Disintegration

The album is depressive, haunting and beautiful. Everything you want on a dark autumn afternoon. Unfortunately, it's quite long. A little too long, so it becomes tiring in the end. And that's the only negative thing about it.

At times reminiscent and always brooding, The Cure play their quintessential emotional music in true sonic beauty. Most of the album tends to flow well with the odd break for the singles which almost take you out of the moment, though they're great tracks too. It's really a good listen if you're in the right state if mind at the right time and in the right place.

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would — the instrumentals on this album are SO gorgeous that they just kept pulling me back in. But Smith's voice is too dreary for me and the songs/album as a whole are too long for it to be 5 stars. I would listen to it again, though, and I'm especially glad to discover Plainsong, my favorite from the album.

somehow hadn't listened to any albums by The Cure until now but this is about to become my personality for /at least/ the next week

I knew more Cure songs that I originally thought, and I think most are from this album lol. Was really good and nice sounding, if I could give it a 4.5 I would.

A classic that has stood the test of time. Still great.

I've heard this album five billion times, I love The Cure. Pictures of you is a classic. The soundscapes they managed on this album are beautiful

Not a bad album. Never really explored The Cure, so I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. And to be honest, I think I set the bar low when preparing for the listen. Not a happy listen, which I anticipated, but I enjoyed the music for a large portion of the album. Plenty of textures throughout the music with the use of keys, synths and guitar effects. Robert Smith’s vocals are not my favorite, but it’s not the worst. Fascination Street was added to my liked list, so that’s something.

Feel like I'm missing something? This is pretty boring. This is my least favorite type of 80s production. Some of the songs are ok.

The gothic holy grail. Well crafted walls of sound and atmosphere, and I love Robert Smith's voice. This is a 5, but I gotta say it was fucking painful suffering through the ringing on "Closedown" and "Lovesong"

Ya' know... it's the Cure. Not unlike your goth phase, it sticks around a little longer than it should.

Ethereal emo 3.5*

Incredible

Felt really long, but had some interesting moments. I liked the ending, 2.5

I've always loved The Head on The Door because it's just hit after hit, but this album is much different. It's got so much cool ambience/orchestral style pieces. Much more of like a need to listen all the way through type of album.

Have listened to this one before and love it. Cool sound, atmospheric and I love the vocals. Only thing holding it back from a 10 for me is the long instrumental intros, lots of songs could be trimmed. Favorite songs are: 2. Pictures of You 4. Lovesong 7. Lullaby 9/10

My dad is a massive Cure fan, so I have never known an un-Cured world. Disintegration wasn't his album, but Lullaby was played a lot when I was a kid. We were also a big comic book house, so I was always confused by the line "Spiderman is having me for dinner tonight." Spiderman is the good guy, so why is he eating Robert Smith? This made no sense to young Kit and troubled him greatly. My other early memory is the South Park episode where Mothra-Robert-Smith fights Mecha-Barbra-Streisand, and Kyle says that Disintegration is the best album ever. Is it? Read this review and find out. To preface, I like this album a lot and will be taking it song by song. - Plainsong: Very corny intro. Feels like a disney-fied Twin Peaks song. - Pictures of You: Similarly this one is heavier on the corn. I like it more but wouldnt choose to listen. - Closedown: The emerging theme here is that I don't like it when they use a major key. The Cure are a minor band, and anything major so far feels wrong. - Lovesong: I love Lovesong. The first minor song and I'm hooked. Its just as over the top and cheesy as the first three, but it works for me. - Last Dance: I love the heavy phaser/flanger guitar on that runs throughout this song. Good tune. - Lullaby: As mentioned, this is the song I knew earliest. This ones weird. Robert Smith sounds like he's talking right in your ear. Love it. - Fascination Street: When I revisited this album as an adult, this and Prayers for Rain were the two that stood out to me. I truly love the instrumentals on this. The jams sound huge and dark and enveloping. The vocals match perfectly. A+++ - Prayers for Rain: See notes on Fascination Street. - The Same Deep Water As You: Less driving than the last two, but a really nice sound to let wash over you. - Disintegration: Good riffs. I like all the extra harmonies and weird background stuff they do around the vocals. - Homesick: Instrumentally I love this one. The vocals are a little silly, especially when he starts going "doo'd doo doo'd doo doo" - Untitled: I find the accordian intro very inviting. It sounds like what would play at the end of a zelda game when you can finally go home again. The rest of the song is solid. Having gone song by song, I like this album less than I did in my head. I guess I just listen to the songs I like and skip the ones I don't, wiping them from my conception of this album. Its still great, but not 5 stars. Album cover: (C). The Cure's artwork has never done it for me, except for the one with a fridge and a lamp on a pink background. That one rocks.

So close to a 5 for me. Really cool album and it also happened to be the perfect vibe for how I felt this morning.

The Cure are from a town I went to very regularly when I lived in England. That's fun. Generally speaking, the gloomy introspective ambient instrumentals don't really do it for me. However, I did like a lot of the music on this album. "Last Dance" had some cool guitar sounds. They're doing a lot of stuff with pedals in this record. "Lovesong" is the song I recognize. I like a lot about it, and about the album in general, but I have a hard time getting into the singing style. "Lullaby" is cool, I like the instrumental sections a lot. "Fascination Street" is also cool. I am enjoying this section of the album with less singing a lot more. "Prayers of Rain" also has cool instrumental. I feel like I'd like a vocal-free version of this album. The vocals are a little droning and get old quickly for me. The album is depressing, in a way that is more often tedious than interesting. I like the instrumentals in a lot of places, but I always tune out when the singing starts again. 6/10

fire

Cool album, didnt listen to it too much, will listen more. Not many lyrics thi

The Cure is great. I love this album and remember it fondly back in the day, I searched my record collection and could not find it so I must have lent it out and never got it back.

I love this album. I know it should be 5 stars but I’m giving it 5-stars anyway.

Liked it a lot, thought the melodies were soothing. Lovesing is the first song I danced to with Casey

a bit samey. old school cure, a bit too much like the smiths for my taste

Never understood the love for this band. Kind of groovy, in an 80s way, but...meh?

This album has all the trappings of 80s synth pop/rock. Luscious keyboards? Check. Guitars with copious amount of reverb and delay? Check. This is also the first time I’ve listened to an album by The Cure front to back. “Plainsong” is a terrible song to open a record. Like several of the albums tracks, there’s a lot of “fat” around the edges. There’s periods of those guitars and keyboards droning out for minutes at the time while not varying or developing enough significantly to justify sitting through the 2 minute intros before the vocals start. Often times, the vocals are not up front in the mix, which makes the songs often times difficult to follow. However, sometimes those elements come together nicely. “Lovesong” is one such example and it’s easy to see why it’s one of their most popular/well known tracks. The album does successfully accomplish going for that “anguished” type of vibe as the title would suggest. “Untitled” does prove to be a strong closing track

The only thing is that saved this album were love song and fascination Street. The instrumental tracks on this album we're not interesting enough to be purely instrumental. And just honestly kind of a chore of a listen.

