Depeche Mode -- Sounds of the Universe

bahhh come to australia you old bats.

Very, very pleased.

I like that new song, reminds me sonically of MFTM era tracks but I really can't stand to see Dave's stage antics.

That is absolutely fantastic. Oh, I cannot wait for this album.

but I really can't stand to see Dave's stage antics.

B-b-but that's been his schtick for years now.

Love "Wrong" a lot. Utterly familiar-sounding DM, but seems amazingly current.

I was going to say, that's as much part of Depeche live as Fletch standing there doing not much at all.

Meantime a couple of writer friends who have heard the full thing are enthusing, one saying that the album opener in particular is flat out brilliant.

i think this is a great song

wow they are really reaching back, aren't they

I mean, this sounds like a lost A Broken Frame song in a lot of ways.

god damn that is a great song. mlg does it again

Having heard the entire thing, I really dig Gahan's "Hole to Feed" and "Peace," too, among highlights. The album as a whole is definitely a tougher listen than "Angel" - longer, the hooks buried deeper and take more time to reveal themselves - but it also echoes with all sorts of classic pre-"Violator" DM ingredients. Apparently Gore went off the sauce and wrote up a storm for this, and Hillier steps up with more than just an "Angel" retread, production-wise. I wasn't disappointed.

Having heard the entire thing, I really dig Gahan's "Hole to Feed" and "Peace," too, among highlights.

Cool, these are the songs I want to hear the most -- Gahan turning into an ace songwriter has been the best Mode development this decade.

If it is going to be anything like "Playing The Angel", it looks good (although a little less Dynamic Range Compression would be nice). "Playing The Angel" was, after all, the best thing they'd done since "Black Celebration".

― Geir Hongro, Tuesday, October 7, 2008 7:24 PM (4 months ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

^^^ otm

Well, Gahan didn't write "Peace," but melodically there's something going on in the vocal I'm not sure I've heard in Depeche Mode before. The track definitely nods back toward Kraftwerk, too.

The cover I so hated (DM standing, sunglasses on and arms crossed in full I R Serious U Guyz mode in front of some dull globe sculpture, here) has been replaced on Amazon with this (link instead of embed because Amazon have decided to be dicks and start covering their images with big transparent squares called "cover.gif" and I'm too lazy to sort through the source code). It's an improvement, I guess!

Oh, and "Wrong" is fantastic now that I can finally get it to load- can't wait to hear the studio version.

BTW, site mods please feel free to add "Sounds Of The Universe" somewhere in the thread title.

Are any site mods likely to be reading the DM 2009 thread?

Clearly someone is.

Anyway, fuck knows what this is all supposed to mean but, um, yay?:

EMI Music today announced the debut of the first iTunes Pass with groundbreaking electro legends Depeche Mode. With iTunes Pass, music fans can get new and exclusive singles, remixes, video and other content from their favorite artists over a set period of time, delivered to their libraries as soon as they're available.

The first iTunes Pass debuts today in conjunction with Depeche Mode’s forthcoming 12th studio album, “Sounds of the Universe,” to be released on April 21 in the US. Fans who sign up starting today get the alternative/dance pioneers’ new single, “Wrong,” as well as the Black Light Odyssey Dub Remix of the new track “Oh Well.” They will also receive the new album on its street date plus great music and video exclusives before and after the album’s release over the next fifteen weeks. The Depeche Mode iTunes Pass can be purchased starting today for $18.99.

“As we work to better understand music consumers and help create stronger connections between fans and artists, we are pleased to work with Apple and Depeche Mode to kick off iTunes Pass," said Ronn Werre, president, Music Services for EMI Music. "We think it's a great new platform that will change the way artists engage with their audiences and also a powerful new way for us to build value for our artists’ music. And with iTunes Pass, Depeche Mode are once again demonstrating that they are true trailblazers and innovators when it comes to creating amazing music and connecting with their fans."

“iTunes Pass is a great way for artists to give exclusive music and video, on their own schedule, directly to their fans.” said Eddy Cue, Apple’s vice president of Internet Services. “iTunes customers are going to love getting additional content directly from their favorite artists right when they make it available.”

It looks like it means "pay $19 and get all of the music/video associated with this album, including singles/remixes/B-sides".

If it definitely meant *all* of it, great, but "great music and video exclusives before and after the album’s release over the next fifteen weeks" is a touch vague.

Well, they can't let it go on forever, otherwise you're spending $19 to buy all of Depeche Mode's material; no one on the supply side is going to go for that!

4 months of DM shit for $19 is pretty sweet IMO, although I'd consider waiting to see what actually came out for it before buying it.

Yeah, same here. I presume the website will have something more concrete soon.

my wife is a DP freak. i kinda wanted to order her the deluxe box, but she cares more about the central album than the extras, so i pre-ordered the basic version.

"DM" not "DP."

Doom Patrol on the brain again, I guess.

"DP freak" could be misunderstood...

the cover is like shockingly bad imo

it seems like old-ass bands always come with the shitty designs and this vexes me in a way.

hhaha otm - wtf is that cover?

Official video for 'Wrong'

sorry this is somewhat offtopic, but do you guys think the touring the angel cd-dvd-extras live in milan release is search or destroy?

Search. I would have preferred Corbijn filming it, that said it's a stellar performance from a fantastic tour.

holy shit, that video

Pretty much!

thanks ned. i think it would be cool if they did an abridged box for this new release. i quite like the album + documentary thing.

Why the fuck dont they ever tour australia on their "world tours", ^$%#$% they havent toured here since Violator :(

that video is uh, wrong

Is the Playing the Angel audio any good on anything other than the vinyl version?

The 5:1 version sounds quite nice. Of course it is another mix, so you cannot quite compare, really.

"Wrong" sounds OK. Cool synth sounds. Not too keen on the "rawness", but I have become used to DM often releasing a "raw" initial single off their albums now.

Yeah because "Precious" and "Dream On" were all about raw unbridled intensity.

There are exceptions, sure.

In the case of "Dream On", it was very representative of the entire album. Yes, I am aware it did have "The Dead Of Night" in there, but generally it was the most musically relaxed and almost "ambient" Depeche album ever.

The new single "Wrong" doesn't appeal to me in the least -- why you guys are saying this holds a candle to anything on Black Celebration or Music for the Masses I've no idea. Also the video is pretty flat out fucked up, but at least interesting to experience once... unlike the song playing over it.

I'm still very much looking forward to the album, mind.

Yeah thats one weird clip.

My editor at the paper on Twitter, an hour ago:

"Having to print off, sign and post an agreement not to 'share' the latest Depeche Mode album before it's sent for review purposes. Oh EMI... "

(I might get him to hum it to me down the phone.)

why you guys are saying this holds a candle to anything on Black Celebration or Music for the Masses I've no idea.

Because it's great?

:-D

Yeh: what Ned said, basically.

I have often disliked the first single off their albums. I don't this time and, well, I guess I haven't since "Barrel Of a Gun" (which I later learned to love), but I still consider "I Feel You", "Never Let Me Down Again" and even "Personal Jesus" among the weaker tracks on their respective albums.

"Never Let Me Down Again" would never appeal to you because the entire point of the song is the construction of the chord progression around the pedal point in the vocal line, an idea that basically is the Antichrist in your world of musical expression.

Bouncing baby Dan.

And you're right about "In Chains" of course.

Corrupt (from Sounds of the Universe) lives in my mind constantly.

I can't help thinking of Personal Jesus with that track. Something about the synth loop.