints with this project: some (many) groups and genres are over-represented; it is nonsensical to me that groups whose heydays were in the 60s/70s/80s suddenly have a more recent album on the list when the album was barely critically acclaimed, had little to no cultural significance, and doesn't even sound good; and I don't really think albums released in the last five years should be on the list (because who's to say if it's "something you should listen to" before we even know if it's relevant???). So yeah, needless to say, I was shocked when I started listening to this 2024 album by The Cure (four albums on the list, most recently represented by one from 1989) and, well... loved it. It's really, really good. In a way it's timeless, with Robert Smith's characteristic vocals sounding almost identical to how they were in the 80s, and music that sounds like a natural progression from what they were doing back in the day. The album is deeply introspective, with many of the tracks starting with a several-minute-long instrumental, and lyrics such as the following from Endsong: And I'm outside in the dark Staring at the blood red moon Remembering the hopes and dreams I had And all I had to do And wondering what became of that boy And the world he called his own I'm outside in the dark Wondering how I got so old Rather than being stuck in the same 1980s rock-star slump as so many other legacy acts, regurgitating their own music because they can't fathom any other way to make it, here the Cure are acknowledging their past AND their present, and responding in a nostalgic yet melancholic fashion. It's nice to see a band grow up. I may rail against the issues with this list in my reviews (and to various people in my life... on a daily basis........ sorry y'all.........), and I be hyper-critical of the inclusion of various artists and albums, but I can acknowledge when an album is good: and this one is really, really good.

Wonderfully bleak.

Those sad goth boys did it again.

Intros are long and quite a depressing album but great lyrics and enjoyed it musically

I like it. Pretty melancholic, but serene.

That is my album of the year 2024.

Amazing. I don't know how I missed this when it came out. I consider myself a fan. But I didn't even realize they had an album release two years ago! Loved it.

Didn't need to be on the list but this is such a great album

First thing first, I like this album. As a non Cure fan this mature period album is probably my favourite of theirs I have heard. It’s very much the cure being the cure but with the gravitas and knowledge that, well experience brings. It’s also still their little dark goth hearts. And I am likely to revisit this more than their seminal genre defining earlier albums. So, glad I have heard in an individual sense. But, my presentism bias comes out here. Albums that are only a few years old to my mind to be on a list of must hear without the hindsight of time need to be either genre changing or defining. Not sure this is the case. Maybe in 20 yrs, look back and say this album defines the goth sound but not sure. Edits of the book show when adding records they almost always removed ones added at the last edits to correct recency bias. As said I liked this, and if you have any interest in this type of music it’s a worthwhile listen but do think it’s too early to say it’s a must hear for everyone. 3 Star

Meh. The Cure, when not a standout song, bore me.

