Disintegration

Was expecting an overhyped eighties album. Got a brilliant album (which is undeniably eighties). 5 stars.

Genre: Gothic Rock Favorite songs: Pictures of you, Lovesong, Lullaby and Fascination Street

harrowing /ˈharəʊɪŋ/ adjective acutely distressing. "a harrowing album about doomed love, addiction and death" downcast /ˈdaʊnkɑːst/ adjective (of a person) feeling despondent. "Robert Smith is quite a downcast character, is he not?" depressive /dɪˈprɛsɪv/ adjective causing feelings of severe despondency and dejection "How depressive the mood is on *Disintegration*!" Goth /ɡɒθ/ noun a style of rock music derived from punk, typically with apocalyptic or mystical lyrics. "The Cure has produced many records that fans of Goth music love, but *Disintegration* is the rare one where said label can be used for the album in full." dreamy /ˈdriːmi/ adjective having a magical or pleasantly unreal quality; dreamlike. "The dreamy atmosphere on The Cure's eighth studio album makes the latter particularly stand out for shoegaze fans." long /lɒŋ/ adjective lasting or taking a great amount of time. "The Cure loved to play long tracks with repetitive patterns at the end of the eighties, thereby providing many hypnotic cuts for their fans." disintegration /dɪsˌɪntɪˈɡreɪʃn/ noun the process of losing cohesion or strength. "As rambling and shapeless as The Cure' *Disintegration* may seem on first listens, with its lengthy cuts and ever-circling vocal lines, its entopic music actually mirrors the album's artistic point (and lyrical intent): taking a series of snapshots of a soul slowly dissolving." Number of albums left to review: 695 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 148 (including this one, with a 4.5/5 grade, here rounded up to 5/5) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 71 Albums from the list I will certainly *not* include in mine (many others are more important): 85

Love love love this

Very cool

This album is worth five stars just for Pictures of You. The rest of it is almost irrelevant. I mean, fortunately the rest of the album isn't bad.

My first 5!!

I loved this album about 10 years ago; I remember playing "Fascination Street" at a Halloween party and it went down a treat. I think it's got even better in the intervening years; it's beautifully desolate. Had I been born 10 years earlier, I would have been the biggest Cure fan.

Excellent album

Musical perfection. I have no funny quip for this one, it's just genuinely one of the best albums of all time.

I love this album! I've listened to it before and happily listened to it again! Absolutely incredible! Robert Smith is a lyrical genius, and the music is so atmospheric and ambient. It transports me to a different plane of existence, one away from the realities and insanity of life. This is one of my top ten favorite albums of all time, and one of the few albums I'd dare call nearly perfect.

hearted 2 songs on 1st listen

i love this so much

cura e tals

Sve riječi su suvišne za ovaj album

Evo prošlo je tjedan dana od njihovog koncerta na kojem sam bio u Areni, Zagreb. Šta da kažem? Odlični i nakon toliko dugo godina - i što me je najviše razveselilo svirali su Prayers for Rain! s ovog albuma. Odličan album, stvarno nemam više šta da kažem, a da ne ispadne baš da svršavam.

Amazing band. Amazing album. I could listen to this every day. First 5 star rating.

Love

5/5 Keiner hält eine Waffe gegen meinen Kopf

9/10 second listen

Rock noir

First listen loved the vibes of this

I'm a basic bitch, but that's only because all the basic shit is so good.

So much gothic angst. Loved this when it first came out and still love it today. Fascination Street is still a great moody banger.

Love it

Lush perfection.

LP

I wasn't ready to listen to this album the first time it was rolled to me 2 months ago. South Park called it the best album of all time, and Pornography is one of my favorites. Since then, I've listened to this about a dozen times in all sorts of settings and states of mind. I've even listened to this dressed as a goth. And I'm not sure I could really dissect this deeply, nor should I. But with Halloween just around the corner, it's time to give it another listen on one of these scary chilly nights to talk about how it speaks to me. It's a beautiful and romantic gothic album. First few songs set up the dark and gloomy atmosphere, with an emphasis on spacious synths and hollow drums and guitar plucks. Lyrics don't even begin until half way through the first song. It diverts our attention to the themes and world this album creates that will be revisited in new perspectives. The energy of the album kicks off with the dance hit "Lovesong". Strange how Robert Smith is as cold and controlled as ever yet displays such a strong sense of yearning and desire. "Last Dance" follows the groove with an anxiety-inducing horror piece that feels like someone's on the verge to snatch you away. Another example where the instrumentals are the focus, and the lyrics are hardly noticeable, feeling more like escaped thoughts in the cloud of powerful emotions. "Lullaby" carries this into our most graphic track with powerful creepy imagery of the spider man, and psychedelic effects to immerse you into the world. Our next track "Fascination Street" carries strong futuristic synths that remind me of Blade Runner or Tron with virtual vectors or space cars on the move. "Prayers of Rain" is one of the coldest songs that can put you in a trance and took me to strange places on my LSD trip. Following that up is a moodier 10-minute track "Same Deep Water". Very hazy and echoey like a ghost singing among the myst of a thunder storm. Final stretch begins with the 8 minute club hit "Disintegration": one of the most energetic and emotionally-charged tracks acting as a final hurrah. "Homesick" is a long, gentle, and sorrowful track (nice violins), preparing us for the nostalgic ending "Untitled" which serves as a satisfying goodbye. At this point, we have a 6.5 minute chill piece with a relaxed Robert Smith who stops singing half way through. His time is done, and we let the song gently take us away. Despite being 72 minutes long with an average track length of 6 minutes, there is never a point where I thought any track overstayed their welcome. Sure, there are "weaker" tracks that moreso contribute to the album experience than standalone. But no matter how long they were, I enjoyed every second. It's patient and knows how to create an easy immersive foggy and romantic environment that other gothic bands should aspire to model after.

