On Candy Stripe Legs the Spider Man Comes (Disintegration - The Cure)

Name: Frankingsteins

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Product:	Disintegration - The Cure
Date:	06.07.04 (701 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Haunting, emotional and involving, Some classic songs, Skilled instrumentation

Disadvantages: Not enough variety, Many songs drag on for too long, Some songs are very dull

The Cure achieved international success in the eighties with their infectious mix of pop beats and a darker, gothic style in both their lyrics and general appearance. Their 1989 release ‘Disintegration’ did not have the same instant success of their earlier albums due to its much different style, but many of the band’s fans consider it to be the pinnacle of their creative and musical achievement.


STYLE


I’ve never really been a fan of the Cure, but after hearing a couple of songs from this album I wanted to hear it in its entirety. In many ways this is atmosphere-heavy ‘mood’ music with occasional catchy rhythms and choruses, and as such it’s not really an album to listen to for specific tracks: the general feeling of the album experience as a whole is the Cure’s ultimate goal, and in that respect this is a very good album. The lyrics deal with loss, regret and sorrow, all of which are reflected in the music; while not bleak and depressing, the slow beat of the drums, the echo effect of the vocals and the soft melodies of the guitars and bass convey a melancholy and haunting atmosphere, the occasional keyboard tunes and more powerful guitars lifting the listener’s spirits every so often.

Robert Smith’s English voice is a trademark of the Cure, and although the tracks here are a large step apart from something like ‘Friday I’m in Love,’ his talents shine through more than ever, adding to the songs even when he essentially fades into the music completely. And impressionable teen girls probably find the calm voice and wild hair very sexy (I don’t, I’m not strange). The problems with this album are all subject to peoples’ opinions. But listening to this album does make you want to hug something and stare at the moon for a while.

‘The Cure’ were:

Simon Gallup - Bass, Keyboards
Robert Smith - Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, Producer, Engineer
Porl Thompson - Guitar
Laurence Tolhurst - Multi Instruments
Boris Williams - Drums
Roger O'Donnell - Keyboards


DISINTEGRATING


1. PLAINSONG

A classic opener, the orchestration dominating this track introduces the mood of this album perfectly, and also results in one of my favourite songs on here. The vocals only begin towards the end of the song and suit the music perfectly: this is a huge-sounding track.

“I think it's dark and it looks like rain, you said
And the wind is blowing like it's the end of the world, you said
And it's so cold it's like the
Cold if you were dead”

2. PICTURES OF YOU

A more traditional track, this retains the slow rhythm of the last song (and the album in general) but the vocals and instruments can be heard much more clearly against the less intensive backing orchestration. The song does last longer than it should at almost eight minutes and although this is an album to ‘get lost in,’ this is a bit too lengthy for such an early track.

“I've been looking so long at these pictures of you
That I almost believe that they’re real
I've been living so long with my pictures of you
That I almost believe that the pictures are all I can feel”

3. CLOSEDOWN

Carrying on from ‘Pictures of You’ in a very similar style, this is essentially a bridge between that track and ‘Love Song.’ Not very memorable or impressive, but it keeps the tone and mood of the album flowing. The sombre atmosphere is alleviated a little to lead into the next song.

“I'm running out of time I'm out of step and
Closing down and never sleep for wanting hours”

4. LOVE SONG

One of the more commercially aimed tracks, this is driven by more upbeat drums and memorable keyboard rhythms, but the atmosphere is still somehow retained. Smith’s vocals are less melancholy with his statement “I will always love you,” and despite not sounding too original at the end of a romantic-ballad-obsessed decade, this is definitely a cut above the rest. It’s also the shortest track on the album, so doesn’t drag on in the way that others do.

“Whenever I'm alone with you you make me feel
Like I am home again whenever I'm alone with
You you make me feel like I am whole again”

5. LAST DANCE

A return to the more sombre sound with distant-sounding, echoing drums accompanying a soft, melodic guitar beat, the build-up of orchestration and subtle keyboards to some of the best vocals of the album may seem a bit lengthy, but listening to the album as a whole this doesn’t stand out as a problem. After the catchy and more poppy sound of the previous track this is less instantly gratifying, but is certainly not a filler track. It does bridge the gap between the singles though.

“I'm so glad you came I'm so glad you remembered
To see how we're ending our last dance together
Expectant too punctual but prettier than ever
I really believed that this time it's forever”

6. LULLABY

This excellent and strange song was my main reason for wanting to hear this album. Along with the dark, sepia music video, the symphonic arrangements, whispered vocals and haunting keyboard tune make this the stand out track of the whole album. At just over four minutes it wastes no time in getting started, and by the end the sound has been elevated to include even more orchestration over the keyboards, leading to a fantastic sound. The only song on the album that I can listen to repeatedly.

