Tag: Depeche Mode (Page 10 of 17)

2017 END OF YEAR REVIEW

14 December 2017 /

Oscillate Mildly

The world found itself in a rather antagonistic and divisive state this year, as if none of the lessons from the 20th Century’s noted conflicts and stand-offs had been learnt.

Subtle political messages came with several releases; honorary Berliner Mark Reeder used the former divided city as symbolism to warn of the dangers of isolationism on his collaborative album ‘Mauerstadt’. Meanwhile noted Francophile Chris Payne issued the ELECTRONIC CIRCUS EP ‘Direct Lines’ with its poignant warning of nuclear apocalypse in its title song. The message was to unite and through music as one of the best platforms.

After a slow start to 2017, there was a bumper crop of new music from a number of established artists. NINE INCH NAILS and Gary Numan refound their mojo with their respective ‘Add Violence’ and ‘Savage (Songs From A Broken World)’ releases, with the latter recording his best body of work since his imperial heyday.

But the first quarter of the year was hamstrung by the anticipation for the 14th DEPECHE MODE long player ‘Spirit’, with other labels and artists aware that much of their potential audience’s hard earned disposable income was being directed towards the Basildon combo’s impending album and world tour. Yet again, reaction levels seemed strangely muted as ‘Spirit’ was another creative disappointment, despite its angry politicised demeanour.

Rumours abounded that the band cut the album’s scheduled recording sessions by 4 weeks. This inherent “that’ll do” attitude continued on the ‘Global Spirit’ jaunt when the band insulted their loyal audience by doing nothing more than plonking an arena show into a stadium for the summer outdoor leg.

Despite protestations from some Devotees of their dissatisfaction with this open-air presentation, they were content to be short-changed again as they excitedly flocked to the second set of European arena dates with the generally expressed excuse that “it will be so much better indoors”.

By this Autumn sojourn, only three songs from ‘Spirit’ were left in the set, thus indicating that the dire record had no longevity and was something of a lemon. Suspicions were finally confirmed at the ‘Mute: A Visual Document’ Q&A featuring Daniel Miller and Anton Corbijn, when the esteemed photographer and visual director confessed he did not like the album which he did the artwork for… see, it’s not just ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK 😉

Devotees are quick to say all criticism of DEPECHE MODE is unfair, but the band can’t help but make themselves easy targets time and time again. But why should the band care? The cash is coming, the cash is coming…

Luckily, veteran acts such as OMD and Alison Moyet saved the day. The Wirral lads demonstrated what the word spirit actually meant on their opus ‘The Punishment Of Luxury’, while the former class mate of Messrs Gore and Fletcher demonstrated what a soulful, blues-influenced electronic record should sound like with ‘Other’.

As Tony Hadley departed SPANDAU BALLET and Midge Ure got all ‘Orchestrated’ in the wake of ULTRAVOX’s demise, the ‘Welcome To The Dancefloor’ album directed by Rusty Egan, to which they contributed, became a physical reality in 2017.

Now if DM plonked an arena show into the world’s stadiums, KRAFTWERK put a huge show into a theatre. The publicity stunt of 2012, when Tate Modern’s online ticket system broke down due to demand for their eight album live residency, did its job when the Kling Klang Quartett sold out an extensive UK tour for their 3D concert spectacular.

No less impressive, SOULWAX wowed audiences with their spectacular percussion heavy ‘From Deewee’ show and gave a big lesson to DEPECHE MODE as to how to actually use live drums correctly within an electronic context.

Mute Artists were busy with releases from ERASURE, LAIBACH and ADULT. but it was GOLDFRAPP’s ‘Silver Eye’ that stole the show from that stable. LCD SOUNDSYSTEM returned after seven years with their ‘American Dream’ and it was worth the wait, with the most consistent and electronic record that James Murphy’s ensemble has delivered in their career.

