Tuesday, October 15, 2024
New Simon signature bass
From Michael Ciravolo at Schecter:
new Schecter Simon Gallup Limited Edition Signature Edition Bass ⚜️
https://www.schecterguitars.com/product/17473
4 stars for Lost World from Mojo
From Mojo:
The Cure Songs Of A Lost World Review: An audaciously bleak, beautiful journey
Haunted by bereavement, The Cure’s first album in 16 years finds Robert Smith coming to terms with mortality in majestic style.
by Victoria Segal
★★★★
There is no blue plaque at The Railway in Crawley, no photographs celebrating the most culturally significant moment in the pub’s history: the first official gig by The Cure (formerly Easy Cure) in 1978. Yet The Rocket has once again become embroiled in The Cure’s epic story. On September 13, a dark poster appeared outside, reading “Songs Of A Lost World” and a date: “I. XI. MMXXIV.”
Sixteen years after the release of 4:13 Dream, The Cure’s long-promised 14th album is finally a reality, and it’s clear now why The Cure launched it at their point of origin. Songs Of A Lost World is a record about endings, about loss and grief, about the compromises and confusions that cling to a person as they move through their lives, warping and distorting their original intentions. There is real poignancy in looking back to a time and place where life was still a clean slate, before you find yourself – as Smith does on the closing track, Endsong – looking up at the sky and wondering where you’ve gone. Maybe it does matter if we all die, after all.
When these songs first emerged, on the European leg of 2022’s Shows Of A Lost World tour, the band would open and close their main set the same way: with Alone, its opening line “This is the end of every song we sing,”; and Endsong, which finishes “Left alone with nothing / The end of every song / Nothing.”
The new album follows this sequencing, a kind of dust-to-dust musical palindrome that locks the album into its fate, exits and entrances blocked. Death and disillusionment are hardly unusual Cure elements, but these eight songs have the same concentrated intensity as 1989’s Disintegration, a record similarly preoccupied with broken dreams, ebbing potential, mortality. That record was a product of Smith’s horror at turning 30, then an unimaginable milestone of decay. In 2024, it’s inevitable that falling apart means something very different. “Before I used to write about stuff that I thought I understood,” said Smith in 2019. “Now I know I understand it.”
That year, Smith revealed he had recently lost his father, his mother and his older brother Richard, the latter instrumental in introducing him to Jimi Hendrix and Captain Beefheart and his companion in an earlier musical venture, The Crawley Goat Band. Richard lived in Poland for years; harrowing SOALW song I Can Never Say Goodbye was first played on October 22, 2022, at Krakow’s Tauron Arena. It’s the song at the eye of the album’s emotional storm, Smith singing “Something wicked this way comes / To steal away my brother’s life”.
On a record so alert to the cataclysmic effects of mortality, it’s remarkable how fundamentally unchanged Smith’s voice is, uncracked into a Bob Dylan croak or plunged to new Leonard Cohen depths. Yet there’s no kittenish levity on this record, nothing approaching a pop song – no equivalent of Disintegration’s spidery Lullaby to break the mood. The Never Enough grooves of the spectacular Drone slide closest to a gear-change, but even there, the ground is unsteady. “I’m breaking up again,” sings Smith. Disintegration, in other words, with all its oceanic expanses, its cold glittering light.
Opener Alone is the first station on the album’s audaciously bleak, beautiful journey, inspired by tubercular Victorian poet Ernest Dowson, and his poem Dregs: “The fire is out, and spent the warmth thereof / (This is the end of every song man sings!)” It’s a telling addition to Smith’s lace-edged, blood-speckled treasury of Poe, Rimbaud and Baudelaire.
If Alone’s pain is couched in universal terms, And Nothing Lasts Forever comes from a very specific set of circumstances, “a promise I made to someone that I would be with them when they died,” Smith writes in a note sent to reviewers. “But for reasons beyond my control, I didn’t keep that promise. It upset me dreadfully.” There’s a painful, escalating catch in Smith’s phrasing, twisting the opulent backing into something more desperate, the light of an implacable pink moon just detectable in the piano.
