The Cure - 4:13 Dream Review

Posted by Vanessa Willoughby on 11.17.2008

The Cure is back with their 13th studio album. But was it well worth the wait?

First and foremost, I’m not the stereotypical poster child for the fandom of The Cure. Although, I do have a tendency to wear black more than any other color ,and I do have the programmed mindset to always think of the glass half-empty, rather than half-full. But I think that this is the underrated beauty of a band such as The Cure. If you really take the time to stop and listen to the music, the way Robert Smith’s voice warps each word and turns it into something like a punch to the gut, then you’ll realize the reason why The Cure has become such a legendary icon. But with the release of the band’s thirteen studio effort, can Smith and Co. still remain relevant?

Track List:
1. Underneath the Stars
2. The Only One
3. The Reasons Why
4. Freakshow
5. Sirensong
6. The Real Snow White
7. The Hungry Ghost
8. Switch
9. The Perfect Boy
10. This. Here And Now. With You
11. Sleep When I’m Dead
12. The Scream
13. It’s Over



With the familiar opening chords of “Underneath the Stars,” the answer is yes. The opening track sounds like it could fit somewhere right in between Pornography and Disintegration, yet with a surprising freshness that disqualifies it from simply being an unearthed leftover. Maybe you’re not going to expect something wildly different from The Cure. But it’s such an indescribable feeling to slip in 4:13 Dream and welcome the gravely voice of Robert Smith. Some people mock The Cure for their air of melancholy and this album can be taken as a direct response to that criticism. Yes, there’s talk of suicide and lost loves and rejection on 4:13 Dream, but it’s not the entire focus of the album. A prime example of this is “The Reasons Why.” In the first few lines, Smith sings:

I won't try to bring you down about my suicide
Got no need to understand about my big surprise
Oh I am falling through the sky
You remember this ?
I am falling in their eyes
You remember the kiss?

Yet, the musical arrangement itself is more upbeat than dark, overbearing or crippling. The fourth track, “Freakshow” is an interesting song that departs from the gravity of the previous track. Backed by an offbeat guitar, Smith croons about a girl who: “shakes like a freak/stuck in the middle of the room for a week.” It’s definitely a step in the opposite direction from the previous tracks on the album, but still isn’t entirely out-of-place on 4:13 Dream. The integration of the guitar and Smith’s voice is an interesting combination that seems to work with the rather abstract nature of the song.

“Sirensong” is a return to the unrequited love and unquenched lust that time and time again, has popped up in the works of The Cure. The only thing that seems to hinder the full potential of the song is that Smith’s voice sounds a bit over-produced. Other than that, the slow, ethereal rhythm of the guitars and the steady thrum of the drums equally complement the wistful lyrics. The nameless woman in the song can, indeed, be considered a “siren,” as she enraptures Smith from the flip of her “golden hair” and her “silver skin.”

“The Real Snow White” feels a bit heavier, in comparison to the pop-driven arrangement of “Sirensong.” The song begins with an ominous pluck of the guitar, with Smith repeating the line “you’ve got what I want.” His demands quickly spiral into desperation, as the bass and electric guitar compete with each other for dominance.

“The Hungry Ghost” dissects a subject that is much more cultural and societal, rather than the personal struggles of love, loss and emotional despair. "The Hungry Ghost" attacks the need for materialism and consumerism, as Smith describes an all-too-real world that equates happiness with the endless accumulation of goods. This song could easily have been a failure, but Smith’s clever usage of metaphor and motif, combined with the haunting echo of the guitar about halfway through the track, holds listener attention. The simplicity of the lyrics is what seals the deal, as he sings:

Yeah, all of this we never know we want
It's like we get it anyway
Safe to say it isn't ever wrong
Better to get than to delay
A 3D screen
A cleaner pit
A bit pulled out of every hit
Addicted latest greatest piece
Design caprice and make the headline

No it doesn't come for free
But it's the price
We pay for happiness

Ok, so perhaps it’s not the most in-your-face-save-the-world format. But that’s not really what The Cure is about. For the image and iconography that the band embodies, the stark and stripped down nature of the lyrics is perfect.

“This. Here and Now. With You,” is (dare I say it?), is the elevation of pure romance. The flow of the song is pretty spot-on and the melody is pop-driven without sounding manufactured, pre-packaged or recycled. Smith’s voice aches with longing as he sings:

You pull my shaking body close
To make the most of tangency
I bite your mouth so fearfully
And slow
The taste of summers yet to shine
A perfect time to change the scene
I bite your mouth in urgency
And terrified I know

“The Scream” is probably the most experimental song off the entire album. What starts out with soft vocals quickly evolves into Smith’s yowls, the erratic, piercing of the guitars and the frantic clash of cymbals and drums.

All in all, 4: 13 Dream is an album not to be ignored. Perhaps it's not the revelation that turned out to be fan favorites, such as Wish, Bloodflowers or Disintegration. But it's a step up from their 2004 self-titled release. After nearly four years since that release, 4:13 Dream is the album to remind you why you were a fan in the first place.

The 411: Although at times, the production causes Smith's voice to sound a bit muddy, the overall album is a great addition to The Cure's lengthy catalog. Smith proves that there's still a place for The Cure in today's music scene. (And thank goodness for that!)

Final Score:  8.0   [ Very Good ]