Big, warm, intricate, slow and immersive. Love it

there is no need to say more! It's The Cure🤟🏻

Legendary

lovely

First I wanted to say this album HAS quite a mood. That's not entirely accurate though. Instead I'll say this album IS quite a mood. Was thinking way too hard about if this is a 4 or a 5. But who cares. I listened to it twice and enjoyed both spins.

Dark and brooding and pretentious and moody. Beautiful sadness. Another top album from my teenage years. I will always love the Trilogy before all other Cure albums but this one is in my top 5. A classic album.

I can't put my finger on why, but this album just speaks to me

Amazing album! So much lush reverb! So many good songs!

Pictures of you ...

Masterpiece. This album has everything that speaks to a Cure fan. The extended instrumental intros, the moody, introspective lyrics, and the Cure sound. This album is amazing. Plus it generated like 5 hits - but the whole album is hit after hit. A true perfect entry to this list for sure.

Jævlig bra

THIS IS NOT A DRILL. God I love this album. Bought it on cassette at the mall at the age of twelve. My science teacher tried to be cool and listened to it and liked it. This was post-Depeche Mode Elaine. I had heard other Cure albums before (Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me was a vibe!), but this album sealed the deal. I’ve only ever worn black since then. 🖤

The Cure's best album. Straight in at 5!

Ace

Het beste The Cure album; Loodzwaar, depressief en veel te lang. Hoera!

Classic

This is one of the best album of all times. Every melody, erery note, all lyrics are perfect

Maybe it’s just me, but this is almost a perfect album. So moody and I’m here for it!

It’s long and kind of slow, but the overall atmosphere is so singular and well executed. Also “Love Song” would get almost any album to at least 4 stars.

Gothic, soulful…. Just huge!! Clear joy division influences here, but it’s all the better for them!

5/5. Most vibey, Tim Burtony Cure so far, and one of my faves 🤙

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.

Eines der wenigen alben, die es schaffen, düster und gleichzeitig wunderschön zu sein. romantisch und destruktiv. klar und verwoben. einfach wunderbar

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.

Ist ein grower der immer besser wird. Es ist unmöglich sich nicht in die Tragik fallen zu lassen. Perfekt auch zwischen Pop und Goth.

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.

Simply beautiful.

Superb. The Cure explore a range of angsty emotions in a lengthy masterpiece

Гот получается

This album had some great vibes. Just chill all around.

Love 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

Best Cure album

all day. all night.

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.

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

Brilliance

At the time of the release I skipped Disintegration. I thought the looks of Robert Smith were pathetic and the fact that my elder sister was a fan, was also a major factor. Listening to it now, it's clear I made a big mistake. This is a fantastic album with great songs and an overall feeling of grandeur. There are some really heavy songs, but lighter works are in between to keep it balanced.

I still don’t know if this is my favorite Cure album, but goddamn is it perfect.

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.

Enjoyed start to finish, beautifully gloomy and gothic will absolutely be listening again

🔥🔥🔥

I was hoping the 1001 would change my mind about an artist or group I had misjudged. Joy Division? Not quite. The Smiths? Haha, just kidding. David Bowie? Nope. But The Cure? I finally got there with “Disintegration.” I wasn’t won over by “Seventeen Seconds” or “Pornography.” But “Disintegration” keeps a consistent and perfectly Cure-ated vibe all the way through.

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

Pretty great album. Recognized a lot of songs from it and those that I didn’t were also great. The Cure are just a good vibe all around. Revised: This was my first album and I didn't know what I had in it... love this one. 9/10

Perfect and fresh sounding pops rock for it’s time.

The best one!!!

Classic album

The whole is most definitely greater than the sum of its parts.

very good

ну классный альбом чо, такой не веселый ниразу и депрессивный, но слушается круто. понравился

Top 10 dischi della vita.

Pictures of You

loved it

Alllll time

Second best album of all time

Un chef d'oeuvre

One of my Favorite Albums

Hey them on iPod

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.

The only Cure album I dig as much as Standing on a Beach

Love this album. One of my first CDs and listened over and over.

wow how is it possible to be this nostalgic feeling about a band you never listened to… idk why this takes me back to late high school but i think it came to me at the right time. i swear i didn’t peak in high school lol. this album can be really long and drawn out at times, and while that’s definitely part of the style, i think it’s a bit much here and there. like omg get a move on!! haha. also this album can feel a little same-y sometimes. that being said i still enjoyed it and would totally give it another listen

I liked the melodic soundscapes and the fact many of the songs go well over 5 minutes, giving the tracks a chance play out. I'm not a huge fan of the vocals. I just think Robert Smith's singing can be a bit jarring and I'm also not that keen on his self-loathing/depressive style. However, I found myself enjoying the album for the most part and I would listen to large parts of the album again. A good introduction to The Cure having only heard a few tracks before. Favourite tracks: Fascination Street, Disintegration

A great album by the Cure. The music and lyrics are both beautiful and haunting.