Death is at the core of Songs Of A Lost World, but it’s not the only loss. The torrential dialogue of A Fragile Thing rolls in the deepest romantic gloom – “‘Every time you kiss me I could cry,’ she said” – while Warsong, opening with a martial drone reminiscent of Disintegration-era rarity, Pirate Ships, is flooded with deep emotional water.
Another kind of loss explored by SOALW is loss of self, a concept refracted in the crunched-spine funk of Drone: Nodrone, inspired, says Smith, by a drone that flew over his garden, throwing him into a confusion of doubt. Was he being spied on, or not? Smith doesn’t know what to think, and not knowing what to think is almost worse than being watched. Yet it’s also a song about not being sure who you are any more – even if your identity, your image, seems as to be as solid as Smith’s.
All I Ever Am, meanwhile, pushes the rock star towards the nightmare of a “dark and empty stage,” an unfillable void. Smith talks about a “strange feeling of dissociation”, which peaks in Endsong’s grand celestial collapse, recorded around the 50th anniversary of the moon landings and testament to Smith’s life-long stargazing tendencies. “I was outside looking up and back a lot that summer, lamenting age and an increasingly broken world, and always seemed to return to the same two questions; where did that old world go and where did I go?”
Endsong might feel like an asteroid-sized, extinction-event full-stop, but it’s not impossible that The Cure could simply be entering another phase in their remarkable career. The album artwork looks like an ancient stone head, an Atlantis relic, its features so worn away they are barely visible. Yet it’s a 1975 piece by the Slovenian sculptor Janez Pirnat, and the face could just as easily be emerging from the stone as vanishing back into it.
While The Cure are fortunate to have a regenerating fanbase - a generation of fans at 2023 shows who’d never been alive for the real-time release of a new album - the audience who have grown up with them will be staring down the barrel of the same gun as Smith, facing similar griefs, uncertainties, questions. With Songs Of A Lost World, The Cure, often seen as the soundtrack to an eternally doomy adolescence, might just be coming of age.
Robert's 5 year plan
From Consequence:
The Cure’s Robert Smith has revealed he has a time window in mind for his band’s retirement. In a lengthy interview with Matt Everitt published on the group’s official website, Smith explained his final plans for The Cure revolve around the respective 50th anniversary celebrations of the group in 2028 and their debut album in 2029.
The final lap will begin with The Cure’s next world tour, which Smith aims to start “autumn next year” after completing the follow-up to their upcoming album, Songs of a Lost World. After that, the band will play “quite regularly” through their 50th anniversary, which they’ll also mark with a previously teased documentary film.
“Seriously, I have to finish the second album,” Smith told Everitt. “We were going to play festivals next year, but a couple weeks ago, I decided that we weren’t going to play anything next summer. The next time we go out on stage will be autumn next year.”
He continued, “But then we’ll probably be playing quite regularly through until the next anniversary — the 2028 anniversary that’s just looming on the horizon. The 2018 one, I started to think about in late 2016, thinking, ‘I’ve got a year and a half, it’s easy!’ And I still didn’t manage to get there in time. Now, I’m starting to think, ‘2028, I must get things in order;’ so [that’s] the documentary film and various other things like that.”
“I’m 70 in 2029, and that’s the 50th anniversary of the first Cure album [Three Imaginary Boys],” Smith said. “If I make it that far, that’s it. In the intervening time, I’d like to include playing concerts as part of the overall plan of what we’re going to do. I’ve loved it; the last 10 years of playing shows have been the best 10 years of being in the band. It pisses all over the other 30-odd years! It’s been great.”
Smith added that the band has felt a sense of “freedom” while touring over the past several years without a new album because they were able to draw from their extensive catalog.
