Sleep when I'm dead

[scatcat]

I think they should've started with the strongest new song, which is in my opinion "The perfect boy". A nice comeback-song that would have paved the way for "The only one" and "Freakshow". As a final single I could imagine "A boy I never knew", bringing a new vibe in the Cure's single world. Semi-ballads often do well in terms of commercial success, just remember that "Lovesong" was their biggest hit.
Both, "Baby rag dog book" and "Sleep when I'm dead" are not really songs to be released as a single necessarly. So:   

1)The perfect boy
2)The only one
3)Freakshow
4)A boy I never knew

oh.. totally agree on ' A Boy I Never Knew'...  I am terribly disappointed they didn't release this pre-album.. if this song is not on the album.. I would be extremely distressed.. and forlorn ..

[rodney]

My responses in yellow!


- Name one weaker album than this one (we heard at least 5-6 new songs that will be on it , so...) um, based on what I've heard so far, I'd say this is their best work since Wish (though not close to Wish in quality).
- What are the main elements of the "new guitar sound" that you find so exciting?  Well, for one thing the songs sound emotional again (even if the lyrics usually aren't).  There is an anger to the new songs that I think people are going to notice.
- What's the main noticeable difference (besides the low quality )  I think Robert's voice sounds stronger than it has in a very long time on these songs, and it appears from the live performances that I've seen that the band believes in the material and enjoys playing it.  Robert's obviously happier with these songs than he was with what was on the last album.  His attitude shows that.
- Why shouldn't we care about hits and airplay?  Because the state of radio, in the US at least, is terrible.  If The Cure released Just Like Heaven or Lovesong today, nobody would pay any attention to those songs.  I really believe that.  Music that's played on the radio is boring.  It was a fluke like a great band like The Cure had popular songs!  And, you don't need radio hits to sell records.  Look at dinosaurs like Bruce Springsteen (who's most recent album has sold over 1 million copies in the US, even though ClearChannel, who owns most radio stations in this country, instructed their stations not to play songs from it, and to only play his older material).  People pay less attention to the radio than ever, turning to things like blogs, podcasts, sattelite radio and internet radio (like the awesome WOXY.com for example) to hear about music.  I think for an indie-alternative-whatever band, these newer, untraditional methods of promotion mean more than radio hits.

[scatcat]

I like the new songs, but the production takes some getting used to. It kind of sounds like The Porl Show, but hey, I like the Porl show! I still prefer Boris to Jason. He's certainly not bad, just not as unique. We do have to give Robert some credit for branching out a bit lyric-wise, from sexual (for him) in The Only One to just kind of bizarre (Freakshow).

@firecrasher   

he he he he.. 'the porl show'.. gotta give ya kudos!
also I agree on ' The Freakshow' ..          
the jury is still out here.. 

[Steve]

@Rodney
Could you change the colour please?

The first 2 singles were great.
Fudshow was so much better than the european tour versions & The Only One is a stand alone single. No complaints there.
When I heard SWID in NY it was really very good, but the single version is so crappy.
It is a single. No doubt about it, A Perfect Boy is another perfect single.
I wonder if the 13mix will be as bad as the SWID one.

btw scatcat....xxx

[rodney]

How's yellow?

[nausearockpig]

I'm not exactly excited by these new songs... which really depresses me.. Was just discussing this with the Mrs this morning [it's a sunny day in Brisbane at 11 am on a Saturday!!]. I need to be blown away by this new record, i'm hoping that these mix13s are the reason, but I'm not sure how they can be "fixed" by the "real" mixes.... either way i'm gonna hold out until the record comes out... mind you it is fun watching you all vent your opinions!!!

[Janko]

 
um, based on what I've heard so far, I'd say this is their best work since Wish (though not close to Wish in quality)

This is really interesting. Well, I do hope there are many  that think the same.

Well, for one thing the songs sound emotional again (even if the lyrics usually aren't).  There is an anger to the new songs that I think people are going to notice.

