The Cure

Given the popularity of acts like Evanescence I was wondering when the real deal was going to surface again. And here they are. Lovelorn and angry, Smith ignores the changing tastes of popular culture and delivers a set of classic goth. From the lament of youthful insouciance of "Lost" to the bitter resignation of "The End of the World" to the isolationism of "Us or Them", the Cure cover all the bases you would expect.

Musically this is stronger then Bloodflowers, their last "farewell" album. There is less consistency of style from song to song here, but that somehow works to it's advantage. Smith seems to be saying "Careful, I've got a few tricks left up my sleeve."

Happiness makes an unexpected number of appearances, with the beautifully rendered rememberances of "Before Three", the poppy 'don't say more/ to me at all / I am so in love with you' of "(I don't know what's going) on" and the an odd cheerfulness to the Beatlesesque "Labyrinth".

Hot Spots: alt.end, Laybyrinth, Before Three, Us or Them, Lost