Disintegration [CD]

Probably my favorite disc by the group. Every song is fantastic. Very nice remaster as well. Highly recommend you get this.

"Disintegration" has been the only Cure studio release that I ever bought close to its release (I've only ever bought packages, such as the "Standing on the Beach"/"Staring at the Sea" compilation, and the Connect the Dots box set), so when this was released as a set with demos and the full "Entreat" live show I thought it would be a good one to get. The booklet has a short essay describing what the band went through in the recording, such as kicking the useless Lol Tolhurst out of the band, or allowing him to leave, or whatever happened; it also talks about how they saved the lyrics from a deadly fire, the band forming a human chain, wrapping wet towels around their heads and shoulders, and then groping around a smoke-filled room to retrieve the already-smouldering leather satchel with the only copy of the lyrics in it - whew! There are a bunch of pictures from the era - man, were those guys ugly. Vocals for the 12 studio songs (but none of the singles) are included.The songs on the studio release are all as good as I remember, although somehow they are a bit shabby, pale, boring. Not quite what I remembered, exactly, although the later songs are a bit nicer than the earlier songs. I was quite surprised when I got to the live show, which was from a show at Wembley Stadium in July of 1989 that represents all 12 songs on Disintegration, that I actually liked it better than the studio version. I was surprised, because usually it's the other way around, where the live recording bugs me for some reason or other, I nearly always prefer the studio album... just not this time.The second disc doesn't really excite that much either, although it has its moments. It includes three Robert Smith home demos, nine band demo instrumentals, two studio rough instrumentals, four studio roughs with guide vocals, one rough mix with vocals and one Robert Smith solo rough mix with vocals. Seems that the band went through two rounds of laying down the instrumentals, a process that lasted from about April to October. Taken together they chart the whole recording process of the album. Listening to the instrumentals can be a bit trying at times, but it also shows how interesting the music can be (even when it drones on and on) without the distraction - pleasant though it may be - or Robert Smith's unique voice. It's also fitting, since the album is known for its long instrumental sections anyway.First off: the demos that Robert Smith did at home before he added the vocals, which are sort or like rough karaoke tracks. "Prayers For Rain" sounds like it's been programmed into hell, and there are three such demos. "Fascination Street" sounds weird with a bit of slide guitar and keyboard thrown on top of the mix. There are also band rehearsals. The one for "Homesick" sounds just that - it's awful. Other band rehearsals are "Closedown", "Lovesong", "The Same Deep Water As You", and "Disintegration". "Lovesong" has really weird bass sounds. There are also B-sides "Fear Of Ghosts", which sounds like some sort of a weird early Cure icy poker repeating its tracks over and over, "Noheart", which starts out with wicked drums and noise and then a creepy dirge with cheap keyboard sounds, "Esten", which is jaunty and cheerful and a lot of fun, and "2 Late (alternate version)", a gorgeous and textured number that has that "Monday I'm In Love" spring in its stride. "Babble" is a fun tune, bass-driven with prominent keyboards and drums, here in its instrumental version. Other studio roughs have vocals and sound a lot like the final album versions. "Out of Mind" is keyboard-led and it sort of grooves, it also has hard rock guitar (!?!) in it. It's a lot less murky than the final B-side version, and it has great Robert Smith vocals. "Delirious Night" is jaunty and drum-led, it sort of grooves on and on and on and has really strange vocals. "Pirate Ships" is a Judy Collins cover that Robert Smith did for a planned 40th anniversary Elektra tribute album that never happened so it never got used, and appears here for the first time. It is a strange little ditty, with Robert Smith singing over accordion sounds, with the sound of surf to accompany it. I can't find this song on YouTube, my ersatz jukebox; I wonder what the original sounded like.

I can definitely tell the difference, the remastered version has a lot more presence and clarity. It's not apparent on every song, but try swapping back and forth between the opening of "Same" and listen the drums; nice, they no longer sound like they're deep under water with the song. Is it a critical issue, must you run out and buy this because the drums are crisper? No, obviously not, but you're a Cure fan so you have to buy everything, and any reason to punch up Disintegration again is a good reason.What I really would have liked is for Robert to go back and re-record the drums and the guitar. I don't need to discuss the drums, you either hate that methodical thunking or you don't. I can live with it, but I can also imagine improvements, if that's not some sort of cardinal Cure sin [oh yeah, it was]. As for the guitar, Bob just got a lot better as the years went on, and ten years later in "Bloodflowers" he was really a vastly different guitarist than here. I would love to see him re-do the fills, it could be really magnificent.It's nice to have a full "Entreat" suite, that was a nice touch, I'll take it, there are some song versions here I like better than on "Trilogy". And finally to the extras . . . we really need instrumental versions of everything, what for? And everyone already has a better version of "Pirate Ships" I'm sure. As usual the extras are something you listen to once (maybe) and never hit the playlist.Oh yeah, by the way, I listened to this with MP3's, I have no idea what the CD sounds like, I don't even have a CD player, unless the DVD player takes them, but it's not even hooked up to my music system. Whattya going to do? That's the age we live in, I bought the CD to support the band, but after I ripped it, it's in a box in the closet. At least I was able to choose my own software and parameters, that's better than living with however it's mangled for sale.

The Cure's Disintegration album was released on May 1st 1989 to fantastic reviews and became their highest selling album even though the record company said the album was "Commercial Suicide" and did not believe it would sell one copy. The album is a beautifully melancholic affair and an essential album in Goth music and in the words of Rolling Stone Magazine "According to the kids on South Park, this is the best album ever made. According to many depressive Eighties-minded kids, it's the only album ever made". The album starts with Plainsong which has a very huge and almost stadium rock sound that fits perfectly as an introduction to the album. Next is the song Pictures of You which can only be described as epic due to its length and the quality of its lyrics. later in the album you will hear songs such as Love Song which was Robert Smith's wedding present to his wife, Lullaby which is a very Creepy song which about being eaten by a spider and inspired by bedtime stories Robert's father told him as a boy. Fascination Street which is probably the most Rock like song on the album and has an extremely incredible backing from the piano, bass and drums. Also along the way you'll hear songs such as Prayers for Rain, Disintegration and Homesick which are easily the three most depressing songs on this album. The album ends on a pretty mellow note though with the song "Untitled" which gives a very soft ending to an album filled with bombast,aggression,depression and loneliness. I would recommend this album to everyone in fact this is an album i think everyone should hear at least once in their life.Standout Tracks: The entire album is perfect and i'm not overestimating itRating:5/5