SANTA MONICA, CA. (Cure Official Website) - Look for the 13th studio album by The Cure to arrive in stores today, June 29th. The self-titled CD was produced by Ross Robinson and is receiving raves from the media.
Rolling Stone gave the set a 4 star review, stating, "the new album is their most adventurous and passionate since 'Disintegration,'" while Performing Songwriter says, "Smith seems to have rediscovered his passion as a songwriter and singer, delivering some of his finest work to date."
The New York Post gave the disc 3 1/2 stars, "the Cure has made a terrific collection that establishes the band's place in contemporary rock," and the Newark Star Ledger calls it "manna from goth heaven."
The Cure was recorded at London's Olympic Studios, with Ross Robinson (Korn, At The Drive In, Slipknot) producing and is on Ross Robinson's imprint label, I Am Records, through Geffen Records.
The Cure is currently overseas performing at various European Festivals while fans in the US wait with anticipation for the Curiosa Festival 2004 to arrive stateside next month. The idea for the festival came last fall after The Cure headlined the KROQ Festival. They decided to spend the coming summer touring the USA with bands they enjoy. The Cure put together a wish list and handpicked the lineup for this summer's Curiosa Festival 2004. The main stage will host The Cure, Interpol, The Rapture and Mogwai on all dates. Second stage acts include Thursday, Muse, Cursive, Melissa Auf Der Maur, The Cooper Temple Clause and Head Automatica. Second stage performers will vary per market throughout the tour; log on to https://www.thecure.com/events to see which bands will be performing on each date.
Tickets are already on sale for the Curiosa Festival 2004, which kicks off July 24th in West Palm Beach, Florida and continues through the end of August (see below for dates and cities). The Curiosa Festival 2004 is a bright light in the summer touring schedule. Unlike the unfortunate weak pattern of many tours this summer, Curiosa is selling tickets at a fast pace.
The combination of The Cure's loyal fan base, their new single, anticipation of their album's release and new fans who are being educated to the band by emerging artists who credit The Cure as a major musical influence, have launched this tour with excellent ticket sales and great excitement generated around this touring concept.
The first single, "The End Of The World" is currently at No 22 on the Modern Rock radio chart and climbing fast, and the Floria Sigismondi (Incubus, Bjork, Sigur Ros) directed video can be seen on MTV2, Fuse and VH1. The new self-titled disc will be the band's 13th studio record and their first album of new music since 2000's Bloodflowers.
Led as always by lead singer/guitarist Robert Smith, the Cure line-up since 1994 comprises longtime bass player Simon Gallup, guitarist Perry Bamonte, drummer/percussionist Jason Cooper, and keyboardist Roger O'Donnell.
The Cure first formed in southern England in 1976 as Easy Cure. In 1978 the 'Easy' was dropped, and The Cure was signed to the Fiction label. In May 1979 their debut album Three Imaginary Boys was released to great acclaim.
Other landmark Cure albums include Pornography (1982), The Head on the Door (1985), Kiss Me Kiss Me Kiss Me (1987), Disintegration (1989), Wish (1992), Wild Mood Swings (1996) and the Grammy-nominated Bloodflowers (2000).
Below is a current list of tour dates and venues for the Curiosa Festival 2004:
July 24th, West Palm Beach, FL, Sound Advice Amphitheater
July 25th, Tampa, FLTampa Bay Amphitheatre
July 28th, Nashville, TN, Starwood Amphitheatre
July 29th, Atlanta, GA, HiFi Buys Amphitheatre
July 31st, New York, NY, Randall's Island
August 1st, Camden, NJ, Tweeter Center
August 3rd, Cincinnati, OHRiverbend Music Center
August 4th, Cleveland, OH, Blossom Music Center
August 6th, Columbia, MD, Merriweather Post Pavilion
August 7th, Boston, MA, Tweeter Center for the Performing Arts
August 9th, Toronto, ON, Molson Amphitheatre
August 11th, Detroit, MI, DTE Energy Music Theatre
August 12th, Chicago, IL, Tweeter Center
August 14th, Dallas, TX, Smirnoff Music Centre
August 15th, Houston, TX, Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
August 17th, Denver, CO, Coors Amphitheatre
August 18th, Salt Lake City, UT, USANA Amphitheatre
August 21st, George, WA, Gorge Amphitheatre
August 24th, San Diego, CA, Coors Amphitheatre
August 25th, Phoenix, AZ, Cricket Pavilion
August 27th, Los Angeles, CA,Home Depot Center
August 28th, San Francisco, CASBC Park
August 29th, Sacramento, CAARCO Arena