This was one of the few albums I remember hearing on vinyl before cassette as a kid. My sister loved this record and eventually added the cassette of it to the mix. Lovesong is a classic that has been covered by so many people. My favorite, Pictures of You, features the often forgotten bass work of Simon Gallup. But what I loved most about this Goth Rock Masterpiece were the lesser know tracks like The Same Deep Water as You and Prayers for Rain, which are teleportive in their affect. To steal a quote from “Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist, “why are they called the Cure, they should be called the Cause!”

Wow! Why did someone not tell my 12-year-old self to check out the Cure? It probably would not have landed like it does at 47. Why was I sleeping on this all these years? Of course I knew Lovesong but outside of that I barely knew the other hits had never listened to the rest of the album. This is an awesome album. I should have been getting sad to the Cure long before now. This is definitely going into my heavy rotation. That baseline along on Fascination Street is so driving and addictive. Great album!

I initially balked at the runtime and average track length, but was glad to find the songs are patient in their sprawl and compelling. It's a beautiful record. I'm glad to have begun cracking my Cure egg. Highlights: Pictures of You, Lovesong, Lullaby, Fascination Street

not quite my tempo

Pre-listening thoughts: here’s my thing. And this is so embarrassing. I always get The Cure, The Smiths, and The Strokes mixed up and I could not tell you who is who. To me they all have the exact same fanbase except The Smiths fans are a tad more insufferable, The Strokes fans are a tad less vocal, and The Cure fans are a tad older. Post/during listening thoughts: this is very like atmospheric if that makes sense? Music that takes up a lot of dimension but in a really good way that still keeps me engaged versus like psychedelic stuff where I forget what I’m listening to. It’s a little long though. Honestly I really enjoyed this and would definitely seek out other material by The Cure. Call me old 7.5/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: no? Idk Fav tracks: Pictures of You, Lovesong, Lullaby, Fascination Street, Disintegration Least fav tracks: The Same Deep Water As You

Possibly the greatest gothic rock album ever made

6.5/10

An album so personally meaningful, emotionally resonant and musically immersive that it's one of the few that one insists on listening to only in its entirety and only when one can concentrate fully (or near fully). In other words, this is to be taken with great seriousness.

Slow start. I wasn't feeling it in the early tracks as I was coming down from Seventeen Seconds (albums reviewed out of sequence!) but it kicked in and by the middle it struck a chord and finished well. I'll re-listen to this again to see if there was something I missed on the early tracks.

I dont super get it hm. Hopefully that's what this is for.

Excellent.

The Cure do a wonderful job of creating an atmosphere on this album. They drag you into their haze and it envelopes you. Twinkling guitar riffs over shimmering synths and brooding bass lines, with Robert Smith’s reflections echoing and reverberating all around. But it’s not just atmosphere, there are good songs and melodies, though there are many extended instrumentals too. It’s gloomy but it’s its quite warm and beautiful. It sounds like you were sad and took a little acid laying alone in your bed wrapped in a cozy blanket.

Lots of good stuff on here. More atmospheric than I think I realized.

It’s the cure. It’s distinctively 80s.

A lot of nice songs

I struggled with this being a two star, but ultimately I chose a three because I actually like the sound of this album. It tends to get a bit repetitive towards the end I think, and the sad lyrics don’t tend to let up… but that’s The Cure for ya. Ultimately I could see myself listening to this again and definitely recognized Lovesong.

I actually really liked this album. It was too long and somewhat repetitive, but the sound was solid. To me that’s the most important thing. If I like something a lot I’m more willing to listen to it for 75 mins. This is a low 4 or a high 3.

I listened to this album once on Friday, and again on Sunday. It’s not bad, but aside from Lovesong not much was all that memorable. Great for background music, but I don’t think I’ll have a strong desire to listen to it again.

Yo, I can fucks with some Cure! Prior to this, I really only knew "Friday I'm in love". This album is right up my alley. It's is a little long, but I really enjoyed it. It hit me in the right time and place.

Masterpiece of alternative rock and eternal inspiration for bands. 5/5 👍

Fairly enjoyable throughout with a nice sense of atmosphere

Love The Cure. This isn't my favourite thing they've ever done, but it's still better than most things around.

3/5 Would def listen to on occasion Fav song: Prayers for Rain

Really liked a few of the tracks: Pictures Of You, Lovesong, Lullaby. Fascination Street is also decent. And the whole album is a good listen. Interesting that the band was trying to get away from pop, to make something deep/lasting, and they ended up with their most successful album.

I don't have quite the nostalgia for the Cure that a lot of my friends do. My teen angst took a more grunge-centric form and it was only later that I really appreciated them. Still, no arguing that this isn't a great album.

I mean, obviously.

Classic album

What a beautiful album

Fav song: pictures of you, a tale of reminiscence of a loved one.

1. plain - 1 2. picturez - 2 3. cloze - 1.5 4. love - 2.5 5. dance - 1.5 6. lullaby - 1.5 7. ztreet - 1.5 8. rain - 1.5 9. uuater - 1.5 10. dizintegration - 1.5 11. home - 1.5 12. untitled - 1

A consistently good album throughout, good enough for 4 stars or B after ny first listen.

One of the greatest albums of all time, and one of the few albums I would call a masterpiece. There is just such strong song writing, lyrics, vocals, production and a great sense of nostalgia and melancholy. This album is the reason why The Cure are huge, if they never released this album I don't think they would still be as half as popular as they are now. First off, Plainsong is one of the greatest openers ever. It just sounds out of this world. And then there is all of the hits: Love Song, Pictures of You, Lullaby, and my person favorite Fascination Street. The bass part in Fascination Street is just too good. Another thing I love about this album is that the vocals usually don't come in until you are 1 or 2 minutes into the song and it really lets you appreciate just how good all the instrumental parts are. Did I mention how good the lyrics are?!?! And everything is so much fun to sing along too. Also that synth melody in Lullaby is great, and I love the way he whispers the lyrics. High 5!

There are some great songs from my teenage years, but I never really understood the draw of The Cure. I never got into the moody subculture that fans seemed to be a part of. I do still like some of their songs, but it doesn't really resonate with me.

I I love their truly haunting sound, haven’t heard anyone successfully try to replicate it which I think speaks to how complex and intricate it is. This album is a little long for my liking but I’ll give them a pass because they clearly have a lot of emotions to get out.

One of my favorite albums.

What an amazing piece of work from start to finish.

i was very wrong about the cure, great album

Need a second listen to give it a thorough review. But I enjoyed it, it reminded me of Duran Duran.

All seemed like one song. Not a bad song though.

One of the great one-paced albums of all time. Some are ever so slightly upbeat, some even slower than seems possible, but they all flow in the same tempo like some great goth rive. They're all fabulously epic, stuffed full of melody and beautifully played. Five stars.

Beautiful. lush . everything i need and want

It’s perfect.

Nothing sounds like the cure. A bit long but nice moody album 4

very good album

3 at best. This was boring AND put me in a bad mood (but I love The Cure prior to 1987) 🙁

Great album, great atmosphere. Strong emotion and really nailed a feeling.

