Disintegration
The Cure
1989
Album Summary
Disintegration is the eighth studio album by English rock band the Cure, released on 2 May 1989 by Fiction Records. The record marks a return to the introspective gothic rock style the band had established in the early 1980s. As he neared the age of 30, vocalist and guitarist Robert Smith had felt an increased pressure to follow up on the band's pop successes with a more enduring work. This, coupled with a distaste for the group's newfound popularity, caused Smith to lapse back into the use of hallucinogenic drugs, the effects of which had a strong influence on the production of the album. The band recorded the album at Hookend Recording Studios in Checkendon, Oxfordshire, with co-producer David M. Allen from late 1988 to early 1989. Following the completion of the mixing, founding member Lol Tolhurst was fired from the band. The album became the band's first commercial peak, charting at number three in the United Kingdom and at number 12 in the United States, and producing several hit singles including "Lovesong", which peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100. It remains the band's highest selling record to date, with more than four million copies sold worldwide. It was greeted with a warm critical reception before later being acclaimed, eventually being placed at number 116 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the "500 Greatest Albums of All Time". Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic called it the "culmination of all the musical directions the Cure were pursuing over the course of the '80s".
WikipediaWhen I was a kid my older sister was a goth. She loved The Cure (and she really loved Robert Smith). I was into rock music; AC/DC, Motley Crue, Def Leppard and other bands of that ilk. As far as I was concerned Rock was cool, Goths were ridiculous and my ears were to remain closed to The Cure. Since then this band remained elusive to me. That is until earlier this year when I listened to Seventeen Seconds for the very first time. I immediately seen the error of my ways and began exploring more of The Cure. As a lifelong the Cure fan of approximately six months now Disintegration has already become one of my favourite albums. It’s a mesmerising album, seductive and atmospheric this is the band at the peak of their powers delivering a gorgeous, an epic laden album.
Disintegration sustains an atmosphere that is gloomy, yet thoroughly gorgeous. It somehow manages to feel both claustrophobic and seductive. Thirty years after its release, Disintegration still holds up. The songs are written and produced excellently, with a clear direction to preserve the general moodiness.
Starting the week with a classic! I can't remember if I've listened to this in full before, but I know I've seen it on many a list of great albums. Very quickly I could hear how influential this is--it sounds like a blueprint for so many alternative/emo/dreampop artists that followed (like Mazzy Star, M83, even Hatchie). Probably not the first of it's kind, but it feels seminal. Deep, spacious instrumentals, and Robert Smith sounds perfectly ethereal (though I didn't love his vocal performance on "Lullaby"). It's a long album, and the tracks are long, but I don't mind at all. It gives time for me to settle into these tunes. I liked a lot of songs on here, especially "Pictures of You." Man, that's a perfect, beautiful song. I really dug this album immediately, and I can see it growing on me even more. Definitely deserving of the classic status. Favorite tracks: Pictures of You, Lovesong, Fascination Street, The Same Deep Water As You. Album art: I recognize this one of course. I don't love it, but it's cool. Trippy if you will. Makes the album seem way older than it is. If that's Robert Smith in the picture, he looks like a creepy ghoul from Carnival of Souls. 4.5/5 (potentially a 5, and I hereby symbolically downgrade Rio and ArchAndroid to 4.5)
Admittedly, I actually listened to this album 2 days ago, so this is great timing! I love this album, I think it's one of the most melodically rich and textured new wave albums out there. The synths here are so full and heavy, they're layered perfectly with the guitars and drums that give each song a meaningful impact. Everything here sounds like it would work well in a film soundtrack. I feel like the way the vocals are layered into the songs was a precursor to shoegaze, the way they melt into the songs make them sound so dreamy. The lyrics match the melodic, pretty, romantic and emotional melodies. I guess part of the reason I can see these songs being in movies is that they're crafted as these kind of sentimental beautiful romantic stories. Overall I love the rawness, the layers upon layers of melodic components and overall great feelings this album inspires. I just want to end this review by saying 'Lovesong' is one of the greatest songs ever created.
