SONGS OF A LOST WORLD’ is the 14th studio release and their first in 16 years recorded in God’s own Country is this it? Finito, Uno Mas, Sayonara, goodbye dear friends. The album opens with the dreamy drifting ‘Alone’ with a smokey drifting swaying intro its a few minutes in before Smith sings the line, “This is the end of every song that we sing” Goths everywhere will be holding their collective breath wondering if this is really the swan song from the Bohemoths of a genre and how will they go out – in a triumphant chest beating death kneel or a whimper. Only you the listener can decide that my friends, but let’s paint our nails black one last time and take flight like a bat in the night ‘Alone’ is a grande opened, a reflective wheeze rather than a charge into battle.

‘SONGS OF A LOST WORLD’ was written and arranged by Smith, produced and mixed by Smith & Paul Corkett and performed by The Cure – who these days are of course Robert Smith: Voice/guitar / 6string bass/keyboard, Simon Gallup: Bass, Jason Cooper: Drums/percussion, Roger O’Donnell: Keyboard, Reeves Gabrels: Guitar. Smith created the sleeve concept, alongside Andy Vella, a long-time Cure collaborator, who handled the album’s art and design. The cover art features ‘Bagatelle’, a 1975 sculpture by Janez Pirnat. Its classic gothic imagery and the music begins in a soothing fashion, probably built for a dry ice-infested stage in some field for the band to play in its entirety as something of a deathbed goodbye. Surrounded by loved ones saying goodbye to their favourite band one last time to a beautiful Dolby Atmos surround sound soundtrack.

With only eight songs on offer (a deluxe CD featuring instrumental versions and Dolby do dahs with bells and whistles as an optional extra). Its ‘A Fragile Thing’ before Gallups bass really sits up front in the mix with another busy soundscape to accompany a gorgeous melody from Smith.

‘War Song’ closes out side one with a bruising post-battle reflective song. I feel exhausted and it’s only the end of side one. Side two begins with ‘Drone No Drone’ and an electric storm of cascading guitar solos courtesy of Gabrels sparring with Jason Coopers drums. I get the impression that this is more of a band record than Smith breast beating oh look at me it’s a bigger broader sound happening.

It’s the sound of a reflective band with a lot of gentler songs that are recorded exceptionally well it has to be said. A lot of what’s on offer are quite lengthy intros where the sound is massive there’s a sound of reflection and anxiety about the sands of time ebbing away in Smiths’ lyrics it’s reflective but never suggests any regret but tastefully done.

The penultimate track is ‘All I Ever Am’ and with its thumping percussion, it is probably the most “Cure” sounding track on the album as Smith speaks the lyrics with a melody raising the chorus to soar above the music. It’s what they’ve done for years and has crafted a fine niche for themselves but it’s by no means Cure by numbers in fact it’s one of the best songs on the whole album.

As we reach the end ‘End Song’ has something of a battlefield beat to it and as the song plays out its chest out boys and march on to a triumphant victory for The Cure have survived their detractors stuck true to their beliefs and plowed an often lonely furrow steadfast in everything they do. Not without a sense of humour but this album sounds serious and grown up and the finale is a massive wall of sound that marches on with the song growing more intense with every beat of the snare and swirl of the keyboards no doubt this record will be scrutinised over and over and ever breath from Smiths lips directed but the real test will be its longevity and in several years we’ll look back and declare it a masterpiece of songwriting and one of the finest goodbyes ever for a guitar band of this genre.

It might not reach out to a new audience but it will have the already sizable one salivating at the new songs and the package it comes in. If it is the last hurrah then they go out in some style, sombre, Gothic and sounding utterly huge and every dark shadowy corner is filled with sound. There will be tears shed over the closing lyrics. Now a lie down in a darkened room I think. What a stunning record. Goths assemble, The Cure have birthed a beast and the end game is here…maybe. Buy It!

Buy Here