It seems that I'm finally back to a great streak of albums. Disintegration is not my favourite album from The Cure, but it probably sneaks in the top three, which is still a great bit of praise for a band with numerous phenomenal albums. I've generated all of their listed albums now and I'd say the selection was very good. I would definitely add The Head On The Door to the list, as it's an essential release, maybe Faith or Wish as well. Favourite track: Lullaby

Brilliant, moody, atmospheric, introspective goth rock. A haunting and memorable experience. It’s a soundtrack to your feelings. 4⭐️

like a 7/10, i’m definitely not as hot on this album as most but it’s Disintegration

I am a documented "not a The Cure" fan, but I'm also documented as having never listened to more than the hit songs way back when. So in those brief moments of introspective honesty I can say it's really the aesthetic surrounding The Cure that I don't like - performative melancholy, etc. (And I should stress, this is not a critique of the band, just the broader culture around the band). This is the first time I've ever actually listened to them and... I'm surprised by how much I'm enjoying this. Coming from a DNF yesterday (The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway by Genesis, just the worst) I could be expected to be pessimistic - and surely of all albums to be pessimistic during this fits, right? But I went in intrigued and even perhaps a little positive and hopeful. And it's hit the spot. Not my favourite album of all time. Not even close. Not even something I'm likely to put on again, and it does drop off a bit in the latter part of the album, but that's OK. It's 3.5 stars for my taste/ranking system, but I'll bump it up to a 4 as a way of apologising for any previous ill-will I carried.

i think the thing stopping this from being a 5 is the crappy stock keyboard string sounds, just something i can't not notice

Me listening to side a: “wow, this is pretty great, can’t believe I’m gonna listen to the cure and enjoy it…” Me listening to side b: “what the fuck?” I can live without four tracks running eight minutes with one chord progression throughout, thanks. Overall pretty great though.

Pretty decent but maybe too depressing at times.

Pictures of You is an all time classic and I spent a chunk of my day listening to that. I need to give the rest of the album a good shot when I've got more time, because I think I'm going to love it.

Always enjoyed The Cure, but never really delved too much into the back catalogue beyond a couple of early albums and the “hits”. Really enjoyed this, moody and atmospheric, plus it’s got two of my favourite Cure songs on in Lullaby and Pictures of You. I love how this was recorded because of Robert Smith getting sick of how popular The Cure were becoming, only to end up with their most successful album. Was a little worried with the runtime that it would start feeling like a bit of a slog, but I was very wrong. It felt like it flew by and I was back listening again.

This is just so dreamy from start to finish. Not quite enough variety over 72 minutes to get all 5 stars. But close!

Mys

sure is a the cure album

Loved the atmospheric sound! Good for study and work, great listening for fall. Vocals were not necessarily my favorite. Activity: treating kt-21 w/myci

C'était quelque chose ! Je connais assez mal The Cure. Je connais un peu Pornography et il est déjà dans ma liste de souhaits. C'est la première fois que j'écoute cet album-là et c'était une bonne écoute. C'est assez glauque et plutôt déprimant, mais en même temps, c'est The Cure. Je connais pas assez le style pour bien en parler, mais j'ai trouvé qu'il y avait vraiment une atmosphère puissante et glauque que j'apprécie beaucoup.

:D

GOAT

4.5

I am very surprised by this album. I heard of the cure but never listened to any music of theirs. But I gotta say it’s totally my taste. I love music that sound deamy and spacey and stuff and that’s that (note every song but the general vibe). The fist few songs sounded kinda similar to each other but the other developed and I liked the middle ones the most. Definitely my taste and am happy that I listened to them.

Pretty good! A bit more emo than I usually care about, but pretty catchy too.

I wish I loved The Cure more than I do but that doesn’t make sense this any less an excellent album, made for stormy miserable days and walking the streets at night.

This is what I figured the Cure would sound like knowing the few songs of theirs that I do, including Just Like Heaven and Friday I'm In Love. I had actually heard "Lovesong" and "Untitled" before, but I can't pinpoint the former. I have enjoyed those songs, and it's cool to know this is their primary sound (I guess). Immediately from the opener, this brings up feelings of heavy nostalgia and melancholy for me. Some vocals from Robert Smith feel buried when he sings them, but that is fine; the delivery seems intentional, to let the other instrumentation and tones guide you more on the journey while he mostly stays soft and underneath versus being the clear lead of it all. The lyrics seem to be more open, to be both resonant and open to your interpretation. That's not to say they aren't well-written. There's soundscapes and "walls of sound," but there's also some time to breathe and take in less, like many points between lyric phrasing. There's soft and there's harder hitting elements, like lyrics and snare hits. All the elements blend, but also stand out, even if only in moments. It's cohesive and the tracks carry along well. Although not my biggest/most favorite genre or sound, this does well at what it intends to do, through lyrics, mixing, and overall delivery from the band. It is convincing me to seek the sound/genres out more. Although it is middle of the day now as I write and give a first listen, this seems good for late day, before bed, or even when in bed going to sleep. Despite the longer length this felt absolutely worth every second, satisfying from beginning to end, and deserving of a much longer set of notes (also, too much time on my hands).

The Cure are the goats of goth music, delivering atmospheric synths and melancholic lyrics whilst telling stories that captivate the listener. I can absolutely see why Disintegration is upheld as one of their greatest, but I had no idea it would slap this hard. There's not a single bad track on here, and Robert Smith is at his peak. I love the story of him getting so into the recording of certain tracks that he demanded to do his vocals in total darkness so as to not distract from the emotions he was feeling. Sublime stuff from start to finish.

Fattar hypen nu och även om inte alla låtar satt är det ändå en väldigt bra platta!

The music on this album is dark, atmospheric, and dreamy. The songs were long and contained lots of instrumentals, but I loved how moody and beautiful it all was. The synths were also used effectively and not in an annoying 80s way.

Great album although Robert Smith’s voice gets annoying pretty fast.

Great Alternative album from the golden age of Alternative.