# In-Depth Review: The Cure – *Songs of a Lost World* **Released:** November 1, 2024 **Label:** Fiction/Capitol **Producers:** Robert Smith, Paul Corkett *Songs of a Lost World* arrives sixteen years after *4:13 Dream*, a gap that could have easily resulted in a bloated, overthought misfire. Instead, Robert Smith and his band delivered what many critics consider their strongest work since 1989's *Disintegration*—an eight-track, fifty-minute meditation on mortality, grief, and the slow erosion of selfhood that feels less like a comeback and more like an inevitable reckoning . --- ## Lyrics: Grief Made Universal Smith has always written about death, but earlier Cure albums often romanticized it through a youthful gothic lens. Here, the perspective is different. The losses are real: his parents and his older brother Richard all passed within a few years, and the album was shaped by that cluster of bereavements . The opening line of "Alone"—"This is the end of every song that we sing"—borrows from Ernest Dowson's poem "Dregs," a Victorian meditation on exhaustion and oblivion . It sets a tone of finality that never lifts, but the album's power lies in how Smith transforms personal grief into something approaching universal. The centerpiece is "I Can Never Say Goodbye," written directly about Richard's death. The line "Something wicked this way comes / To steal away my brother's life" is startlingly plain, stripped of metaphor's protective layer . Elsewhere, "And Nothing Is Forever" addresses a broken deathbed promise Smith made to someone close to him—a confession that feels almost uncomfortable in its intimacy . These aren't abstractions. They're specific, and that specificity is what makes them land. The album's bookends reinforce its circular structure. "Alone" opens with emptiness and bitter dregs; "Endsong," the ten-minute closer, ends with "Left alone with nothing / The end of every song / Nothing" . It's an ouroboros of bleak finality, deliberately claustrophobic. The weakness, if there is one, is that the lyrical palette is narrow. Smith has never been a political writer, and he doesn't start here—*Songs of a Lost World* is resolutely interior, almost hermetic. For some listeners, fifty minutes of unrelenting grief without respite may prove exhausting rather than cathartic . --- ## Music: Atmospheric Weight and Unexpected Muscle Musically, the album is a marriage of *Disintegration*-era grandeur and something harder-edged. The seven-minute opener "Alone" spends over three minutes building before Smith sings a word, layering orchestral keyboards, tumbling drums, and Reeves Gabrels' atmospheric guitar into a wall of sound that feels both warm and suffocating . This extended instrumental approach recurs throughout—"Endsong" waits six minutes before vocals arrive—and it's a deliberate choice that prioritizes mood over immediacy . The rhythm section deserves particular credit. Jason Cooper's drums are mixed high and hit with real force, while Simon Gallup's bass provides a distorted, fuzz-pedal undercurrent that grounds the more ethereal passages . Gabrels, whose tenure with the band has divided fans, proves essential here; his screeching, wah-drenched solos on "Drone:Nodrone" and the closing sections of "Endsong" inject a chaotic energy that prevents the album from becoming a monochrome dirge . The album's most surprising moment is "Drone:Nodrone," the closest thing to a pop song here. Built on a hypnotic piano figure and a restless, off-kilter groove, it recalls *Disintegration*'s "Fascination Street" but with a nastier edge . It's not a single in the traditional sense—there's no chorus to speak of—but it provides a necessary jolt of adrenaline. "Warsong," at just over four minutes the shortest track, is a dense, snarling portrait of relational collapse that builds from a harmonium drone into feedback-laden fury . If there's a musical weakness, it's that the album's middle stretch ("A Fragile Thing," "All I Ever Am") doesn't quite reach the heights of its bookends. These are solid songs, but they function more as connective tissue than standalone highlights . --- ## Production: Cinematic but Controlled Smith co-produced with Paul Corkett (who also worked on *Bloodflowers*), and the result is one of the best-sounding Cure albums in decades. The mix is dense and layered, but crucially, it avoids the lifeless compression that marred *4:13 Dream*. Cooper's drums sound massive without overwhelming the delicate keyboard textures; Gallup's bass is present and muscular; Gabrels' guitar sits in its own distinct space rather than blurring into the synths . The album was largely recorded in 2019, with Gallup re-recording his bass parts later, and some songs