“We’ve turned into a live band that draws on the catalog,” he said. “We can go out and play shows, and we can play two hours of 30 songs and completely different songs each night.”
More about the new UltraCures
From Music Radar:
“Each instrument comes with a custom hardshell case, a signed COA from Robert Smith and directly supports life-saving cancer research”: Schecter and the Cure’s Robert Smith join forces for charity with the release of the Shellflower UltraCure
By Jonathan Horsley
This limited edition run comprises an UltraCure electric guitar and its 30" scale six-string bass sibling, and $500 from the sale of each instrument goes to the World Cancer Research Fund
The UltraCure and UltraCure VI are finished with a black-and-white “Shellflower” graphic, courtesy of Bunny Lake Designs, and each guitar sold will raise $500 for the cancer charity, with Smith and Schecter both donating $250 each.
Schecter’s shipping these super-collectible six-strings in a custom hardshell guitar case, inside which you will find a certificate of authenticity, signed by Smith, and one very rare electric guitar. They are not making many of these.
There will be just 50 of the UltraCure standard electric guitars, with 25 of the UltraCure VI for those wanting to take their sound down an octave. Through a clean amp, with a splash of reverb and some movement and depth from a chorus pedal, the UltraCure VI should give you one heady tone.
Like the Fender Electric VI, it’s technically a bass guitar but no one can really commit to calling it that – it feels more like a hybrid.
Smith’s UltraCure VI even draws some inspiration from the Jaguar, with a trio of slider switches to turn each pickup on and off, and the pickups themselves as Seymour Duncan Jaguar single-coils, with the middle pickup reverse-wound. Tone and volume controls are on-hand to dial in a sound.
The body is solid mahogany, the neck three-piece maple, reinforced with carbon fibre rods to deal with all that extra string tension. With a short 30” scale it will be noticeably more approachable for guitarists who otherwise might find a bass unwieldy.
More conventional, though with an offset shape and spec that is anything but, the UltraCure is a dual-humbucker electric with a Bigsby vibrato and some very cool details, sharing many specs as its longer-scaled sibling.
Again, we’ve got the mahogany body, the three-piece maple neck, the rosewood fingerboard with the MOP block inlays. The neck profile is a comfortable thin C shape. There are 24 jumbo frets.
But with a pair of Schecter’s PAF-alike USA Route-57 humbuckers it has a very different voice. These are selected by a three-way toggle switch, and controlled by individual pickup volume controls and a master tone knob mounted on the lower horn. Tone-wise, this is ballpark Gibson-with-a-Bigsby, and that is something to get excited about.
These special edition models are available now, are priced $1,500, and will raise money for a very good cause. For more details on the Robert Smith “Shellflower” UltraCure and and UltraCure VI, head over to Schecter.
Simon at Pride of Andover Awards
From Love Andover:
Pride of Andover Awards tonight. Ben chatted with legendary bassist Simon Gallup of the Cure who is hosting this evening. Listen to Andover Radio tomorrow for the exclusive interview.
Thanks Andreas
Monday, October 14, 2024
9/10 for Lost World from Clash
From Clash:
The Cure – Songs Of A Lost World
A grand, heart-breaking statement...
Sometimes, fans can wait so long for something that when it’s finally in their hands – or ears, in this case – they are filled with a sense of disbelief. After 16 years, British figureheads The Cure have finally delivered a follow-up to their last full-length, ‘4:13 Dream’. They’ve hardly been resting on their laurels during this time. The band has headlined the likes of Glastonbury, celebrated their 40th anniversary, and gone around the world over and over, playing mammoth sets. Simply put, followers of the gloomy outfit have not been starved of a chance to enjoy The Cure’s singular back catalogue in a live setting. Still, the thirst for fresh material has only grown and grown. There was an inkling in Cureheads’ hearts that frontman Robert Smith still had another grand, heart-breaking statement in him… and they weren’t wrong.
