I am not a big fan of the popular music of the 1980s. However, the Cure has to be one of my favorite bands of all time. With frontman Robert Smith, the band’s music went through many phases from the dreary, borderline gothic “dark trilogy” of the early 1980s to its poppy phase in the mid-80s to a middle ground in the early-90s. Between the later two phases, we find the album Disintegration, a beautiful work of art.

Disintegration represented a return to the Cure’s “goth” phase from the early-80s with Robert Smith having fallen into a depression not long before the making of the album. The album has songs with somewhat long, yet stunning instrumental openings. Out of all the songs on the album, “Pictures of You” and “Lovesong” are my favorites.

“Pictures of You”, like many songs off of Disintegration, starts with a lengthy slow, instrumental opening. It’s a beautiful one either way. This beauty is amplified by Robert Smith’s unique voice which tells us a tale of love. A happy sadness looms over the song, but it’s a good one. “Lovesong” is similar to “Pictures of You” in this regard, although it is more melancholic in my opinion. The song’s 30 second long instrumental opening sets the stage for Robert Smith to show his love which he does in a beautiful fashion.

Nearly everything about Disintegration is perfect. The production is great, the singing is incredible, and the band was playing better than ever at the time of the recording of Disintegration. It’s a 9/10 and would be a 10 if some of the songs didn’t sound somewhat similar. Check it out. It’s the perfect album to listen to while doing homework on a rainy day.