Masterpiece. Depressing. Goth. 10/10 1. Lullaby 2. Plainsong 3. Lovesong
Goddamn beautiful. Deserves every bit of praise it gets. The production, the songwriting, the personality and everything that comes along with it. It flows so well from one song to the next, it feels like one giant, wonderful experience. And that is what albums should strive for: experiences. I've had a string of 3-star albums for a bit now so this will break the streak, and I couldn't be happier that it did.
This is my favorite album from the Cure. Go ahead. Put on some headphones (this is a headphones kind of album), sit in a dark room and just listen. The album is filled overlapping waves of sound that can fill a room. The album is dark, but comfortable. Favorite tracks include "Lullaby", "Fascination Street", "Pictures of You", "Plainsong", and "Disintigration". I will listen to this one again, and I might make someone listen with me. 5 stars
Just such a good album. It's clearly one of the top albums for the band, as well as one that defines a particular moment and genre of music. People who love the Cure mostly love Disintegration, but it's also the sort of album that someone who doesn't really like the band and who doesn't listen to any of their other music might still have in their collection and love. It's also pretty perfect as a complete album, the songs are great but the flow and feeling of the whole thing is also clearly carefully considered.
Powerful, dark, orchestral, ambient album that's super depressing. At first I didn't know what to expect, and I didn't think I'd like it very much, but it was engaging and fascinating from front to back.
Hands down my favorite Cure album. This is one of the most sonically gorgeous albums I've ever heard and is exquisite on headphones. The atmosphere is so intricate and detailed it's like your ears are on drugs. The contrast of the shimmering/stereo panning chimes and then the deep hit of the bass/synth at the beginning is like a 1-2 punch that just immediately knocks me out. The first two tracks are my favorites and pair so well together. Reverb, delay, and EQ all brilliantly balanced in such a way that they create this practically narcotic effect on me where I just want to shut everything else out and listen to this album over and over again in the dark as I go in and out of consciousness. I want to stay in it forever. The contrast of elements throughout the album from delicate to saturated and intense is so thrilling and dramatic in the best possible sense. A masterpiece.
Brilliant, moody, atmospheric, introspective goth rock. A haunting and memorable experience. It’s a soundtrack to your feelings.
This album goes into the (very small) pile of albums that are so good I can't listen to them anymore. I still remember the eeriness of listening to the end of the album slowing down as my walkman batteries died.
Beautifully gloomy, atmospheric and grand. An intimately claustrophobic but seductive album that rewards repeated listening. It's main drawback (if it has one) is that it feels a tad too long, but this doesn't majorly detract from what's a pretty outstanding record overall.
Wouldn't be the cure without being too long and too self-indulgent. That said this is my favourite Cure album so far
This is the music that sits in a corner by itself at a party waiting to be discovered. This album makes me relive, uhhh revile, high school and this album was played perpetually from the sidelines amongst my group of friends. Robert Smith, the personality, overshadowed the music within. When Disintegration came out it was difficult to enjoy this album without dressing up like Robert Smith or Edward Scissorhands. But today, separating the Robert Smith-goth fans from this music is pretty easy. Time has moved on. There are some great takeaways from this that even today I'll listen to. That intro to Fascination Street is incredible, Pictures of You, Lullaby and Last Dance all are on some playlist of mine somewhere. Disintegration is a late-80's early 90's piece of nostalgia that, no matter how terrible high school was, I'll always want to remember.
I know exactly who you are if this is your all-time favorite album. Your favorite film director is Tim Burton, but you don't want him involved in adapting The Book of Mormon into a movie. Jim Steinman's death hit you harder than you expected. You never considered cigarette smoking a habit and still refer to it as a "hobby". You became a Seattle Mariners fan only because they've never been to the World Series. The only Seattle Mariner you can name is Ichiro. You know that former NFL Running Back Robert Smith is agnostic but refuse to learn where he went to college. You think Anne Rice was overrated but own all of her novels. You remember what getting dumped felt like when you were 21-years old, and you've written it down so you always will. You once started a "Dear John" letter by writing "By the time you read this, I'll already be dead" just for shock value. You shake your head any time you hear a story about Morrissey. Shoplifting.
I love Lovesong so much. And Lullaby- so eerie and beautiful. Very into the rest of the album, too. Cool atmospheric 80s alt-rock.
