Originally released : February 15, 2000
Originally purchased : February 15, 2000
Let me start out by saying that even though the above line states I originally purchased Bloodflowers in February of 2000, the key word is purchased. Thanks to a co-worker of mine who was infinitely more computer literate than myself, I actually acquired a copy of Bloodflowers more than a month prior to the actual release. Ah, life in the Napster days. But do not despair, Lars Ulrich. On top of my "illegal" copy, I purchased not one, but two copies of the album on the day of release. One cd copy and one cassette copy. (my car did not have cd capability at that time) But this was evidence of just how amazing the internet was. First, in December 1999 a Cure fan website I frequented (and still do to this day) posted audio from a French radio show that debuted two songs from the upcoming Cure album. "Out Of This World" and "Maybe Someday" and they were fantastic. I wanted to know how I could get copies of them. I spoke to my co-worker about it, and he supplied me with the entire album a month early! And considering what a disappointment the Cure's previous effort was (1996's Wild Mood Swings) hearing those first two tracks on that website filled me with hope that the new album would be a return to form.
Anyone familiar with how the Cure operates knows that the band will do a "dark" album followed by a few poppier albums. Despite most of their catalogue consisting mainly of more pop oriented material, the Cure would always be pigeonholed as a gothic band. This is thanks to their early albums Seventeen Seconds (1980) and Faith (1981), followed up by Pornography (1982) which would eventually be considered the first album in Robert Smith's "dark trilogy" also consisting of Disintegration (1989) and finally in 2000, Bloodflowers. Now since this darker material tends to be my preference as far as the Cure goes, I was really, really excited about this album releasing. Having this bootlegged copy a month early was so very thrilling for me. I found the album to be very heavy, very dark and ultimately very satisfying. It had several stand out tracks, and through attending two Cure concerts that year I saw the songs worked live as well. And although I enjoyed the album thoroughly, at the time I just didn't feel that it stood up as well as the older "dark" albums. But when you're being held up to such classic albums as Faith, Pornography and Disintegration, that sort of disappointment was to be expected.
So it was sort of an epiphany when recently I decided to return to my Cure roots and listen exclusively to their music album by album. Eventually I got to Bloodflowers. My goal was to listen to all nine songs without any temptation to skip tracks. I wanted to really hear the album not as a collection of individual songs, but as a whole. I wanted to see if it had echoes of that dark energy of those other "trilogy" albums. What I found was an album that not only has stood the test of time, but is indeed worth of being placed next to those albums on that dark pedestal. It was an especially comforting rediscovery considering the disaster that was 2008's 4:13 Dream. It was nice to hear a recent Cure album that actually sounded like the Cure. Listening to it ten years later took me right back to that first night in January 2000 when I placed that burned cd-r copy in my cd player. In the dark...
An eerie sound builds from the depths. Keyboards? Percussion? It has your attention and then the first guitar chord comes crashing through. You've just heard the first note from "Out Of This World." As would be expected from any Cure album opener, the intro is quite long. It is more than two minutes in before we are graced with any words. No problem, as the song is quite a soothing mix of soft drums, acoustic guitar, sparse keyboards, and Robert Smith's signature picked electric guitar phrasings. When the words do come, they are full of imagery and soft with despair. It's difficult to tell if he his referencing a former romantic partner or maybe a hint of infidelity. (I always opted for the latter, personally, but that's not worth discussing.)
"I know we have to go, I realize/We only get to stay so long/Always have to go back to real lives/Where we belong"
And later,
"But real lives are the reason why/We want to live another life"
Maybe I'm wrong, but that was always the impression I got from the words.
Keyboardist Roger O'Donnell then makes his impression felt as the song heads into a long instrumental passage in the middle with a slightly out of place ascending part that leaves you surprised that it ended on the proper note. After a few listenings it fits, but at first it feels like it doesn't belong. His piano mixes with Robert's guitar during this break and it is simply beautiful. The nice thing about "Out Of This World" is that it never builds too much and never sinks too low. His voice never climbs much higher than a low whisper. It is consistent throughout, and ends with a nice musical variation in the verse. The song's ending, more abrupt than the beginning, definitely sets a mood. One of the Cure's finest album openers.
"Watching Me Fall" is over eleven minutes long. To say you'd have to be a die hard Cure fan to endure it all would be an understatement. Having said that, it is a standout track, in my opinion. Slow paced, yet aggressive, again we are faced with an extended intro. The guitars have a little more punch, and it builds and finally plateaus as it heads into the first verse. Each line is sung very slow and deliberate, and the content, while extremely vivid, can probably be interpreted many different ways. He has no problem painting the setting.
