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Customer Reviews for 4:13 Dream
4:13 Dream
Model: 1091302
SKU: 9029918
UPC: 602517642256
4:13 Dream
Average Customer Rating:
5.0
out of 5
(4 Reviews) 4
Rating Snapshot 4 reviews
5 stars
4
4 stars
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3 stars
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100% of customers would recommend this product to a friend
(
4 out of
4)
Customer Reviews for 4:13 Dream
Review 1 for 4:13 Dream
Posted by: Kontorted
from Gilbert, AZ
on 10/31/2008
Video Review:
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What's great about it: Robert Smith
What's not so great: Nothing
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This is a great album by the Cure and every ablum by the Cure is great and for them to still be putting out such great music is a gift.
In a world of non talent this is NOT.
This is a great album by the Cure and every ablum by the Cure is great and for them to still be putting out such great music is a gift.
In a world of non talent this is NOT.
I would recommend this to a friend!
-1point
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Review 2 for 4:13 Dream
Their best effort since Disintegration
Customer Rating
5.0
Posted by: rhettb
from Utah
on 07/19/2009
What's great about it: The return of Porl Thompson!
4:13 Dream is easily the best album The Cure has put forth since their 1989 milestone Disintegration. 4:13 Dream is a return to the formula that made the band work throughout the second half of the eighties and early nineties. With the return of Porl Thompson on guitar, the ingredient that had been missing since his departure in 1993 has been restored. After a string of substandard releases spanning over a decade, 4:13 Dream finally sees the Cure return to form from a seemingly endless abyss.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 3 for 4:13 Dream
has it's moments but something is missing
Customer Rating
5.0
If you hated The Cure's 2004 self-titled album, you might like 4:13 Dream more. But I liked the last album, although the grungy sound would have been more timely in 1992. Despite its flaws, I think I listen to it more often than to Wish. I'm less enthusiastic about this album, however.
What's especially noticeable, to me, is the crudeness of the vocals. It's not necessarily that Smith's voice has gotten worse, but it seems that there is much less variety in his performances. He doesn't emote much anymore. In most of these songs, he sort of half-yells, half-recites the lines, and it sounds like he's having a harder time fitting them into the music, like his voice is straining to keep up with the rhythm. For instance, the music in "The Only One" is almost exactly the same as in "High" from Wish (the intro induces serious deja vu), but Smith's vocal is much tighter and catchier on the 1992 album. And since his voice is loud in the mix here (like on the 2004 album), every flaw is made especially apparent. This "loose" feeling doesn't serve The Cure well -- somehow I suspect that this exact same song, with the same words and music, would have sounded a lot better if Smith had sung it ten years ago, with the more disciplined approach he had then.
At the same time, "less catchy" is still pretty catchy, in this case. Even if you only listen to the first thirty seconds of "The Only One," you might not be able to get it out of your head. In fact, you might have a better impression of the song if you only listen to the first thirty seconds. But if you're willing to forgive Smith everything as long as he can still summon some of that addictive pop magic, well, he does enough of that to get off scot-free again.
The band is going for more tonal variety on this album than on the last one. They've done away with the chugging alt-rock guitars. This time, the target seems to be The Head on the Door ("Sleep When I'm Dead" was actually written during those sessions, which may explain why it has the catchiest chorus on the album) or the sunny parts of Wish. But unfortunately, they don't recreate the clean sound of The Head On The Door. For some reason, every Cure album after Disintegration has been plagued by a somewhat muddy production, which blends the instruments together into a formless blur. This style actually worked pretty well in 2004, when the guitars were more aggressive, but it doesn't suit a sunny pop album -- rather, it just makes the songs sound more similar than they really should.
It may also be that the band has become content to sketch out basic "Cure-like" grooves rather than actually writing new hooks. "Underneath The Stars" almost evokes the majesty of "Plainsong" with its expansive sound (it helps that this is one of the few songs on the album where Smith tones down his delivery a little), but this is entirely due to production sleight-of-hand. Recall that "Plainsong" also had a towering guitar line and thunderous percussion to add to the production, which are missing here. None of the songs can compete with "Lullaby" or "Fascination Street" for memorable musical content. I sometimes think that the band's latter-day albums would sound a lot better if Boris Williams were still drumming for them. Jason Cooper is good at playing typical rock patterns, but Williams always had all kinds of original rhythmic fills that were memorable pop hooks in and of themselves. Simon Gallup gets one chance to shine here, on "It's Over," but his bass is quickly overwhelmed by the noisy production.
At least Smith's writing has improved a little. He still relies on rhymes like "head/bed," "cry/die," "please/squeeze," but at least these lyrics are less primitive than on the self-titled album. "The Hungry Ghost" is a critique of consumerism, a favourite topic for aging rock stars, but it's oblique enough to avoid sounding preachy. And there are even times when everything seems to come together almost like in the gloomy old days -- catchy lyrics, a good guitar hook, interplay between instruments... For example, look at the lovely guitar lines in "The Hungry Ghost," or the keyboard/guitar interaction in "The Reasons Why."
It's not such a bad album. Objectively, it's probably better than the previous one, in some ways. But, paradoxically, it's less attention-grabbing, actually harder to listen to. Unlike the self-titled album, which tried to modernize their style, albeit using outdated grunge templates, I just can't see 4:13 Dream attracting a new audience, or even reinvigorating the old one.
I would recommend this to a friend!
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Review 4 for 4:13 Dream
The Cure stays true to their unique sound
Customer Rating
5.0
What's great about it: 13 songs that belong, musicianship, lyrics
What's not so great: no complaints
The Cure have made it clear here with "4:13 Dream", they are keeping their original sense of song structure and unique sound while creating a dynamic and embracing album. The Cure are one of the very few "College" Rock bands to survive mediocrity while still making a strong statement for Alternative Rock & Roll. The Cure, by releasing "4:13 Dream" have convinced me that not only do they belong on the radar, the Alternative Rock genre does as well. All 13 songs flow together well, musically setting a pace of rhythmic tones and beats that will make you feel like you are lost in a fantastic escape. Robert Smith on vocals is as original and entertaining as any vocalist I have ever listened to, simply put, he engages the listener to step into The Cure's music and not just listen but feel the music. Besides his vocals, Robert Smith is as accomplished a musician and lyricist as well. The entire lineup of The Cure should feel they have created a remarkable album here, you will too when you embark your listening senses to "4:13 Dream."
I would recommend this to a friend!
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