It is a different decade, another lineup and the first studio album from The Cure in four years, so singer/songwriter Robert Smith goes for broke -- and succeeds. Not only does he concern himself with something and someone outside himself (surprise) but he zigs and zags away from The Cure's familiar, goth synth-pop flashing Indian sitars and string quartets, calypso grooves and jazz. He sets off with the lush, densely layered Want; there is even a moment for tenderness in Treasure, then he vamps his way, brass section in tow, through the vaguely Caribbean The 13th, (did someone say David Byrne?) swings (OK, almost swings) in the jazzy Gone, and goes downright silly with joy in Mint Car. And, of course, there is the requisite touch of gloom and despair (Numb) and cries about being ``sick of it all'' (Trap). It will be interesting to see how hard-core fans react, but it looks like Wild Mood Swings might solidify The Cure's status as an oxymoron: a popular cult band.

FERNANDO GONZALEZ
Herald Pop Music Critic
GEORGE MICHAEL

There's a lot riding on George Michael's comeback bid. After a six-year absence sparked by his bitter lawsuit against former label Sony, Steven Spielberg, David Geffen and Jeffrey Katzenberg rode to the rescue with a multimillion-dollar buyout of his contract, signing Michael as the flagship artist for their new DreamWorks/SKG.

The oft-delayed Older (in stores Tuesday) is the first release on that new label, and the company has its work cut out for it. Gone are the marketable hip-shaking hooks of the frothy Faith, which sent sales soaring in the late '80s. In their place is a brooding, reflective, older and wiser sound from a songwriter who now sacrifices catchy melodies for mood.

Alternating between light dance grooves (the current single Fastlove with its probing sax, seductive refrain and sample of Patrice Rushen's 1982 hit Forget Me Nots, is a highlight) and primarily cushiony ballads (in the vein of Jesus to a Child), Michael's aim here is to seduce.

Lyrically, Fastlove's plea for a one-night-stand is a tamer rehash of his 1987 hit I Want Your Sex yet sounds controversial in these sexually fearful times. Yet the true adult nature of Older lies in Michael's predominant use of a breathy come-hither voice as he sighs the up-tempo chorus of Spinning the Wheel (a latter-day Bee Gees' sound alike), teases amid a James Bondish aura on the title track, or coos the tender ballad You Have Been Loved. Older works its charms slowly, yet slithers under your skin.

Will it work to sell millions of records? Probably not. But it's a solid step toward maturity.

HOWARD COHEN
Herald Staff Writer
SPIN DOCTORS

After Pocket Full of Kryptonite took off in 1991, the Spin Doctors committed the cardinal sin of believing the group could do no wrong. Arrogance, a careless follow-up (1994's Turn It Upside Down), and sloppy concerts defined the band. When Upside Down bombed, Spin Doctors seemed ready for the has-been bin.

Suitably chastened and with a solid new lead guitarist, the Spin Doctors return Tuesday with a likable third studio CD; a casual effort that, after the debacle of the past, feels refreshing. The CD kicks off with scratchy ragtime piano and a sing-song hook on the title track; it's one of the group's catchiest songs. Throughout, there are musical echoes of drug-era Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and an unnecessary rock jam of K.C. & the Sunshine Band's That's the Way (I Like It) with guest rapper Biz Markie hidden as a bonus cut. Home, with its gimmicky backward-drum sound effect, addresses the band's fall from grace: Came up so fast, gave me the bends / Now I'm staring into a camera lens / From rags to riches and back again.

You've Got to Believe in Something isn't a masterpiece, but the healing has begun.

HOWARD COHEN
SWV

Amid mostly mediocre material there's commercial R&B fare wedding hip-hop beats to soulful vocals, yet the singing is all too often bogged down in overly processed arrangements. Nevertheless, percolating songs such as the rhythmic You're the One (a recent No. 1 R&B hit) or the Sly & the Family Stonelike hook of It's All About U poke through the synthesizers.

HOWARD COHEN

To hear samples of the albums reviewed, call TeleHerald at 373-4636 in Dade, 527-4636 in Broward. Enter category code 2787. You'll hear about 20 seconds of music from each CD.


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