Great album with a few favs and a few odd ones.

he wrote this as a 29 year old fearing 30. i get it highlights: plainsong pictures of you lovesong lullaby fascination street prayers for rain disintegration untitled

Some bangers on here, but I thought that largely the well known singles were the standout tracks. Solid.

Первая половина показалась скучноватой, вторая поинтересней. Гипнотическая, мрачная музыка, отправляет в мечтанья

Un gran álbum. Un poco largo para mí gusto, pero logro capturar mi atención la mayoría del tiempo.

Loved

Wow, I guess it shouldn't be, but this was a total surprise to me how great this album is. A huge sound, soaked in reverb, and some pretty creative rhythm and drum bits really surpassed my expectations of what this would be. Would be a banger in a big arena setting. Definitely a superior sound to some of their earlier pop oriented stuff. Only real criticism I have is maybe a little heavy on the use of chimes...

Robert Smith the ultimate romantic.

Très bon, le vibe est pareil tout le long de l’album. J’avais jamais entendu aucune toune

Here is a case of an album being only as good as the listeners appreciation of the style of music. The cure is sonically unique at their time, now there are tons of bands that were influenced not just by the cure but this specific album. Seeing that, it's a very, very good album strictly from an impact and influence view. If you hate the cure, you will not appreciate this album at all. If you don't like the emo vibe, you will hate this album. But if you appreciate music as a rule, you can't deny this album's sonic qualities.

Very sad, floating feeling, makes you think.

I like this, not as shoegazy as I was expecting, with some solid guitar and memorable songs.

This album has quite a few of their best songs on it. Interesting how a lot of songs on this album have the same structure with the long intros before the vocals kick in — pretty much the opposite of what happens right now in 2026 where the song gets right into it without an intro. Despite hearing these songs over the years a zillion times, really good album.

I wasn't looking forward to this album after listening to "Pornography" earlier in the list. Some of this album suffers from the same problems, namely the plodding, repetitive, droll riffs and drum beats. The vocals are still entirely not my thing. "Disintegration" is over 8 minutes long and the riffs are basically entirely static over that duration; though there is an overall atmospheric build-up that's fairly enjoyable, it's waaaaaay too slow to be interesting. However, this album was infinitely more listenable than "Pornography". There were even some tracks I actively enjoyed. Unfortunately I've listened to this over the course of about 2 weeks, so I've forgotten the specifics about individual tracks, but I remember enjoying "Lovesong". High 3/Low 4. Has somewhat changed my initial opinion on The Cure so inclined to be generous here.

Lovesong, Pictures of You, Fascination Street, Homesick. The whole album is great. Not really an album that you put on for the backyard BBQ or out on the boat, but an amazingly lush experience for relaxing with headphones.

I respect The Cure a lot. I've always liked the idea of being a fan. But the music, for whatever reason, never clicked with me, and I've listened to a lot. There's no doubting their influence, (esp on Olivia Rodrigo). Got to give this at least four, as it's way beyond average. But it's not something I ever feel compelled to play.

I continue to love the Cure.

The moodiness is the vibe

overall: 8/10 first time listening to the cure, pretty good. my absolute favorite from this album is pictures of you. love the instrumentals for this song, 7 min of utter perfection. favorites: pictures of you closedown lovesong lullaby fascination street the same deep water as you

Good background music for sure. very chill and not distracting to take in

Very spacey. Super moody. Big fan

very nice i liked it for busywork. but because i was doing busywork i wasn't paying all that much attention i guess.

Really great album. Pictures of You, Lovesong (funny to get this after Adele's cover yesterday), Lullaby, Fascination Street - awesome singles - the remainder of the tracks were good as well. Dark, moody... I like it. (4)

Need to listen again

I feel like the cure’s marketing is all goth emo stuff but the actual songs are pretty catchy and just good, solid songs, as long as you don’t over focus on the occasionally melodramatic lyrics. Pictures of you and lovesong are both classic rock staples. Very pleasant overall

As angsty as The Cure can get, they make good music and have a captured their own sound among other bands from the 80s.

Listening to this album was a strange experience to say the least. I've never been much of a fan - I never really got over them not being AC/DC, then they released Love Cats as a single and radio finished the job. I started this album on what has been a pretty tough day and by the end of the first song found myself thinking that this is music to slash your wrists to. However, by the end of the album my thinking had shifted significantly. The album is still gloomy but there is a sumptuousness to the music that is really quite beautiful. The introspective nature of the music stands it in good stead, and while the day didn't get any better, my mood lifted slightly

This is a very good record. Great even. I’m aware of its legendary status. I’m just not quite there yet but i feel like if this came out when i was a teenager it might be my favorite thing ever.

It’s similar to Big Star’s album Third, or Tallahassee by The Mountain Goats. Chronicles of things falling apart.

Oye sorprendente

Low 4

Ei nyt ollut ehkä ihan semmoisia korvamatoja, joista tän bändin tunnen, mutta joka tapauksessa tykkäsin sanojen ja harmonioiden aikaansaamasta tunnelmasta (oon melankolisen musiikin nautiskelija ja suurkuluttaja). Jos en olis tehnyt mitään muuta samalla, voi olla että biisit ois tylsistyttäneet pitkillä introillaan ja muuttumattomilla sointukierroillaan, mutta näin osittaisena taustamusana tää toimi oikein hyvin. Pictures of You oli ehkä lempparibiisi kokonaisuutena, mutta myös Lullaby, Fascination Street ja levyn nimikkobiisi jäi (kaikki vähän eri syistä) positiivisesti mieleen.