To say Neil Arthur was prolific in 2017 would be an understatement as he released albums with BLANCMANGE and FADER while Benge, a co-conspirator on both records, worked with I SPEAK MACHINE to produce ‘Zombies 1985’ which was one of the best electronic albums of the year; and that was without the JOHN FOXX & THE MATHS stage play soundtrack ‘The Machines’.

Despite JAPAN having disbanded in 1982, solo instrumental releases from Steve Jansen and Richard Barbieri were particularly well-received, while David Sylvian made a return of sorts, guesting on ‘Life Life’ for ‘async’, the first album from Ryuichi Sakamoto since recovering from his illness. On the more esoteric front, Brian Eno presented the thoughtful ambience of ‘Reflection’, while THE RADIOPHONIC WORKSHOP had ‘Burials In Several Earths’.

2017 was a year that saw acts who were part of the sine wave of Synth Britannia but unable to sustain or attain mainstream success like BLUE ZOO, B-MOVIE, FIAT LUX and WHITE DOOR welcomed back as heroes, with their talent belatedly recognised. Germany had something of a renaissance as veterans Zeus B Held and ex-TANGERINE DREAM member Steve Schroyder came together in DREAM CONTROL as another TD offshoot QUAESCHNING & SCHNAUSS offered up some impressive ‘Synthwaves’, while there actually was a new TANGERINE DREAM album, their first without late founder member Edgar Froese.

Eberhard Kranemann and Harald Grosskopf offered up some KRAUTWERK as other veterans like RHEINGOLD, DER PLAN, BOYTRONIC and DJ HELL also returned. Comparatively younger, 2RAUMWOHNUNG and KATJA VON KASSEL both offered up enticing bilingual takes on classic electronic pop.

The Swedish synth community again delivered with DAILY PLANET, PAGE, REIN, VANBOT, ANNA ÖBERG, 047 and LIZETTE LIZETTE all delivering fine bodies of work, although KITE were missed, with their German tour cancelled and release of their ‘VII’ EP postponed due to vocalist Nicklas Stenemo’s illness; ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK wishes him all the best in his recovery.

Across the Baltic Sea, Finnish producer Jori Hulkkonen released his 20th album ‘Don’t Believe In Happiness’ while nearby in Russia, a duo named VEiiLA showcased an unusual hybrid of techno, opera and synthpop and ROSEMARY LOVES A BLACKBERRY offered a ‘❤’.

One of the year’s discussion points was whether Synthwave was just synthpop dressed with sunglasses and neon signs but whatever, Stateside based Scots but Michael Oakley and FM-84 made a good impression with their retro-flavoured electronic tunes. It wasn’t all about the expats and in a territory as big as North America, there came a number of up-and-coming home grown electronic artists with LOST IN STARS, PARALLELS, PATTERN LANGUAGE, SPACEPRODIGI, COMPUTER MAGIC and BATTLE TAPES all gaining traction.

Canada’s PURITY RING infuriated some of their fanbase by working with KATY PERRY on three tracks for her album ‘Witness’. AESTHETIC PERFECTION’s new singles only policy was paying dividends and the Electro Mix of ‘Rhythm + Control’, which featured the promising newcomer NYXX, was one of the best tracks of 2017.

Female solo artists had strong presence in 2017 as FEVER RAY made an unexpected return, ZOLA JESUS produced her best work to date in ‘Okovi’ and Hannah Peel embarked on an ambitious synth / brass ‘Journey to Cassiopeia’. Meanwhile, SARAH P. asked ‘Who Am I’ and MARNIE found ‘Strange Words & Weird Wars’ as ANI GLASS and NINA both continued on their promising developmental path.

Other female fronted acts like KITE BASE, SPECTRA PARIS, BLACK NAIL CABARET, AVEC SANS, EMT and THE GOLDEN FILTER again reinforced that electronic music was not solely about boys with their toys.