"There's a thin white cold new moon/And the snow is coming down/And the neon bright Tokyo lights/Flicker through the crowd"
You get a shiver just listening to the imagery. Then there's stuff about a bedroom, a woman, sucking, swallowing, etc. Mostly we get an idea of what the room looks like.
"The room is small/The room is bright/Her hair is black/The bed is white"
Quite vivid, yet vague in a Robert Smith way. The length of the song doesn't help. The verses build in intensity and explode during the choruses before settling back down. Though each listener should develop their own interpretation, I would say the passion expressed in the words leaves you exhausted.
This indeed is one of my favorite tracks on the album. There is a lot to examine both musically and lyrically, only if you can get past the fact that it is over eleven minutes long.
"Where The Birds Always Sing" is the first song that feels like a "classic" Cure song. If the track had a faster tempo, it could have fit onto Wish. It begins with percussion before the guitars come crashing through, joined by drums, settling into the main refrain. Here, drummer Jason Cooper is doing his best Boris Williams (previous Cure drummer) impersonation in what I think is some of his best drumming. Again with the minute-plus intro before we hear any words. The lyrics always sounded to me like Robert Smith's take on how humanity views its own mortality, and how people are always looking for meaning in life's traverses. The first verse lays it out pretty straightforward, in my view.
"The world is neither fair nor unfair/The idea is just a way for us to understand/But the world is neither fair nor unfair/So one survives/The others die/And you always want a reason why"
Musically, the song sticks to the same template. Pretty much repeating the verses, revealing no discernable chorus. There is a standout guitar solo, typical Robert Smith fare, short, but very pleasing to the ears. It fits the song perfectly. Once we move past the solo, the theme of mortality seems to sustain, culminating in this amazing verse which reflects how we all want that perfect world.
"You want everything/Another world/Where the birds always sing/Another world/Where the sun always shines/Another world/Where nothing ever dies"
The last line is sung accompanied only by a piano refrain, and the song ends. Overall, I feel it's a pretty heavy piece of music, and as much as I enjoy the first two songs, "Where The Birds Always Sing" is the first time on this record I find myself really feeling it. One thing is certain: The man does like his death imagery.
Next up is what I feel is the standout track on the album, "Maybe Someday." Granted, as pop songs go, it's not "Just Like Heaven" or "Friday I'm In Love," but I've always believed that if it had been given more airplay or promotion, it could have been a successful single, even considering the awful musical climate circa 2000. (I'm looking at you, Fred Durst) A strong guitar riff and piano make up the intro followed by drums before bassist Simon Gallup enters the fray, giving one of his finest performances on the album. (this of course, coming from a bass player, myself) Lyrically, and I love this song, it just sounds like Robert is once again whining about how he wants to end the band. Long time Cure fans have heard this numerous times over the years, but he almost sounds convincing here.
"No I won't do it again/I don't want to pretend/If it can't be like before/I've got to let it end"
and...
"I've got to let it go/And leave it gone/Just walk away/Stop it going on/I get too scared to jump/If I wait too long/But maybe someday"
Blah blah blah... we've heard this all before. It almost sounds like he's looking for someone to say, "Robert, please don't stop the Cure! Please!" like he's hoping to find the affirmation to continue.
As we reach the instrumental break, keyboardist Roger O'Donnell gets a little wild with the organ solo. Again, sort of out of place, but after a few listens it works.
The song's final verse is also the musical climax. Simon's awesome bass playing and Robert's repeated variations of "maybe someday is the end" make you stand up and take notice, and bring this song to a grinding halt. (ha!) And though it seems like I'm really down on this song, I assure you it is worth one's attention. It belongs among the Cure's best individual efforts.
"The Last Day Of Summer" is a bit more mellow and acoustic in feel. When I first heard this song nearly 11 years ago, it felt like filler. Now, as I've said of the other songs, it has a warmth and a charm that makes it stand with the band's finer material. We have the standard long intro (two minutes plus, here) highlighted by a strong guitar solo. All instruments are working well together, and along with the words there is a very introspective vibe. Again, Robert seems to be lamenting being past his prime, but when we hear these words, it makes us want to reflect on our own past.
"It used to be so easy/I never even tried/Yeah it used to be so easy/But the last day of summer/Never felt so cold"
A very beautiful song, and a perfect ending to side one of the album. (applicable only if listening on vinyl or cassette)
Okay, being totally honest, "There Is No If..." repeatedly helped me learn to find the skip button without looking. I thought the song was silly, both lyrically and musically. At just over three minutes, it is by far the shortest offering on the album. Very mellow, acoustic guitar with a spattering of piano, electric guitar and bass with some mild percussion underneath. A pleasant enough piece, but just by hearing the opening lyrics, the impression was made.
