Depeche Mode -- Sounds of the Universe

Goddamnit Ned, I'll never get you to pick a least favorite DM album... huh?

Nope!

I don't dislike any Depeche studio album, but for me, SOFAD is clearly a bit below the rest in quality. Dunno if it is mainly because of the extensive guitar and "hard" industrial synth sounds or because of the unually obvious blues/gospel feel of the songs.

I'm in for the first Hollywood show.

Apparently the opening act for America is Peter Bjorn and John -- well then.

not that i'm going but yeugh

Apparently the opening act for America is Peter Bjorn and John -- well then.

Woo boy, Ned's gonna be there bright and early in his TWEE HAT!

^ I cannot fucking wait for this album.

track by track review online @ quietus already !

http://thequietus.com/articles/01306-depeche-mode-sounds-of-the-universe-the-first-review-of-new-album

The iTunes pass just served up "The Sun and the Moon and the Stars (Electronic Periodic's Microdrum Mix)" -- Martin vocal, one of his most fragile at the start, the whole song keeps drawing you in. Be interesting to hear the 'real' version but this is pretty excellent as it is.

Even though there's still like 5 albums of theirs i need (including Violator!) i still really really can't wait to have this.

What in the name of holy fucking hell is this absurd article in the Guardian all about?

Fucking sub-Smash-Hits drivel that the band come out of surprisingly well.

that was pretty funny. did you really want another article about dave's heroin addiction and how martin is obviously a very troubled man? the cool thing about dm is that beneath the dark, sleazy exterior, they are still awkward and geeky and down to earth, despite all the drama.

this made me lol out loud:

Fletch "You can't drink perfume!"

Martin "Well you can, but they take it away from you if you go
to rehab."

did you really want another article about dave's heroin addiction and how martin is obviously a very troubled man?

Christ, no. But that whole "Tweeing and rollerskating" setup, rather than being cute and funny, just makes me wince. The band come across as funny and likeable, but the whole premise of the interview is just inane.

Okay this part rules:

Martin "My daughter likes things like My Chemical Romance, so I thought she might like the Stooges, too. I got laughed at."

Do you despair at the crumbling of society?

Martin "Yes."

As does this:

Actually being in Depeche Mode and performing for the first song of a medley of Depeche Mode hits as you pick up your lifetime achievement Brit award

Fletch "I'm going to pick Wrong for this because... it's the single. Also it would be quite humorous."

Why would it be funny to win that award?

Fletch "I'm not saying that. I'm saying it would be quite funny to win an award and then say it was wrong. (Silence in room) Let's have some enthusiasm for these answers! If you don't think my answer is stunningly amazing then I'm sorry."

Dave "It's never going to happen though, is it? We've been sadly overlooked! For many years!"

Have you ever been offered it?

Dave "What, the 'Old Bastard' award? The 'They've Been Around Long Enough And We've Got To Give Them Something' award? 'They Did A Lot Of Stuff, Some Of Which I Quite Liked'? I don't think we've ever been offered it; I haven't heard. Isn't the Brits fixed? We got the 'Old Bastard' award from MTV and only Fletch turned up."

<3

Also, having listened to the new Peter Bjorn and John on a sprightly walk this morning, they're not such a strange touring pair - the singles are a total smokescreen, the rest is total '80s melodrama with sweet percussion.

I've heard good things about that (the new PB&J) but haven't got it yet. This -- total '80s melodrama with sweet percussion -- sounds right up Grimly Street.

Holy fuck. I've just bought tickets for Depeche Mode at the SECC in December.

This hasn't quite sunk in yet.

It will.

:D

cant tell whether i dig this or not

first half is stronger i think

great review dude, you should write for pitchfork

the other night I dreamt I was watching tv and there was a commercial for depeche mode lego sets

Construction time again.

Damn, that video! It's like an inverted, scarier version of the Karma Police video.

so i think my problem with this is that none of it is really MASSIVE the way i like my depeche mode (with the exception of "wrong," maybe)--"little soul" i keep waiting for it to blow up big and it never really does.

"peace" is pretty good but again just doesnt get as BIG as classic depeche imo. a lot of the songs have too much radiohead sounds.

i sort of wonder if id like it more if it wasnt streaming on the fucking internet and i could actually listen to it somewhere besides my computer. ill say this--like all dm albums it sounds best when u play it really loud

listening to the leak now, not really into Depeche Mode anymore but this thread has me excited about this new album.

the few tracks i checked out last week sounded like early demos

Corrupt (live session)

thin white duke remix of "wrong" is actually pretty dope, especially the breakdown with the stereo-d out toms. not feeling the others at all, though it can't be easy to live up to the originals sheer vastness! i think it's my favourite 00s dm single yet!

Yeah I was really liking that mix as well -- the other two I picked up had their moments, haven't yet heard the Trentemoller.

Anyone here getting the deluxe box set?

Hi there! (Preordered it in early March.)

Figured out something about "Fragile Tension" just now -- it's kinda their payback song to Billy Corgan's own open fandom (and is a hell of a lot better than anything Corgan's done in years).

I know it is lolRolling Stone, but this "bad" review couldn't be more of an endorsement IMO:

The pulsing single "Wrong" oozes classic synth-pop angst, but with Commodore 64-style beats and laser-tag keyboards, ballads like "Peace" are comically New Romantic, and the dour "Spacewalker" sounds like the score to Star Trek rewritten by a deeply bummed-out robot.

Now I'm even more psyched to hear this & will download today.

Black turtlenecks? When did Depeche Mode become a beatnik band?

I can't think of a single review written by that particular critic that I've agreed with.

http://www.rollingstone.com/blogs/caprilounge/2008/03/sonny-bono-rap-superstar.php

i haven't really cared about a DM album since "violator," but this is pretty freaking awesome. part of that is simply that it's tailored to my tastes -- much less stadium rock, much more electronic noodlery...

i was actually hoping it was going to be more electronic than it is. they teased me with that info about the vintage synths & i started dreaming of a fresh take on super-sized synthpop. nonetheless, it's a very strong album & i can't wait to see them live later this summer.

i certainly would have been happy with a much more electronic direction, but i think the way they DID use the synths is really done -- they bubble up from the structure, rather than just being slathered on top. i think "fragile tension" shows the synths/rock balance really nicely.

also, after a dozen listens or so, i think that the songwriting is really in pretty top form.

ok - I might go during my lunch break to see if my local store has put this on the shelves early

yeah i agree, "Fragile Tension" is one of my favs. i heard an early demo of it that sounded really dull too, so it was a nice surprise. but i am all about the last two tracks right now. "Corrupt" is damn sexy.

listening here:
http://www.dhnet.be/dm/

wow, this is great so far.

it's a good album, the best since Violator.

also...

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_RpTRoam5eOc/SW_lkQIIfcI/AAAAAAAAK70/mmkZYPN9zk4/s400/Depeche.jpghttp://i135.photobucket.com/albums/q128/budilike/3266.jpg