Like the soundtrack to the most quintessentially 80’s movie ever. I love it.
So atmospheric, that guitar effect which they so heavily use is like an electric harp from heaven.
Their absolute high point and peak for me - I used to laugh at the goths dressing like Robert smith and wrote the cure off as a teenager. Thankfully i wised up as I got older - lovesong and fascination street are two of my absolute favourites but this album is full of brilliant tracks - plainsong, pictures of you, disintegration, lullaby… an easy ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A peak point in the Cure album discography. It might not feature the very best the Cure songs, although it has one or two classics on it, but this album is however not about individual songs. It is more a flow of music from the opening track till the last tone of the last track, hence complete without any unnecessary fillers. True perfection.
This album is a walk—no, a romp, a wallow—through a moonlit garden at night, except that the garden is on a planet of lush, thick magic, and the moons are red and blue, mingling to purple, making the petals of alien flowers glow.
5 stars. Loved it then, love it now. Somehow, this sadsack never came off like a phony. This album was necessary for a fifteen-year-old kid with big feelings and nowhere to put 'em. Good stuff.
Oh my gosh, what a first album to get. Truly one of my favorites of all time, an absolute CLASSIC. Re-listening right now :) Love the atmosphere it generates right from the get-go. There's just something comforting about the two minutes or so of Plainsong, right before it decides to rip your heart out. Pictures of You just makes me cry. Not sure why, but as soon as it starts, I just well up with tears. Absolutely gorgeous song, especially the instrumental bits. Closedown's opening is a great break of pace from the previous two, but it still blends in with the rest of the album's recognizable tone. Reminds me very much of King Lear - in that it's something that I think will grow in relevancy as I age. "If only I could fill my heart with love", what a haunting last line, even as the song continues for at least a minute after it. Ugh and then Lovesong! Honestly, if you ever need to refresh your belief in the concept of True Love TM, this song (and Robert Smith's relationship with Mary Poole) should help you find it again. It's also a nice breather in such a heavy and gothic album. While Last Dance wasn't on the vinyl, I'm gonna include it here anyways. I'm not the biggest fan of the vocals on it for some reason, but I love the backing instruments, especially whatever's going on in the bass region. Lullaby creeps me out still to this day. I love it, but something still sits in the back of my mind, freaked out. The bass on Fascination Street bangs so hard. Honestly, on this re-listen, this is probably one of my favorites so far! Robert Smith's vocals on this are *great*. Forget what I said about Fascination Street... the bass on Prayers for Rain is even better. I love love love love love this song. It drags you under and just keeps going down. I could listen to this for hours. The outro with the backwards notes is a nice touch. 9 minutes... this song is 9 minutes of depression and I LOVE IT. The Same Deep Water as You just vibes so hard. Sure, the thunder is cheesy but can you really have a Cure album without a bit of cheese? Disintegration's beginning is a good change of pace once again from the 9 minutes of slow gloom - granted Disintegration has its own special brand of gloom. Huge fan of the instruments once again, they really complement Robert Smith's voice on this track. Especially the steady, hyper pulse that creeps underneath it all. Such a good track. Again, Homesick isn't on the vinyl but damn it, this is MY listening party and I'll choose if I listen to it or not! As always, the instrumental parts of this album blow me away. The Cure does such an insanely good job of creating an overall atmosphere on this record. Vocals and lyrics hit on this one too!! Untitled's beginning blows me away again for some reason. I love Robert Smith's vocals on this too, they lock in so well with what the rest of the band is playing and it just works as a fantastic end to such a depressing album. Stellar song, stellar album, stellar band.
The Cure is just great. This is Robert Smith and the boys firing on all cylinders.There's a great mixture of the lengthy, moody tracks and the great pop leaning tracks that can occupy your skull for days. There's just so much to love from beginning to end. Just thinking about the album makes a medley of songs pop into my head. Man, I love The Cute. I love me some 80's UK sad boy music and they are on the Mount Rushmore of that...very specific genre that only exists in my mind. Jesus, I have to go listen to the title track now because it's just won't get out. Smash that 5 star button!
