Depeche Mode -- Sounds of the Universe

Hahahaha.

"Damaged People" = 'I wonder who threw out all these old department store mannequins?'

"A Pain That I'm Used To" = 'We're getting bad weather, I feel it in my bones.'

Haha wow - SoU seems to me like the most upbeat album DM ever released

Wait, hold on, in comparison to Speak and Spell? (Then again that does have its share of creepy songs...)

I'd argue that Some Great Reward comes across as more upbeat.

second listen, this is fantastic. "fragile tension" is an obvious highlight, but it seems like there's a lot of growers on this album.

i wasn't too sure about the chorus in "peace" at first, but the stunning pre-chorus more than makes up for it (GREAT lyrics, and something kinda freddie mercury-esque about the phrasing that i fully endorse)

production is AMAZING probably their best since ultra. love how the use of very minimal analog drums let the arrangements really expand, and some really cool atmospherics, though i do wish they'd turn down the bit crusher a little

some incredible vocal performances from both gahan and gore as well, dave sounds positively soulful on "in chins"

"perfect" another highlight, the chorus is very beatles-y. someone needs to remix this and just extend the intro for a few minutes

Yeah, I have to say that Dave's vocal performance on "In Chains" is probably the greatest thing I've ever heard him do.

whoever chose to close the album with "corrupt" is a genius

I can think of fewer things that would make me happier than a YYYs/DM tour.

Yeah, I have to say that Dave's vocal performance on "In Chains" is probably the greatest thing I've ever heard him do.

His own point of reference he's mentioned for that performance is early seventies Marvin Gaye -- no bad thing.

the first minute of "In Chains" is pretty dope, not a fan of the vocal part

i like how the chords from "in chains" reference "leave in silence"

Haha can't wait to make myself a "WRONG!" ringtone!
http://www.depechemode.com/news.html?pageNum=1&i=70#news_72

Hey Mr. Sherburne, check this:

Depeche Mode
Wrong (DJ Remix EP) (12")
12BONG40DJ

Wrong (Frankie Knuckles Remix)
In Chains (Minilouge's Earth Remix)
Corrupt (Efdemin Remix)

http://www.downtown304.com/index.cfm?sID=54997

Really like the sound of the Frankie Knuckles Remix.

The more I listen to this album, the more I love it.

All the details emerge each time. Every time another song makes the leap from 'okay enough' to 'holy shit, stellar.'

Haha I know! "Hole To Feed" is currently kicking me in the teeth. The first time I heard it, I thought it was really fluffy and inconsequential, but now it's close to my favorite song on the album (competing with "In Chains" and "Corrupt").

Still not convinced that "Peace" should have been the next single; I might have chosen "Come Back" or "Fragile Tension".

"Peace" is a bit of a weird choice, yeah -- seems more like a third single, not a second. But I'll be interested in what the remixes do for it.

the best new record of a senior band since the last dino jr.

nice one, matt, thanks for the tip. efdemin's mix sounds good...

"Peace" is a bit of a weird choice, yeah -- seems more like a third single, not a second.

I agree with this, but then again, "Peace" is my favourite song on the album right now, so I'm not complaining.

Anyway, I really came here to post this:

THE TOUR. IT BEGINS. TONIGHT.

I will be there. Will report later!

Hahah you madman -- I approve. Looking forward to hearing about it.

OK, I wasn't sure whether to post this stuff on this thread, or to start a new one (in case people don't want to read spoilers). So, uh, SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT SPOILER ALERT.

Set list: (notes to follow)

In Chains
Wrong
Hole to Feed
Walking in My Shoes
It's No Good
Question of Time
Precious
Fly on the Windscreen
Jezebel
A Question of Lust
Come Back
Peace
In Your Room
I Feel You
In Sympathy
Enjoy the Silence
Never Let Me Down Again
-------
Encore 1

Stripped
Master and Servant
Strangelove
-------
Encore 2

Personal Jesus
Waiting for the Night

this makes me want to buy tickets. thanks for posting.

Oh fuck, I hope they're still playing that set in December. Waiting For The Night! <3 <3 <3 etc

the show in Israel was disappointing for most people:
1. they expected "greatest hits" setlist
2. the sound was terrible

some random notes:

-- A really simple stage setup, just the band and video screens behind them, with a spinning orb/globe appearing as a recurring visual.

-- This is the most "rock" I've ever heard them sound, the guitars were LOUD.

-- "In Chains" is the obvious set opener (at least for me), Dave's voice sounded a bit off, but y'know, opening night and all that.

-- speaking of which, this was easily the sloppiest show I've ever heard them do. There were flubbed lyrics, vocal cues were missed, and during "Peace" Christian lost the beat completely and the song nearly turned into a trainwreck as a result. Not sure whose fault that was, but it was a really obvious mistake, although they recovered reasonably well. Chalk it up to opening night lack-of-polish.

