The Cure (The Cure album)

The Cure
Studio album by The Cure
Released	29 June 2004
Recorded	2003–2004 Los Angeles
Genre	Alternative rock, post-punk
Length	53:55
Label	I AM, Geffen
Producer	Ross Robinson, Robert Smith
The Cure chronology
Bloodflowers (2000) The Cure (2004) 4:13 Dream (2008)
Singles from The Cure
"The End of the World" Released: 19 July 2004 "alt.end" Released: 12 October 2004 "Taking Off" Released: 18 October 2004

Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
Source	Rating
Metacritic	(75/100)[1]
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic	[2]
Entertainment Weekly	B[3]
The Guardian	[4]
NME	(8/10)[5]
Pitchfork Media	(7.7/10) [6]
PopMatters	[1][7]
Robert Christgau	[8]
Rolling Stone	[9]
Stylus Magazine	B+[10]
Yahoo! Music UK	[11]

The Cure is the self-titled twelfth studio album by English rock band The Cure. The album was released on 29 June 2004 by Geffen Records. Initial pressings included a bonus DVD containing a documentary of the conception of three songs from the album, titled Making The Cure. The Cure continues the pattern of a studio release by The Cure once every four years, preceded by Wish in 1992, Wild Mood Swings in 1996 and Bloodflowers in 2000, and followed by 4:13 Dream in 2008.

Background and production

The Cure was co-produced by Ross Robinson, who has previously worked with bands such as Korn, Vanilla Ice, Limp Bizkit, Slipknot, At the Drive-In, Glassjaw and The Blood Brothers. This may explain why the songs on the album are significantly heavier than previous material by the band. Frontman Robert Smith has described the record as "Cure heavy", as opposed to "new-metal heavy".^[12] According to the liner notes, the entire album was recorded live in the studio.

According to Smith, the official track listing of The Cure includes the closing track "Going Nowhere", which was excluded from North American pressings of the album. Demos of three songs recorded during the album's sessions, titled "A Boy I Never Knew", "Please Come Home" and "Strum", have leaked as mp3 files. "A Boy I Never Knew" was performed live by the band during the 4Tour on several dates.

The artwork was designed by Robert Smith's nephews and nieces, who were children, and were unaware that their drawings were to be put onto the album. The drawings were supposed to be of a 'good dream' and a 'bad dream' from each of his nieces and nephews. He put a compilation of the best drawings on the album and then produced it.

Promotion

The Cure is the first record by the band released by producer Ross Robinson's I Am label, with whom The Cure signed a three-album deal. To promote the album, the band appeared at several festivals in Europe and the United States in spring 2004. They also premiered the song "The End of the World" on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. In the summer of 2004, the band launched the Curiosa festival, where they performed shows across the United States with a number of bands who have been inspired by The Cure, including Mogwai, Interpol and Muse. The band then performed in Mexico, followed by additional festivals and televised performances in Europe, culminating with the end of 2004. By the end of the year, every song from The Cure had been performed live by the band.

On the band's 4Tour in 2008, The Cure performed "The End of the World", "Us or Them" and "alt.end" at various shows. "Us or Them" is also included on the soundtrack to the motion picture Resident Evil: Apocalypse.

Critical reception

Metacritic calculated the weighted average score given to The Cure at 75, meaning that the critical response has been generally positive.^[1]

The album was well received by The Guardian, New Musical Express, Kerrang!, Playlouder, Rolling Stone, Stylus Magazine, Tiny Mix Tapes, Pitchfork Media, E! Online, Entertainment Weekly and the Los Angeles Times.

The album garnered mediocre responses from AllMusic and Blender.

The Guardian described it as a "masterful performance all round", highlighting the songs "The End of the World", "Going Nowhere", "Anniversary", "The Promise", and rating the album 4 stars out of 5.^[4]

New Musical Express described it as "startling from the first listen."^[5] (19 June 2004, page 55)

Rolling Stone rated it four stars (out of five), saying "it's the grooviest thing, it's a perfect dream." The review pointed out the best tracks as being "Before Three", "Lost" and "(I Don't Know What's Going) On".^[9]

E! Online rated the album a B, stating "It's hard to imagine a set of songs that better reflects every phase the group has navigated through its turbulent career." ^[13]

Entertainment Weekly stated: "As with Prince on Musicology, Smith allows the Cure's current lineup to become his own tribute band." However, the article ultimately gives the album a favorable review, claiming "The newly vibrant music looks back lovingly as well on a time when Cure songs managed to combine a throbbing, oingo-boingo springiness with the depressive angst of suburban-basement isolation" and giving the album a B.^[3] (9 July 2004, page 86)

AllMusic rated the album three stars, saying "The album is a satisfying listen and there's a certain charm in hearing a Cure that's so comfortable in its own skin, but it's the type of record that sits on the shelves of diehard fans, only occasionally making its way on the stereo." Allmusic described the best tracks as "Lost", "Never" and "The End of the World".

Blender, in a negative review, stated: "They come off more than ever like a caricature." (August 2004, page 104)

Chart success

The Cure debuted at #7 in the United States, selling 91,000 copies in its first week of release, and #8 in the United Kingdom. The album also debuted in the top 30 in Australia. It has since sold 2 million copies worldwide. According to Nielsen SoundScan, as of January 2007 American sales stand at 326,000 copies.

Track listing

1. "Lost" – 4:07
2. "Labyrinth" – 5:14
3. "Before Three" – 4:40
4. "Truth, Goodness and Beauty" (excluded from North American and Brazilian pressings) - 4:20
5. "The End of the World" – 3:44
6. "Anniversary" – 4:22
7. "Us or Them" – 4:09
8. "alt.end" – 4:30
9. "Fake" (excluded from CDs except in Japan) - 4:43
10. "(I Don't Know What's Going) On" – 2:57
11. "Taking Off" – 3:19
12. "Never" – 4:04
13. "The Promise" – 10:21
14. "Going Nowhere" (excluded from North American pressings) – 3:28
15. "This Morning" (excluded from all CDs) - 7:15

Bonus DVD

1. "Back On" (instrumental version of "Lost")
2. "The Broken Promise" (instrumental version of "The Promise")
3. "Someone's Coming" (alternate version of "Truth Goodness and Beauty")

Personnel

• Robert Smith – vocals, guitar
• Perry Bamonte – guitar
• Simon Gallup – bass
• Jason Cooper – drums
• Roger O'Donnell – keyboards

References