Depeche Mode -- Delta Machine

I thought both "In Chains" and "Hole To Feed" were great returns to sleaze

Haha

https://twitter.com/EvieN/status/297371189851090944

xpost:

*a=that

it's actually kind of funny, I do enjoy SOTU but I could easily edit it down to a four song EP and be perfectly content ("In Chains", "Hole To Feed", "Wrong", "Corrupt")

Oh yeah, a lot of those things have definitely become lyrical crutches for Martin Gore Trent Reznor Bruce Springsteen a thousand singers.

xpost -- no "Come Back" or "Fragile Tension"?

Never been much of a fan of 'Hole To Feed', although I like those other three you've mentioned, DJP. I also quite like 'Fragile Tension', 'In Sympathy' and 'Perfect', too, although I don't really think they got the best out of the songs, and it would have been interesting to see what they would have sounded like with, say, Tim Simenon producing instead of Ben Hillier. Although, do you think Tim Simenon would work with Depeche Mode again? Those Ultra sessions sounded extremely trying for all involved.

Oh yeah, a lot of those things have definitely become lyrical crutches for Martin Gore Trent Reznor Bruce Springsteen a thousand singers.

― Josh in Chicago, Friday, February 1, 2013 3:55 PM (2 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Sorry Josh, are you implying that Bruce Springsteen's and Martin Gore's lyrical style are in any way alike?

*styles, rather.

"Fragile Tension" and "Come Back" are the second tier; I like both of them a lot but I could live without them if the hypothetical cutoff point is four songs

I really really REALLY love everything about "Hole To Feed"; that syncopated kick drum, the rolling bass line, the burbling synth stabs, the guitar accents, the gorgeous gorgeous bridge, the way it spirals to an end... in so many ways, it's one of the most distinctive songs they've done since forever (I want to maybe go all the way back to "Flexible" to find something that strikes me as equally quirky).

It also helps that the video is deranged.

btw I'm currently listening to SoFaD and the big difference between "Condemnation" and "Get Right With Me" is that I buy into the backup singing on "Get Right With Me"

I think 'Come Back' is well below second tier. Bottom-of-a-6ft.-hole-dug-in-the-floor-of-the-basement tier.

Yeah, I love those backing vocals on 'Get Right With Me'...

"Already told you once..." "TOLD YOU OOOOOOOONCE!"
"Once or twi-ice..." "ONCE OR TWIIIIIIICE!"

But I don't want to get right with him.

xp: ... you've heard gospel choirs before, right?

What does liking the backing vocals on 'Get Right With Me' have to do with whether or not I've heard a gospel choir before? I mean, of course I have, but I don't see what your point is.

Bruce Springsteen and Martin Gore are exactly alike in every regard.

xp Springsteen and Gore both entered the poetry-fridge-magnet phase of lyric-writing a long time ago. In terms of comical obviousness, Working on a Dream was Bruce's Sinner in Me.

Anyway, I was specifically referring to:

Condemnation was the first time I thought, OK, maybe you can stop singing about sin and guilt now, we get it. Little did I know.

Springsteen (and a million others) has the same habit of relegion-crutched vagueness.

What does liking the backing vocals on 'Get Right With Me' have to do with whether or not I've heard a gospel choir before? I mean, of course I have, but I don't see what your point is.

sorry, the ellipses made me think you were being sarcastic!

xpost:

Ah, right... I get what you mean. Completely agree!

sorry, the ellipses made me think you were being sarcastic!

― Ima R.A.E.D. (DJP), Friday, February 1, 2013 4:25 PM (2 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Not at all! The part where the backing vocals kick in on 'Get Right With Me' is my favourite moment of the track!

Actually I think Judas is worse than either of those. They're the three songs that I realise I left out when I ripped the CD. Without them it's a hell of an album.

oh no, the "if you want my love" crescendo is stellar.

and then the little dubby coda

Yeah, I love 'Judas'... very pretty melody, and I love the atmosphere it has. Ledge definitely OTM about the outro!

