I’ve been a Depeche Mode fan since I was a kid. It was my gateway band to bigger and better things, but I’ve always had a soft spot in my heart for it, even for the not-so-great albums (like the past decade’s worth). Well, 2005’s Playing the Angel wasn’t all bad. “Precious” was a good single, if entirely self-derivative of the Violator sound. So, I greet each new DM album with the same ho-hum attitude, hoping that this time it will, perhaps, be better. They haven’t angered me to the point that The Cure has with its relentlessly repetitive formula and increasingly awful lyrical insipidness (not to mention shameful collaborations), where I refuse to pay attention anymore. I think the problem is I’m not 15 anymore, and what originally appealed to me about Depeche Mode doesn’t register the same way. Yet, I’m tied to them by some subconsciously nostalgic grip. I’m still reverent towards the early albums, and I still love Dave Gahan’s voice. I just don’t drop everything and rush to the record store on release day, which turns out to be April 21, 2009 for DM’s 12th studio album, Sounds of the Universe. Terrible title. Not a good sign. Still, I’m open to be impressed. The first single, “Wrong” (much better title), is out two weeks prior on April 6th.
Tracklist:
In Chains
Hole To Feed
Wrong
Fragile Tension
Little Soul
In Sympathy
Peace
Come Back
Spacewalker
Perfect
Miles Away / The Truth Is
Jezebel
Corrupt
2 responses so far ↓
1 david // Mar 30, 2009 at 4:36 am
dude, i cant blame you.
I think the last really good DM album was Ultra because they collaborated w/other outside artists in the studio, like Jaki from Can. This really helped fill the void of not having Alan Wilder and Flood.
I must say, I listened to the Depeche Mode album ‘SOTU’, and it sounded really terrible. That’s hard for me to say.
It was even worse than Exciter, if you can believe that. The album is filled with a bunch of synth blip sounds throughout, almost like they were trying to copy Trent Reznor(Ghosts/Year Zero).
What is actually suprising is that Dave’s songs are better than Martin’s songs. All and all, the album seems to be underproduced in a bad way.
I think this is probably going to be the end for DM, that’s really hard for me to say, I own all the albums and have been a huge fan.
Don’t buy the Deluxe Edition crap, it wont be money well spent. But I would like to hear the old demo’s featured on there.
I guess we can only hope that there will be some nice songs coming out after this album since they have a lot of songs left over.
2 Sally // Dec 31, 2009 at 1:53 am
I’ve been a die hard Depeche Mode fan for years and I have to say that I was very disappointed with this album.
Most of the songs had a very “new age” sound to them – there was very little of the trade mark Depeche Mode sound which is what I feel (just a personal opinion) set them aside from the rest. The one song that I do enjoy from a music point of view is Peace – pity about the lyrics though.
To be juvenile about it – Yuck! I have to agree with Dave – they’re going to have to step it up a notch and go back to basics with any future ablums they release otherwise it’ll be RIP.