There are few albums out there that are as ubiquitously loved as 'Disintegration' by The Cure - be it critically or commercially, and spanning across many generations. At times it feels like the band itself is cheating just 'cause of how effectively the members draw up these ear-candy melodies and vibrant soundscapes. It's ecstasy. I think the best way to describe this record is "aggressively beautiful" - as the band uses every trick in the book to ensure your ears are constantly enveloped in these barrages of textured bliss. The idea of drowning in warm paint sounds painful, but if it wasn't, this is what it must feel like. It's really those '80s synths that make me feel this way, they're so thick but still spacious enough to house the underlying guitar that pierces through the mix with its complementary melodies. 'Closedown' perfectly exemplifies this natural balance. On the other hand, a song like 'Plainsong' exerts its beauty through the sole strength of those synth waves that are almost suffocating Robert's whispered vocals. 'Pictures of You' is primarily guitar-driven, while I'd argue the impeccably melodic bassline of 'Lovesong' drives that particular song. No song, however, strikes a better balance between all these elements than 'Lullaby', which plays out like a choreographed dance between the instruments, frequently switching out the sound at center stage. It's a harmonious song that feels like a bunch of colorful little characters dancing in a universe that exists solely within the confines of this one instrumental. My two favorite songs have to be 'Fascination Street' and 'Disintegration'. For the former, the guitars coming back with that newly established layer of keys after the first breakdown is one of those "how can it be this good" moments in music. The song builds alongside Robert's vocals in the verses, with a subtle dance groove established with that aggressively picked and distorted Simon Gallup bassline. It's a song that captures just how many layers these instrumentals can have without ever coming close to cluttering the mix. Then there's 'Disintegration'. I've neglected to mention Robert's lyrics on this album because I just get so excited about the music here, but at times, they're just as perfect as the music. Be it the nostalgic tragedy of a song like 'Pictures of You', the hopelessness of 'Prayers for Rain', the disturbing fever dream imagery of 'Lullaby', or the simplistic yet effective love-ode to his wife 'Lovesong', Robert's always coming through with words that are so tightly interwoven with the sonic themes that they so heavily build upon. The title track though, really feels like a tragedy unfolding before your eyes (ears?) over its 8-minute runtime - a falling-out between two lovers that's littered with lies, deceit, betrayal, and regret. It's another one of those moments where Robert's lyrics build with the music itself in a climactic fashion. It's one of the most poignantly written songs ever - and a testament to Robert Smiths' lyricism. There are some other great moments, like when the drums kick in and how that violin hovers over that sorrowful driving melody on 'Homesick' or how the album sends itself off with those haunting horn-sounding synth leads. It's an album, that even in the modern era of music production and composition, still sounds like nothing else out there. It feels like wandering around a large, vacant castle under a full moon. It's a comfort album if there ever was one, a nocturnal masterpiece, and one of my favorite albums of all time.

Some good stuff in here. "Lullaby" is particularly nice, musically and lyrically.

classic late 80s

A grooving drama, Full with life, ensuing gloom, Sad happy dancing An eerie aura Emotional instruments Nightmare serenade

Good album. I like the sounds (moody) and it gets a bit heavy in places in a great way. I think it sounds of its time, which is not bad. There are some catchy songs, I really like Prayers for Rain, Fascination Street, and Lullaby. Also like his voice. I would listen again, but I probably wouldn't seek it out to listen to. I think it was a bit too long as I got bored towards the end. And, it didn't really resonate on a deep level with me, like the songs are good and it sounds good, the lyrics are not bad but they don't exactly hit me in a very impactful way, they're just fine. Torn between 3 and 4 stars but I'm rating according to my personal enjoyment, so it has to be a 3.

I came in here ready to make jokes about goth clubs, but actually there’s a lot to like on this album. Pleasant surprise!

FUN

Disappointing. Started off good and got worse. Very long songs - pieces

I guess I’m the odd one out here. It’s ok, I guess. A bit melodramatic, but that’s the Cure’s whole schtick.

Solid tunes but they’re mostly too long by 2x.

Another really, really fantastic album. "Disintegration" wasn't an overrated record like I thought it was. It turns out that I love goth rock a lot. "Plainsong" and "Homesick" are my favourites. You probably couldn't tell if a track's a single or not, the album's that good. 5 stars for "Disintegration".

Atmospheric, melancholy, with a bit of an edge that you would want from "the" goth band. The album was a little long, but if you appreciate Robert Smith, it has enough variation to not overstay its welcome.

Love This Album so much

I definitely like their pop songs better than the slower moody songs. There is some very nice playing here but I think I like the more spare music they were doing earlier in their career.

I guess this album is good. But it made me feel so miserable and it was really hard for me to listening to all 72 minutes of it.

Apparently Robert Smith had a bit of a crisis of confidence approaching his 30th birthday, thinking that he would soon be past his creative peak. He wrote most of the material for this album on his own, working through his feelings of despair and the band added musical gloomscapes to them. The end result is oddly uplifting, when you remember that Bob is now happily in his sixties and still collaborating with bands who are less than half his age. Gothtastic!

Really good album; everything is in the atmospheres and the layers of guitars and effects. It's a bit long though.

Stellar goth rock album. Hilariously melodramatic and catchy, the guitars shimmer. The drumming on this is also impeccable stuff. Not the biggest fan of The Cure in general, besides this and Pornography but it’s hard to deny this.

Obviously love.

Borink

Jævlig bra

not sure why i wouldnt have already listened to this. am i stupid?

Heard it before knew it was a 9/10 album. Any excuse to listen to it again. Marvelous.

very atmospheric album, the production is perfect

I'm somewhat aware of The Cure and their contributions to post-punk and new wave in the 80s, but it felt many of the tracks on this particular record were the same. Long, droning guitar progressions as the intro, followed by the first of a few introspective verses 1-2 min later. A formula was certainly followed here and the allure isn't as special when there's only a slight variation of it a few minutes later. They certainly nailed the gloomy aesthetic they were setting out for though, I can't deny that. I guess I just don't have the nostalgia everyone on the review board seems to have for this album. I didn't hate it entirely, but there's definitely a specific subset of listeners that would really dig this.

Plainsong is an incredible opener. Loving each songs prolonged intro. Not a big fan of Lullaby.

Rating: 10/10 One of the greatest albums of all time. The atmosphere created on this album is truly one-of-a-kind, simultaneously haunting and gorgeous. The instrumentation is lush and beautiful, the production is incredible, and Robert Smith's voice matches perfectly with everything else. A timeless classic. Favorite songs: pretty much all of them. Least favorite song: Closedown.

This is sort of fine indie rock, but I really don't care for the singer's voice. It's also really, really 80s. It's alright, but I wouldn't have pulled any of their work out of a lineup.

an early favourite band of mine, super distinctive and unique

This is the best out of the three The Cure albums I've gotten. Same moody depressing atmospheric vibes going on, a bit monotone but well produced and put together as an album. My standard complaint on the length stands, the 7+ minute tracks at the end make it drag a bit. Stand-out: Lovesong, Disintegration

Pensavo peggio, ma finora nulla di memorabile.