Favourite Songs: Pictures Of You Fascination Street

I love the drums on this record. Lovesong may be a perfect song. Fascination Street was another standout. I thought I didn’t love the vocals but they blended with the instruments so well (particularly the drums). I loved them. Probably would be a 5 but I thought the 4 marathon tracks at the end got a bit stale.

I'll give this a 4. His voice goes annoy me at times but there are some very melodic pieces on this. I think it would do well with another listen

sounds good

This album has marked their career, so many amazing songs, tunes and incredible lyrics - from Lullaby, to Friday, I'm in Love to masterpiece that a Lovesong is, absolutely top notch quality ❣️

The cure..always good

I think this was 1-2 tracks too long for me, but I really appreciate the Cure and their music.

Not my favorite Cure album but is still one of their best and sonically overwhelming. How'd they get these sounds???

Not to say that I didn’t enjoy it, but I didn’t like it as much as I wanted to. But that’s OK! I still have two more chances with the cure (three actually because Songs From A Lost World is being added in the next edition of the book.

cool album, love the cure

Man, the cure can create and curate a work of art for an album. Cohesive and moody. You’ll get a lot out of this.

Very good!

I can still smell the clove cigarettes.

Одинокая печаль на грани трагедии. Явно описанное чувство преувеличено. Но это именно то что можно услышать в большинстве песен из этого альбома. Каждая из них как отдельная очень похожая на другую история эмоции, скорей всего безответной. Я не сказал любовь не просто так, да несомненно это чувство главенствующее или лучше сказать тоска по забытой, неразделённой или упущенной любви. Но почти всегда определить конкретно по чему именно тоскуем по чему грустим непонятно и конкретно это - прекрасно. Альбом сопровождает тебя по городу печали и беспричинной даже можно сказать скуки. Оценка этому альбому 7,5/10 что явно завышено и далеко от объективности, в виду одной из моих самых любимых песен в принципе - love song так оценка 6,5/10 из-за довольно надоедающих, но необходимых длинных проигрышей в начале каждой песни.

I'm surprised how much I liked this

A flexible, ambient post-punk, but I really don’t like the man on the cover(‘s singing)

The Cure? More like The Cure. these guys cured my ears for every track. track one, felt super happy and fun. While it seemed to only get darker from there, but also in a relaxing good way. Knowing everything will be fine in the end. ( by finding the cure )

A high 4 probably. Fav songs: Pictures of you and Lovesong. Amazing instrumentals

My favorite Cure song (Pictures of You) is on here. Pretty thematic but it becomes monotonous after a bit. 4/5

"Råkat" se The Cure säkert 5-6 gånger utan att vara ett The Cure-fan. Inser att nästan alla delar jag verkligen gillat med det går att finna på det här albumet. Fyra poäng!

”Lullaby” är otrolig. Stark 4a.

A little wacky, a little weird, but oddly enjoyable. Favourite Track(s): Lullaby Least Favourite Track(s): Prayers for the Rain, The Same Deep

A wash of sound and pain. Sounds like a bruise on your ego. Don’t listen to it when you’re already sad.

This was a great album.

Notables: - Lovesong

Had a lot of songs that I’ve heard before but had no clue they were on this album. Love The Cure and the indie/gothic feel. Just gonna rate it 4 stars because I liked it and I’m not sure what I’ll be comparing it to in the future.

A surprising collection of instrumentals.

Lo volvería a escuchar

A couple of good songs most of them unnesesari long with introducción that made them hear alike

I guess it’s the week of The Cure. As a follow-up to my previous review, I still haven’t decided whether I’ll attend the concert. What I can say is that this time the atmosphere matched the weather outside. It was a rainy and gloomy summer night. The wind was blowing, and Robert Smith’s lyrics pierced straight through me. It’s a complete journey, and the opening track sets the tone perfectly. This time, the album feels far more consistent, with only a few minor hiccups that barely matter in the grand scheme of things. It’s the kind of music that makes you reflect on your choices and your inability to truly let go of the past. Without getting too philosophical, one of the questions the album left me with is whether the old days were really as good as I remember them, or whether my growing numbness to the present is simply making me romanticize them. The existential dread is palpable throughout. This album reaches some incredible highs. For me, they are "Lovesong", "Prayers for Rain", and "Homesick".

Loved the beggining, then it's just melodrama. 3.5 actually

Meer sfeer dan songs, maar 2 bangers dus extra ster

This one found me on the right day. It's very good but could easily be a 3 or 4

Me encantó. Soundtrack kind of feeling. Mi fav: pictures of you. 8/10

This is good, because it's the cure, but it's not *quintessential * cure for me.

Fantastic fantastic voice, Smith has further developed his knack for terrific hooks and beautiful melodies. "Lovesong" is incredible but "Pictures Of You" may be his magnum opus. Great stuff

- instrumentals at the end of prayers for rain changed me - was kind of iffy on the album until last dance (i did a FULL 360 after) - love love love the intros on all the songs - the voice crack on the same deep water as you was peak yearning (+the thunder was an amazing effect) - disintegration felt like coming home - beautiful end to the album, felt very fitting - overall: 4/5 (1 star off for the beginning) BUT i have a feeling will be 5/5 after 2nd listen

saved 7, shelved 5, left 1. really nice instrumentals, some not so great lyrical parts.

Aside from the fact that Robert smiths voice has never really done it for me and there is a bit of a wall between me and this album I've always felt, it is gorgeous. and I'm giving it a 4 not a 3 because I can *tell* it's a grower. A little like the sigur ros it pulls me in with this huge drowning instrumentation, very hypnotic. Standouts: I have to say Lullaby. Because I've never known a song so sinister and genuinely skin crawling, and I mean in the literal misophonia-triggered way caused both by Smith's whisper vocals *and* the haunting lyrics - that still sounds so GOOD. I also liked lovesong, disintegration and homesick a lot.

