Customer Reviews

Bloodflowers

5 star:		(163)
4 star:		(64)
3 star:		(23)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

An album of great depth and commendable sound, Bloodflowers swirls with mid-to-slow songs (completely lacking the fast, obvious singles that Wish gave us) and is a return to the Cure's dark side. The album is cut from the same mold as Disintegration and Faith, though it is not a re-make by any means, and bears a hint of the mood of Seventeen Seconds. For WMS fans, think Treasure, Want, Numb, and Bare mixed-up with a splash of Jupiter Crash for lyric-mood, though Bloodflowers as a whole is not as diverse in mood, sound, or style as WMS was. "There is no if" is probably the album's most beautiful love song, while "39" and others express Robert's ever-present phobia of losing his touch. If you are looking for cheerful pop songs, try Japanese Whispers or The Head on the Door instead; this recording is for those who find beauty in the bleak, depth in philosophical ponderings, and appreciation in honestly-expressed emotion. As always, Robert's lyrics are among the best in the business, and the more one listens to Bloodflowers, the more one will appreciate its brilliance.

sometimes i think to myself, "shouldn't i have outgrown the cure?" being in high school in the mid-80's, the cure and the smiths and depeche mode were everything. it was all so cool. but gosh i'm almost 30 now - you'd think the cure would be faded adolescent memories. well, with a great set of tunes like bloodflowers, i realize i could never tire of the poetry of robert smith. i've read a few reviews which tag this album as "the logical follow up to disentegration" - and i agree...it is. the mood, the dense atmosphere, is very disentegration. the two main differences that help the albums compliment each other rather than making the new one sound like rehash is that this album is even less pop - there's no "love song" (i remember feeling back then that robert had really sold out with that tune), no "pictures of you", or "lullaby". and that's not a bad thing - my favorite cure had absolutely no radio potential. the other noticable difference is that bloodflowers is very concise...very direct. disentegration was much more meandering and sometimes overly poetic. the four stars - because there will never be another faith or pornography (actually my favorite cure is from the out of print "cure in orange" concert movie). this is definitely their best music since 1989 but nothing compared to the old classic stuff.

While many reviewers have compared this album to the Cure's classic '89 album "Disintegration" (which is, to my mind, the Cure's seminal work), I have a hard time understanding such comparisons. "Bloodflowers" is indeed a dark album -- but so is the majority of the Cure's work, save the awful "Wild Mood Swings" and some cuts from "Wish." The Cure's latest features most prominently layers and layers of harsh, ugly and highly intense guitar riffs. Sure, the classic cure melodic style is mixed in, but at least half of the songs on this disc are brutal, cutting tunes. (Watching me Fall; 39; Bloodflowers; Maybe Someday -- though this one mixes in a certain pop element as well). These tracks, to my mind, are quite reminiscent of the louder tracks from "Wish." They are also, save track 4, *very* effective. The remainder of the songs feature a blend of softer percussion with Robert's now-classic simple, emotional guitar melodies. Each one is really quite beautiful, with somber lyrics that have really touched me (particularly "The Loudest Sound" and "There is no if..") There is not a weak song on this album, save perhaps "Maybe Someday." The other eight are thickly layered, raw, and highly emotional. Personally, I would have liked to hear more keyboards on this disc; as it is, they are merely a background element (another factor distinguishing this album from "Disintegration," where lush keyboards abound). Ultimatley, a powerful return to form, with a raw edge that really gets beneath the skin.

I've been a fan of the Cure for 15 years, and I can honestly say, that this is one of the best. Thankfully, Robert's redeemed himself after the last album and has returned to his lovely genre of dark beauty. Sounds like it might be the last, I certainly hope not! The Cure is one of the most beautiful and under appreciated talents of our time. Breathtaking.

A new Cure album is always cause for celebration, and "Bloodflowers" is no exception. A very concise, strong set of songs, moody, textual and lyrically brilliant! Not as good as "Disintegration" but better than either of the two 90's Cure studio discs. "Where the Birds Always Sing" is one of the more beautiful Cure songs, while "Watching Me Fall" and "Bloodflowers" are brilliant epics. The Cure definitely has a recognizable sound, but they continue to produce interesting and innovative music! I hope this is not their swan song, but if so, they've left behind quite a legacy. Highly recommended...

