Depeche Mode -- Delta Machine

Can I be the first person to say that I don't like it? It's like a variation of 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps' with all of the hooks taken out... I mean, there isn't really much of a chorus to speak of in this. And this is the first single!? Christ. Hope the album is better.

Not really taken with the production either.

actually really liking this - got a nice slowed down Persuaders theme vibe. Chorus seems a bit out of place though. I am not hearing any trace of Songs or Violator, quite the contrary.

My first thought was "Condemnation", although it doesn't go all the way with gospel choirs it has a similar rhythm and feel.

do not want.

As a lead-out single it's hardly promising. But I haven't liked any of their recent albums so ¯\(º_o)/¯

After Violator, it was a long time until I liked one again (Playing the Angel). I've realized that was in all likelihood an inspired fluke.

That's a surprising lead single. That's the sort of track they leak first to show what they're up for - see: reunited Suede - saving a ringer for the eventual real single.

They should've named this album DGAF.

oh Andy..

http://cbskroq2.files.wordpress.com/2013/01/depechemode-press-2013.jpg?w=300

My first thought was "Condemnation", although it doesn't go all the way with gospel choirs it has a similar rhythm and feel.

― ledge, Thursday, January 31, 2013 12:17 PM (1 hour ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Yeah, I can kinda see where you're coming from. Although 'Condemnation' moves me, and this really doesn't. It's just kinda "there".

Been a long time since I liked a lead single from them on first listen ("I Feel You"??) so it's weird that I'm actually digging this off the bat. Their most recent singles/albums tend to grow on me rather than hook immediately. Really like the last minute when the distortion starts to pile up.

what - I find all their first singles since I feel You (which hasnt aged that well IMO) have been killer.

since I feel You (which hasnt aged that well IMO)

Really? I think the song has aged really well. It's so monolithic, and was great way to open the final album of the band's Imperial Phase.

Wrong > Precious >> I Feel You > Barrel of a Gun >>>>> Dream On. Heaven tentatively in 3rd or 4th place. It's turning out to be a bit of a grower but can't imagine it becoming a firm favourite.

Dave sounds great on this

Aside from that, *sadface*

give it a few more plays i think you will come round

It's a nice vocal melody but this is exactly the wrong type of DM dirge for me to enjoy

I don't think Dave has sang well since Ultra, to be honest :/

Wrong > Precious >> I Feel You > Barrel of a Gun >>>>> Dream On. Heaven tentatively in 3rd or 4th place. It's turning out to be a bit of a grower but can't imagine it becoming a firm favourite.

― ledge, Thursday, January 31, 2013 2:19 PM (17 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I Feel You >> Precious > Wrong >>> Barrel Of A Gun >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Dream On >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> Heaven.

I don't think Dave has sang well since Ultra, to be honest :/

I think this is insane. "Wrong" is one of the greatest vocal performances he's ever given; actually for the first four tracks of Sounds of the Universe dude is in an amazing amazing pocket and just crushes everything, plus he really owns all of the PtA songs, especially elevating the more simplistic melodies he contributed to the album with his performance (there's no way a song like "I Want It All" should be as effective as it is, for example, but the way he delivers that vocal line is just killer).

Ranking the lead singles since SoFaD is difficult but I think a lot of you are drastically underrating "Dream On"

tbf it could be that singing technically well is a variance from the vocals that some longtime fans see as his older style

Listened to "Exciter" a lot a few weeks back. What an ironically titled album. I mean, it's fine, but sleeeeeeeepy.

xpost:

I honestly don't agree... I don't think his vocal on 'Wrong' is anywhere near as powerful as his vocal on 'Condemnation', for example. A favourite Dave vocal of mine (even though I think the song is far from one of Depeche Mode's best) is on 'The Love Thieves', funnily enough - very smooth and sounds gorgeous, whereas his voice is noticeably very croaky these days. I generally prefer his more smoother vocals to his 'bellow it out' stuff.

And 'I Want It All', to me, is a very poor song, and doesn't get good until the outro - and it's only when Gore's harmony appears that I actually start to feel anything.