Not even sure what it is I’ve just listened to but it’s terrible

I keep seeing people call it “self indulgent” and hint at it being complex, but on first listen most of it is extremely boring

Everyone alive in the 80s has heard of them, but so what? At the end of the day they’re just another 80s band, producing weird alt rock shit that navel gazing angsty teens listen to, but adults would readily classify them as the one hit wonders they are. All these 80s bands are all either gone or still peddling their worn out crap to squeeze a living out of music. Truly great musicians of the 80s (think Sting for example) continue to produce, innovate and inspire.

Good all the way through. I didn't know many of these songs beforehand. "Pictures of You" is a standout, but the album melds so well that I couldn't pick any more

I can’t…I just can’t…anything but The Cure.

Maybe it's the rain, but this album is an immersion that lays the foundation for melancholic self reflections. It slows time and asks me to put down the oars... I love the cure's moody soundscapes. They create mood rather than music. They give me permission to mourn. I've always loved their name as well....if they are the cure, then what's the disease? I remember them as a soundtrack to the emotions we weren't supposed to have in the 80s . Amidst the headlong rush of ego-fuelled parties and self-important ambition and greed, they sighed in the shadows....

I have never heard an entire album by the cure before this. Admittedly they never grabbed my attention and part of me really wanted to enjoy this, to finally ‘get’ them. Alas, that did not happen and I am firmly in the ‘not a cure fan’ camp.

The Cure really delivered with this album, one might even make the argument that it’s their best one. It’s a slow burn, but in a good way, it’s also got this vibe to it that is difficult to put into words, but it makes the album stand out. Wasn’t expecting to like it this much, solid 4/5

Sad and depressing rock is my bread and butter. Plus the instrumentation behind the whining is great. 4.5/5

Mesmerising

I came around on the Cure in my thirties -- and I feel like I'm kinda backing away now. If there's an instrumental sound that's not aged well -- it's the late 80's "lush synthesizer" which sounded ethereal in 1989, but now just sounds pretty stale. Especially for the long, weepy interludes that the boys throw in throughout. Fun fact: when I was working a Cure show as a tech in college after pulling a near all-nighter the day before, I fell asleep backstage to one of those eternal chords. There are some good tunes here, for sure. The Cure's best work is when they maintain some focus. Fascination Street, Plainsong, Lullaby -- they all work. But what really hit me this time around is just so goddamn creepy Lovesong is. It's like when I understood that "Every Breath You Take" wasn't really a love song. Lovesong evokes a middle-aged man grooming a teenager on the downlow and now I can't get it out of my head. Unexpected banger: The Same Deep Water as You

Awesome

This was! Good. I don't know how much I personally liked it, but I can appreciate it. He was whiny 3.5 or 4/5?? Can't decide. I think I'm exhausted and that's why I didn't like it as much as I usually would Maybe 3. Idk

Muy bueno

A huge album, and the Cure's best. 4.5ish.

Melancholic and symphonic. The Cure represents the 80s in its purest form. The vocals are dreary and the music is wavy. Moments of upbeat rhythms, but this is mostly a very emotional and heartfelt record. I’d revisit it.

A beautiful album that verges on just a bit too weepy, but that is The Cure and that is why we love them.

Ahh, nostalgia 💙

This is a band i knew because of their hits, but hits can be deceiving. They were more electric, trippy, sometimes rockier than I expected. In my high school brooding days I probably could have gotten really into it, but today it starts to blend together after a while. Sounds are interesting and different, Prayers for Rain for example had some really interesting melodies and sounds. Vocals overall were interesting and different (compared to other bands) but eventually all sounded the same.

I like this Cure album better than the other album we had. This has a couple of my favorite Cure songs: Pictures of You and Love Song. I also like Lullaby , Fascination Street, and Disintegration. The rest of the album isn't that "catchy" but I like it. It's sorta moody and dreamy.

I guess maybe I don’t like The Cure as much as I thought. The hits on this are great, and I enjoyed some of the earlier songs, but this felt like it got worse as it went on. I dunno. The songs are long and drawn out and all start to sound the same. It’s ok.

4.5/5. Robert Smith is the greatest person to ever live, ask Jesus. Disintegration is the best album ever!

Eh? Not really my thing, but I get Cure fans, at least. They seem to represent the transition of punk from the early 80's into the pop-punk/emo era. I think I could grow to like them. There's a lot there. This is definitely an album I want to give another listen to in a month or so.

nothing really standed out to me? Idk maybe I just need to listen to it more

wat een gejank... Nonkel Robert was vroeger een gangmaker op het familiefeest, nu is ie de nonkel vol zelfbeklag

8/16/24. Interesting album! I'm not the biggest Cure fan but understand the acclaim and why they have a huge following. Length was a bit long and slow, but loved the sounds explored here.

So incredible

Ganske deprimerende

Definitely like this one a lot more than "Seventeen Seconds". This one is interesting because I listened to it multiple times before rating. I found with headphones on this is a 4 for me but when played out loud on speakers it drops to a 3. I think there is a lot of detail in the music that gets lost for me without headphones. It could be because my headphones are definitely better quality than my speakers, or it might be something about it being close to my ear making it easier to pick the details up. Regardless with the headphones on it's easy to get pleasantly lost in the gloomy soundscapes of this album. It's definitely an album for a specific mood. Perfect for a rainy fall/winter day/night. I love the way this album intros, and in general the intro to each song draws you in. "Plainsong", "Pictures of You", "Lovesong", "Lullaby", "Prayer for Rain", "The Same Deep Water as You" were all songs that stood out to me.

I definitely think if I listened to this a few more times I would really get into it. Sometimes one listen isn’t enough for these albums and this feels like one of those records where it feels unfair to rate it after only one listen. I enjoyed this much more than a lot of the recent picks I’ve had so it’s only right I rate this higher!

The peak of all peaks. It’s soooo good. Easy 9/10

Zzzzzzzzzz

Based on the score from this site, what I'm about to say is uncontroversial, but if you don't enjoy this record, I just can't fuck with you. The guitar tones are gorgeous, they sound like they're glass, ready to break at any moment. When this album gets dark, it gets dark, but when it's a little lighter, it's almost wistfully romantic. It's just beautiful, really. Favorite tracks: "Pictures Of You", "Lovesong", "Lullaby", "Fascination Street"

fav song: pictures of you

Too many long, droning tracks. But “pictures of you” is an all-timer. “Lovesong” also rules.

One of the best records of all time

My thesis is been that this album is a shibboleth for genuine Goths. Genuine Goths all LOVE it. People, who just like The Cure a bit (even the early stuff), like me, don't. I think it's okay. I like Lullaby but I also think it's overlong and more than a bit self-indulgent.

Exceptional album.