This must be my college-age heavy-hitters' week. "Disintergration" is the The Cure's 8th album and a return to the Goth dark side. Robert Smith was depressed at turning 30 (oh boy) and the band was not happy about the "pop" success of the previous two albums. This prompted a return to Goth and a more depressed style of music. However, this album is not a totally depressing album; some of these songs are actually happy (to me). But, yes, there is an overriding atmosphere of darkness. Also, Smith had lapsed back into taking hallucinogens to deal with his depression, affecting the music (more on that later). I've always felt this album was their culmination combining their earlier Goth and recent pop. There's a few ways you can go with songs on this album: the popular, more upbeat or those representing the more deep, dark atmosphere/mood. Let's do both. When I think of The Cure, the first song that pops into my head is "Pictures of You." Just a great rhythm, Goth guitar progression and chorus and of course, the lyrics (smashing my pictures of you). The most Cure Cure song. "Lovesong" was written for his future wife and has a great innovative music base with its bass/drum/ guitar intro and synthesizer chorus and bridge. "Lullaby" might have my favorite lyric of the 80's: "Spiderman is having me for dinner tonight." A great example of combining LSD with "Nightmare on Elm Street" thoughts....throughout the song actually. The title track "Disintegration" is my favorite song for capturing the album's mood with a killer bass line and dark groove. Some people say The Cure reached their peak with this album. Maybe. I think they have a couple good ones after but no doubt, this is a great one.
Easily one of my favourite albums ever! While being one of The Cure's darkest albums each song fits perfectly into an overall theme of despair, a feeling Robert Smith was famously experiencing at the time, with an intensity unparalleled by many artists. The title track is my personal favourite, with its consistent tempo it leads you further and further down the rabbit hole commanded by Smith's powerful lyrics, while songs like Lovesong and Lullaby marry the elation of love with an underlying feeling of dread through the fear of losing that love.
I mean, it's The Cure so it's WAY too dramatic for its own good. That said, this is a remarkably solid album for a) 1989 and b) The Cure. "Lovesong" and "Fascination Street" have both been covered so many times I'd forgotten that the original recordings are as good as they are. And they really are quite good. Overall, pleasantly surprised by how well this album has stood up over time.
Definitely long-winded, but the Cure here manage to avoid falling into feeling bloated and land squarely into a dreamy, moody hypnosis. I dig it. Great for these rainy days going on.
Did not like it. Long, boring and drawn out instrumental intros on each song were a turn off. Probably won’t listen again.
Goth rock with hints of pop softness, and I love it to pieces. Important to me at 17, important to me now.
Want to give a 4.5 but eff it. They'll get a 5. A few all time face songs and the non-faves are still nice to listen to. No duds. Someone please kiss robert smith.
No bad songs. Classic cure sound. Amazing production as you’d expect. Love song and Fascination street great singles. Album actually gets better as it goes on
ну классный альбом чо, такой не веселый ниразу и депрессивный, но слушается круто. понравился
I really liked this album. It's super gloomy and moody, with some great-sounding drums and swirly atmospheric guitars.
Just gorgeous atmospheric brilliance. Can't fault it. I think Lullaby is one of the great indie songs
Creo que ya tengo que admitir que sí me gusta The Cure, como todas sus vibras darks y de letargo, sentir morir mientras escuchas algunas de sus canciones. Muy buen servicio, no skips. 9/10
it's brooding, moody, atmospheric and amazing how they can take a 9+ minute song (same deep water) and just keep you entranced. They also have dark energy when they need... that dirty bass line on fascination street has a great groove. Fabulous album.
Enjoyed start to finish, beautifully gloomy and gothic will absolutely be listening again
Très solide album, aucun moment faible. On voit beaucoup comment cet album a influencé tellement de genre et je comprends le statut culte du band.
I still don’t know if this is my favorite Cure album, but goddamn is it perfect.
This is a watershed album. It is remarkably coherent and engaging from beginning to end. The Cure’s goth edged post-punk is unique and influential. This album gave rise to some of the most enduring music of the last 30 years
King of the Goffs in not actually that goff shocker. It's just really good indie/rock/pop/whatever music. Happy face emoji. Sad face emoji. Panda bear emoji.
