Reborn? Reinvented? Refreshing? No way

Anticipating the Cure's self-titled new release, the first original composition since 2000's Bloodflowers, which vocalist/guitarist Robert Smith insisted at the time was the finale of the band's arduous 25-year musical journey, I found much more disappointment that excitement at the uninventive 11-song album.\nHaving recorded the album live, with each of the band's members facing each other in a circle, The Cure makes for an atmospheric, moody album not unlike previous Cure releases. However, after the band seemingly "broke up" and then reappeared recently with a three album contract with Geffen Records, this die-hard Cure fan was hoping for some reinvented, reborn sounds -- not the same old Smith and crew that post-punkers have always admired.\nAlthough, for those afraid of change and growth, this album may suit you well, as it sounds similar to every other Cure album, with only one track worth purchasing as a single.\n"Anniversary," track five, hit me hard when I first heard it. The fragile emotional state of Smith as he sings his lament to another love lost proves that the Cure is still untouchable in many respects. Smith will always be one of the best goth/dark wave/'80s indie "pop" figureheads. He gets his messages across with simple lyrics and aching, groove-heavy music that a listener can examine from every angle and still find a new way to interpret each song.\nWith an album cover comprised of childlike artwork by Smith's nieces and nephews, the Cure's first full-length since its hiatus and 2001's Greatest Hits cuts through the bullshit and delves beneath our insecurities and vulnerabilities. The album touches upon various emotional states and, in songs like "Alt. End," leaves curiosity in the listeners' minds. Is Smith confronting his fans in this song? Is The Cure meant to lay down a new breeding ground for Cureheads? Well, the band tried, and succeeded in that it didn't end its journey entirely.\nThe Cure proves that if something's not broke, don't fix it. However, sometimes music and people need to search within themselves and dig a bit deeper to unleash the true potential that lies inside.