My rating 3.8. The Cure at its height.

Dark, groovy, hypnotic, and about twenty percent more cheerful than I remembered The Cure being.

Oh Robert Smith how I missed your sweet sweet serenity of your voice on my gentle soul... It has been far too long since I have heard The Cure and even longer since I have heard Disintegration in full. I forgot how long winded this album is and remembered why that makes it such an amazing listening experience. Every song feels like these dreary raindrops running down your face but it feels like the most amazing thing in the world. It is glossy and shiny as it showers you in these blissful soundscapes that no one has really been able to replicate as well as The Cure did back in '89. For this song being as long winded as it is, the sound here is so addicting. This slow burn of an album slowly unravels itself to reveal this beautiful portraits thanks to some of the most beautiful instrumentation I have heard in quite a while. Each instrument serves a purpose in decorating this painting with such rich textures and colors. You can close your eyes and truly see the world Robert and Co. are trying to create and I admire that so much. While not every track hits equally as hard I do have to say each time I hear this project it has been growing on me more and more. Maybe in the near future this will crack into my 90s, but for now it is a damn good project that everyone should try at least once. There is so much I could say but it seems like just about everyone and their goth parents have already touched on it at least once or twice, they all collectively say this album is a masterpiece in terms of Gothic Rock and the culture itself and that you should totally hear it once. I completely concur it is a classic, but at some future point I will surely dive into The Cure and see if it still stands as the band's best project. Sadly today is not that day, but I promise it will happen in the near future....

this made me realize I actually really like the cure

Goated

Pretty good as a background music, I listened to it as a background. It has something

Classic for album #1.

listened to this staring at my ceiling in the dark and the vibes were immaculate

I like the Cure, this album in general, but dear God I really don't want to because I find stuff like this insufferable. The fact that I am aware this is a major paradox makes me feel conflicted and akin to people I associate with being fans of the Cure and Robert Smith. Am I one of them? If anyone needs me I'll be listening to this album while trying to remember what my trainwreck of a college relationship was like...especially the part right after I got dumped because that's what this album makes me remember.

A masterful dream pop release that revels in drawn-out repetition and vastly stretched sound layering. The 72 minute runtime may seem daunting, but there really is not a moment to be cut. It's a definitive release from the decade.

A weird flavor of Pop Goth that is just so alluring in what it brings to the table. A lot of love for the long mediations. A great album.

Like I said in my review of Seventeen Seconds last year, I always liked (most of) The Cure, but never owned any of their records except for one comp. So I'm looking forward to this one, especially since it was characterized as a return to their earlier, Goth-y sound. This record gets better and better as it goes along, becoming more intense and mesmerizing; the title track is great. I actually think that the least interesting songs on here are the two I’m most familiar with, Lovesong and Pictures of You. That’s probably partly novelty bias about the rest of it and also that those are both more conventional songs, and I tend to go for stranger things.

Good Cure

Me gusta mucho la canción pictures of you.

My favourite Cure album (The Head On The Door) isn't on the list, so this will do. Liked Songs Added: Pictures Of You Lovesong Lullaby Fascination Street

“Lovesong” and “Pictures of you”. Great album.

Gets a little boring. Songs sort of run together at some point, all of the guitar/bass/synth tones are the same throughout. Not a fan of Smith’s voice. Great songs.

way more my speed never really thought about how "dark" this album is sonically-- much heavier than i usually think-- probably b/c Pictures of You is such a "bright" song background effect on title track 10/10

Its slow but it works

last dance and lullaby aren’t my favorites. the rest is excellent. like a cold dark blanket.

Love me some 80's synth pop with a bit of spice mixed in. You can see the amalgamation of their previous genres meeting and merging at a crossroads with this album.

An incredibly atmospheric and moody record. I saved almost the entire tracklist because the production and the dark vibe are just amazing. It's a bit long and maybe a bit too heavy for everyday listening to be a perfect 5, but still a brilliant experience.

I think “A Forest” by The Cure is one of the best songs ever made, but this album is certainly a pleasure to listen to as well. Four stars...

Listened on: Spotify Listening experience: Interrupted but managed on the same day Loved this. Have never listened to this album from start to finish. So pleasing to listen to. I didn’t know any of the songs other than the hits - Pictures of you, Lovesong, Lullaby (these must be on the greatest hits album which I have). Will listen to this album again for sure.

This a great album from the late 80's. It's a return to the Cure's classic goth-alternative roots. Pitchfork: 10.0 [Deluxe Edition reissue] Rolling Stone: Top 500 Albums #116 Best Songs Pictures Of You Lovesong Lullaby Fascination Street

My appreciation of the Cure depends on the day. Sometimes the drone of the vocals and the heavy 80s influence leaves me a little bored, but other times the dark undertones and creativity with vocal and guitar effects completely draws me in. On average, this is a 4 and often plays like a 5 for me.

Once you stop treating this as conventional music with a singer and a band and all that and instead treat this as an atmospheric album with occasional lyrics, it actually is good - if not great. The only thing keeping me from giving it above 4 stars is the length. I'm not sure the vibe justified an 1 hour 12 minutes of play time.

Godfather of the alternative rock scene.

Pretty Decent

This started as a 5 for me - I liked the music l, the lyrics and the vibe. But halfway through I started to fade into an abyss of sadness and ennui

Rob, could you lighten up a little?

