S Poddar
After waiting for a long 16 years to be served with new music, The Cure finally draws off the veil. Coupled with new tracks from big acts like Lady Gaga, Rosalía, and Stevie Nicks, this certainly ought to be the best of times for any musician.
Iconic frontman Robert Smith of The Cure, with his unmistakable looks- dark hair, heavy eye makeup, and bold red lipstick-return to visit us with a hauntingly new song. Their upcoming album, Songs of a Lost World, out November 1st, promises to be just as soulfully deep as ever, and from the new lead single, “Alone,” we can’t wait to see what else they have in store.
It opens as a long instrumental passage, with a rich, sustained chord foundation that ebbs and flows over an ominous backdrop like a symptom of irrepressible doom. The drums smash in like thunder, serving to make the track feel urgent. It’s a slow build, really pulling listeners into this world that is both melancholic and beautiful, filled with the weight of time and loss. It is only when the voice of Robert Smith finally drops like an anvil that the years of anticipation build upon waiting for the next release from the band come tumbling in through his voice. “This is the end of every song we sing,” he moans, in a preamble that delivers a travelogue over loss, love, and impermanency of things once held dearly.
The lyrics really shift, on the inevitable passing of time and the transience that everything surrounding it is the music, love, dreams, the stars themselves. “Where did it go?” asks Smith, and the question hangs in the air. The song feels like a morose meditation, a threnody for a world that’s constantly slipping away. The track’s both sweeping and small, encasing the singular stamp that The Cure has always thrown into their work.
This is the band’s first studio recording since 16 years ago, when they dropped 4:13 Dream in 2008; thus, there’s much anticipation within the fans for this comeback. The Cure has always captivated their audience by transforming gloomy themes into melodious tunes. “Alone” seems to hint at following in that track, but more than that might be included to add to the somber melancholy of the band itself.
But The Cure is not the song alone causing a stir this week; besides, new songs by Lady Gaga, Rosalía, and Stevie Nicks reached our ears. These artists offer each unique something to their various listeners.
As Lady Gaga pushes the limits with her art and her sound, so does this pop anthem promise to deliver emotional intensity, infectious energy. She continues to innovate upon every new iteration of herself without losing her artistic vision, and this look promises to be no exception to the appeal to both old fans and a new listener.
Conversely, Rosalía has even followed on with her watering down of the distinction between pure flamenco and modern pop. There is hardly anything more redefined than a mix of this characteristic voice and experimentative rhythms from the album latest one. Every new music Rosalía sets is able to define the idea of what Latin could be in modern music and culturally covers the holes internationally.
Meanwhile, a real legend returns with an ageless track that somehow feels both a product of yesterday and a prime mover today: Stevie Nicks, whose mystical voice still casts its spell of magic over the listener, reminding him or her forever how firmly established she is in the pantheon of rock. Her new song is at once both a reflection on her storied career and a bold declaration of her continued relevance in contemporary music.
With the emergence of every one of their newest creations, it can be seen that music has never sounded more diverse or dynamic with old guard icons in the hunt for the same battle ring as new innovators. It’s introspective optimism with The Cure, über-talented pop with Lady Gaga, genre-crossing innovation with Rosalía, or forever with Stevie Nicks, so is the taste.
New this week: artistry defying the passage of time and trends, which can connect you beyond yourself. It may be the plunge into the Songs of a Lost World, or vibing with this week’s pop sensation. One thing is for sure – music evolves, surprises, and inspires.