There was more anger on Us Or Them, and it took ages for song to grow on me. Robert has no real reason to be angry. He's 50 next year. He'll just sound fake,

  I think Robert's voice sounds stronger than it has in a very long time on these songs, and it appears from the live performances that I've seen that the band believes in the material and enjoys playing it.  Robert's obviously happier with these songs than he was with what was on the last album.  His attitude shows that.

There are millions of songwriters that enjoy their songs. I'm a really happy chap when I play my guitar, but that doesn't mean people like to hear that rumble. Bringing Porl back might make Robert happy, but I don't see what's the big deal...

Because the state of radio, in the US at least, is terrible.  If The Cure released Just Like Heaven or Lovesong today, nobody would pay any attention to those songs.  I really believe that.  Music that's played on the radio is boring.  It was a fluke like a great band like The Cure had popular songs!  And, you don't need radio hits to sell records.  Look at dinosaurs like Bruce Springsteen (who's most recent album has sold over 1 million copies in the US, even though ClearChannel, who owns most radio stations in this country, instructed their stations not to play songs from it, and to only play his older material).  People pay less attention to the radio than ever, turning to things like blogs, podcasts, sattelite radio and internet radio (like the awesome WOXY.com for example) to hear about music.  I think for an indie-alternative-whatever band, these newer, untraditional methods of promotion mean more than radio hits.


But it was always like that with radio. Internet might be cool but it's not the same thing as airplay. Its just for geeks and freaks (like us  ). If The Only One had better production and promotion it could make huge difference.


But then again, who knows. Maybe they need to hit rock bottom to become better...

[Bloodflower]

But then again, who knows. Maybe they need to hit rock bottom to become better...

Dunno where you were in 2004, but they kinda did. Ninety minute shows, a poorly written & produced album, more in-fighting than we've seen since that bar-fight in '82.... Now they're playing marathon, three hour shows, playing the best-written songs they've put out consistently since the early nineties, and by all accounts, there's harmony in the band. I'm not entirely certain what more you could ask for, really.

[nausearockpig]

I'm not entirely certain what more you could ask for, really.

I ask for songs that are so good that they just knock me on my arse. so far I've heard nothing that does that. I have though, stayed away from listening to the live versions of the new songs like Baby.... and A Boy... just to get an unbiased opinion..
I'm not getting the vibe I want... YET!!!

[Steve]

How's yellow?

Much better.
The blue made my eyes water a bit.
Thx

[Bloodflower]

I'm not entirely certain what more you could ask for, really.

I ask for songs that are so good that they just knock me on my arse. so far I've heard nothing that does that. I have though, stayed away from listening to the live versions of the new songs like Baby.... and A Boy... just to get an unbiased opinion..
I'm not getting the vibe I want... YET!!!

BRDB is about the closest thing we've heard so far to an arse-kicker. But I don't know you can legitimately complain that what you've heard so far [I presume just the studio-released songs] hasn't touched you the way other Cure songs have; I mean, were you just blown away the first time you heard High? And even if you were, was it the same as the first time you heard Open or From the Edge? Cure singles, as a rule, are inferior to their album brethren. It's unfair to judge the sessions off singles.

I mean, if you'd only heard The 13th and Mint Car, you'd probably think WMS was an awful album; and whatever you think of it, I don't believe there's a person out there who isn't blown away by at least a few of those tracks. You can't tell from The 13th that there's also going to a song like Want on the album. Same goes for Disintegration; if all you know from the sessions is Lovesong, how are you supposed to predict something like The Same Deep Water or Disintegration?

My point in all of this? Don't judge too quickly. The songs The Cure releases as singles have NEVER been the best songs of the sessions:

Going Nowhere, This Morning, Bloodflowers, The Last Day of Summer, Want, Jupiter Crash, From the Edge, Open, Disintegration, The Same Deep Water, The Kiss, If Only Tonight, Sinking, Push, Shake Dog Shake, Birdmad Girl, The Figurehead, Pornography, All Cats Are Grey, Faith, At Night, Secrets, 10.15 Saturday Night, Fire In Cairo.....