“And I feel like I'm being eaten by a thousand
Million shivering furry holes and I know that in
The morning I will wake up in the shivering cold
And the spiderman is always hungry”

7. FASCINATION STREET

A slightly heavier track than the rest, this follows the same formula as the longer tracks and as such fails to stay memorable after only one listen, apart from the chorus which unfortunately sounds like ‘that’ programme. The name, not the theme (thank God). This song seems to divide public opinion into those who love it and those who find it out of place, but I think it fits into the album perfectly. It doesn’t stand out for me though as it shares a very common sound with other tracks, such as the first track, which execute it better.

“Oh it's opening time down on Fascination Street
So let's cut the conversation and get out for a
Bit because I feel it all fading and paling and I'm
Begging to drag you down with me”

8. PRAYERS FOR RAIN

This is the point in the album when the songs start to become a little boring for me, due to the lack of real variety (with a couple of noted exceptions). The vocals again take almost two minutes of synth and slow drums to begin moving the song along and it’s mainly its place in the album that counts against this song. As a stand alone track it is one of the better offerings, with some very dark and interesting electronic sounds behind the excellent atmosphere of the keyboards, not seeming overdone at all. Smith’s vocals still suit the music a little too well however, and it would be easy for my mind to wander while this was playing.

“You shatter me your grip on me a hold on me
So dull it kills you stifle me infectious sense of
Hopelessness and prayers for rain”

9. THE SAME DEEP WATER AS YOU

The longest song on the album at almost ten minutes, this should be the ultimate exploration of the themes and moods of this album, but it drags on for far too long to remain musically interesting. The beat and guitar melodies are constant throughout, while Smith’s vocals again fail to truly impress in any way. This song would be a lot better if it had been tightened and cut down, as it doesn’t offer anything that hasn’t been done earlier (and better).

“Kiss me goodbye bow your head and join with me
And face pushed deep reflections meet
The strangest twist upon your lips and
Disappear the ripples clear”

10. DISINTEGRATION

The band don’t shy away from placing the two longest tracks together, certainly creating the most moody and atmospheric part of the album but also alienating casual listeners. This is a clear improvement on the last track as it manages to sound quite unique on the album rather than a re-hashing of what’s come before, the watery effect of the guitars and the very strong bass presence leading into some great keyboards in the middle. Smith’s vocals are also more forceful and varied for a change, giving this a much more improved sound but also rendering the last few repetitive tracks completely unnecessary.

“Oh I miss the kiss of treachery
The aching kiss before I feed
The stench of a love for a younger meat and
The sound that it makes when it cuts in deep

11. HOMESICK

This song doesn’t hide its tone with a dominant piano/keyboard rhythm throughout that is slowly joined by the other instruments. One of my least favourite tracks, but I can appreciate its diversity from the others, leading up to the end. This seems like an instrumental at first, as the vocals don’t begin until the three-minute mark.

“Hey hey! Just one more and I'll walk away
All the everything you win turns to nothing today”

12. UNTITLED

This epilogue begins with what sounds like an organ tune before the drums, guitars and bass begin. Strangely, this is probably the most positive sounding song that sounds like more of a celebration than a regret, but it isn’t one of the better tracks and does drag on towards the end. Maybe I only think this because I’m not used to this style of album, but this could have been better.

“Hopelessly drift in the eyes of the ghost again
Down on my knees and my hands in the air again”


VERDICT


This album would clearly be the soundtrack of choice for a Tim Burton film if Danny Elfman hadn’t already proved his incredible skills, and its popularity with Cure fans is understandable, as is its lack of popularity with the general public in comparison to their other work. There are several songs on here that are impressive in their own right (‘Lullaby,’ ‘Love Song,’ ‘Plainsong’), but the rest all sound very similar and only really serve to create a musical atmosphere when listening to an album. This is not a bad thing, it’s a great achievement, but I think it came with a cost to originality.

I love listening to albums in their entirety when they have been structured excellently, but the slow pace of Disintegration bores me towards the end. Robert Smith’s lyrics are very moving and easy to relate to, but they don’t really need the overlong interludes between them, and although the guitar layering is perfect and detailed it does become lost in the ‘atmosphere.’ Every so often one of the instruments will do something that grabs my attention, but this is quite a rare event.

I’d recommend this album to anyone who loves ‘mood music,’ or who is just a big Cure fan, but it takes some effort to listen to and may not be to your taste. But it is cheap.

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