Depeche Mode - Spirit

I am beginning to warm to "Scum"

lol @ this RYM review "both the opener and closer describe this album perfectly"

Scum starts awful but turns into something great

now I'm imagining a Depeche Mode/LCD Soundsystem mashup

(North American) Scum

I still haven't heard this yet (I know, I know!) but I have been working my way up to it by listening to all the albums from Ultra onwards and... y'know, I think both Sounds of the Universe and Delta Machine have some good stuff on 'em, just that both albums are too long. Exciter still mostly bores the tits off me, though.

Listened to this all the way through tonight, while proofreading. I remember how exactly none of the songs went. They really seem to have lost any ability they had to write memorable melodies and choruses. These songs were all about a particular kind of soporific, morose mood, and I feel like all the other post-Violator albums I've heard have been like that, too. I mean, I'm not a fan - I like Masses a lot, Violator slightly less, and don't really care about anything else, but I feel like if the songs were better on the other albums I could care. But they're not, so I don't.

To contrast this (understandable enough) take: I'm on my third listen or so and as I figured, it's both sinking in further and feeling a little more individual and distinct song for song the more I listen. If the exchange has been less immediate out of the gate singalongs in favor of something that seeps into the memory, then weirdly enough I'm not minding at all.

So, I'm halfway through my first listen to this and I'm enjoying this way, way more on the first listen than the previous two. Yes, it's a slow-paced record in places, but I'm enjoying how this record sounds.

You Move is disorienting as hell, btw; whose idea was it to drop a 16th note from third measure of every group of four in the verse?

― Rachel Luther Queen (DJP), Friday, March 17, 2017 7:01 PM (four days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Ha, yes! That one's a Gore/Gahan co-write, I think. I love the feeling of that one!

Basically, I think this album sounds great and both Martin and Dave are performing well, but I think the big difference for me is that lyrically it moves away from themes that were starting to feel like a bit of a crutch by this point and instead explores themes which are far less trodden in DM's discography. It's great to be able to listen to a DM record without thinking "I've heard this before"

Songwriting wise, I've suspected all along that this album is going to be moody and not full of pop bangers, so I'm not disappointed that it's not 12 re-writes of 'Enjoy The Silence', but I am delighted that it's not the consistently mid-paced slog that some reviews/previews painted it as, and there are some uptempo moments. I suspect this record will grow on me further.

Third listen now, and ready to call this their best LP since Playing the Angel...

I still like Sounds of the Universe a lot but it's very uneven in comparison; The beginning rules, the end rules, the middle is enjoyable enough if I make myself listen to it but I almost never want to.

Some interesting technical detail buried in this story (perhaps already linked)

http://consequenceofsound.net/2017/03/depeche-modes-martin-gore-and-andy-fletcher-explain-how-to-save-the-world/

so, there is a special edition with a disc of 'jungle spirit' remixes - '

i am assuming these aren't jungle remixes ?

are they worthy of the extra ££ for the album ?

eh

They aren't bad but I wouldn't call any of them essential.

ahh.
checked the credits via discogs expecting some current remixer names involved with them, but they are all done by the band and someone under the alias matrixxman.

just in case some folks aren't aware.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p04wv8vb/the-6-music-festival-depeche-mode

a couple of songs are available globally here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/events/e368gw/acts/ajbxp6#p04wv8vb

matrixxman (us techno producer / dj) was the programmer on the album.

i must have seen 100 gigs at glasgow barrowlands over the years. the atmosphere there is always famously electric but last night at depeche mode was probably in the top 3 ever. great, great crowd!

Yeah I was duly jealous of friends who attended. And now that includes you!

Nice new interview with Gore here

http://thequietus.com/articles/22177-martin-gore-depeche-mode-interview-2

And I'm rather envious of the people attending these European shows given the opener:

http://matablog.matadorrecords.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/Algiers_DMTour_IG-537x537.jpg

Not really getting the love here for these guys but I totally see why Dave would pick them as openers

Listening to this again after a bit of a break from it and was half-expecting to listen to a couple of tracks and then switch off from it - but no, Spirit has turned out to be a record that I didn't think they had in 'em at this stage of their career: an album that is engaging from start to finish. The relatively trimmed-down length, the change in producer and the change of lyrical approach has worked wonders. It helps that this album feels as though it's about something, and not just an excuse to wheel out the angel/devil/knees/sin/chains etc. cliches again.