In fact, the demo of 'Judas' definitely shows how much of a stamp Alan Wilder had on the finished version (which he and Martin Gore legendarily argued over during the Songs Of Faith And Devotion sessions). It's fair to say that if the band had recorded it in the style which is on the demo, I probably wouldn't have liked it very much.

Yeah that's...different:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgCzIOyxGss

The synth horns in particular sound absolutely dreadful.

Figured out what the opening and closing of "Heaven" reminded me of -- the way Massive Attack's "Angel" begins and ends. (Hardly exact, of course, but still...)

This a bit worrying, because I listened to the track several times yesterday, but today I can't remember how it goes. I recall the descending chord progression in the verses, but if you asked me to sing a part of the melody line from memory right now I wouldn't be able to. By comparison, 'Wrong' pretty much embedded itself straight into my brain and wouldn't leave... 'Dream On', too, while I wouldn't consider it to be anywhere near the best of their "first singles", still had that "can you feel a little love?" hook which was instantly memorable for me. It worries me that I'm now going to have to remind myself what Depeche Mode's new single sounds like! :/

after a couple more listens, Heaven sounds like something straight off of 'Dummy' is the trip hop revival finally upon us?

I mentioned Massive Attack for a reason!

^^ I'm not sure I would have noticed that without this thread and Ned's review. It made me appreciate this song about 10x more, upgrading it from "midtempo ballad and not much else" to "groovy and mysterious, possibly a grower".

Looks like a certain person from a certain 101 film doesn't rate it...

http://www.wiretotheear.com/2013/01/30/depeche-mode-heaven/

so what are people saying about the B side? I find it pretty aimless and surprisingly un-DM, but then again DM for me was never a great b side band

From what I'm reading around the internet, folks seem to be generally preferring the B-side!

They have done some sterling B-sides over the years, though... 'Surrender' (which I thought was stronger than the A-side)... 'Dangerous'...

First, if I choose to listen to music I’m going to want a song about love, sex, pain or danger.

You know, I completely missed the B-side! I just now saw it was in a separate package from the remix EP. But at least I can buy it individually so...

More energetic, still understatedly moody, I can see why people like it more on first blush but it's a B-side for sure.

the "heaven" video was shot at the place i'm getting married in like 5 months! not really relevant but i saw the video and freaked out a little bit, because i am a child.

We got some word from the Quietus:

Depeche Mode fans! Just been to listen to new LP Delta Machine! A return to leathery electronics, and you can really hear that Martin Gore's work with VCMG has had a big impact.

Interesting! Maybe the single is a bit of a red herring, then? Nevertheless, it's pretty much a given that I'm going to listen to this record as quickly as I possibly can after it drops.

Huh. I don't get glossy technorobics from "Heaven" at all

I'm hoping that 'Heaven' is a deliberate attempt to wrong-foot everybody :/

Why the hell would the band want to do that?

"Hey guys, I've got a great idea! Let's release a single that might actually lower interest and expectations!"

Because a band at Depeche Mode's level can.

Yeah, that makes a lot of sense.

"We've tried being successful. Now let's try being unsuccessful on purpose!!!!"

You're missing the point, as usual. It has absolutely nothing to do with 'lowering interest/expectations' or being 'unsuccessful on purpose'. I'm thinking more in terms of how 'Barrel Of A Gun' was the first single for Ultra, and how it isn't really the most representative track on the album. I'm hoping that 'Heaven' isn't indicative of the rest of the record - quality wise, production wise, mood wise.

Besides, Depeche Mode are at the stage of their career where they have a very large, fiercely loyal worldwide fanbase - and I don't think they're going to lose that very large, fiercely loyal worldwide fanbase due to one particular single. Usually with Depeche Mode, everyone waits for the album before they make a full judgement, and lo and behold that's exactly what's happening.