"Remember the first time I told you I love you/It was raining hard and you never heard/You sneezed and I had to say it over"
Nice work, Hemingway. Also, the brief moment separating the verses with the feedback sounds awkward. This just sounded like it was put together at the last moment. Nothing here noteworthy at all about this track.
Well, years pass and with a decade of perspective, the song sounds a bit different to my older ears. The lyrics almost sound desperate and sad. Maybe ten years makes a verse like this seem recognizable, as if at some point we've felt this way.
"'If you die' you said/'So do I' you said/But it ends the day you see how it is/There is no always forever/Just this"
If "There Is No If..." is about a feeling that someone you care about is slipping away, it is a perfect introduction to the next track, which is musically sparse, yet sharp. "The Loudest Sound" is full of mournfully performed guitar solos throughout. Very sad sounding throughout. If you've ever been involved with someone that you just couldn't imagine living without, this song will strike a chord deep down inside of you. It is a chilling vision that makes you feel so cold and old beyond your years.
"Side by side in silence/They pass away the day/So comfortable, so habitual/And so nothing left to say"
We have a window into how two people once so happy have grown apart.
"He looks up at the sky/She looks down at the ground"
It ends with an account of what it feels like when the end of the relationship is at hand. That fear that many of us have when things become habit, yet there is an underlying uncomfortable feeling. Literally, nothing left to say.
"Side by side in silence/Without a single word/It's the loudest sound I ever heard"
Maybe it's because I have had more than my fair share of these experiences, but there is something that really makes this song hit home for me. When this song ends, I have to have hope that I will never feel this way. This is one of those songs that will really make an impact. Whether that was Robert's intention or not, it is quite effective.
Next up is "39" which was written by Robert Smith as he approached his 39th birthday. This song has a programmed keyboard track intro which is strongly enhanced by a classic Simon Gallup bassline. I'm serious. I'm talking Pornography era. The first time I heard this song, I had to start it over and turn the volume way up just to feel that bassline. For an album that was supposed to hark back to those "dark" albums, it was about damn time that I got something that made me feel that way. Drums come storming in and away we go. This song is very dark, somewhat angry sounding. Then Robert starts singing, and it's more "pity me I'm getting old and should quit singing" sounding.
"So the fire is almost out and there's nothing left to burn"
Each verse begins with a variation on this lyric. He mentions fire and flames so much, it would embarrass Beavis. It's really unfortunate, because you come away wishing that the song had just been seven minutes of Simon's looping bassline. Once the lyrics begin the song just kind of seems to go nowhere, really. And I say again, as much as I do like this song, it is as a whole one of the weaker selections on the album. Unfortunate, because it begins with such promise.
The album closes with the title track, and press releases around the time the album came out revealed that it was Robert's favorite on the album. It is a good track, but, as the listener, I would disagree with his assessment. The song begins with pounding drums, synth chords and a looping Simon Gallup bassline. Lyrics begin within the first minute, oddly enough, and if you're looking for darkness, you've found it. This has trademark elements of Cure songs. Lots of chorus in the guitar and first person lyrics. The first two verses contradict, with "you" sounding more optimistic in the first, while "I" responds with the pessimistic opposite in the second.
"'This dream never ends' you said/'This feel never goes'/'The time will never come to slip away'"..."'This night never falls again/These flowers will never die'"
"'This dream always ends' I said/'This feeling always goes'/'The time always comes to slip away'"..."'This night always falls again/And these flowers will always die'"
There is quite a dramatic musical build up as we head toward the song's end. The lyrics are contradictory right to the end. If you're familiar with the song "Pornography" then you know that it ends very abruptly. Perhaps a conscious attempt to channel that feeling and sentiment, "Bloodflowers" ends in a similar fashion.
"Never fade/Never die/You give me flowers of love/Always fade/Always die/I let fall flowers of blood"
A screech of guitar feedback, and the song and album have concluded.
So upon further review, Bloodflowers does have a lot of elements that allow it to stand up with those classic dark Cure records of the past. After all, that is the band's intent in claiming to conclude a musical trilogy. Musically, this album is superb. Very moody like those other albums, but a certain maturity there as well. Lyrically, maybe not so much. A lot of the words are beautiful, but there are some repeated themes, such as growing older and burning out, that just don't resonate very well considering that it is more than ten years later and the band has released two further records. In hindsight, this album has more meaning to me now than it did then. And though perhaps it is because I myself was in a dark place in 2000, I find these songs to have gained strength, enough to take me back to that dark place. But then again, isn't that what a good album should do?
*FOOTNOTE* The Japanese release of this album also contains a track called "Coming Up" which was originally slated to be on the North American and European releases, but Robert stated, and I wholeheartedly agree, this song just does not fit with the album. Since I am reviewing the "official" release here, I did not include this song.
No comments:
Post a Comment