Contact CU Independent Opinion Staff Writer William Witt at william.witt@colorado.edu
When the rain starts to fall, and my thoughts linger in a darker place, Disintegration by the Cure is always playing. Throughout the ’80s, the Cure established themselves as pop icons in the U.K. and the U.S., straying further away from their gothic rock roots with every top-40 hit. By 1988, Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me had achieved universal success and was the epitome of the depression and anguish of lead vocalist and lyricist Robert Smith. He vowed to create a musical masterpiece before the age of 30, and in 1989 (at the age of 29) he completed his dream.
Disintegration represented everything dark and sad in this world. It was dreamy, it was depressing, it would surprise you when you would least expect it, and most importantly, it was honest. Disintegration was the pinnacle of the band’s progression together, and was everything that Smith envisioned. The album is primarily sythnesizer driven, with long guitar progressions and airy backings. The lyrics are full of despair and the unknown; they were an emotional telling of Smith’s inner demons.
“Love Song” became a huge hit in the U.K. and in the U.S., and it ties the entire album together. It’s more pop-based and faster paced, speaking about love rather than sadness. Without that track, the album would be unfinished, and basically a jumble of depression. “Pictures of You” also speaks on love, but is much more like the other songs on the album and is a depressing look on missing someone you loved.
“Lullaby” and “Prayers for Rain” are the darkest songs on the album, using hard guitar progressions and heavier drum beats. These songs truly evoke a feeling of depression and anguish, making the listener feel as if they’re in the setting of an Edgar Allen Poe story. With the whispering of the lyrics on “Lullaby”, the song becomes almost frightening, making you think of the worst nightmares you used to have as a child coming for you while you sleep.
The rest of the songs on the album are long, with a very strong sense of yearning and darkness tied to them. “The Same Deep Water as You” clocks in at just over nine minutes, and may be one of the saddest songs ever written. The album’s opener, “Plainsong”, is the perfect beginning to what lies ahead on the collection, setting the melancholy tone, and with the finishing track “Untitled” revolving around the hardship of not knowing what to say, it brings an ironic feeling to the entire record.
I have always preferred things that are more dark and sinister by nature. I chose the villain in any novel or movie over the hero. Fear is the most fascinating emotion, so when I first heard this album, I was dumbfounded. The entire tracklist is a masterpiece; every song flows in to the next with such ease and fluidity. The whole album is so beautiful and honest, it’s hard not to feel emotional while listening to it. Disintegration is the album that sent me into a frenzy of discovering older music. It was the inspiration for me to pursue a future in writing. Robert Smith has created a timeless, magnificent and dark piece of work with Disintegration. For years to come, the album will continue to inspire and motivate future generations.