With much of the material being road-tested on the group’s 2022-2023 ‘Shows Of A Lost World’, it was clear that the group was leaning back into the grand, introspective sound that had cemented their critical legacy. While Smith has a genius knack for creating dizzying pop songs, it’s his moody epics and tear inducing lyrics that have helped create legions of eternally loyal fans over the decades. With the songwriter sadly losing both his parents and brother in the intervening years since ‘4:13 Dream,’ Smith’s fascination with loss, love, and time has now found new levels of potency.
So, is ‘Songs of a Lost World’ worth the wait? That’s a resounding yes from us.
From the off, it’s clear The Cure’s 14th album is one of their most emotionally raw. At eight songs, albeit long ones, it’s their most cohesive set since 2000’s ‘Bloodflowers’ and their most moving since 1992’s ‘Wish’. By working with producer/Cure FOH sound man Paul Corkett, Smith has opted for a bruising live sound, Simon Gallup’s snarling bass tones, and drummer Jason Cooper’s snare hits jumping out the speakers. While some may prefer the more hazy production of earlier material, there’s a directness to the sonics that matches the gut-wrenching honesty of the material. This is a band (mostly) in their 60s dealing with all the emotional baggage they’ve accrued over the past decade and a half. It has a right to grab your attention.
Our first taster from the album was the opener, ‘Alone’, it still stands as a perfect vibe-setting number for the album. Reminiscent of the outfit’s ‘Disintegration’ era, the band builds a mood for over three minutes before Smith enters the picture, his voice unchanged since the 80s. With imagery of birds falling from the sky and bitter dregs, it’s apparent that we’re not getting another ‘Friday I’m in Love’ on this album. That’s not to say there isn’t beauty to be found. The following ‘And Nothing Is Forever’ is gorgeously wistful, Roger O’Donnell’s sparkling keys adding sweetness to Smith’s tale of loss. It’s classic Cure and really captures what makes the band so unique. A command of shadow and light.
The icy ‘A Fragile Thing’ may be the closest the album gets to producing a ‘pop’ number. Matching the spirit of the group’s mid-90s b-sides, the track feels like an anti ‘Lovesong,’ Smith’s conversational vocal delivery dropping harsh truths about how love and commitment can be a blessing and curse. ‘Warsong’ sees The Cure at their most mighty in decades, guitarist Reeves Gabrels unleashing wailing guitars as Smith roars about the poisoning effect of hatred and pride. Especially poignant with the current geopolitical issues.
‘Drone: No Drone’ sees the welcome return of what this reviewer likes to call ‘Sassy Smith’ mode. During these moments – see also ‘Wendy Time,’ ‘Never Enough‘ – the messy-haired icon spits lyrics over a funky beat with a tangible level of irritability. It’s a fun reprieve from the emotional heft of its surrounding tracks and gets the head bopping. A good thing, too, as the following ‘I Can Never Say Goodbye’ deals directly with the loss of Smith’s older brother Richard. A stately affair, the track is bound to resonate with those who’ve felt the world-changing effect of grief, Smith delivering his best vocals on the record.
The previously unheard ‘All I Ever Am’ makes for a welcome surprise, Gallups’ zippy bassline leading the charge on SOALW’s most uptempo moment. Sure, it’s still focused on memories and regret, but it’s a bit of a banger at the same time, Smith’s baritone bass laying down some serious licks. Before we know it, we come to the aptly titled closer ‘Endsong,’ arguably the number that made the biggest impression when aired live a few years ago. With a length of 10:23, it’s clear listeners are in for something epic, and boy, the band delivers.
Sounding melancholic and majestic as only The Cure can, ‘Endsong’ is a behemoth of emotion. A thick wall of tribal drums and shrieking guitars creates an apocalyptic tone, only reinforced by Smith’s mention of ‘blood red moons’ and repeated refrain of “It’s all gone.” It quickly joins the ranks of other great Cure closers, such as ‘Sinking’ and ‘Bloodflowers.‘ It sounds enormous and best captures SOALW’s spirit. There is no escaping the passing of time.
