The Cure, one of the most revered British bands of the past quarter-century, have unveiled their plans to release four singles, one each month starting May 13th, leading up to the release of their thirteenth studio album, ... more »as yet untitled, which will be out on Suretone/Geffen Records September 13, 2008. It will be the band's first album of new music since 2004's self titled album The Cure. Physical and digital singles will be available for purchase in store and on all digital partners. Why the 13th of each month? The forthcoming album is The Cure's thirteenth studio album... A lucky number indeed! Led as always by lead singer/guitarist Robert Smith, the Cure line-up comprises longtime members bass player Simon Gallup, drummer Jason Cooper and, back in the band for a third time, guitarist Porl Thompson. The Cure first formed in southern England in 1976 as Easy Cure. In 1978 the 'Easy' was dropped, and The Cure was signed to the Fiction label. In May 1979 their debut album Three Imaginary Boys was released to great acclaim. Other landmark Cure albums include Pornography (1982), The Head on the Door (1985), Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me (1987), Disintegration (1989), Wish (1992), Wild Mood Swings (1996), the Grammy-nominated Bloodflowers (2000) and their last full length release, the self-titled set The Cure (2004). 2006 saw the Suretone/Geffen release of Festival 2005, an award winning 5.1 DVD featuring 30 songs, shot by fans, band members and professionals during the summer of 2005's European festival run.« less
The Cure, one of the most revered British bands of the past quarter-century, have unveiled their plans to release four singles, one each month starting May 13th, leading up to the release of their thirteenth studio album, as yet untitled, which will be out on Suretone/Geffen Records September 13, 2008. It will be the band's first album of new music since 2004's self titled album The Cure. Physical and digital singles will be available for purchase in store and on all digital partners. Why the 13th of each month? The forthcoming album is The Cure's thirteenth studio album... A lucky number indeed! Led as always by lead singer/guitarist Robert Smith, the Cure line-up comprises longtime members bass player Simon Gallup, drummer Jason Cooper and, back in the band for a third time, guitarist Porl Thompson. The Cure first formed in southern England in 1976 as Easy Cure. In 1978 the 'Easy' was dropped, and The Cure was signed to the Fiction label. In May 1979 their debut album Three Imaginary Boys was released to great acclaim. Other landmark Cure albums include Pornography (1982), The Head on the Door (1985), Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me (1987), Disintegration (1989), Wish (1992), Wild Mood Swings (1996), the Grammy-nominated Bloodflowers (2000) and their last full length release, the self-titled set The Cure (2004). 2006 saw the Suretone/Geffen release of Festival 2005, an award winning 5.1 DVD featuring 30 songs, shot by fans, band members and professionals during the summer of 2005's European festival run.
"After hearing "The Only One," a pleasant enough song that's a clear rehash of other Cure singles, "Freakshow" really surprised me. It's a very adventurous, unique single that works within the Cure's sound but with a welcome new energy. It's most similar to "The Man Inside My Mouth" or other goofier mid-80's Cure songs, but it mostly sounds unlike anything they've done. A great, catchy song!
The B-side is well-matched, and it's also a great song. I'd given up on Cure B-sides, which haven't been exciting since Wild Mood Swings, and reached a low with the crap that backed their self-titled album. But "All Kinds of Stuff" actually has a tune! Good times."
Easily fits in with The Cure's other hits....sort of
Eric Edelin | Baltimore, Maryland USA | 06/12/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"After giving us a dose of familiar, lush Cure-pop with 'The Only One' last month, The Cure head into a more danceable and rhythmic direction with 'Freakshow'. All 2:32 long of this song are packed with energy and drive as opposed to the laconic and wistful singles of yesteryear (and yestermonth, actually). To a point one could almost say 'Freakshow' has a definite jazzy, R&B vibe to it without having to sound like either genre directly. The rhythm section (long-time bassist Simon Gallup and drummer Jason Cooper) keep a groove-heavy, stop-start beat while Porl Thompson's wah-wah treated lead guitar nimbly weaves in and out of the mix. Smith's vocals are the icing on the cake; as frenetic and herky-jerky as the rhythm. The b-side, 'All Kinds Of Stuff' is an upbeat rocker, that while not quite as frantic as say 'Shiver And Shake' is a close cousin to 'Cut' from the 'Wish' album. The b-side explores more angsty territory ("So maybe I took too much/ Maybe I lost my touch/ Maybe I'm all kinds of stuff/ Maybe...") and backs it up with a fast tempo and more fierce guitar playing.
'Freakshow' is now appearing in The Cure's current tour as an encore, usually played with older classics like 'Why Can't I Be You?' and 'Close To Me' to favorable, but still mixed reactions by the fans. Smith seems to be making the statement that this single easily stands up to his best dance hits, which it does.
How do you think fans who bought 'Pornography' felt when they heard 'Lets Go To Bed' about six months later? How did fans react to 'The 13th' after a four-year hiatus from recording new material? 'Freakshow' shows that this aging group of alternative rockers still have a few pleasant surprises and are more than willing to throw us a curveball every now and then."
At last a very "Cure" song after almost 25 years.
Alejandro De Rueda | Mazatlan, Sinaloa Mexico | 06/18/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This is a great song like in the past 84-86's.... with great wha-wha guitars and great drumming lines.... very good style-sounding song...."
Freakshow
Andrew Vice | Plano, TX | 06/18/2008
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Freakshow, the second single in the Cure's set of four heralding the arrival of their 13th album, is a very nice song, and reminiscent of the funky sounds of the band that we haven't heard done well since The Head on the Door and Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me. Both the single and the b-side are fast pieces, the disc itself clocking in at six minutes for two songs. The guitar on both tracks is excellent and very wah-ful, which is a clear indicator of the importance of Porl's return to the lineup. The lyrics in Freakshow continue Robert's fascination with romance and sexuality seen in The Only One and NY Trip, though the b-side takes a darker turn, sounding akin to an outtake from their 2004 self-titled album. Though some fans may prefer the poppier sound of The Only One to this single, I find that Freakshow has a kind of excitement and ballsiness that Robert Smith hasn't shown in a long time. The singles have gone from good to great so far, so keep an eye out for the third single due in July."
If it doesn't make you want to dance you might be dead
Jeremiah J. Smith | 07/02/2008
(4 out of 5 stars)
"First of all I am that kind of Cure fan that literally loves everything they do, although I love Disintegration, Wish, and Head on the Door more than their other albums... As soon as I put this disc on I was floored by how infectiously groovy it is, it made me instantly start shaking my hips and waving my arms. It's a crazy little wild dance frenzy hit that doesn't rely on tiresome electronic beats, blips, and samples to get your butt shakin'."