An uncurable Cure

Of course, The Cure's music is also a far cry from the alternative rock of 2008. In every way that alt-rock bands today are self-conscious and ironic, The Cure were shamelessly melodramatic and theatrical. Just give landmark albums like "Pornography" or "Disintegration" a spin, and you'll see what I mean. With their bleak soundscapes and jagged, off-kilter pop hooks, it's easy to see why the band is credited with the creation of "mope rock." These early Cure records are brilliant, but again I emphasize: They are dated, artifacts of another time, chock full of drum machines and synthesizers. It is likely that sense of history - and ensuing mystery - that has turned the band into such a cult phenomenon in recent years.

Like a surprising number of '80s bands, however, The Cure are still together, still touring and still releasing albums. Though the '90s and '00s have seen a dramatic decline in the band's commercial appeal — its last hit single came out in 1992 - it has churned out albums at an alarming rate and doesn't seem to be showing any signs of slowing down. Judging by their latest album, "4:13 Dream," however, The Cure are still living in the past, desperate to recreate a heyday that's long, long gone. All the ingredients of their classic records are in place in scarily textbook fashion - from Smith's shrill, strangulated vocals to his mopey, melancholic lyrics - but it's carried off with little of the verve and pizzazz that made the band such a sensation 25 years ago.

The muddy, murky production is a large part of the problem, with everything mixed in at roughly the same level so that nothing stands out. Bass and guitar lines blur into a kind of relentless, anonymous white noise, and even Smith's singing is often hopelessly low in the mix, fighting to be heard above the endless engine chug of the instruments. The second half of "4:13 Dream" is largely lost because of this; "It's Over" and "The Hungry Ghost" boast two of the strongest melodies on the album, but they're hard to hear amid the clamorous squall of wah-wah pedals and swishing sound effects. It's clear the band is aiming for the dense, oppressive soundscapes that made its '80s albums such captivating listens, but it wildly misses the mark: This isn't engrossing, it's monotonous.

It doesn't help that the songwriting isn't up to scratch, either. Where are the delicious pop hooks of old? The catchy choruses? The swooning melodies? The answer is far, far away. "The Scream" is painfully tuneless and pedestrian, the ultimate filler track. The same goes for "Switch," instantly forgettable despite Smith's enthusiastic, lip-smacking vocal performance. Even "The Perfect Boy" disappoints on its early promise: An immediately memorable opening verse tumbles into a slumming, aimless mess of a chorus, repeated ad infinitum.

Don't walk away with the impression that "4:13 Dream" is a complete washout, though. Even if the killer-to-filler ratio is wildly disproportionate - like a dispiriting number of albums these days - there are at least three tracks here well worth nabbing. Single "The Only One" is a charming little jangle-pop number, a worthy successor to older Cure hits like "In Between Days" and "Love Song." "Freakshow" is also good fun, an up-tempo, cowbell-driven rocker with an infectious tango rhythm.

Still, they're both small fry compared to the triumphant opener "Underneath The Stars," an epic, near-seven-minute swell of stuttered drums, shimmering guitars and muffled vocals. With shadings of Explosions in the Sky and My Bloody Valentine, it's the most bracingly contemporary track on the album and sets up real false hopes considering most of "4:13 Dream" is so tragically backward-looking. In every way that "Underneath The Stars" is subtle and mature, the rest of the album is rushed and off-the-cuff; it's as if the band spent two months in the studio working on the first track and then two days frantically recording the rest. Baffling as it is, "4:13 Dream" at least proves that The Cure aren't totally over-the-hill: If they stop living in the past and tighten up their songwriting, these four 50-year-old Goth rockers might be worth looking out for. As it stands, though, "4:13 Dream" is for die-hard fans only.

2 out of 5

Pros: Three strong tracks; "Underneath The Stars" is particularly encouraging, a far cry from the snappy pop gems that made the band's name.

Cons: Pretty much everything else: sloppy production, mediocre songwriting and a pervading sense of been there, done that. Go buy one of the band's '80s albums instead.