So this is why The Cure is so popular? You bloody misanthropes 4.5 Stars

I enjoyed revisiting this on a full listen vs just the radio hits. I liked the title track and Pictures of you. Rounding up for the mass appeal and influence at the time. 3.5/5

I love me some Cure. But even though this album seems to return the band back to the dreamy, droney, luscious sounds of their early early stuff…I can only be mopey for so long. Pictures of You and Lullaby are nice standouts and while I get its inclusion on the album for overall balance, Lovesong was so overplayed I’d probably be ok never hearing it again. The album is just a bit too long, and most likely gets a lower mark on the hope that their 1985 album “Head On The Door” makes the list and earns the top rating. 3.75/5

This album comes from an era of music that I mostly ignore, but I loved this. Sonically it’s great, arrangements are interesting, just a great listen. Def some sad boy songs here, but still.

There’s this great clip after The Cure was inducted into the Rock & Roll HoF where the interviewer enthusiastically asks Robert Smith, “Are you as excited as I am!” And he responds “umm, by the sounds of it, no.” So great. Also a pretty solid album. Love me some Pictures of You.

Obvi Pictures of You and Lovesong are great, but the album doesn’t ride to 5* level too me. Drags a bit and is simply too long. 4/5

I am a huuuge Cure fan and I know this album well, but it's not often the one I turn to as it's so intense. Funnily enough, the album that got me into them and the first album I ever bought was the Best of / Remix album they released after this, "Mixed Up". My favourite Cure album is "Head On The Door" and I would recommend that as a starting point for anyone new to the Cure. "Disintegration" is so intense and sad and cold sounding... and yet it has some great pop songs, and some of their greatest hits nestled in there: "Pictures of You," "Lovesong," and "Lullaby," are great songs, and possibly this is the height of what they are known for since the punkier early days or the self-consciously happy "Friday I'm in love" off the next proper album, "Wish." But those get a little lost in the rather bombastic tunes like "Plainsong," "Closedown," and "The Same Deep Water as You." Having said all that if you are a moody teenager in the early 1990s, perhaps that is exactly what you want. And for that reason I'll never have anything but respect and love for this album, it's just not so often that I'm feeling like I need to drown in sadness these days, thankfully. I've always thought that if I won a significant award I'd dedicate it to Robert Smith for meaning so much to teenage me. Unfortunately I've never won anything significant. That makes me sad. I'd better stick Disintegration on again.

Came to this late in life but how incredible!

My pallet is not configured for the Cure sound

Another fine album by the Cure. Definitely like the way they build their songs, find their lyrics interesting, and they really create some solids hooks.

It was a whole experience

I don’t think I like the cure that much they have captured a feeling of disintegration however

There are some good songs on here, but goth just ain’t my thing. And I definitely grew out of that broody sad phase by my thirties.

(4.5 rounded up) bro the intros to these songs r WAY too long. we must acknowledge this highlights: lovesong, lullaby, prayers for rain, untitled (feb 6 2024)

A very good album

I was a teenager when this album came out, but because of the circles I traveled in, that it was before the Internet, and that the The Cure did not get much radio play over here, I did not discover DISINTEGRATION properly until the mid-1990s. I am embarrassed to admit that as a major Spider-man fan I was honestly drawn into the album by his appearance in the lyrics of "Lullaby" when I finally did discover this album. I don't fit the stereotypes that people tend to ascribe to fans of The Cure. While I did have a penchant for black clothing I was not a huge fan of Tim Burton films and I've never smoked, much less clove cigarettes. I don't drink and I've never dabbled in hallucinogenic drugs. Despite that, as the years have passed on this album just keeps growing on me. I've come to understand the songs in new and profound ways that were previously unknown to me when I was younger, which is the best thing you can say about any music album in your collection. One of the best albums to chart self existential isolationism. A person literally coming apart at the seams, untethered from everything and everyone they ever believed in. "Lovesong", I think, with no hyperbole, might be one of the most beautiful and poignant love ballads ever written, IN ANY GENRE. So many classic great songs that have stood the test of time: "Plainsong", "Pictures of You", "Lovesong", "Lullaby", "Fascination Street", and of course "Disintegration". Hard to believe the album is 72 minutes long. Among the easiest 72 minutes I've ever experienced. It has inspired and continues to inspire millions of musicians in terms of its lyrcism, musicianship, sound, and production. The romanticism revisitation of musical motifs throughout the album were unusual for the time this album came out and has been mimicked numerous times since. It really is the magnum opus of the band. A fucking classic!

Bit ethereal for pub music, but I can see them playing it later at night when they want people to mellow out a bit.

Decent album.

I can't decide whether I really like this or if I find it grating. I don't think I'm a fan of the vocals. There are definitely aspects of the music that I think are unique and sound quality entering my ear. I think I would enjoy it less if it didn't sound like the whole hand was barely containing a certain type of rage. Standout track: Fascination Street

My favorite of all The Cure albums I have heard. Although that's not saying much, I'm generally not a fan of theirs. But this was good, the songs are kinda long for my taste, but this album has good energy. I still won't come back to this.

Fabulous album

I'm not sure how to review The Cure. Their sound and feel is ephemeral and unpredictable. Sometimes I miss the point completely. Sometimes it surprises me out of nowhere, like walking through a spiderweb in the forest. I can only respect the poetry and magic the band seems to continue to conjure.

I found it more appealing than I had expected.

Trippy and weird and beautiful, and even though it's not my favorite (that honor goes to "Pornography"), probably the front to back best piece of work of the Cure's career

I've been hooked on this album since I tried Seventeen Seconds earlier this year. That album was just alright, had some great tracks but a lot that didn't stick with me. This one though? Front to back, larger-than-life magic. Pictures of You is one of the most cinematic songs of the 20th century, Lullaby is straight up one of my favorite songs, and even some of the deeper cuts (Untitled, Fascination Street, Closedown, Prayers for Rain) hit like a fucking truck in the right place and time. Disintegration is one of my favorite albums I heard this year. Some albums are placed on a pedestal, but this one strutted in to sit on the throne. Robert Smith and company are some of the only people who can make me believe in such grandiose.

85% Best: Pictures of You, Lovesong, Lullaby, The Same Deep Water as You, Disintegration Must-Hear? Sure

Difficult to enjoy this

I love this album

I find the cure’s albums to be too long and uneventful. I liked the overall sound but I wouldt listen again. In my opinion the cure owe me a balmy summers evening

Blind album. More of what I expected after hearing 2 albums of theirs. I do think this may have been the best of the 3 on the project though