And for all my early reservations about the production circa the release of 'Where's The Revolution', headphone listens to Spirit have revealed a production which is far more deeper and layered than it first appears, and a much richer sonic experience than the three Ben Hillier albums.

Extensive new interview with Fletch, worth a read

http://www.theskinny.co.uk/music/interviews/in-mind-body-and-spirit-depeche-mode-fletch-interviewed

Listening to this again after not hearing it for a couple of months and it's still holding up, definitely theiy best album since Playing the Angel, maybe even Ultra ... it's easy to see this one becoming a cult favourite.

it's definitely a subtle album that requires a few listens.
my first impressions was that it was a bit too low key, but after a few listens i now really like that aspect.
oh, and as expected, i love the extra disc remixes.

hope he is OK:

http://micetimes.asia/front-man-depeche-mode-was-hospitalized-on-the-eve-of-concert-in-kiev/

i was going to try and see this upcoming show, but i really couldn't be bothered. don't like the new stuff.

Holy shit! Yeah, hope he's ok...

he is OK (food poisoning):

http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-news-from-elsewhere-40643423

That's two of the last three tours he's been hospitalised on... it makes me wonder just how long Depeche would be willing to go on as a touring unit.

Anyway, the replayability of this record seems to be quite high for me, I burned out on the two records before far quicker.

OK, weeks down the line, at the right volume, in the right mood, this is hitting the spot.

Yay! This has become one of my favourite Depeche Mode albums. For real.

US tour kicking in too. Seems well timed all around.

Was mostly not feeling the show last night. I know they've been in this, er, mode for a while now, but it's just too over the top rock, not helped at all by the fucking drummer, who played like he was being paid by the fill and/or trying out for Tool.

Yeah, that's been a common complaint re: Eigner for years now. There's still folks who'd love them to return to the three keyboards + vocals set-up and get rid of the live drums and guitar, but I don't think they will.

Heard a lot of positive feedback on the US tour so far myself; honestly if anything it sounds like...what they've been generally doing. So, we'll see.

Eigner is there to stay. Dave's been vocal about the fact that he really likes having a live drummer to work with. (If they ever got in a bassist, THEN I'd worry.)

I was at the same show and enjoyed it, but it was my first time seeing live DM in person so I might be biased. I kind of take it for granted that anyone playing large arenas is going to end up with some arena rock conventions.

All credit to the lady behind me who very emotionally sung along to all of Martin’s solo vocal moments

(If they ever got in a bassist, THEN I'd worry.)

Peter did play bass for two or three songs!

I know Dave likes Eigner, and I know why they do it, and I know this is how it's been, but having seen a bazillion shows (including DM before) I also know there are different ways to approach arenas or the equivalent and DM has basically taken the laziest route. Bigger. Louder. Less dynamic. As if they're afraid to ever bring things down too much, like they think the fans need all the aggro stuff or they'll turn on them or something. Like, I've seen Sade absolutely kick ass in an arena, if you trust your fans and program a good show, the fans will dig it.

Also, and I say this with love, Martin and Dave could not have given less of a shit about playing "Everything Counts," so why do it at all? If you're going to sleepwalk through a song, that seems an ironic choice.

Peter did play bass for two or three songs!

Ha, well, that much I'll allow -- no more, though.

Hadn't realized "Everything Counts" is back! That's been some years -- though it is...appropriate to the times.

The transformation from a Einsturzende Neubauten and Fad Gadget-loving European electronic band to a Mumford & Sons-loving American blues band has been quite something.

This thread revival has got me listening to Spirit again and it's continuing to hit the spot... I fucking love 'Scum' and 'You Move' ...

get this mumford shit off the thread

martin's blues interests have expanded but there are more industrial/techno bits he's skimmed off his side projects and listening interests in there too

Gahan's the one that likes Mumford & Sons.

Depeche Mode did a track 34 years ago called 'Pipeline' which I would describe as "none more industrial" in the "old skool" sense. They also did a track 25 years ago called 'Rush' which could have fit snugly on Pretty Hate Machine. Both are more exciting than anything on Delta Machine.