4:13 Dream may open with the doomed romanticism of "Underneath theStars," but that slow-crawling mini-epic is a feint, momentarilydisguising how this is the Cure's poppiest album since 1992's Wish.

But despite the preponderance of sprightly tempos and singsong hooks,nothing about 4:13 Dream feels especially light, perhaps because RobertSmith chooses to pair these songs with a heavy dose of angst. On the"The Reasons Why," the catchiest tune here, Smith sings about suicidewith no trace of irony. The pristine production emphasizes Smith'sstylized mannerisms -- nowhere more so than on "The Only One," wherehis caterwauls are clearly articulated. Buried in the back of 4:13Dream are two songs with hooks that nevertheless dig underneath theskin: "The Perfect Boy" and "This. Here and Now. With You."