Over the years, those quintessential gloomy gods of post-punk romantic rock The Cure have indulged in quite a bit of experimentation with their sound – a path that diverged farthest with their self-titled 2004 release (produced by heavy metal producer Ross Robinson), which left some longtime fans a little out of whack. But always at the heart of the Cure sound was lead singer Robert Smith's unmistakable lilting croon and that deep, resonant 6-string bass line that sets them apart from just about any other band on the planet. If you've ever doubted the unshakable truth of this, just listen to any half-assed cover act trying in vain to mimic that style, and after your ears stop hemorrhaging you'll remember why no band will ever come close.

Not that The Cure hasn't done their share of riffing on their own past glories, as I've gotten the sense that they've mostly been coasting since 1989's Disintegration, with a couple of unique exceptions – Bloodflowers and Wild Mood Swings had some moments of inspired brilliance, and the aforementioned The Cure was an intriguing metallic misfire – but thankfully successful tours over the past few years have instilled a love for their classic works in a new generation of pale, eyeliner-adorned kids who want to hear more of those beloved '80s-era songs... and maybe that's why they've slid back into that comfortable place again with their new release 4:13 Dream. I like going to that place myself... it feels like a well-worn jacket that might be a decade or two past its prime, but still looks seriously cool.

Deriving its title both from the fact that the band is a four-piece again (original band member Porl Thompson has finally returned to the fold after leaving in '93) and being their 13th full-length album, Dream was promoted heavily starting in May, with the band releasing  a new single or B-side on the 13th of each month. Originally planned as a double album of up to 33 tracks, word has it the concept was scaled back with the gloomier and scarier material mostly removed, and I'd say the lighter, more upbeat material here supports that theory. What remains may resemble some of the band's more commercial material from days past, but it's a nostalgia I was more than happy to roll with.

The CD gets off to a powerful instrumental start with the sweeping, grandiose guitar waves of “Underneath the Stars,” a six-minute overture that segues into a laid-back, reverb-soaked contemplation by Smith, hinting at the relatively sunny path ahead (sunny for The Cure, anyhow). Many of the tracks that follow capture the playful bounce of the band's lighter work (“The Only One” could have passed for a lighter cut from 1992's  Wish), and the peppy alt-rock vibe of tracks like “The Hungry Ghost,” “Sirensong” and “The Reasons Why” is pure cotton candy compared to the heavy, harsh sonic path taken with their last album.

Things do finally take a slightly more aggressive and menacing turn in “The Real Snow White,” with its deep, muscular guitar riffs and Smith's leering chants of “You've got what I want,” and the anguished wails climaxing the appropriately-titled “The Scream.” The slinky beat of “Freakshow,” with Smith adopting a twitching, cranked-up vocal persona, captures some of the raw energy from the Head on the Door period, and “Sleep When I'm Dead” was actually written for that very album. The excellent track “It's Over” is an explosion of passionate anger, with screeching lead guitar and intricately stacked vocals that provides a satisfying final curtain.

These manic cuts aside, the overlying vibe of this album is one of assured calm, with very little of the full-on bipolar explosion that distinguished  their career masterpiece Kiss Me, Kiss Me, Kiss Me – suggesting all the more that this was the lighter side of a double-edged set that never came to pass.

4:13 Dream doesn't necessarily break a lot of new ground for a band whose sound is permanently fused to the '80s alt-culture ethos, but for me, this is basically like coming home again, if only for 53 minutes.