date back years in the band's live setlist. Remarkably, it doesn't sound pieced together. The eight tracks cohere into a single emotional arc, and the sequencing—moving from the slow-burn opener through the relative energy of "Drone:Nodrone" and back into the elegiac closer—feels deliberate and earned . One caveat: the album's commitment to atmosphere means that casual listeners may find the extended instrumental passages indulgent. "Endsong" is ten minutes long, and six of those minutes pass before Smith opens his mouth. For those already invested in the Cure's aesthetic, this is a feature, not a bug. For others, it may test patience . --- ## Themes: Mortality, Memory, and the Fractured Self The album's title is literal. This is a record about living in a world that has already been lost—youth, loved ones, the sense of infinite possibility. Smith, now in his mid-sixties, surveys his life with a critical eye. On "Endsong," he sings: "Wondering what became of that boy and the world he called his own / I'm outside in the dark wondering how I got so old" . It's a line that could be maudlin in lesser hands, but Smith's delivery—still that distinctive, pleading tone, virtually unchanged since the late '80s—gives it weight rather than self-pity . A secondary theme is the instability of identity. "All I Ever Am" finds Smith questioning whether the person he's become bears any relation to the person he set out to be. "All I ever am / Is somehow quite never how I am" . It's a quieter moment, but it resonates with anyone who has looked in the mirror and found a stranger. The album also functions as a document of its time, indirectly. Written largely before the pandemic but completed after, its preoccupations with isolation, loss, and the fragility of connection feel inseparable from the years that produced it. Smith doesn't write about COVID explicitly, but the album's emotional landscape is unmistakably shaped by a period of collective grief . --- ## Influence and Place in the Catalog The Cure's influence on modern music is so pervasive it's almost invisible—from the atmospheric gloom of countless post-punk revivalists to the heart-on-sleeve melodrama of emo. *Songs of a Lost World* doesn't attempt to capitalize on that legacy by chasing trends. If anything, it doubles down on the qualities that made the band influential in the first place: patience, atmosphere, and an unwavering commitment to emotional intensity . Within the Cure's own catalog, the album sits comfortably alongside *Disintegration* and *Bloodflowers* as a mature statement on mortality. It's leaner than *Bloodflowers* (eight tracks versus ten) and less varied than *Disintegration*, but it makes up for that consistency of vision with a focused intensity that those albums sometimes lack . Whether it ultimately ranks among their very best is a question only time can answer, but the critical consensus at release placed it remarkably high—Rolling Stone called it "the best Cure album since *Disintegration*," and that assessment has held up in subsequent reappraisals . --- ## Pros and Cons **Pros:** - **Emotionally devastating without becoming maudlin.** Smith's lyrics are specific and personal, which makes them universal rather than indulgent . - **Superb musicianship.** Cooper, Gallup, and Gabrels are given room to breathe, and the rhythm section has never sounded more powerful on a Cure record . - **Cohesive vision.** The eight tracks form a single, unified statement. No filler, no unnecessary detours . - **Smith's voice.** Remarkably unchanged, and perfectly suited to the material . - **Production.** Cinematic and layered without the over-compression that plagued recent albums . **Cons:** - **Relentlessly bleak.** Fifty minutes of grief with minimal relief can be emotionally taxing; there's no "Lullaby" or "Friday I'm in Love" to break the mood . - **Extended instrumental passages** may frustrate listeners seeking more conventional song structures. "Endsong" takes six minutes to reach a vocal . - **Limited lyrical range.** Smith's focus is narrow—loss, aging, regret—and he doesn't deviate from it . - **Mid-album slight dip.** "A Fragile Thing" and "All I Ever Am" are solid but don't quite match the power of the bookends . --- *Songs of a Lost World* is not an easy album, and it's not meant to be. It's the sound of an artist who has spent nearly five decades exploring darkness and has now arrived at a place where the darkness is no longer theoretical. That it manages to be beautiful rather than merely depressing is a testament to Smith's enduring gifts. For longtime fans, it's essential. For newcomers, it's a demanding but rewarding entry point into one of rock's most distinctive catalogs.

