How long has it been since The Cure released new music? The last time we had fresh tunes from the goth rock godheads President Biden was just about to begin his first stint… as Vice President. So, a lifetime.
But fans of the long-running Robert Smith-fronted grand ministers of mope took heart this week when a small tweak to the band’s social media feeds renewed hope that the long-awaited follow-up to 2008’s 4:13 Dream album could be inching closer to reality. Eagle-eyed followers noted that the band swapped out their official logo for a new one featuring their name in white inside a black circle.
It was a small change, but when you’ve been waiting this long, anything feels just like manna from heaven. Take a peek at the comments on the Cure’s official Facebook page reacting to the tiny tweak for evidence. “A sign of things to come!!!!,” wrote one fan, accompanied by other excited reactions, including: “Here we go folks!,” “Come on, new album. I want to hear the studio version of those new songs you played in Leeds 2022,” “Album announcement? [prayer hands, black heart emoji],” “Please be planning on a tour, I got into your music this year and you’re already one of my top 5 favorite bands,” “Wrap it up & ship it out!” and “Please be real.”
Though there was no official announcement about the Cure’s 14th studio album at press time, the logo update had followers excited that the LP they’ve been waiting for — reportedly titled Songs of a Lost World — could be on the horizon. The comment referring to Leeds referenced the time two years ago when the group debuted three new songs on tour, “A Fragile Thing,” “I Can Never Say Goodbye” and “Another Happy Birthday.”
Their hopes were further boosted when guitarist Reeves Gabrels posted the new logo on his Instagram, with a reminder to go to the Cure’s official website to sign up for news, with the caption featuring the hashtag #songsofalostworld.
In the meantime, fans will have to make do with the upcoming release of live versions of two of those new songs on the live 12″ Novembre: Live in France 2022, due out on Oct. 1. The double A-side 12″ LP will have in concert versions of “And Nothing Is Forever” and “I Can Never Say Goodbye,” pressed on Eco-vinyl through Naked Record Club, with net profits headed to Brian Eno’s Earth Percent climate charity. Dreamy ballad “And Nothing Is Forever” was recorded at Montpellier Sud de France Arena on Nov. 8, 2022, while “I Never Can Say Goodbye” was laid down in Toulouse at Zénith on Nov. 13, 2022 on the French leg of the group’s 2022 Shows of a Lost World tour.
Longtime keyboardist Roger O’Donnell recently revealed that he was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive form of lymphoma in Sept. 2023. “In September last year I was diagnosed with a very rare and aggressive form of lymphoma. I had ignored the symptoms for a few months but finally went, and after surgery, the result of the biopsy was devastating,” O’Donnell wrote on X as part of Blood Cancer Awareness Month in a bid to urge fans to prioritize their health and get tested early.