SAN JOSE, CALIF. —British Post-Punk band “The Cure” has released their highly anticipated album titled “Songs Of A Lost World” on Nov. 1.

The new album is only eight songs in length making it on the shorter side in their extensive discography. It is their 14th studio album and the first since 2008s “4:13 Dream.” This 16-year hiatus has been the longest break the band has taken in between projects as prior to this the most they had taken was four years. 

In that prolonged period, the band has seen a new generation become fans of them. For all of them, such as the ones who are students here, this is the first time they will be in the know for one of their releases. 

On the other hand, there are also those who have been following the group for years. This includes A.P. art teacher Griselda Lopez who has been a fan since she was 14. Lopez describes the album as the “closest thing to taking you back to 1989.” That year, in particular, is when the band released the critically acclaimed and fan-favorite album “Disintegration.” While self admittedly a bigger fan of their early work, Lopez says the newest release is “comparable to that” in reference to those albums. 

The album itself is in a way a return to form for the group as the sound is more reminiscent of several of their early works that made so many initially fall in love with their music. That is not to say this album is a retread of those projects as it is an evolution and perhaps a mastery of what was initially established by them in those records. 

 It is a very dark and heavy sound aided through the use of distorted guitars, drums and low synthesizers. With lyrics written by frontman Robert Smith that are equally as dispiriting as the music. “I think too much of all to come, of how it will be after I give up,” Smith laments on “All I Ever Am.” Time passing, the loss of it and the inevitable end are themes that reappear all throughout the album. This should come as no surprise to anyone familiar with the band as this bleakness is consistent through a majority of their catalogue. This grim perspective is now further heightened here by the fact that Smith is now in his 60s and all these worries about demise, which may have seemed trivial when coming from a 21 year old, are now as real as they can be.

Compared to the last several albums “The Cure” released, this one is leaps ahead of them. They seem to have been able to turn back the clock and improve with age. Over 14 releases into their discography, they have been able to turn out one of their strongest works as a whole.  The brevity of it, while perhaps disappointing to some, ultimately helps it stay concise and avoid any filler or subpar tracks. That issue was one they had struggled with in their most recent previous outputs, so many of the songs were forgettable and as a unit, the albums were hardly worth a relisten.

Standout tracks include the lead single “Alone,” “And Nothing Is Forever” and the 9 minute closer “Endsong.” However, if anyone is to listen to this album, it should be from front to back and with full attention. It is by no means a collection that is a easy listen nor will it put you in an eager mood, but it will cause you to reflect on your own life just as much as Smith has while creating it and offer a listening experience that is difficult to rival. If a person considers themselves a music lover, they need to listen to this.