This is a wonderful album.

Loved it: late career album from a still stunning band, Robert Smith brings reflections on old age and mortality (all the more poignant now) and that stunning plaintive voice. Lush and beautiful.

Love the Cure and Robert Smith is like a magical musical fairy who looks like your senile aunt. Its amazing they can churn out something as consistent and powerful as this at such a late stage in their career. Yes i loved their pop hits, but the power and the space and confidence in what they do seeps out of every pore of this and its great.

What’s more depressing, a Funeral of a loved one or a concert by The Cure? I’m not saying they are talentless but I can’t listen what seems to be the most depressing music on earth.

Blind album. This album pretty much secured The Cure's place of bands that i do not think are bad, but i just dont care about. 3.

1. alone - 1 2. nothing - 1 3. fragile - 1 4. uuar - 1 5. drone - 0 6. never - 1 7. ever - 1 8. zong - 1

Not only the best Cure album in nearly 30 years, but one of my favourite albums in the last 30 years. Absolutely fantastic from open to close.

bit too gloomy for me. good album though

Surprisingly, the album was released after I had already started working on the project. As a fan of The Cure, I listened to it right away back then. Now I've listened to it again. I was a little disappointed with the first half. The second half was better, but not really captivating. I'll definitely listen to the album again, but certainly not anytime soon. 3/5

I’m always nervous when bands associated with a specific time release new music. However, this is classic Cure while sounding new. It’s slow burning, expansive, and locks in to building rhythms. It has a shoegaze quality to it that works really well. I listened to it twice before going back to listen to 1989s Disintegration and Songs Of A Lost World fits very well into their discography

Solid album from a band who have a far superior version... Disintegration.

It’s good to see popular bands on yesteryear can still adapt and put out good albums.

I actually enjoyed the matured vocals of this album more then either of the previous Cure albums I got in the project!

Didn’t realize this was released in 2024 until about halfway through. The production is great. Instrumentation and vocals are fantastic. The drum parts are a bit repetitive sometimes, but then a change happens and it fits right in. Good album. 4.0/5.0

This is indeed the Cure. I hate to say it, but why does this album deserve notoriety? It's a fine album, but nothing that hasn't been done before.

This is just fucking stupid. This list had issues, but now it's becoming a farce. Do I like The Cure? Yep. Think they're great. Should this album be on here? Nope. These added albums are pissing me off no end as they're all just going to get jettisoned and then replaced with some newer ones in 5 years time. Fuck this book. Best Tracks: Alone; A Fragile Thing; All I Ever Am

Good

Was never a big fan of The Cure, they have some fine songs, but nothing I'm gonna seek out. This was more of the same, did nothing to change my opinion, a fine band, but not for me.

Enjoyment: 7/10 Replayability: 6/10 Cohesion: 8/10 Flow/Pacing: 7/10 Artistic Merit: 8/10 Weighted Average: 7.05/10 Review: Each track was good, but long. The focus was placed on the instruments, which worked for themselves. Overall, a surprisingly good album. Liked Song(s): Alone, Warsong, I Can Never Say Goodbye, Endsong Disliked Song(s): Drone:Nodrone Recommend? Yes Heard Before? No

Highlights are 'And Nothing Is Forever' and 'I Can Never Say Goodbye'.

oi. it was brutal. the cover album describes the sound well… hard, grey, motionless, emotionless. it was torture.

Didn’t finish it but good vibes off it

This was really great. I’ve always enjoyed the cure on a song by song basis but this is the first full album that grabbed me (despite not having a memorable single).

The author of this list seems to really love a late-career nostalgia pick that usually doesn't warrant inclusion. This album is the exception. A fuller/louder sound than the other Cure tracks I'm familiar with, but still recognizable as The Cure and Robert Smith sounds the same as during their peak, if not better. 4/5

Well, that was way better than I was expecting from a cure album released in 2024. Very obviously the cure, very atmospheric, got his distinctive voice and some, but perhaps more retrospective. Suppose that comes with artists releasing albums later on in life. I enjoyed it, though I'm not sure I'll be rushing back. But glad I've heard it. Think my favourite was "all I ever am" 3.5 but 4

It’s The Cure doing that Cure thing we all love, and doing it so well it’s like they’d never been away (which I guess they kinda hadn’t given they were still on tour most years). I’d suggest it takes a band with a supreme level of self-assuredness to wait until a track’s six and a half minutes old before starting the vocals...

I wasn’t expecting this to be as good as it is.

This album seems to be Smith's way back to the beginning of his career. It sounds so similar to the early records, yet completely new. It has more depth, both lyrically and musically.

Really surprised and impressed by this album. When a band that hit it's peak in the 80's releases something in 2024 you assume it's going to be very forgettable. Robert Smith reinvented The Cure in a modern way with this kind of Gothic shoegaze album.

