Okay...it seems that the biggest complaint people have with this album is that there is no huge, lush orchestrations that were prevalent on albums such as "Disintegration." Well, that isn't really true. There ARE lush orchestrations...you just can't hear them that well. The songs really are good songs. They really are melodic. They really are emotional. They really are classic Cure songs. Unfortunately, the production is so bad that usually all that you can hear is distorted guitar, droning bass, and Robert Smith's vocals. One of the clearest examples of great song-writing marred by horrible production is on "Anniversary." If you listen with headphones...with the volume very loud...you CAN hear some synth leads, fluttery smooth melodies, and even a piano, but unless you strain your ears to the point of bleeding, you probably won't notice any of that. That is the case with every song. Lots of good great melodies, synths, and complex orchestrations all with the volume turned down so the distortion can come to the forefront.

Basically, most of the good reviews are correct, and most of the bad reviews are correct. The good reviews talk about the songwriting being on par with past Cure albums. This is very true. There is lush orchestrations, great synth parts, great guitar parts...this is a good Cure album. Yet on the other hand, the bad reviews are correct too. The prodution is muddy (so muddy that you won't be able to hear 90% or the parts), there is no orchestration (even though there is orchestrations...good luck hearing them), and there are no beautiful synth parts (again...there...just with the volume turned way down).

In conclusion, if you want a Cure album with really good songs that you can't really hear or enjoy..get this album. If you want these songs in a listenable form though...you should probably wait for a cheap bootleg recorded on a 5 dollar Wal-Mart tape deck to seep its way into the marketplace. The production value will probably be much much higher.

I was looking forward to the new release from the Cure with great expectations. I didn't even let my so-so response to their first single sway my anticipation. However, once I started listening to the album, over and over again trying to give it a chance, it never took off the ground. The first thing that stood out to me was the way over-repetative lyrics. Sometimes that can be effective, but not if it's done constantly. Second, as everyone already knows, the man who brought us Slipknot and KoRn was the one who totally screwed up the production on this one. I have to agree with everyone else who has asked Robert what the freak he was thinking to sign with Ross. The whole record is WAAAYYY overproduced and leaves no room for dynamics or atmosphere, let alone the signature Robert Smith guitar sound. Even Bloodflowers sounds much more dynamic than this album.

Lastly, one of the previous reviewers eluded to the fact that while the record might not hold up, the live show may prove us all wrong (he used Wish as an example). Well, I saw them on their most recent tour, and while overall it was one of the most incredible shows I've ever seen, the new material was absolutely flat (with the exeption of The Promise). It was amazing how the new material compared with their previous, more inspired work. There are no songs on the new record that even come close to matching songs like "From the Edge of the Deep Green Sea", "Disintigration", "A Forest" or "100 years" live.

Simply put, this album is average, something The Cure is not known for. If you're a Cure completist, go ahead and get it, but don't expect any of the songs to give you the chills, or much of an emotional response at all. I wonder why Robert said that anyone who doesn't like this album doesn't like The Cure...I think the reason I don't like this album is BECAUSE I like The Cure...

First, let me acknowledge that I am a diehard fan of the Cure. By die-hard, I mean that I am well-aware that most of their pivotal work was achieved before Disintegration. The boys have been at this for a long time, and some seem to be complaining that they have (once again) recycled old material with this album.

What else is new? The fact is, Robert Smith et al give their true fans exactly what they want from them: eclectic, thoughtful, challenging music. So if you listened to this far a few rotations and just can't buy into it, I can only advise you to keep trying. Do not abandon this album like you might have (rightfully) done with Wild Mood Swings. Many fans thought Disintegration was over-whelmingly oppressive when first released. Only after repeated listenings did the quality of the recording truly take hold. Now Disintegration is held up as a benchmark for all future Cure albums (read pretty much any informed review below). Will this eponymous album stand as a future benchmark? No, but it is still very good. Us or Them is a political rant, but since when has that not made for good music? The Promise is relentless and truly does hearken back to the despair-drenched good old days. Before Three and Alt.End are excellent tracks to add to the Cure canon. Really, the only weak track is the somewhat tedious (I Don't Know What's Going) On.

The true test of this album, as with all Cure albums in particular, is how it will stand up under the pressure of live performance. People dismissed the Wish album, but it provided for the strongest live show I have ever seen from the Cure. The band is out touring (not near me this time...sigh) right now. Has anyone actually seen the new material live? Include this in your reviews; some might argue that an album must stand on its own without the benefit of being saved by a good live show, but since when has that even been the case with the Cure?

Personally, I hope that Smith continues to explore his darker side for years to come. Many of us may have gotten past our angst-ridden teenage years, but adulthood can make you moody as well.

A fabulous album in it's entirety!

Songs like Anniversary and Before Three should have 'older' Cure fans yelling in triumph as they represent what The Cure do better than most artists i.e. mixing sweet'n'sour, top-notch lyrics in the most peculiar way and leaves the listener with all spirits up even though you just might have heard the saddest tale told.

The album is surely very massive in sound structure on many tracks with wall-to-wall guitar, Robert screaming and loads of layered keyboards, but still carefully arranged so it never gets out of hand.

The promo video for 'End of the World' is now on my top 3 among Cure promo clips.

The album(CD) is also released on double vinyl which should be worth a look!

The Cure **

Yes, this is the bands most consistent album since 1989's Disintegration but, that doesn't mean it is a great album. Consistency only means the bulk of the material sounds the same and when most of the material is bland and not that good it makes for a not so great album. As always Robert Smith's lyrics come of as pretentious, even more so then that of Morrisey. Now I'm not saying that is bad, because I love both artists and a little pretentiousness is often a good thing as it is with The Cure. But what seems to be the problem here is that most of the songs are boring, and it seems like the band is uncomfortable with playing together, which is not surprising because I do believe that Smith is the only original Cure member to play on the album. Since the early 1990's the lineup has been ever changing, and that really comes across on the songs.

'Us Or Them' is the albums only real truly great song and even then it seems to falls short. 'The End Of The World' was the albums only semi-hit single. The rest of the album is basically hit or miss. 'Lost' could have been great as could 'Taking Off.' 'Labyrinth' is annoying and a waste of a listen. 'Alt. Ending' is not even worth my time.

This is far from the groups best album. I will say that it was the bands best albums since the late 1980's but that is not saying much considering that most of the bands material from the 1990's is very lack luster to say the least. So is this an album worth owning, I would say no, unless you are a massive Cure fan, then this is not worth your time.