Respectively, Ireland and Scotland did their bit, with TINY MAGNETIC PETS and their aural mix of SAINT ETIENNE and KRAFTWERK successfully touring with OMD in support of their second album ‘Deluxe/Debris’, while formed out of the ashes of ANALOG ANGEL, RAINLAND wowed audiences opening for ASSEMBLAGE 23. Other new(ish) acts making a positive impression this year included KNIGHT$, MOLINA, ANNEKA, SOFTWAVE and KALEIDA.

Despite getting a positive response, both iEUROPEAN and SOL FLARE parted ways while on the opposite side of the coin, Belgian passengers METROLAND celebrated five years in the business with the lavish ‘12×12’ boxed set

Overall in 2017, it was artists of a more mature disposition who held their heads high and delivered, as some newer acts went out of their way to test the patience of audiences by drowning them in sleep while coming over like TRAVIS on VSTs.

With dominance of media by the three major labels, recognition was tricky with new quality traditional synthpop not generally be championed by the mainstream press. With Spotify now 20% owned by those three majors, casual listeners to the Swedish streaming platform were literally told what to like, as with commercial radio playlists.

It is without doubt that streaming and downloading has created a far less knowledgeable music audience than in previous eras, a petition to request platforms to display songwriting and production credits was timely; credit where credit is due as they say…

While ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK does not dismiss Spotify totally and sees it as another tool, it should not be considered the be all and end all, in the same way vinyl is not the saviour of the music industry and in physics terms, cannot handle the same dynamic range as CD. Music is not as emotionally valued as it was before… that’s not being old and nostalgic, that is reality. It can still be enjoyed with or without a physical purchase, but for artists to be motivated to produce work that can connect and be treasured, that is another matter entirely.

However, many acts proved that with Bandcamp, the record company middle man can be eliminated. It is therefore up to the listener to be more astute, to make more effort and to make informed choices. And maybe that listener has to seek out reliable independent media for guidance.

However, as with the shake-up within the music industry over the last ten years, that can only be a good thing for the true synthpop enthusiast. And as it comes close to completing its 8th year on the web, ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK maintains its position of not actually promoting new acts or supporting any scene, but merely to write about the music it likes and occasionally stuff it doesn’t… people can make their own mind up about whether to invest money or time in albums or gigs.

Yes, things ARE harder for the listener and the musician, but the effort is worthwhile 😉

ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK Contributor Listings 2017

PAUL BODDY

Best Album: QUASCHENING & SCHNAUSS Synthwaves
Best Song: BATTLE TAPES No Good
Best Gig: SOULWAX at O2 Ritz Manchester
Best Video: SOULWAX Is it Always Binary?
Most Promising New Act: MARIE DAVIDSON

IAN FERGUSON

Best Album: OMD The Punishment of Luxury
Best Song: SPARKS Edith Piaf (Said it Better Than Me)
Best Gig: SPEAK & SPELL at Glastonbury
Best Video: ALISON MOYET Reassuring Pinches
Most Promising New Act: MICHAEL OAKLEY

SIMON HELM

Best Album: PAGE Det Är Ingen Vacker Värld Men Det Råkar Vara Så Det Ser Ut
Best Song: LAU NAU Poseidon
Best Gig: PAGE at Electronic Summer 2017
Best Video: PSYCHE Youth Of Tomorrow
Most Promising New Act: ANNA ÖBERG

CHI MING LAI

Best Album: I SPEAK MACHINE Zombies 1985
Best Song: AESTHETIC PERFECTION Rhythm + Control – Electro Version
Best Gig: OMD + TINY MAGNETIC PETS at Cambridge Corn Exchange
Best Video: I SPEAK MACHINE Shame
Most Promising New Act: MICHAEL OAKLEY

RCHARD PRICE

Best Album: FADER First Light
Best Song: OMD Isotype
Best Gig: MARC ALMOND at London Roundhouse
Best Video: GOLDFRAPP Anymore
Most Promising New Act: NINA

STEPHEN ROPER

Best Album:  OMD The Punishment of Luxury
Best Song: DUA LIPA Be The One
Best Gig: HANNAH PEEL at Norwich Arts Centre
Best Video: PIXX I Bow Down
Most Promising New Act: PIXX