I can't believe an album this contemporary from such an old band at this point is still so good, has no filler tracks and manages to do exciting new things sonically. I like the Smiths better but they done been dead for 20 years and we hear the bullshit Morrisey puts out

Decent

"Legacy act makes a comeback album that holds up against their old stuff." Remarkable? Yes. Essential? No. A wasted opportunity to introduce something unique to this list.

I like their earlier stuff way more but this was fine I guess

atmospheric rock

This literally just got added to the new edition of 1001 so it's another one that makes me pretty sure the person who runs the site influences the album of the day sometimes. Anyways the Cure rules, even decades into their legendary career. Classic Cure here. Robert Smith sounds excellent. The music is really good. "Warsong" is frigging great. "All I Ever Am" is great too.

Real calm

Pendant longtemps, mon opinion de The Cure était que j’aimais certaines chansons, mais qu’un album au complet me tannait. Je ne sais pas si j’ai évolué, ou si c’est eux… Ici The Cure se gâte, pousse le lyrisme à son paroxysme sans jamais sembler se répéter (et j’entends par là: ne répète rien de toute son œuvre). Un vrai plaisir pas coupable.

This was fine, but I don't think this is at all deserving of being added to this list. The Cure already have 3 albums on this list and adding a late stage career album is unnecessary.

...and here we have the case for the defence of including comeback albums by 'legacy' artists in The New 1001. Hot on the heels of the worst offender and cause for the very existence of this trial in the court of public opinion - I'm generating this the day after Hackney Diamonds. Noting here that many of the reviews persist from when this was a 1001 completionist/Patreon User Added album - I am reviewing it in its new status as officially in the book. I was fortunate enough to take my partner and our daughter to see The Cure this summer, after she spent the previous 12 months getting hopelessly and massively into the band in a much bigger way than I ever did - Core Memory Unlocked. The gig was everything I could have hoped for and more, but let's talk about the record. This album has absolutely no right to be as good as it is. It was a real pleasant shock. I remember the late 90s/early 00s Cure comebacks and they were good but not memorable to me. Songs Of A Lost World however, blew my socks off on first listen, from the long opening intro of Alone, all the way through to Endsong. In the pantheon of late career bangers, it succeeds BlackStar. It was a record you went around to friends and strangers exclaiming "Oh God, have you heard it yet, can I ramble on about it into your ears until you make an excuse to leave?" The bass is phenomenal, the twinkliness and keyboards are as beautiful as ever, Smith's voice is possibly better than ever, exceptional for a man in his mid to late 60s, the drums pound, the production is epic but not overblown, it simply does everything right. My soul drops to the pit of my stomach at times. Arriving in such uncertain times politically and socially does absolutely nothing to harm it either, much of the record feels like a warm and sad embrace. Bob Smith has already announced that he's looking at retirement in the next few years, but the good news is there's supposed to be around 3 albums worth of material that came from the years' long sessions which ultimately produced this, so we can be hopeful of at least a few more treats in the future if they are of comparable quality. This record is as good as anything the band produced in their long history. In 2026, having enjoyed it regularly for pretty much the 2 years since release, I can confidently say this will be in my top records of the decade. And THAT is when a late career record deserves inclusion and recognition. Were there many, many other more deserving records to include in the book from 2021-2026 before this should have been? - No

I am a fan of The Cure, and I know that this album does not belong on the list. Especially not before their more vital albums THE HEAD ON THE DOOR and KISS ME, KISS ME, KISS ME are not yet on the list.

I was so excited for this album when it was released, and listened to it on repeat. I will always love The Cure

Long intros had me wondering if any given song was an instrumental. Same-ish tone and songs throughout but it was OK.

4.5/5

Great album that really surprised me. I didn't think an album from The Cure this late in their career would be good. Actually among my favourite of theirs. I still can't give it 5 stars as I think Seventeen seconds is better

Dober

Unc still got it

Det är ett mäktigt album men trots att jag lyssnat på den en hel del så vill den inte riktigt sätta sig. Har gett The Cures andra album på listan högsta betyg men här blir det bara en fyra men det är väl gott nog.

fine?