Bloodflowers does not seem to be an album meant to be played out in a public place but instead, like all my favorite albums, makes sense when listened to alone, selfishly, where it can be explored by your mind. Indead it is hard to rate with stars from one to five, it is just an album thats on its own level. This opus by Smith and Co. exists on its own terms and is probably more suited to an individual who knows who the cure is. The album is rigid in feeling but what a feeling it is. Seeping with bittersweet melodies from acoustic guitars and keyboards to dread and sadness from harsh basses and calculated drumming, Bloodflowers really never disappoint. Out of this world opens with a slow fade in which sets the album's mood and tone with a somber beat and a heart tugging acoustic strum. Then Robert begins to pour out his heart and with his sad and wonderful voice lets the listener know this will not be an easy listen but somehow needs to hear. This album is very mystical operating on a level that is really hard to compare to other albums that I own and have heard, and I own and have heard A LOT of albums. Bloodflowers is pure feeling, which tries to reach the core of the listen. This is why it is better to hear alone where reflection can occur. When Watching me fall comes in, it is eleven pressured minutes of menacing guitar that sounds harrowing all at once. Robert's voices matches the mood with desperation with an undertone of anger and as the music towers, his bloody-murder wails accent the music which comes crashing down drowning the listen in tension and release. Where the birds always sing moves in with intricate melodies while still having pop sensibility that pushes the album forward and is one of those songs that can be listened to outside the album. It has the great lyric, "the world is neither fair nor unfair" and Robert's sadness continues to move into different forms. Maybe someday is another great stand-alone song that injects a very anti-commercial album just at the right moment to give a focused attitude and deliberate direction creating an anthem-like feel. But not too much because when you think the cure are about to launch into a guitar solo, they do great keyboard washes instead. The last day of summer and there is no if... are the more mood setting pieces that add to the album as a whole. The first is a sad song with sweeping keyboards and a guitar solo that holds it together and the later song is the most experimental with simplistic acoustics and keyboards with a mid-break instrument change up to electric guitars that propels Bloodflowers along to The loudest sound. This song is fabulous with content carnival plinking, moving guitars, and keyboards that can only be described as waves crashes in the universe. It has a grand guitar solo and, as all great songs, climaxes with Robert and the band creating tension at the end. The album then shifts mood to 39 with menacing keyboards, cutting guitars, and dense production as Robert rants and screams with multiple guitar solos creating the feeling of urgent dread. The final epic is Bloodflowers, which starts out with tribal drumming, and a deathly somber Robert singing about the end. The guitars and bass are grim with strain that explode into crashing cymbals and a guitar solo that...I can't even describe. The song is...incredible. What makes this album worth listening to is the fact that it flows and is multifaceted. Each song complements each other, which makes it somewhat easier and more intense to listen to then past cure albums (pornography and disintegration). The overall production is just in your face and can be literally a wall of sound or quiet as a mouse. The album is uncompromising with songs in average length of six minutes creating stirring moods of sadness and desperation rarely captured to audio in such grand artistic fashion. Bloodflowers is another crucial album by THE CURE.

If you have listened to the Cure since the early 80's and been a serious fan, it has been a real treat to see the development of the band's work. Some albums have bordered on legendary (Disintegration, Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me) while other have not been quite as good (Wild Mood Swings). Every great band has had its ups and downs. However, it seems with Bloodflowers, Robert Smith has returned the band to its roots. Namely, beautiful, ethereal melancholy music in which you can lose yourself. This is what the Cure is all about and as long as you can accept that, Bloodflowers has to be considered one of the best pieces of work they have ever done.

"Out of This World", "There is no If", "The Loudest Sound" and "The Last Summer" are bound to become Cure classics and I consider them to be the standouts of the album. They are songs with layers upon layers of elegant sound and lyrics with meaning and thoughtfulness. The rest of the album is equally as good. If it's true that this is their last album, I say to Robert "stop here!" Simply put, Bloodflowers is the Cure.

This CD is no masterpiece by any stretch, but there are several wonderful songs on here that make it worth the price. "Out of this World" is tremendous, with a wonderful and unusual piano solo in the middle that sounds as if one is floating clumsily up to heaven. The lyrics of this song are also very powerful. They remind me of how critical it is to enjoy the love I share with my wife and child now while we are truly "so alive," so that we can look back fondly on these days in our old age. I also find the lyrics intriguing because they suggest Smith might have some belief in reincarnation, despite his generally atheist-existentialist stance.

I also enjoy "The Loudest Sound" for its mood and lyrical beauty, as well as "The Last Day of Summer" and "There is only if" (or something like that). The other songs are, to me, less poignant. I must also admit that I find Smith's frequent use of the words "never", "always", "maybe" and the like on this and other albums to be somewhat tiresome and philosophically undeveloped. Life is neither about "always" or "never." If you think it is, you will undoubtedly meet with disappointment, as Smith's poetic personae seem to time and time again.

In spite of my rantings against excessive negativity, I find this album does not compare to the terribly gloomy and negative--but unbelievably beautiful--Disintegration in terms of its artistry. Very few albums ever will.

I never thought that Robert Smith could top Disentegration, or any of the earlier work. Wild Mood Swings and Wish were good but not as good as the Earlier Stuff. I got this CD on release day and have not stopped listening to it since, the depth of the lyrics and the atmosphere created by his music bring take me back to why I always have liked the Cure. This CD is Vintage. The Trademark layered acoustic and electric Guitars are so beautiful and his words really feel genuine like Robert is sitting next to me and telling me about his life. If you ever liked the Cure please do not miss this. Although the whole CD has a certain atmosphere there is much variety, starting with the soft mood of "Out of this world" and then transitioning to the harder edged "Watching Me Fall" and later with "The Loudest Sound" and "39". I agree with many reviewers here that the title track "Bloodflowers" has to be one of the greatest, most emotional songs I have ever heard. Reflective and Beautiful this song and CD will stay in your head for a long time.

It was with great trepidation that I listened to 'Bloodflowers'. The last couple of Cure albums have not been what I consider their usual high standard. 'Wish' did have some outstanding tracks I admit but it also had some pretty forgettable ones, and as for 'Wild Mood Swings', well, no matter how many times I listen to it I just can't work up any enthusiasm. Thank God 'Bloodflowers' sees the return of classic Cure. The unmistakeable trademark sound of those guitars gives me goosebumps and sends my senses spinning into heaven. Although I think its good for groups to explore different kinds of music there is nothing The Cure do better than songs full of torturous emotion that leaves my spine tingling. Comparisons have been made with 'Disintegration' and 'Pornography' and its easy to see why. Although none of the songs quite grabs me like 'Fascination Street' or 'One Hundred Years' I have a feeling the album will grow on me. Already 'Maybe Sometimes' has been filling up my head since I first heard it, its a fabulous track. This album sees them returning to the great music that I have grown up with. Up until recently there were always tracks that I loved and tracks that I just liked but there were never any that I didn't like. This is the case with 'Bloodflowers'. 'The Last Day of Summer' is beautiful and I can feel the rest of the world disappear when I hear the opening bars of '39'. I'm pretty sure The Cure will carry on for eternity, I hope so anyway, because there is no other group in the world to match them.