Stains on the Memory

The Cure: Disintegration

Track List:

01 - Plainsong

02 - Pictures of You

03 - Closedown

04 - Lovesong

05 - Last Dance

06 - Lullaby

07 - Fascination Street

08 - Prayers for Rain

09 - The Same Deep Water as You

10 - Disintegration

11 - Homesick

12 - Untitled

I recently received this album in vinyl format, and did not hesitate to throw it in my record player for one second. Few albums have come along that simply blow my mind.  Start to finish, Disintegration is a truly remarkable work of art.  While much of The Cure's other work seems rather poppy and sappy, in a way, Disintegration is nothing of the sort.  During the writing of this album, vocalist Robert Smith became the epitome of the depressed, drug-addled rockstar. Unable to cope with the band's recent popularity and success, along with the stark realization that his thirtieth birthday was nearly upon him, he set out to write what I believe to be is one of The Cure's deepest and darkest releases with intentions to make a work more enduring. A certain presence can be heard, and felt, throughout the entirety of the album. Heartache, addiction, loss of youth, emptiness-- the pure honesty and emotion in Disintegration is almost unmatched by anything else I have listened to over the years. It helped me through the roughest times in my life, and because of that, it will always hold a special place in my heart.

Note: Not to be a hipster, but the brilliance really shines on the album's less popular tracks-- "Disintegration" and "Prayers for Rain" are personally my favorites. I highly recommend listening to them, if nothing else.