Good album.

So does this mean the October 2026 edition’s albums got added onto this generator? And if so, what the hell are those dozen album that were picked?? Brat is the one deserving record from the past 5 years that got correctly added. I don’t care how good this Cure album is, there’s hundreds of records made in the past 5 years that deserve to be on this list. It’s an extra limp move to pick a band who is as old as the Cure. How about music from anyone who’s actually pushing contemporary boundaries or making *new* music? Anyways. Robert Smith sounds impeccably like himself as he was in the 80’s. The opening song establishes a dynamic, haunting sense of drama that even some vintage Cure stuff doesn’t quite touch. Nevertheless, it still sounds like the same 1980’s Cure … in 2024 … whilst ignoring the loads of new, original projects paving forth new sounds and ideas in the musical zeitgeist. I think I’m so up in arms about this comeback record being included because it’s a representation of one of the things I fear the most about the future; I’m terrified of the idea that I’d get stuck in my ways and become someone that believes art (specifically music) hasnt been made well since I was young and impressionable. To become so sterile that a band like Alvvays (no offense theyre great but it’s a relatively mellow sound) holds one of my top 10 records of the past 5 years. To me, within that music death lies a death of empathy, a death of curiosity. Most ironically, this fear is causing me to have the inverse reaction to this album where I can’t engage with it in good faith because of its ‘legacy’ status, partially blinding me to how impressive it is. I’m gonna give this and existential crisis / 5

I loved this album

I had such a powerful wave of relief when I finished this list. Literally two weeks later I get the notification that there’s a new edition out. Unbelievable. Anyhow, Robert Smith has the secret sauce eh? It’s really something for there to be a Cure album in 2024 and it’s good.

A late period gem from the Cure. I wonder if the reviewer who said it was "too damn early" to add this to the user list a year and a half ago still stands by that statement. It's great that The Cure are still turning out material this good so far into their career.

Perfect

This is a nostalgic record for me. When it first came out, I was in a very specific place in my life and this album hit just right. It’s dark and broody, yet still full of life. I enjoy “Warsong” the most off this record. Honestly one of my favorite The Cure albums, but they’re all bangers so what am I saying. Great pick, glad to relisten. 4/5

Solid album, a bit of a departure for the Cure. Not sure if it needs to be on the list though.

Contre tout attente, un album de Cure que j’ai bien aimé!

His voice still sounds like a million bucks, but this was a little overproduced. Probably a 3 with some rounding. Stand out: I Can Never Say Goodbye

Album has a lovely soundtrack quality...leads the story with absolutely spot on pacing

Melodic, Simple. Fine.

It's okay, it's a Cure album. However we don't need to dance in the rain every time Robert Smith comes out of his self-imposed hole in the ground. 3/5

Such a great late career album 5/5

I really enjoyed the three Cure albums that are on the main list, but I’ve never been inclined to check out their recent work (granted, I would say that about a lot of bands who were big in the seventies and eighties and are still putting out new material). I see that this album wound up on a ton of best of 2024 lists though, so I’m pretty optimistic that I’ll enjoy this. I wouldn’t rate this album as my favorite work from The Cure, but I still thought it was really great. One of my favorite things about The Cure’s music is their ability to craft such rich environments and moods with just their music, and this album delivered on that. I was a little wary to see that each song on this album was pretty long, but I thought the long instrumental introductions on each song were great, and it was really awesome to see Robert Smith and company achieve the same results with different methods. I think this album shows that The Cure really excel at continuing to evolve over the course of their career. Some notes on the individual songs that stood out to me: I loved the sound of “Alone.” The bass, drums, and string arrangements were all great. This is the rich sound that I expect from The Cure, even though it doesn’t sound a lot like their work that I’m familiar with. The guitar, strings, and piano on “And Nothing Is Forever” were excellent. I like how The Cure can do dark and brooding, and then on the next song, they’re on to something brighter and hopeful, but when they make those shifts, it never feels jarring. I really enjoyed the echo effect on “Warsong,” and the strings were excellent too. I loved the intro on “All I Ever Am.” The pulsing drums were wonderful, and I love the contrast they had with the piano melody. Not every band can deliver a solid album nearly thirty years after creating one of the best albums of all time, but The Cure show that they’re still on top of their game, crafting a really beautiful album.