The old idiom ‘Be careful what you wish for’ is often applied to veteran groups dropping a new album but definitely not here. With ‘Songs Of A Lost World,’ The Cure has not only produced something worth the wait but added another classic to their already sterling catalogue. This is a late-career gem from one of the world’s most idiosyncratic acts.
With a sense of finality running through the LP, it was fair to assume that this may indeed be the end of The Cure’s story. However, as fans know, Robert Smith’s future plans are ever-shifting and a recent interview has revealed another album is almost complete. Onwards then!
9/10
Words: Sam Walker-Smart
Songs that match the mood of SoaLW
From Brooklyn Vegan:
Robert Smith picks 1 song from every Cure album that matches the mood of 'Songs of a Lost World'
Bill Pearis
Near the end of the 100-minute video interview with Robert Smith that was posted to The Cure‘s Songs of a Lost World website over the weekend, the BBC radio DJ (and former Menswear drummer) Matt Everitt asks “What are your 10 favorite Cure songs off the top of your head and why?” Robert Smith rolls his eyes, exasperated, and says “There’s no such thing as my 10 favorite Cure songs. If I answer now I’d change it halfway though.”
Robert Smith does make a counter offer, though. “If I was to answer the question honestly, and I picked a song from each album, it would reflect the songs that I would’ve liked to have written for this album.” Here’s that list, one song from all 13 Cure albums that Robert Smith thinks fits the mood of Songs of a Lost World:
“Three Imaginary Boys” (from Three Imaginary Boys): “It’s a song I’d be happy with now. It still resonates with me.”
“At Night” (from Seventeen Seconds): “We play that a lot live. It has the same kind of mood as this album, it would fit quite happily on this album.
“Faith” (from Faith): “When I wrote that I remember thinking ‘Ahhh, I can write songs!’ It was actually the first song I was really, really proud of. There’s not much to it but there’s something about it. It was everything I wanted it to be. I could’ve given up after I wrote ‘Faith,’ I proved to myself that I can do it.”
“Cold” (from Pornography): “We’ve been playing that one a lot live. It would fit on this album, mood and musically.”
“The Top” (from The Top): “Finding a song on The Top is difficult…’The Top’ would work, that’s a weird song.”
“Sinking” (from The Head on the Door): “Again, a bit of doom and gloom…but the whole album’s a bit more bright and breezy.”
“If Only Tonight We Could Sleep” (from Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me): “That’s another one we’ve played a lot recently. There’s a lovely mood to it when it’s played well.”
“Untitled” (Disintegration): “That is one of my favorite Cure songs. I like that I didn’t title it! (Laughs) I had the courage to not bother to think of a title.”
“To Wish Impossible Things” (from Wish): “That’s another one of my favorite Cure songs. We never play it, I don’t know why [last play was Coachella 2009] but that would fit happily — or unhappily — on this album.”
“Treasure” (from Wild Mood Swings): “Oh god this is difficult,” Robert Smith said, initially picking “One” before changing his mind. “No, ‘Treasure,’ actually. That was inspired by loss, by [English poet) Christina Rossetti, by someone else’s words.”
“Last Day of Summer” (from Bloodflowers): “That’s become a favorite. I was never quite sure about it as a song but I like it now.”
“Before Three” (from The Cure): “Now it gets tricky. [The Cure] is my least favorite album that we’ve made. The only album that I really don’t think works.”
“The Hungry Ghost” (from 4:13 Dream): “It wouldn’t fit on this album, but I do like it. It’s about how people are consumed by wanting more and more and more, including me.”
With that Robert says, laughing, “That’s it, my entire life flashing before my eyes. I’m going to keel over.”
Songs of a Lost World is out November 1.
Sunday, October 13, 2024
Video interview with Robert
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