One finds it difficult to be objective about this record, which has served as a best-friend / therapist / rabbi sort of record for a very long time indeed. One was 22 when it came out, and one thought it sounded like the seriousness of adult life ahead, of the oceanic sense of disappointment / disillusionment one had already had a taste of. And, though it took a few years for one to embrace it fully, to recognize it as one of the essential soundtracks of one’s life, 35 years later, one can't say one’s initial impressions were wrong in; one’s adulthood has often felt like this record sounds, simultaneously sad-deep-rich and beautifully evanescent, near-overwhelming and demanding to be processed, requiring deep reflection – all of it animated by deep yearning and an organic ache for resolution in the face of loss and other emotionally substantive experience. Disintegration has amplified/intensified connections with lovers (people who love this record would seem capable of feeling and processing emotion at levels both higher and deeper than average – which is both an asset and a liability in relationships, one has found); it’s also offered deep solace in the aftermath of relationship breakage and/or failure. What to say of the music and the record’s many overall strengths? The mood and evocation of pure vulnerability, the elevation of personal sentience and suffering through exquisite layering (what integration of strings and synths and other effects on guitar and bass!). The rhythmic foundation feels like classic architecture in its sturdy and lapidary presence, but then shifts and flows subtly across long songs to steadily build awe and elicit powerful effect at different points in songs. The way the songs blend to subtly modulate the mood of rich, contemplative gloom (see especially "Pictures Of You" > "Closedown" > "Love Song"). Note the similar wind-chimey effects in the very beginning of “Plainsong” and then in the lovely, stage-setting phase of “Pictures of You.” The grace notes are innumerable, as becomes clear on repeat listens. The barely audible, sub-lyrical whoop/howl quite late (roughly 6-minute mark) on “Pictures of You,” (amidst the couple the doo-doo-to-doo” vamping bits). A similar yelp comes at beginning of the title cut. Is there a record with a more perfect collection of beginnings and endings? The heavier/more funereal cuts (“Plainsong,” “Pictures,” “Untitled”) get expansive, unhurried, multi-minute preludes to raise the emotional stakes and land with resolutions that are elegant and note-appropriate in terms of pace (the echoing bass notes on “Pictures” making the 7+ minutes seem to end too soon), and gently wrapped in a mini-crescendo that seems to rise even as it falls away – so satisfying without being anything like sweet or cloying, which one would expect with lesser artists. More rich chimings and resonant washes conclude “Closedown” and the accordion wrapping up the closer ….what can one say? – it brings me near to weeping every time. Contrast these with the harder, tighter openings (vocals starting sooner, generally) and the prompt/punchy endings of the riffier cuts (“Lovesong,” “Lullaby,” “Fascination Street”). The relentlessness of the title cut, with the juddering/echoing effect on the guitars intensifying the finality of the repeated lyric (“how the end always is”). And for layerings, in “Lullaby,” note the play between the gentle, yet insistent guitar and bass prodding on the bed sumptuous bed of strings, with pizzicato figures upping the tension and infectiousness, phrases repeated and varied throughout the song – brilliant! And on the closer (of which more in a moment) hear the way the guitars and key pulsings, near metronomic throughout, break up, fractalizing apart as if blown by the wind or carried away on the tides (similar effect at end of “Disintegration” – that’s what ups the emotional state, makes the song last in memory. There are utterly unforgettable hooks all over the place (“Pictures,” “Lovesong,” “Lullaby,” “Fascination Street”– and in multiple tempos and hues, too, from the irresistibly ominous yet sexy as hell ("Lullaby"), to the abjectly driving ("Fascination Street") and purely poppy-bouncy ("Lovesong"), to the utterly beautiful and heartbreakingly melodic ("Pictures of You"). The untitled closer – as strong a final cut as one has ever heard – sets it all right (substantially better than right), with a fitting coda. Beautifully balanced, bitterly melancholic (again heartbreakingly so), but also suggestive of a brave carrying on (something about the insistently yet still gently rolling drums and the elegant chording/tolling of the guitar to prod us onward – on and hope for triumph, with the authentic melancholy accordion (intelligently reprised from the opening of the song) resolving the end with as something as close to satori as one has ever experienced, just a transcendent form of solace. The 30-year-old Robert Smith apparently felt pressure to create a masterpiece. Job fucking done. And then some.

One of my favourite The Cure albums. This is just beautiful

Still don’t get the fascination with these lads. Is it because Smith sounds gay, wears lipstick, and dresses like Count Dracula? I get that there are people who like depressingly morbid music, but this is an act, and not worthy of the accolades.

solid album with a great soundscape. the production was cool and you can tell a lot of craft went into creating it. on the other hand, i felt like a lot of the songs dragged on and some of them had the tendency to drift into dull territory. that being said, i can see myself relistening in the future and having this one grow on me. as it stands right now, i felt it was good, but not great.

It's not bad, but all a little too depressing

Meh

Nice!

Too slow!

Pound for pound I think this is a better album than Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me. I think the songs on this album sound a little more timeless and a little less like someone was excited to get a Casio keyboard. (I love the cure, but some of their songs can sound dated.) some of my favorite songs are on this album and the rest of the tracks fill in very nicely. A great listen.

This album is phenomenal. The Cure's masterpiece.

3.5, never been a massive fan but a solid enough album

3.7/5, listened 1x.

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this album! 3.5

How about a 5? Yeah, 5 sounds good.

I've never known how to take The Cure. I've always liked songs like Lovesong and Friday I'm In Love, but I never know if they're supposed to be pop or like new wave, serious or campy. I liked the songs on this album, but they really left me more confused about what The Cure is. But the music was still enjoyable. Four stars.

Not my usual genre but there were some interesting songs. Some of them were wayyyyy too long and half the song was instrumental. Not for me but I do think I got something out of this.

Wasn't crazy about this at all. Only song I liked was Lovesong.

It's fine. Some good songs but a bit samey, and we've definitely had more records from The Cure than this list needs. 2.5 stars

Good sounds

Dreary

One of my favourite ever albums. It's a timeless masterpiece.

Really Good album.

Was OK

I’d like to like The Cure, but I just don’t

Classic, gloomy, Curr

I didn’t like it, but I let it happen to me.

Annoying whining singing, flat bass and loud repetitive flat drums with the odd super song thrown in

Drone attack! Man this is a dull Cure album.

Greetings to Nobbi!

That was not what I expected. 3 stars

Obviously, love song is amazing, but I was surprised by how much I could hear their influence on so many bands throughout. I would think, oh this sounds like _____ band but it’s really that they sound like the cure. Great album!

Reminds me of my youth!

I love The Cure so much, but lately I haven't been as interested in them. This album was the perfect medicine (or should I say cure 😉).

Masterpiece. No album fully immerses me in an aura from front to back like Disintegration.

May be my favourite album from the Cure, it features the best features of the band: captivating melodies, dark and lyrical moods, and Robert Smith's immediately recognizable vocals. "Pictures of You" is a standout that slips softly through the album, and "Lovesong" evokes immediate memories of time and place. Gorgeous tempos underpinned by synths, guitar, and drums take me away to a dark garden. Disintegration is a quiet masterpiece.

Plenty of 5 star tracks on here, just a few slightly middling songs in the middle let it down. But mostly great. Best tracks - Lullaby & Same deep water as you .

Heard of the record before as a crown jewel in many peoples' eyes. It was mind blowing in sort of a psychedelic way and the synths were immaculate. It's only problem was it's length .

This record is unreal. An absolute masterclass in creating an atmosphere and keeping you invested in it the whole way through. This record is its own world and I was completely sucked in. The second half in particular, from Fascination Street onwards is just unbeatable.

banger

Liked this one a lot! The Cure have such a cool vibe.

I'm shamelessly copying this review from somebody else because they just put it so well. The album sustains an atmosphere that is gloomy, yet thoroughly gorgeous. It somehow manages to feel both claustrophobic and seductive. Really remarkable album.

