Bloodflowers

by

The Cure

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An album of great depth and commendable sound, Bloodflowers swirls with mid-to-slow songs (completely lacking the fast, obvious singles that Wish gave us) and is a return to the Cure's dark side. The album is cut from the same mold as Disintegration and Faith, though it is not a re-make by any means, and bears a hint of the mood of Seventeen Seconds. For WMS fans, think Treasure, Want, Numb, and Bare mixed-up with a splash of Jupiter Crash for lyric-mood, though Bloodflowers as a whole is not as diverse in mood, sound, or style as WMS was. "There is no if" is probably the album's most beautiful love song, while "39" and others express Robert's ever-present phobia of losing his touch. If you are looking for cheerful pop songs, try Japanese Whispers or The Head on the Door instead; this recording is for those who find beauty in the bleak, depth in philosophical ponderings, and appreciation in honestly-expressed emotion. As always, Robert's lyrics are among the best in the business, and the more one listens to Bloodflowers, the more one will appreciate its brilliance.

This CD is no masterpiece by any stretch, but there are several wonderful songs on here that make it worth the price. "Out of this World" is tremendous, with a wonderful and unusual piano solo in the middle that sounds as if one is floating clumsily up to heaven. The lyrics of this song are also very powerful. They remind me of how critical it is to enjoy the love I share with my wife and child now while we are truly "so alive," so that we can look back fondly on these days in our old age. I also find the lyrics intriguing because they suggest Smith might have some belief in reincarnation, despite his generally atheist-existentialist stance.

I also enjoy "The Loudest Sound" for its mood and lyrical beauty, as well as "The Last Day of Summer" and "There is only if" (or something like that). The other songs are, to me, less poignant. I must also admit that I find Smith's frequent use of the words "never", "always", "maybe" and the like on this and other albums to be somewhat tiresome and philosophically undeveloped. Life is neither about "always" or "never." If you think it is, you will undoubtedly meet with disappointment, as Smith's poetic personae seem to time and time again.

In spite of my rantings against excessive negativity, I find this album does not compare to the terribly gloomy and negative--but unbelievably beautiful--Disintegration in terms of its artistry. Very few albums ever will.