Culture

The Cure releases new album one single at a time

by Rob Peters | May 2, 2008 at 11:05 am

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The Cure plan to release their new album by offering a new single each month leading up to the full album release in September.

It's essentially the complete opposite of the Radiohead model--instead of paying what you like for a downloaded album, you pay lots of money for a bunch of hard copies. Not sure how popular a plan this will be, but at least The Cure usually have decent b-sides.

As more and more bands generate buzz, excitement and, in the long run, ideally sales through free online offerings (see: Radiohead, Nine Inch Nails, Portishead, Coldplay), the Cure will be doing the opposite with their yet-to-be-titled new album.

The veteran pop-goth outfit have announced they will be dropping a new single on the 13th of each month until September 13, when the full album hits, hoping fans will go all old school and pony up cold, hard cash for an a-side and one exclusive non-album b-side. After all, all that mascara doesn’t come cheap.

The singles campaign will kick off May 13 with “The Only One,” which includes the b-side “NY Trip.” The second single, due out June 13, pairs the track “Freakshow” with “All Kinds of Stuff.” The July and August singles are to be announced shortly, according to the band’s website.

And if you are wondering why each single is coming out on the 13th of each month, it’s because the forthcoming Cure album is their 13th, says the site. But we like to think old Robert Smith just likes the ominous nature of the number, especially when it comes on a Friday like it does with June’s “Freakshow” single.

In other Cure news, the band will be hitting the road this month and trekking across North America, with three stops in Canada: Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver.