Sharas Blog

Every so often, an album will come along that you absolutely must have in your collection. To not own music of this status is a terrible crime and your friends will look at you in disbelief. One such album is ‘Disintegration’ by The Cure; back in the eighties you were a nobody if this was not a part of your record collection.

The overall atmosphere of ‘Disintegration’ is very difficult to describe. It may have the unmistakable voice of Robert Smith and The Cure’s trademark ‘jangling guitar’ sound, but has a different feel to their other albums. It conjures up such a wonderful variety of images and emotions. Beautiful, sad, icy, mellow, angry. All of these words can be attributed to ‘Disintegration’. One moment it is incredibly introspective and the next minute you are in the middle of a not-too-catchy pop number.

The album was one of the band’s most commercially successful and acted as a vehicle for ‘Lovesong’, ‘Lullaby’ and ‘Pictures of You’. These all did really well in the Top 40 and, at the time, it seemed as though everyone loved The Cure.

Before the album was released, Robert Smith teased an interviewer by telling him that ‘Disintegration’ was ‘fun’. When it did come out, one critic famously said that it was ‘as much ‘fun’ as losing a limb’. But do not take this the wrong way; ‘Disintegration’ is by no means a depressing record. The Cure have explored far darker waters than this over the years. It’s just that ‘fun’ is not the best description…

‘Disintegration’ is an amazing album with many amazing songs. For me, stand-out tracks would have to include; ‘Prayers for Rain’ and the sublime, ‘The Same Deep Water as You’. Several years later, Robert Smith said it had been a painful to record ‘Disintegration’ as it was a deeply personal album. When you listen to it you will probably be able to see where he was coming from.

Attention everyone: how does a three valleys ski contest sound to you?? All of you must put your names in, I am convinced we need to to win this for something to do during our next term break!