OG emo

Great record! It aged well.

Great album. Some gorgeous sections, memorable hooks and perfect atmosphere.

3 stars

Another great album by Robert and gang. Loved this band since the first time I'd heard Boys Don't Cry on college radio. Fave songs: Pictures of you, fascination street, lovesong & lullaby

Potentially my favourite Cure record, lush and indulgent misery music.

Great album

This was a good album. I have only heard their radio songs before this so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed their other work

Really liked this one.

I’m a little too young to have experienced The Cure in their prime, but so many of the bands I grew up listening to cite them as influences. I have always known the hits, but never went deeper into their catalog until recently. Other albums of theirs took a few listens to sink in. Pornography, in particular, took some time before I “got” it. This album, however, was love at first listen. And now, listening to it critically again, I love it even more than I did on first listen. It has a way of balancing moody and brooding with optimistic and airy. Absolutely fantastic album that has secured a spot among my all time favorites.

One of the peaks of the genre, not just for its era. Really love this record.

Well that was a dreamy experience. I'm in love, carried off on the waves of Robert Smith's vulnerable vocals.

So 80s, feeling pre-grunge, teenage anxty... definitely enjoyed the beginning of the album after starting call me by your name - made me feel like the lead in a rom com. Bit same after that. 3.25

4.25

Pretty decent. 3.8

Gear: Aür Audio Aurora Artwork: timburtontimburtontimburton Mix: feinfeinfein Musik: mehmehmeh Wertung: 🦇🦇(🦇)/5

The only saving grace is 'Lullaby' on this album. To each their own, but this band is just not for me.

Oh dear. The Cure. Again. Why? A band I never really got the hang of. But. This has the one single song of theirs I truly appreciate, Lullaby. And Lovesong. And. Fuck me, this is a grand album overall and I wouldn't mind listening again, in fact, I kind of want to.

I wish I'd leaned into the Cure so much more when I was in high school. I always feel like my goth phase is still to come.

Loooooong time Cure fan, but for whatever reason I never listened to Disintegration until almost 10 years after its release. No clue why. Even after listening to Wish / Show a bazillion times, never felt inclined to go back and listen to this. Knew all the singles of course, but not the album. The one day in 98 I was driving around Sydney as a sales rep, decided to finally listen to this, had it on in the car. I think finally 3-4 songs in and my brain just flipped on to what I had been casually listening to. I think I sat in the carpark of the Macquarie centre for another 30 mins just listening while I waited for my appointment inside. Probably one of my all time favourites - but I will love Wish, Bloodflowers, and Songs of a Lost World. But also - see Show if you can.

Love the Cure and their stomachache vocals. Very fun synth vibes. I particularly liked Pictures of You, the Same Deep Water As You, and Disintegration

Already have this and heard many times! Wonderful Cure album and probably my favorite of theirs.

one of my all-time favs

11111/10

Brilliant stuff. I think I'm a bit down on The Cure, even though I think every single one of their big singles is brilliant, including Pictures of You, from this record. It's got a great overall vibe to it, and a real consistency. It's also a rare hour plus album where you're disappointed when it's finished.

A top 10 album. Perfect.

very sad but very good, i cried. i laughed, but i mostly jizzed.

This one bounced off me big time. I genuinely liked Plainsong, Lovesong and Last Dance. But, every other track was overpowered by the way I was getting sent straight to sleep by the lead vocalist's voice. Favourite track: Last Dance

This album was such an influential part of my youth - an anthem. I love the whimsy, the moodiness, his stretched voice, bleakness, and, of course, the loneliness. If they didn’t exist, they would have had to have been invented. Hmmm, a warm blanket.

It pretty much impossible to come this album with a fresh set of ears. I was a fan of the Cure - especially the previous two releases. I bought it the week it came out. And - to be honest - I didn't get it on first listen. So many songs that seemed to be one forever. I liked ethereal music but what I was looking for in the Cure was the sharp edges and manic energy of the previous album - with the occasional shift in pace. But here - 72 minutes of dirge. It took me a few weeks to really appreciate that. And slowly this became a personal favorite. So coming to his album 35 year later and listening to it start to finish for the first time in probably a quarter century - its pretty much perfect. The album clearly states it's intentions from the opening notes of Plainsong. Picture of You is about as magical a single as me Smith and Co ever created. Lullaby and Lovesong both ubiquitous back in the day sound especially after not hearing them with such regularly. The groove of Fascination Street. My all time fave cure song - Disintegration - still scintillates even as it never swerves during it 8 min runtime. Feeling the bass on Prayers for Rain (this is a song much better heard on speakers.). And finishing the Untitled - I like to think of the as trending positive in acceptance rather than regret with a long outro to ponder... My big takeaways: it's 72 min runtime is one of the first albums I remember really using the enhanced CD runtime to its benefit. The bass on the album and the way it is produced are a revelation. These songs have real heft without sounding muddy. The rhythm section is really the star of this album. Songwriting songwriting and songwriting. Some of the mans best. I remember reviews for this tour - never have some many people had such a good time having so little fun... I believe that stands for the album as well.

overall this album was great but the 71 minute runtime really works against it. if they Disintegrated a few minutes off of each track it'd be a much better album.

incredible. a real fully formed work. like souvlaki. "You're only just now learning The Cure is awesome? Man you're unemployed" --Taylor

Pictures of you Lovesong Disintegration

This feels like an instrumental album with the occasional random lyric thrown in. Why such long intros to each song? The meat of the song is good though as is the instrumentation.

Yeah alright

Getting more into the Cure more over recent years. Not loving an album yet, still a bit of a Greatest Hits band for me, but there is a cohesiveness to a lot of their albums I like.

best possible follow up to a bit of a letdown. renewed my interest in completing this project

Don't need to listen to this one right now during a rare Irish summers day. But this is on heavy Autumn/Winter rotation in my house. One of the best albums ever. Top 10 for me. When that bass hits in Plainsong, my god! The rest of the album just flows from there. I see a lot of reviews saying this album is depressing. This album is a lot of things, shimmering, sad, euphoric, melancholic but depressing it aint. Now Pornography, there's a Cure album that is pure drudging depression. I'll give this another whirl once the rain starts. I'm sure that'll be by the end of the week.

A masterpiece. This album is euphoric. It is also melancholy, but the main feeling I get from it is pure bliss. Just sit back with a nice pair of headphones turn this on and let it wash over you.

If you are feeling sad and melancholy and WANT to feel sad and melancholy, there are few better records. In the midst of late 80s rock turning into early 90s grunge, The Cure one of the most brooding Goth/Emo rock records of all time and arguably their most popular one. After the 'cheerier' outings of Head On The Door and Kiss Me, Kiss, Me Kiss Me, Disintegration is a return the comfortable gloom that you can wrap yourself up in. Heavy with synths and slow moving changes, Disintegration was an album that...I can't saw it blew them away but it definitely made millions of teens FEEL. Its' production and construction hold up today. Disintegration may have hit the age that it is probably more well known for the use of its' singles in movies, tv, and commercials, but it is an album that stood alone in its' time.