It's a better Cure album than most but that is a low bar.

I've always loved their early albums (Faith is one of my favourite albums) but hate their Happy Pop nonsense after Pornography. This is a lot better and worth listening to in places at least.

This album was a big shock, didn't think they had in them. It still lacks what those early albums have but worth a listen.

I listened to this when it came out. I think I liked it better on the second listen. Not my favorite cure album.

I didn't like this as much as I did The Cure albums on the main list. But it's fine

a lovely album

Un poco insulso y con temas cambiantes, pero que no terminan de llenarme. Rock no muy intenso. Voz muy característica y estilo inconfundible del grupo. Le ha faltado más para convencerme del todo.

Smith still got it

10/10 wow, I’m so glad that with all the Cure albums I’ve heard, not one of them have shown a reduction in quality every single one is completely incredible

Yup. This selection makes sense. It feels like peak-Goth-age Cure fired off as a double middle finger to the ticking of the clock a full five years after they were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. There’s life in that Robert Smith yet! Not as good as Disintegration, but not too far off the mark. Still 90% better than most other albums released in 2024.

Hyvä "paluulevy". 4/5

Such a beautiful meloncholic end of the world

I think this makes perfect sense to being on this list, and I really enjoyed start to finish.

I'm a fan of The Cure and sure it was pretty exciting getting a new album after a few decades but I think you have let an album breathe for at least 5 years - even 2? - before anything goes on this list... Anyways yeah it's really good - a little less-classically-Cure-reverby than the bulk of their catalog but then again, that was 40 (!) years ago so change is a good thing. Also another great thing about this modern album? Only 49 minutes long! Just because you *can* put 18 songs on what's considered an album these days doesn't mean you should. I love how they have no sense (I mean this in a positive way) of getting to a hook or making anything immediately catchy - "Alone" takes 3:30 of runtime before any vocals start - love it. Anyways 8 excellent songs comprising a far-better-than-solid album from a band that's been around nearly 50 years is crazy - my only complaint is the usual with modern albums, not enough dynamics but with The Cure it doesn't seem quite as bad - well done and surprising effort. 8/10 4 stars. IMO: Belonged in the book? No.

Gothic rock, space rock. Ni fu ni fa.

La evolución del disco desde el principio hasta el fin: 5. Las melodías: 5. Todo 5.

Not the most exceptional Cure album (that is an extremely high bar) it is still pretty amazing for such a late period album. 4/5

Just average Cure, who I still think is the most underrated band of all time

The 1001 convinced me that I like The Cure and Robert Smith. Well, maybe more accurately "Disintegration" and CHVRCHES "How Not to Drown" were most responsible, since I didn't really get "Seventeen Seconds" and "Pornography." Along with "How Not to Drown," 2024's "Songs of a Lost World" prove that Smith and The Cure have still got it. It's a little too melodramatic and earnest, particularly amusing from Smith in his mid-60s, but I enjoyed it overall.

Another well-honed but hardly ground-breaking album from everyone's favorite goth granny. Whether this earns any kind of legendary status only time will tell, though I personally doubt it. Given that the Cure are already well represented on the original list I'm certainly surprised and maybe a little disappointed to see this album nominated to this list so soon after its release

Nice stuff.

Favorite songs: Drone: Nodrone, Warsong, And Nothing is Forever, A Fragile Thing, I Can Never Say Goodbye Least favorite songs: Endsong 5/5

The Cure still manages to amaze me after so many years together.