Digital Mix/Master of The Cure's "Songs For A Lost World?" is awful?

January 1, 2025 5:55 PM

I recently purchased a digital version of The Cure's "Songs for a Lost World" on Amazon, and was horrified on starting it up. It seemed to be loudness wars x 1000. I am trying to figure out if this is a mistake on their part or actually intended. Curious what others thoughts are on this if they have the digital version, or if non-Amazon digital isn't so... compressed? If anyone has heard anything from the band themselves on this issue?

Please see this Dynamic Range database for a quick example:
https://dr.loudness-war.info/?artist=the+cure&album=

All the "Downloads" are 4-6 ranking (red, e.g. SUPER compressed).
The Vinyl and Cassette seem to have a better range (and BD "Atmos"), but CD and Stereo-HiRes BD also suffer.

I noticed bleep.com did not offer a digital download, and even from the Cure's own site, they had a "digital special edition" for Americans, but no longer offered (odd, I thought). There is no other Digital offering on their site, nor can I easily find a digital download on other sites to try to compare.

I literally had to turn my winamp down to like 1 notch above zero.
My current "solution" is half volume on the PC, half volume on Winamp and apply "ReplayGain" to it. But I'm a bit upset I have to do all this just to make myself not deaf... Sorry for the axe-grind there, but it just blows my mind that it's this bad.

I see a lot of their post-2010 re-releases are also pretty bad at dynamic range. I get that this is now "expected" but I had hoped better from Robert and the gang.

Anyways, any thoughts, or info on whether there is a plan to fix this? I don't see anything obvious, just people on forums complaining. I'm not on Twitter otherwise I'd ping Robert to ask directly.

posted by symbioid to Media & Arts (4 answers total)

A quick google suggests that the deluxe edition came with a Blu-ray that had both the album mix (the one you have, and don't like), and the (less compressed) Atmos mix. This suggests that compression was definitely a deliberate choice by the band/producer, not some sort of error.

On youtube, I found what appear to be stereo mixdowns of the Atmos mix of the album. Maybe you'd prefer those?
posted by kickingtheground at 6:47 PM on January 1

I've only listened in the car to my Qobuz.com 24/96 digital download. I'll check it and confirm for you.
posted by k3ninho at 7:13 AM on January 2

The drums are compressed and gated, and the synths and guitar effects are all at similar levels, but this 24/96 FLAC has space around some of the levels so it's not exhausting to listen to. I think Smith's singing is underneath the instrumentation in a way that's not obscuring it.

Thanks, kickingtheground, I'll look out for that downmix.
posted by k3ninho at 8:13 AM on January 2

Thanks - I'll check out the Atmos mix on Youtube.

I guess I can't be mad at the band after demanding a new album for years. It's still great music. And since I have a "solution" I guess it's fine, a bit worried if I listen on a system that doesn't have replay gain available. Oh and I checked and replaygain applied about -9 db! LOL. In addition to me having to turn it down on the pc and winamp. Maybe this is just how all music is mixed now, since I haven't bought a new album in a few years.

At least we have youtube-dl (and I won't even feel bad since I did buy the album lol)
posted by symbioid at 8:29 AM on January 2