"Condemnation" is one of the worst songs they've ever done, though.

tbf it could be that singing technically well is a variance from the vocals that some longtime fans see as his older style

― mh, Thursday, January 31, 2013 3:29 PM (5 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

It's not 'singing technically well' that's the problem for me, more that I don't like how Gahan's voice sounds these days. The way he croaks at the beginning of every line of every song just does nothing for me. Give me smooth, croak-free Dave any day.

"Condemnation" is one of the worst songs they've ever done, though.

― Ima R.A.E.D. (DJP), Thursday, January 31, 2013 3:37 PM (5 seconds ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Disagree with this also!

haha oops when I said "Wrong" I meant "In Chains" btw

and seriously, "Condemnation" is a boring try-hard dirge that plays to absolutely none of what I consider to be DM's strengths

"Condemnation" is a boring try-hard dirge that plays to absolutely none of what I consider to be DM's strengths

― Ima R.A.E.D. (DJP), Thursday, January 31, 2013 3:40 PM (10 seconds ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

It doesn't bore me! :)

please, open your eyes, Turrican and see it is boring

It's just, coming right after the primal scream howl of "I Feel You" and the ominous stroll of "Walking In My Shoes", sitting through "Condemnation" feels like listening to your weird great-uncle lecture you for 90 minutes about the evils of color television

xpost:

I can think of several post-Songs Of Faith And Devotion tracks that are more boring to me than 'Condemnation' will ever be. The new track is undoubtedly one of them.

It's just, coming right after the primal scream howl of "I Feel You" and the ominous stroll of "Walking In My Shoes", sitting through "Condemnation" feels like listening to your weird great-uncle lecture you for 90 minutes about the evils of color television

― Ima R.A.E.D. (DJP), Thursday, January 31, 2013 3:44 PM (10 seconds ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Interesting. It's not how I feel about the track, though!

I agree that, based on one listen, "Heaven" is worse than "Condemnation"

I don't mind "Condemnation," but it sounds like it was recorded after he'd been up for three days, which he may have been!

what - I find all their first singles since I feel You (which hasnt aged that well IMO) have been killer.

After a few listens, and hearing them in the context of the album, I love pretty much all of those singles ("Dream On" I can take or leave). But no, first time hearing any of them, they came off as underwhelming to me.

Dream On could possible be my favorite DM song. Top 5 in any case. Condemnation otoh would be somewhere in the bottom 5

Dream On could possible be my favorite DM song. Top 5 in any case. Condemnation otoh would be somewhere in the bottom 5

― licorice oratorio (baaderonixx), Thursday, January 31, 2013 9:51 PM (11 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Reverse those songs and you have my stance on the matter.

FYI the groaning thing you're reacting to with Dave's vocals, especially on PtA, are him trying to glide into vocal entrances with words that start with vowels. For some reason, he's trying as hard as be can to not begin a phrase with a glottal stop and ends up doing that weird preparatory croak instead, probably so that it's easier for him to stabilize and center the pitch of the note.

tbh so much of my singing career revolves around making sure consonants are audibly started before the beat so that the vowel comes on the beat that all of Gahan's vocal prep tricks flew completely past my radar

Okay, just purchased the single. Hmm, that was a lot slower and moodier than I expected. (Liked it nonetheless, of course!) Now on to the remixes...

Is there a gabber or happy hardcore mix?

Crazy Frog Mix

Decent album track (no way as annoying as Condemnation), tragically mistaken for a single.

I'm never going to understand why folks are so down on 'Condemnation' :/

Lovely arrangement but a later Gahan wouldn't have sounded so, um, burnt out.

He's there on the stand! Facing accusations! Lies! He does sound like he's going through it and it fits. "Get Right with Me" though, that is some dross.

lol I actually like "Get Right With Me"

I love "Condemnation" for exactly its worn-out/hungover quality.

I think all Depeche Mode albums have at least one song that gets overshadowed by a lot of what surrounds it, and I'd say that 'Get Right With Me' was the one on Songs Of Faith And Devotion that fits into that particular category. I actually quite like the song a great deal, but there's no doubt that it is a bit buried on there. Kinda like how 'Blue Dress' is on Violator... another song I like a great deal, but gets overshadowed by pretty much everything else on the album.

there was a long period of time where "Blue Dress" was my favorite song on Violator; the song I think gets overshadowed on that album is "The Sweetest Perfection"