I found this album to be pretty boring. It's slow and relaxed, but I think that's why it didn't grab me. I think if I want to listen to music like this, I'll probably just fall back on old favorites.

Absolutely the best album for marinating in your own sadness.

Made me want to grow my fringe and invest in long sleeved black knitwear

Makes me feel nostalgic for a time that I wasn’t alive in. Great synths, catchy bass lines, classic guitar leads. Dreamy and atmospheric. I see why it’s a classic.

4/5

The cure has been growing on me this journey.

Begynder med et brag og holder bare niveauet hele vejen igennem. Klassiker

Fantastisk album! pisselangt, ville ønske det var længere, havde kun været bedre hvis de der 3-4 minutters sange også var 7-8 minutter

Rimelig fed stemning på pladen. Kunne meget bedre lide den end jeg havde regnet med.

Moody, slow, gothic, one or two to hold onto or to throw on when feeling melancholy sad vibes. Rainy day?

Perfect from front to back even with the additions of Homesick and Last Dance. Despite being an album that is over an hour long, it is still perfect and it blows my mind at how well put together these songs are. Robert Smith is a master at making long tracks feel shorter than they are because the melodies and instrumentation is so well fleshed out so it never feels repetitive, it never feels boring. Plainsong is ambient genius. Pictures of You, Prayers for Rain, Same Deep Water and Disintegration are pain and grief in their purest form lyrically. Untitled is like the acceptance and ability to "move on" so to speak. These songs are then interspersed with Lovesong and Fascination Street which bring a bit more energy to the album which also proves to help the album along. There is no way this can get anything less than a perfect rating from me. It's the best album ever made.

The idea of "yearning" has been blowing up lately and as I listened to The Cure it made me realize they have got to be the originators - this album truly says "yearning". Lol.

The Cure zzz, aunque pinta buena atmósfera

Fine, not for me

Gid

Love it!

One of the greatest of all time

I found the first couple of songs a bit weak, but the album really got going by the time "Lovesong" and "Lullaby" blessed my ears. The album justifies its length pretty well, as there's a lot of great songs throughout the runtime. Though a few of them go on for a bit too long. But I do get what they're going for. e.g. the title track starts out as just alright, but just keeps on building and building until you can't help but get lost in the dark expanse of their beautiful soundscapes. I find that Robert Smiths voice can get a tad whiny sometimes, like on "Last Dance", but he is mostly a brilliant presence throughout the songs. I'm also not the biggest fan of that mushy, echoey 80s production, though it didn't diminish my enjoyment while listening. The beautiful sounds and the thick atmosphere they create greatly overshadow the minor gripes I have with the album. I enjoyed it very much and look forward to hearing more of their discography : )

One of the greatest. Play it loud and play it often.

Very good. I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. I love the overall sound/vibe on this album. A few five star moments here and there but not enough to get five for the entire album.

Once again, I was convinced we already covered this. And once again I was pleasantly surprised by this one. Another surprise is that I didn’t know this album, aside from the hits. I didn’t like it as much as like Head on the Door but some solid Cure sounds herein.

I never got into The Cure, but I liked this a lot. I might have to check out more.

Finally a good one! Beautifully atmospheric album that exhibits light and shade aplenty. Will definitely listen to again.

Near perfect album.

I almost fell asleep

arguably the greatest album that robert smith has ever put out in the cure's history. the lush and divine soundscapes transport every listener to a foggy garden behind a rickety house, full of wilted flowers. it's so utterly gloomy, but it's a picturesque sort of gloomy that resonates with a lot of people including myself. a truly artistic and impactful album.

Plainsong sounds so familiar to me. Was it in a movie? - YES, the fight scene in Ant-Man!

The singles may be the catchiest tracks but there's so much other good stuff here. In an album full of haunting atmospheres, The Same Deep Water as You is a 9 minute track that really leans into the brooding, mournful theme. The title track is another entrancing piece that doesn't feel as long as it is, Homesick too. The album can be divided in two halves - the shorter or more radio friendly songs and then the deeper, longer songs. I questioned the runtime of this initially, but somehow it works, even feels essential. Probably their crowning achievement?

The Cure had to grow up on me. Now it feels amazing.

Pictures of You alone is worth 6 stars and other songs are almost as good too

Peak synth pop.

Not my taste but still a very good album

Plainsong 6/10 Pictures of you 8/10 Closedown 8/10 Lovesong 8.5/10 Last dance 8.5/10 Lullaby 7/10 Fascination street 8/10 Prayers for rain 9/10 The same deep water as you 7/10 Disintegration 9/10 Homesick 8/10 Untitled 7/10

no wonder goths are sad

Setting the tone for a generation and staying under the radar. Wonderful album

My favorite album ever.

Great album.

I'm still not a fan, I don't get the appeal. Whiny new wave, not interesting in my opinion. The music is okay but there's not really anything here that grabs my attention.

Not bad, but I didn’t find it super engaging and thought it ran a bit too long.

Very solid album - not as heavy hitting as I would have thought for a "gothic" band. I enjoyed this as a solid listen - would not be going out of my way to listen again.

classic

A master work of dark blue hopelessness and pain. The tempo, tone, and overall message are depressing. Other than that, it’s enjoyable. Lovesong is the only one I remember from when the album came out and it’s the best song of the album. Sadly, only (3.3*s) for this effort. Nice work boys!

I like the atmospheric quality they've added to their repertoire here. I actually enjoyed some of the deeper cuts much more than the hits on this album. Disintegration feels raw but also well-crafted, it's moody and borderline ambient mashed with shoegaze. The vocals are added in a way that you sometimes understand them or don't at all and they just blend into the orchestral quality of the production which is brilliant. I think this is peak The Cure. The instrumental parts also really shine. "Lullaby" is a great song if you can get past the creepy spider lyrics, I dig it. Forget everything you think you know about these guys and give this album a listen, very good.

Slow burn. The album has some good ones plus mellow groove and beat on the lesser knowns. It lulled at moments but i was overall satisfied. The cover is a bit creepy but makes sense knowing Smith was back on the hallucinogenics. Grab a glass of wine (maybe a few caps) and chill by some glowing embers in that outdoor fire pit and melt away...3.3.

I'll always respect The Cure for carving out a sound that is somehow both unique and formulaic at the same time. They are able to land pretty firmly in the emo/sadboy realm but still give their songs a rock/poppy edge. Not quite sure how they do it but it works. Not sure I've ever met someone who doesn't like The Cure even if they aren't a big fan. Between their hits they have something for everyone. Credit to them. Disintegration threads the needle much in the same way. It's got a lot of the signature dark depressing nature associated with Robert Smith and The Cure as a whole. A couple hits and some solid deep cuts that keep the album interesting. It's a little long at 70+ minutes and it drags by the end of it with a couple unnecessary long songs in the back half. It would benefit the album to cut 2 songs to tighten it up, Despite this it still held my attention much better than plenty of the long albums seen elsewhere on 1001. All in all a good listen and a worthy album from my end. 3.4 stars

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