This hits even on a beautiful sunny spring day

Top of the mountain for this band. Lovesong is one of the finest (pardon the redundancy) love songs ever written.

*1989. *This is the Cure I like the best - still moody and brooding, but leaning a little poppy and mainstream. *Some classics, like Pictures of You and Love Song, as well as plenty of other good stuff. *The last few tracks drag - 72 mins is too long for this album. *Will definitely revisit, as the Cure is always in the rotation for me. RATING - 7.5/10

I’d be lying if I said I knew more about The Cure than their biggest singles. But what I do know of them, I think is great. Robert Smith and his bandmates’ talent are on display here and I thought this was a consistently engaging and interesting album. Perhaps I was in too good of a mood today to fully enjoy the angst and melancholy on display here, though.

it seems many ppl on this website are middle aged british people so let me put this in a way you guys will understand: love da cure, simple as

i loove the cure!! i really enjoyed listening to this album from start to finish. gloomy, feely, gothic, beautiful...

Loved it — it’s dark and dramatic but in a really pretty, hypnotic way, and once it locks into that slow, rainy groove it just carries you the whole time.

I adore the album in its totality, tracks like Plainsong and the Fascination Street are quality goth rock

Synthy

Great album. I have nothing more to say about this one. 4/5

Having been a big fan of The Cure during the Boys Don’t Cry, Seventeen Seconds, Faith era, I took sporadic interest after The Top. I enjoyed the singles and loved Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me but then Kind of ignored Disintegration. So a pleasant surprise to hear how good it sounds all these years later.

I'm not as familiar with this record as I am their earlier material. I am generally biased towards the earlier material, just given my exposure to it, and the fact that this record came out while I was working my butt off in graduate school and wasn't listening to new music at the time. That said, there are tracks on this album that really hit for me, both when I first heard them and on subsequent listening. I had a copy of "Mixed Up" and some of the best tracks on that record are from this one.

о, это ушной кайф да, однообразный вокал, но его не так много по отношению к инструменталу а инструментал тут ебейший. Глубокий, эмоциональный, интересный, разнообразный хиты есть, переслушивать буду 4

A collection of a long slow songs that actually works for the most part. The songs do feel a bit samey and I did feel some fatigue near the end. I think I would prefer these songs on their own rather than listening to the whole album. I would be more tolerable of an 8 minute track if it was not squeezed between a 7 and 9 minute track. Still though, the music itself is very good and I enjoy listening to The Cure; they might just be better in smaller doses. Favorite Track - Pictures of You Least Favorite Track - The Same Deep Water As You ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

curou onde doia

Review - classic. Score - 8/10 Need to listen? YES

- Wasn’t expecting to enjoy this as much as I did

I liked it a lot

The best album from the Cure

i like it when i am sad overall, quite charming

I have to be in a certain mood for something so long and brooding, but when I am this can be pretty special.

Not sure what it was about this but it seemed so emotive and engaging. All the way through the first two-thirds especially I was enraptured, it seemed to both be dreamy and hard-hitting. The album was long and the songs did become protracted closer to the end so it became more about trying to squeeze it into my day than about enjoying it how it was meant to be. All instruments seem to work so harmoniously. I don't really know much about The Cure, but I'm glad I listened to this album.

Pictures of You Lovesong Lullaby Fascination Street Disintegration

Deliciously moody.

I own this album and one I have always enjoyed. It is full of notable songs and its strength lies in the slow build of a lot of the songs that just draw you in deeper and deeper. For some this is a negative of this album. For me, this is the positive. Pictures of you will always be the standout song. Everything about it is absolutely fantastic. 4.5 stars

pretty good especially if you're emo, his voice can get a little tiresome from being whiny... but multiple iconic songs here nonetheless

Just so good.

big fans in this bakery!! 4.5 for minna 4 for isaiah

This is probably a sacrilegious thing for me to say, but I think sometimes the songs drag on too long. Do we really need multiple minute long songs that are made that way just from the intro alone? Anyway, now that I've gotten all my complaining out of me for the day, I do really like the vibe of this album. I like the songs on individual levels a lot, and I don't think I would mind the length as much if I were listening to them in a playlist instead.

The Cure never stick with me but it’s me not them.

Coming from someone born in 1995 and listens to a variety of music but prefers a shuffle as opposed to a set album, I enjoyed this THOROUGHLY. The orchestral sounds and vibes to this was above and beyond. 10/10

I am liking this more than I thought I would

Big production. I like the cover of Lovesong by Wyldest more. Pretty good songs thought. Great guitar hooks. A bit dull in the last quarter.

Joya absoluta del alternativo

4/5

The first part of the album is really good, it kind of lost me in the middle, but the end really brought me back. 4.5/5.

Very moody and atmospheric. The vibe they create is very, very good. I am not always the biggest fan of his voice, BUT the mood and music as a whole is so good that I don't really mind at all.

Better than I remember.

Dreamy and dark, easy to listen to, but the songs seem a little repetitive at times. Still good stuff.

I'm late to the party on the Cure, some 40 years late. I really like this album dark with pop melodies

Pure gothic bliss. Plainsong may be one of the best album openers of all time. It isn't the best song ever just the perfect song to open this album with. They do a great job creating such a dark and gloomy atmosphere but break it up perfectly with a few catchy pop type songs. And I found Prayers for Rain on this play through, heard this album many times but never really paid attention to that track. Man I missed out on that one, better late than never. I am not a fan of the end of the album, those last 2 tracks would have been better moved to the middle or cut from the album. The songwriting is good but just didn't feel like they fit with the rest of the album for me.

