CLASSIC ALBUM: The Cure – Disintegration

During the 1980s The Cure had evolved from a new wave punk group to gothic pop stars, with hits such as The Love Cats, Close to Me and the classic Just Like Heaven helping them to penetrate the mainstream. Disintegration, their eighth studio album, was released in May 1989 and stands as arguably one of their most infectious and seductive albums, containing enough well known tunes and hypnotic melodies to stand among their finest work. From the very beginning the album is epic and haunting, with opening number Plainsong’s orchestrial synthesisers setting the scene. The Cure had earned a reputation as a miserable band and while Disintegration is not without its dark moments it is seething with optimism and passion. This is The Cure at their most romantic and sincere and was a vast improvement on the band’s previous album, 1987′s hit-and-miss Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me.

While Robert Smith’s voice has sounded somewhat strained on recent albums, on Disintegration he seemed to have found the right balance between despair and pop sensibility. His vocals were further complemented by the upbeat music of such tracks as Pictures of You, a song that rivals Just Like Heaven for its euphoric vibe. The guitar riff, while simple, is effective and works well with Smith’s unique voice. Yet for every pop song like Pictures of You there is a dark ballad like Closedown, which shows just how effective eighties synthesisers could be in place of strings. Where Disintegration does score points is with the inspired choice of singles that the album produced. While Love Song sounds like it should be a slow number, the track has a strong bassline and keyboards and, like most songs on the record, the choruses stand out and are sing-a-long.

While The Cure had already produced several classic albums, they had never delivered a record that was so consistently spellbinding and satisfying. From the ballad Last Dance and Prayers for Rain to the singles Fascination Street and the standout Lullaby, Disintegration never outstays its welcome and improves on each listen. The best way to enjoy the album is with the lights off, perhaps a few candles lit, while the listener lies on their bed and slowly drifts to sleep. Those who enjoy Disintegration should also seek out Entreat, the band’s 1991 live album that featured eight tracks from the record that were performed in London two years earlier. Although their next album, Wish, would have enough merits of its own, The Cure would fail to reach these heights again.