Photo by Heather Kaplan
Earlier this year, it was reported that The Cure would release a new album, 4:14 Scream, a companion to 2008′s 4:13 Dream. However, in a new interview with XFM, frontman Robert Smith expressed reservations over the project, explaining that the band is in a “weird kind of predicament.”
“I’ve finished singing and mixing an album that was made by a band that no longer exists,” Smith explained, stating that work on a separate record with the band’s current lineup is taking priority. “This band is trying to make an album with this lineup, and it’s an album that I’m tempted to make, that’s really different to anything else we’ve done. So trying to be convinced that I should release what is the second half of an album that effectively came out in 2008, it’s a bit of a sore point, to be honest, amongst this current lineup.”
Smith noted that the album is “not really new,” rather “I just never sang it. I couldn’t be bothered. I didn’t think the words were good enough, but I’ve re-written it.”
If he can be persuaded to release it, Smith said it’ll “probably come out in that summer ‘dead air’ period for albums.” It would likely be released on Fiction Records, which was The Cure’s home home 1978 to 2000.
“It seems like a nice way of squaring the circle,” Smith said of his decision to reunite with Fiction. “It’s an album that is really different to anything else we’ve done. People who want to hear it will hear it and those that don’t, don’t. They’ll just keep dancing to Close To Me and Love Cats.”
“Having said all that… I’ve no idea. I’m very bad at planning long term. I’m at an age where I’m enjoying what I’m doing. I don’t feel such a strong urge to beat people over the head with new stuff.
The Cure are fresh off two epic performances at London’s Royal Albert Hall, where they played massive 45-song setlists comprised of live debuts and rarities. Smith says they’re next scheduled to play Napa Valley’s Bottlerock Music Festival in May, but after that, they probably won’t hit the stage again until September.
Listen to the full interview below.