The cure is Goth as good as it gets.

yasss goth boys fuck it uppp

Really solid album. I don’t think the cure is typically my thing, but this album had great songs and atmosphere throughout. My only complaint is the length as I felt it dragged a bit. I’d give this a 4.5 if I could.

Не особо впечатлило, но музыка красивая

Me encantaron sobre todo las primeras canciones, amo que pongan instrumentos como mas angelicales(?.

Melodic

Late 80s pop goth goodness

The songs on this are so absurdly long but they sound good so I guess it’s okay.

why yes x

I love the vibe that brings in every song, i feel it with everything, time, weather, places, or even clothes, so, it's a good album for a band that I never listen before.

Great bar makeout songs

4/5

Liked a few songs, very nice and easy to listen to 🙏🙏

Really enjoyable if songs too long.

Disintegration har egentligen bara en betydande skönhetsfläck, det är den överdrivet storslagna produktionen. Många av de här låtarna låter bättre i liveversioner när de får en råare omgiving. Typexemplet är "Fascination street" som âr jättebra redan här men som live är helt fantastisk. Jag kan ha mina invändningar mot Smiths överdrivet metaforiska texter också, jämför t.ex. hur han lyckats skala ner det på senaste albumet som i övrigt har en hel del likheter med Disintegration. Sagorocken på "Lullaby" är det tydligaste exemplet där det blir lite väl. Men nog med skönhetsfläckar, Disintegration är jättebra på det stora hela. Stämningen och tyngden i stort sett rakt igenom imponerar. Den är lång men det gör inte ett skvatt. Andra halvan från nämnda "Fascination street" och hem är magnifik, med titelspåret som höjdpunkt med sin stelopererade rytm och sin tillsynes simpla pianoslinga, Smith sång som blir allt desperatare ju längre låten fortgår. Det som sticker ut annars är hur "Lovesong" bryter av förtjänstfullt och släpper in lite lätthet med en helt annan produktion dessutom, popig och hyfsat tajt. Den fyller sin plats väl. Disintegration når inte riktigt upp till Cures fempoängstriologi från det tidiga 80talet. Men det är bra nära

Disintegration är kanske inte världens bästa album, men ett starkt album är det. Detta med betoning på album. Det är en dystopisk stämning som byggs upp, trots att texterna inte alltid är nattsvarta. I fina Lovesong finns ju ett hopp, även om det är något trasigt som kärleken behöver laga. Något motsägelsefullt i albumsnacket står ju sig singlarna från plattan fint. Inte minst nämnda Lovesong och Lullaby. Liksom alltför ofta går det att ifrågasätta skivans längd. Här är jag tudelad. Å ena sidan kan det bli lite väl tungt med 70 minuter mörker, å andra sidan behöver spåren sin uppbyggnad och sitt malande. (Läser nu att de last dance och homesick inte ingick i originalutgåvan). Landar i en relativt stark fyra.

Det är något med ljudbilden, den typiska cure-gitarren och Robert Smiths röst som tilltalar mig. Egentligen är det för långt, både albumet och enskilda låtar. Men helt klart en fin skiva.

Solid

Late comer to the Cure but this is a top notch album

Great record, highly recommend. But it's not for every occasion and works best at night

I like it , it's calm, kind of ambient, with some interesting bass lines. I liked Disintegration song best this time.

Surprisingly cool!

Esoteric, brings out all the feels. What you'd expect of a Cure album!

3.9/5

i adore the cure but this is not my favorite album by them so i can't give it a 5

Theatraal

Very good album which is right down my alley!

Some absolute classics very good 👏

This album had some strong vocals and instrumental work, especially good baselines, and good production. Some of the songs near the end really drag on and stay past their welcome, but overall it's a good listen.

The Cure really have a problem getting to the point. When I was listening to Pictures of You, I actually checked to make sure it wasn't an instrumental version. Geesh. A decent producer could easily edit this album down to a 5.

I really like Plainsong and Lovesong. Plenty of other good tracks. This album definitely defines a mood and sticks with it.

Like it. Sowas was ein artsy Indie boy beim ersten Date auflegt und dazu sagt dass heutzutage einfach keiner mehr so Musik macht.

well constructed, not sure if i'd listen to this again or listen to any songs individually, more likely to listen in full than separate i think the drum parts and basslines are incredible, im less interested in the vocals and guitar phenomenal late night drive soundtrack, good music for chilling out and havinf something on in the background - i would play this on vinyl while i hosted composition is good and the ending song is strong so probably like 3.5/5 but i will round up

Love this album, great 80s cure. Could have more variation but a great influential goth classic

Magical af album. Go watch South Park season 1 episode 12 to tell you all you need to know.

Disintegration feels atmospheric and immersive, with a strong focus on mood and repetition. The overall sound is rich and sometimes dramatic. Fascination Street stands out with its memorable bassline, while Pictures of You is more melodic and accessible. I like the album overall, but it’s not always easy to listen to.

I thought it was very interesting that the lyrics carried so much sadness, regret, etc. but you really didn’t “hear” it in the instrumentals. The music was, in my opinion, too relaxed and often even a little energetic to convey the idea on its own. Despite that, I came away from the album thinking, “wow, that was pretty sad.” My only gripe was that sometimes the songs really felt like they were dragging it out when I already got the message. Maybe that’s the brainrot talking, but I’m going to trust my gut on this one; not long enough to be seriously egregious, but just enough to make me think, “okay, this is taking a while.” That’s probably a part of it, though: maybe sadness takes a little longer than you’d like. Maybe you put on a happy face when the emotions beneath are anything but. Maybe your voice is choking up, but you still need to get something out.

I think this album was very good I like that if was a bit melancholy