If you are a tried-and-true Cure fan, you will undoubtedly like "Disintegration." If you're not, it will take some getting used to. But that doesn't mean you won't end up liking it.

The most conspicuous aspect of the Cure's "Disintegration" is its length. The CD is upwards of 72 minutes, with only twelve tracks, which brings the average length of a song to six minutes, a lot longer than almost anything you can find on the radio. And four songs are over seven minutes, including the nine minute marathon, "The Same Deep Water as You."

The Cure is definitely exploring new ground with "Disintegration," but most will find that it is welcome new ground. With the lengthening of its songs, the alternative rock band has been free to dabble in a very capable pool of musical talent. Where it was once felt that Robert Smith's unforgettable vocals carried the group's success, The Cure now shows us the extent of its instrumental creativity and beauty. For example, "Plainsong," perhaps the strongest of the album's tracks, relies almost solely on its dramatic blend of instruments for its potency. Smith's vocals, which begin only after the song is 2: 36 minutes old, are an afterthought, almost lost completely. But that's okay - the spiritually uplifting clashing of drums and building of music say a lot and say it well.

The upbeat "Love Song," which succeeded on both alternative and pop charts, is the shortest of the bunch at 3: 28, but also one of the strongest. As with "Plainsong," the vagueness of the title adds a sort of mystical quality to this popular-type dance hit. The strong acoustic guitar at the beginning of "Lullaby," another song with a good deal of radio exposure, starts the song out on the right foot that continues throughout. Smith's haunting whispering complements the interesting musical devices to turn "Lullaby" into a major strength of the album. The nostalgic "Pictures of You" is a prime example of The Cure's success with the lengthy song. Smith and his instrumental accompaniment project the romance and feelings of loss over an old girlfriend throughout the entire 7: 24 minutes. With "Fascination Street," the most hard-rocking of the tracks, The Cure also extends its influential fingers to a new audience of fans.

Some tediously long songs ("The Same Deep Water as You" and "Disintegration") do weigh things down, but the album succeeds on the whole. With future musical studies such as this, one of the pioneer alternative bands of the '80s will have no trouble moving into the '90s. n