MONIKA IZABELA TRIGWELL

Best Album: ZOLA JESUS Okovi
Best Song: GARY NUMAN My Name Is Ruin
Best Gig: ERASURE at London Roundhouse
Best Video: GARY NUMAN My Name Is Ruin
Most Promising New Act: ANNA ÖBERG

Text by Chi Ming Lai
14th December 2017

A Beginner’s Guide To DEPECHE MODE In The 21st Century

19 April 2017 /

Photo by Anton Corbijn

Nearly 30 years since the Concert For The Masses at Pasadena Rose Bowl, DEPECHE MODE continue to fill stadia throughout the world.

However, their recorded output in the 21st Century and their attitude towards their live presentation leaves a lot to be desired. Despite ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK’s criticism of DEPECHE MODE as a live band with the excesses of The Drumhead and The Noodler, they are still capable of occasional brilliance as an artistic force. And it is that intermittent quality which is the most frustrating aspect of DEPECHE MODE in the 21st Century.

But this article is not about the absence of Alan Wilder or the much-debated choice of producers, it’s about when the DEPECHE MODE brand has got it right, whether with the full involvement of the band’s members or not. So which are those moments that veer closest to the glory of albums such as ‘Black Celebration’, ‘Music For The Masses’ and ‘Violator’ that see Messrs Fletcher, Gahan and Gore properly exploring the electronic sound with which they made their fortune?

Tellingly, many of the best DM moments in this new millennium are remixes, instrumentals, bonus tracks or songs sung by Martin Gore. It must be pointed out that this listing is NOT intended for Devotees, but aimed those former fans of DEPECHE MODE disillusioned by Dave Gahan’s drug fuelled stage diving antics who bowed out after ‘Songs Of Faith & Devotion’ or those hanging on for the possibility of a good record using synthesizers rather than a collection of pastiche electro-blues.

So here are the 18 tracks which act as ELECTRICITYCLUB.CO.UK’s own Beginner’s Guide To DEPECHE MODE in the 21st Century.

Dream On – Dave Clarke Acoustic Version (2001)

‘Dream On’ was a messy trailer to the inappropriately named ‘Exciter’ album, but with Dave Clarke slowing down the song’s acoustic guitar line, the makeover brought the track closer to its full musical potential. Anything BUT acoustic thanks to the addition of electronic drum patterns and icy string synths, there was the bonus of the track being made instrumental and free of the dreary lead vocal on the original.

Available on the 2CD album ‘Remixes 81 – 04’ via Sony Music

I Feel Loved (2001)

Inspired by Giorgio Moroder, the pacey and club friendly ‘I Feel Loved’ stood out like a sore thumb on ‘Exciter’, being the album’s only truly uptempo number. With its synthy sirens and tightly sequenced bassline, treated enhancement was provided by Airto Moreira, a veteran jazz drummer from Brazil who appeared to have a good grasp as to the best way to provide percussive colour to a danceable electronic recording.

Available on the album ‘Exciter’ via Sony Music

Easy Tiger – Full Version (2001)

Martin Gore’s interest in leftfield electronica and thus the employment of the late Mark Bell from LFO as producer on ‘Exciter’ only truly manifested itself in the full-length version of ‘Easy Tiger’ which appeared on the B-side of the ‘Dream On’ single. A beautifully progressive track with many intelligent layers and hypnotic percussive counterpoints, a truncated version of ‘Easy Tiger’ ended up on the album, but was so short that it was rendered virtually pointless when cut off at two minutes.

Available on the 6CD single boxed set ‘6’ via Mute Records

Zenstation (2001)

A dreamy neo-instrumental with a few Martin Gore vocal ab-libs, ‘Zenstation’ emerged as the B-side of ‘Freelove’. Using exotic koto samples and assorted detuned synth sounds, the under rated track was strong on melody and inventive in its percussive interplay. Recalling an earlier mood piece ‘Christmas Island’ but utilising a more meditative environment, its Far Eastern overtones provided a wonderful textural diversion within the DEPECHE MODE canon.