A truly amazing album. Melodically interesting, beautiful lyrics. The mic is instrumental and lyrics based songs added for a fantastic range of sounds and vibes. Loved it
Listened to on 1/28/22 4.5/5 stars Favorite song: Pictures of You Very beautiful songs with lots of instrumentals - would for sure listen to the album again and again
A particularly gloomy period for Robert Smith and The Cure that resulted in some truly spectacular gothic rock.
Great album among the best! Standout tracks “Pictures if you,” “Lullabye,” and “Fascination Street.”
Superb. The Cure explore a range of angsty emotions in a lengthy masterpiece
Zu diesem Album muss ich eine kleine Geschichte erzählen: 2019 wurde ich angesichts des Besuches von Markus Söder an unserer Universität in den Chor der Philosophisch-Sozialwissenschaftlichen Fakultät rekrutiert. Die Fakultät – die seit Jahren unter Budget-Kürzungen litt – wollte sich wohl bei unserem bayerischen Ministerpräsidenten (heute ist er wohl eher als inoffizieller Corona-Kanzler bekannt) beliebt machen und entschied sich Arrangements der besten The Cure Songs für den hohen Besuch zusammenzustellen. Die Lieblingsband des Frankens mit CSU-Parteibuch sollte ihn wohl gnädig stimmen und weitere Kürzungen abwenden. Als der große Tag dann gekommen war und ich inbrünstig »HOWEVER FAR AWAY // I WILL ALWAYS LOVE YOU« grölte, bemerkte ich wie ein Kommilitone, aus dessen Richtung ich ein paar schiefe Töne vernommen hatte, von einem Mann mit Anzug und durchsichtigem Hörer im Ohr abgeführt wurde. Erst neulich tauchte er wieder auf dem Campus auf – er wirkte geistesabwesend und murmelte die Lyrics von »Plainsong« vor sich her, während eine Träne seine Wange hinab kullerte. Zunächst war ich schockiert angesichts solch barbarischer Methoden und des Willens, Studierende in irgendwelche unbekannten Folterkeller zu stecken. Die Geschichte lies mich seitdem nicht los und, je mehr ich Disintegration hörte, desto mehr Verständnis gewann ich für Herrn Söder, der sich gezwungen war die perfekte Musik der Band mit den äußersten Mitteln zu verteidigen. Ich hoffe ich wähle gleich die richtige Anzahl Sterne aus, meine Hände schwitzen etwas, da ein Mitarbeiter des Innenministeriums neben mir sitzt.
Ist ein grower der immer besser wird. Es ist unmöglich sich nicht in die Tragik fallen zu lassen. Perfekt auch zwischen Pop und Goth.
Das ist so ein unglaublich gutes Album. Was soll man dazu noch sagen was noch nicht gesagt wurde. Es hat so eine singuläre gleichzeitig wunderschön und traurige Stimmung, die in der Pop-Verpackung und Zugänglichkeit nur The Cure hinbekommen. Trotzdem bangen andere Songs wiederum. Es gibt auch wenige Alben die so eine perfekt angestimmte Tracklist haben, eine oft unterschätzte Kunst. Schlägt auch eine schöne musikalische Brücke zwischen der Klarheit und Direktheit der 80er und einer gewissen beinahe verwirrten Subtilität und Zurückhaltung in die diese Art von Musik sich in den 90ern entwickelt. Einfach ein Meisterwerk.
Eines der wenigen alben, die es schaffen, düster und gleichzeitig wunderschön zu sein. romantisch und destruktiv. klar und verwoben. einfach wunderbar
Bardzo spójny i przyjemny w brzmieniu albumik. Ciekawy i bardzo klimatyczny do jakiegoś wieczornego spacerku, dłuższej jazdy autem, a nawet chillowania wieczorem. Pomimo często baardzo długich wstępów w żadnym momencie albumik mnie nie znudził, żebym odczuwał chęć przewinięcia. Jest na tyle przemyślany jako całość, że zupełnie nie czułem, że któraś piosenka wyraźnie odstaje jako gorsza, na sto pro kiedyś odpalę sobie na spacerek.