Robert Smith reveals title of one of two new The Cure records
The "upbeat" album could be out in September
By Joe Goggins
Robert Smith has revealed the title to one of The Cure’s two long-awaited new records.
Speaking to NME at last night’s NME Awards at London’s O2 Brixton Academy, the frontman confirmed that the second of the two albums is done, and will be called ‘Songs of the Lost World’. The record’s artwork and 10-track running order are in place, with a September release date possible – Smith claimed vinyl production backlogs are the only thing holding it back. “I’d rather it just came out,” he said. “I can’t stand the anticipation.”
Smith described ‘Songs of the Lost World’ as “upbeat”, whilst calling the other Cure album – which remains a work-in-progress – “relentless doom and gloom…the doomiest thing we’ve ever done.” That record, Smith said, begins mixing on April 1, “so I’ve got three weeks left” to finish recording four more vocal tracks for the album.
In amongst the two Cure records, Smith revealed he’s also been chipping away at his long-mooted solo album, which he said won’t be out until 2023. “I have to keep revisiting it,” he explained. “It’s a thing I’ve wanted to do for so many years. I realise I’ve only got one shot at doing it, so I’ve now started to add real instruments and acoustic instruments, whereas this time two years ago it was literally just feedback – but I’ve kind of grown a bit disenchanted with it. I’d listened to it like three times and I think it’s rubbish.”
Smith was at the awards to perform a two-song set with CHVRCHES, comprising ‘How Not to Drown’, the track from the Glasgow trio’s fourth album ‘Screen Violence’ on which he collaborated with them last year, and a classic Cure track, ‘Just Like Heaven’. ‘How Not to Drown’ scooped the NME Award for ‘Best Song in the UK’ at the ceremony.
Cure fans will be hoping for new material before the band head out on a mammoth European tour later this year, including their first UK dates since the summer of 2019. They’ll play Belfast, Glasgow, Leeds, Birmingham, Cardiff and London – see the full dates below.
The Cure, December 2022:
2 – Belfast, SSE
4 – Glasgow, OVO Hydro
6 – Leeds, First Direct Arena
7 – Birmingham, Utilita Arena
8 – Cardiff, Motorpoint Arena
11 – London, OVO Wembley Arena
12 – London, OVO Wembley Arena
13 – London, OVO Wembley Arena