THE CURE 4.13 DREAM ALBUM GEFFEN, UNIVERSAL RELEASE: OCTOBER 24, 2008 REVIEW: NOVEMBER 18, 2008

At some point one has to just let go of someone or something that is no longer relevant to their life, and so it is that The Cure have become utterly pointless to me in 2008. This is what, album number thirteen by the band and even with Porl Thompson back in the fold all we've been given is a souped up version of the "Wish" era with some hideous throwbacks to "Wild Mood Swings" chucked in for good measure.

How many chances has this band had to end on a high note? It's no ordinary feat to put out not one, not two, but three sayonaras all of which are stellar. I am of course speaking of "Pornography", "Disintegration" and "Bloodflowers".  1982, 1989 and 2000 respectively. It's no accident that the good Mr. Smith put out that trilogy on DVD. He knows what's up and that is the most angering thing of all. The Cure I have been a follower of since 1984;  for the love of god, who are you guys nowadays?

In this new millennium, The Cure have put out two aimless, inconsistent records which may have expanded their fanbase but for those of us who have been in the trenches this is the straw which breaks the camel's back. Ignore the singles, ignore the clever videos. Even "Wild Mood Swings" had decent B-sides but I just don't know what Bobby and his boys were thinking with this one. I hate to be the one to say but oh well: The Cure's long transitory road to devolved "jam band" has been finalized with "4:13 Dream". This thing is loose, sloppy and jesus christ is Smith out of lyrical topics. Pack it in, before VH1 comes calling.

PETER MARKS