-- The new songs sound AMAZING live, they really kick a lot harder than on the record. In particular, seeing "In Sympathy" live has completely changed my opinion of that song.

-- "Fly on the Windscreen"! And check out the songs in the first encore!

-- During "Peace", the video screens showed footage of nuclear explosions, fighter jets, and peace marches, while Dave Gahan sang "peeeeace wiiiiilll cooooommme tooooo meeee YEAAAAAAAHHHH THAT'S RIIIIIGHTTT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" It was a bit of weird combination.

-- "Waiting For The Night" was sung by Dave and Martin together, standing at the front of the runway, with a stripped-down accompaniment. Pretty much the same idea as "Goodnight Lovers" from the last tour. Really beautiful and a perfect ending.

-- Bit of a strange crowd, who were very energetic in fits and spurts, but there were a lot of dead moments and nearly no reaction to any of the new songs other than "Wrong". Not at all what I was expecting.

-- YYY's were great too, but this is a DM thread.

the show in Israel was disappointing for most people:
1. they expected "greatest hits" setlist
2. the sound was terrible

I disagree.

1. They played plenty of hits. If people aren't excited to hear "Strangelove" and "Master and Servant" in the setlist for the first time in 20 years, then screw them.
2. Sound was better than I expected, not bad at all for a stadium show.

it's from reading the posts by people whove been in the show in the local israeli news sites.

in Israel, you don't get lots of live shows from abroad, so, yeah, they expected hits, and they don't know the setlist - for most of them it was their first show ever.

Actually, the real problem, which I've only come to understand after having calmed down post-gig, isn't that they didn't play enough hits (or too many new songs), it's that many Israelis don't know all that many of Depeche Mode's hits. Fans in almost any other city would be losing their shit listening to DM play "Master and Servant" in 2009, but most people in T.A. simply don't seem to know that song very well.

...first dephece mode show that is.
xpost

they do know master and servant, but israelies like to complain and they wanted "i just cant get enough" and more 80's stuff i guess

"Fans in almost any other city would be losing their shit "

otm, from 30th may imo

I see DM greatest hits collections for sale (on display) in major stores all over Israel. They're constantly in stock everywhere. They're touring a new album and will obviously play songs from it, that's what bands do. They played all the major hits that they've been playing on the last few tours, plus some surprises.

i don't know.
when mccartney was playing a few months ago - most people said it was awesome - probably cause he did lots of beatles and early stuff.

my guess is that most people who went to the show were 30+, so they know and like only the 80's stuff. DM for them is more about nostalgia, and they dont keep up with most of their recent stuff.

and again - in israel you don't have lots of live shows on regular basis to compare

Most people were 30-, they were the people who were only into a small number of songs. The older people were into everything (not so much the songs from the new album, but that was true of everybody).

They played plenty of 80's songs, plus a few from "Violator". I'm convinced that the problem was more about narrow song selection. McCartney's show was a big hit because everybody knows dozens of Beatles songs. Here are the most popular DM songs in Israel (compiled completely unscientifically, i.e. these are the DM songs that I'm most likely to hear in bars):

Enjoy the Silence
(huge, yawning gap)
It's No Good
Just Can't Get Enough
Personal Jesus

that's it really

'm convinced that the problem was more about narrow song selection.

Bleh, I meant that people's casual knowledge about DM hits is fairly narrow.

The more hardcore fans that I spoke with all loved the show. It's just that there weren't all that many of them, a lot fewer than I expected in any case, and a lot more casual fans.

Not sure if this has been mentioned already, but DM are offering the stems to "Peace" on Beatport for $3.99 -- a couple of single drum hits, a few very short synth lines, vox and vox FX, etc. I'm sure I'll never get around to finishing anything in time for the contest but hey, now I have an a cappella of "Peace," should I ever need one! (Sure would be nice to win a Lemur, though!)

http://www.beatportal.com/feed/item/depeche-mode-remix-contest/

If they play "Stripped" when i see them in Phoenix, i'm just going to lose it. Completely.

Oops:

British electronic band Depeche Mode cancelled a long-awaited gig in Athens on Tuesday after frontman David Gahan was rushed to hospital, Greek media reported.

Quoting organisers of the concert, City 99.5 Radio said Gahan was taken to a private clinic with suspected gastroenteritis. Other news reports said the concert could be held on Wednesday if his condition improved.

Finally picked up the new album tonight, single disc version.

Hmm. Reports are that the next few shows are being cancelled and that Gahan's going back to the US for treatment. ?

Bugger :(

what....???????????

swine flu?

aww.

This article claims it is a tumor...

http://www.demorgen.be/dm/nl/2590/Festivals/article/detail/866921/2009/05/27/Gezwel-ontdekt-bij-zanger-Depeche-Mode.