Not one a single.

[Lostflowerboy]

I think a problem might be, that fans who got into the band just recently (2000 and beyond)and/or bought the discography almost at once just have too high expectations. If you're getting roughly 250 great songs within a short period of time you can't expect to freak out about number 251-258. So these relatively new fans might just have a sort of cure overdose.

[Rec-Level]

Shake dog shake was a single indeed

[Janko]

But then again, who knows. Maybe they need to hit rock bottom to become better...

Dunno where you were in 2004, but they kinda did. Ninety minute shows, a poorly written & produced album, more in-fighting than we've seen since that bar-fight in '82.... Now they're playing marathon, three hour shows, playing the best-written songs they've put out consistently since the early nineties, and by all accounts, there's harmony in the band. I'm not entirely certain what more you could ask for, really.

The 2004 album was not that great, but you can't say there are more than 2 or 3 lousy songs. TEOTW was a decent success and there was more TV/radio visibility than for Bloodflowers. And the B-sides from 2004 are the best songs they made in last decade or so...

The band played 90 minutes shows because it was Curiosa festival, not their solo gig. And what's up with this three hour gigs?! There are bands that will come on stage and play 40-50 minutes show and the audience will be blown away!

And who cares if there's harmony in the band? I don't. I would love if Perry and Roger stayed and if they went into turmoil - if that means another This Morning, Truth Goodness and Beauty or The Promise.

And then what is it that I ask? GOOD SONGS. Good songs are absolute minimum. If there's no good song - nothing can make me fall in love with the album.

[Bloodflower]

But then again, who knows. Maybe they need to hit rock bottom to become better...

Dunno where you were in 2004, but they kinda did. Ninety minute shows, a poorly written & produced album, more in-fighting than we've seen since that bar-fight in '82.... Now they're playing marathon, three hour shows, playing the best-written songs they've put out consistently since the early nineties, and by all accounts, there's harmony in the band. I'm not entirely certain what more you could ask for, really.

The 2004 album was not that great, but you can't say there are more than 2 or 3 lousy songs. TEOTW was a decent success and there was more TV/radio visibility than for Bloodflowers. And the B-sides from 2004 are the best songs they made in last decade or so...

The band played 90 minutes shows because it was Curiosa festival, not their solo gig. And what's up with this three hour gigs?! There are bands that will come on stage and play 40-50 minutes show and the audience will be blown away!

And who cares if there's harmony in the band? I don't. I would love if Perry and Roger stayed and if they went into turmoil - if that means another This Morning, Truth Goodness and Beauty or The Promise.

And then what is it that I ask? GOOD SONGS. Good songs are absolute minimum. If there's no good song - nothing can make me fall in love with the album.

First of all, I can TOO say there were more than two or three lousy songs. [I Don't Know What's Going] On, Never, Us or Them, Taking Off, Why Can't I Be Me?, alt.end, and Fake. And if you think the self-titled b-sides [which includes such... gems... as Why Can't I Be Me? and Fake], then I think I've found your problem.

Have you been to one of these three hour gigs? I was at Santa Barbara and LA II, and they were incredible concerts. Tell me you wouldn't be pissed if The Cure started playing forty minute gigs. Really. Say it and try to make it believable.

And what do you mean you ask for good songs? They've given you those already, you silly man!

EDIT: This is my opinion of the 2004 sessions.

Lost - 9/10
Labyrinth - 9/10
Before Three - 8/10
Truth Goodness and Beauty - 9/10
The End of the World - 9/10
Anniversary - 10/10
Us or Them - 2/10
alt.end - 7/10
[I Don't Know What's Going] On - 3/10
Taking Off - 6/10
Never - 2/10
The Promise - 9/10
Going Nowhere - 10/10
Why Can't I Be Me? - 6/10
Your God is Fear - 10/10
This Morning - 10/10
Fake - 6/10

Average [Session] = 7.35
Average [Album] = 7.08

In my opinion, that is the rock bottom-est they've been since 1979.