A while back The Cure were releasing singles leading up to their new album “4:13 Dream.” Some of these songs were good, but overall they didn’t seem to excite Cure fans as they should have.

Last weekend the band played a free show in Rome, Italy at the Piazza San Giovanni, this was professionally recorded by MTV and is now available on YouTube. Stereogum has embedded all the songs in the correct order for your viewing pleasure.

The new material is definitely more guitar-centric, but I like it a lot. The Cure’s last album, the self-titled 2004 release, was actually one of my favorites.

I liked its stripped down quality and these new songs retain that kind of feel. “Underneath The Stars” is as good as anything The Cure has written in years and “It’s Over” is almost prog-rock. I’m going to be interested in this record when it comes out.

Source.

The Cure have been releasing singles/b-sides leading up to their forthcoming album, set to be released October 13th.

The two newest songs that debuted this Wednesday (August 13th), are both classic Cure. “The Perfect Boy” is pretty poppy but in a good Cure way and actually features sitar. The b-side “Without You” is equally as good, its a little more relaxed sounding, with an easy strumming guitar and Robert Smith’s traditional vocal approach.

There’s really nothing new in the style of these new Cure songs, but the songwriting is great and I guess thats all that really matters. I think fans can probably expect a great new album to be released by the band this October. Follow the source link to listen…

Source.

The Cure has been playing live again recently and releasing new songs as singles. The band is out again pre-promoting the upcoming release of their new album on September 13th.

Now, courtesy of Stereogum, one of the new songs is available for your viewing pleasure via YouTube.

“As far as the singles go, “The Only One” was poppy, lovey, not offensive and “Freakshow” just kinda was. We haven’t heard a recorded version of “A Perfect Boy.” Same goes for new concert opener, “Underneath The Stars,” which is my favorite of the new material: A cascading, spacious, classic-sounding six-minutes-and-change slow builder that would’ve made sense, at least texturally, on Disintegration.”

I have to agree with them here, as this song features that classic Cure guitar work and has the ambiance that made all of their best songs work so well.

Check it out…“Underneath The Stars” live.

Veteran British band The Cure will be releasing its as yet untitled 13th full-length studio album on Septemeber 13th this year. The band also plans to release 4 singles, at a rate of one per month starting May 13th.

“The new album, arriving via Suretone/Geffen, was originally due in early 2007 and then postponed twice, to fall 2007 and spring 2008. It will be the group’s first studio offering since its self-titled 2004 effort.”

“Bandleader Robert Smith told Billboard.com last July that the planned double-disc set would include “songs about relationships, the material world, politics and religion. They’re very upfront and dynamic. People will be surprised how stripped-down and in-your-face the record is.”

The band is also launching an upcoming full US tour with dates already booked.

May 9: Washington, D.C. (Patriot Center)
May 10: Philadelphia, Pa. (Wachovia Spectrum)
May 12: Boston, Mass. (Agganis Arena)
May 14: Montreal, QC (Bell Centre)
May 15: Toronto, ON (Air Canada Centre)
May 17: Chicago, Ill. (Allstate Arena)
May 19: Kansas City, Mo. (Starlight Theatre)
May 21: Denver, Colo. (Red Rocks Amphitheatre)
May 23: Salt Lake City, Utah (E Center)
May 25: George, Wash. (Gorge Amphitheater – Sasquatch Festival)
May 26: Vancouver, BC (General Motors Place)
May 29: Santa Barbara, Calif. (Santa Barbara Bowl)
May 31: Los Angeles, Calif. (Hollywood Bowl)
June 1: Los Angeles, Calif. (Shrine Auditorium)
June 3: San Diego, Calif. (Cox Arena)
June 4: Phoenix, Ariz. (Dodge Theatre)
June 6: Dallas, Texas (American Airlines Center)
June 8: Austin, Texas (Austin Music Hall)
June 9: Houston, Texas (Toyota Center)
June 11: Tampa, Fla. (St. Pete Times Forum)
June 13: Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (Band Atlantic Center)
June 15: Atlanta, Ga. (Gwinnett Center)
June 16: Charlotte, N.C. (Charlotte Bobcats Arena)
June 18: Cleveland, Ohio (Wolstein Center)
June 20: New York, N.Y. (Madison Square Garden)
June 21: New York, N.Y. (Radio City Music Hall)

Source - Billboard.com