The Cure: Disintegration - 1989
Robert Smith, irked, perversely, at the group's new-found semi-mainstream popularity, went back on the drugs and composed a stark, bleak return to the group's old gothic sombre sounds.
Gone were the breezy experiments with world music, acoustic and poppy brass sounds and the album opened with some morbid, muffled keyboard moodiness on Plainsong.
The seven minutes-plus Pictures Of You is more distinct in its ambience, with a clearer drum sound, but, as on the whole album, the old rubbery post punk bass is back, along with the archetypal Cure drawn-out instrumental introductions. It wouldn't be a Cure song unless the introduction was coming up to two minutes, would it?
Closedown sounds a lot like some of the material U2 would soon be putting out, particularly in its drum sound and Smith's vocal seems to be getting more Morrissey-like, or maybe the latter's sound was always Smith-like? Lovesong, despite its intrinsic solemnity, also has a pleasant melody to it that makes it almost catchy. It has a lovely bass and organ sound underpinning it.
Last Dance has some eighties synth-style drums and another relatively tuneful melody to go along with its haunting atmosphere. Lullaby is strangely sensual, featuring some nice strings (not all of them had been jettisoned). Prayers For Rain could almost be The Doors in places. This album was probably the best of the group's sombre material - and my favourite of those ones - having taken them ten years to get there. It was the one that garnered the most critical kudos and had the most rounded sound to it. Personally, it is their lighter, more accessible offerings that I prefer, however.
