In late September, I was shocked to see a post on The Cure’s Instagram account announcing that the band would release a new album. My immediate reaction was a mix of excitement and apprehension. The album would mark the first release by my favorite band in over 16 years. Having had the privilege to see the band perform live last year, I knew lead singer and frontman Robert Smith’s rich voice had survived the effects of aging and a nearly 50-year career. However, the last four albums released by The Cure were inconsistent in quality and sound, and they largely failed to live up to the high standards set by the consecutive releases of Disintegration (1989) and Wish (1992).