Available on the CD single ‘Freelove’ via Mute Records

A Pain That I’m Used To – MARSHEAUX remix (2005)

Already a magnificent brooding epic in its original form, ‘A Pain That I’m Used To’ was brilliantly transformed by MARSHEAUX, adding their own sparkling top end dynamic. While this is one of DEPECHE MODE’s better offerings in recent years, it seems outsiders have a better grasp of classic DM than the band themselves. Although never officially released, this was voted top remix in a poll of Devotees and far superior to the dreadful Jacques Lu Cont remix that the band insist on doing live!

Remix not officially available

Suffer Well (2005)

The ‘Playing The Angel’ album was a return to form, thanks largely to its “pain and suffering in various tempos” but also following his lacklustre solo debut ‘Paper Monsters’, the rise of Dave Gahan’s abilities as a songwriter, as proven by the embittered thrust of ‘Suffer Well’. It was a fine if slightly overdriven fusion of rock and electronic elements that came over brilliantly in a live setting.

Available on the album ‘Playing The Angel’ via Sony Music

Martyr – Paul van Dyk Radio Mix (2006)

It could be said that the worst judges of DEPECHE MODE’s music are DEPECHE MODE themselves… originally titled ‘Martyr For Love’, this rousing number came from the ‘Playing The Angel’ sessions, but was apparently rejected from the album for being too poppy! Released as the launch single to a ‘Best Of’ compilation, the most enjoyable version of the song came via a remix from top Trance DJ Paul Van Dyk who exploited the tune’s accessibility to the full with a nicely polished club friendly sound.

Available as an iTunes download single via Mute Records

Wrong – Trentemøller Club Remix (2009)

Anders Trentemøller’s superb Club Remix of ‘Wrong’ well and truly outstripped the rather ploddy original. His astute understanding of synthesizers and conventional instruments has made him an acclaimed producer in-demand with both electronic acts and indie bands such as SAVAGES. But despite sitting under the noses of Messrs Gahan, Gore and Fletcher, the Dane has unbelievably never received that call.

Available on the album ‘Remixes 2: 81-11’ via Sony Music

Spacewalker (2009)

Martin Gore writes great instrumentals, but unlike the days of yore when he would explore his synths and build atmospheres like on ‘Oberkorn’ and ‘Nothing To Fear’, they are kept as short as possible, almost in fear of boring the more rock inclined audiences where subtle textures are a bit of an anathema. ‘Spacewalker’ was wonderfully light and tuneful relief on the rather dire ‘Sounds Of The Universe’.

Available on the album ‘Sounds Of The Universe’ via Sony Music

Jezebel (2009)

Martin Gore’s voice is undoubtedly more suited to ballads and in an album of C-sides, a song that perhaps would have only been a B-side a few years earlier was the highlight of ‘Sounds Of The Universe’. With lyrics such as “Whenever we walk in – You’re going straight to hell for wanton acts of sin”, ‘Jezebel’ was a stand-out song and able to keep the some of the more deviantly inclined Devotees happy.

Available on the album ‘Sounds Of The Universe’ via Sony Music

Oh Well (2009)

‘Oh Well’ is one the best DEPECHE MODE recordings of the 21st Century, but it never made the final tracklisting of ‘Sound Of The Universe’ which proves the band aren’t the best judges of their own music. The first Gore / Gahan song collaboration, although their parts were written separately, it showed that they could sound exciting when some creative tension was thrown in. Like Giorgio Moroder meeting DAF, it was cruelly used as a video teaser to fool fans into thinking there would be a full-blown synth work.

Available on the 4CD deluxe boxed set ‘Sounds Of The Universe’ via Mute Records

The Sun & The Moon & The Stars – Electronic Periodic’s Microdrum Mix (2009)

‘The Sun & The Moon & The Stars’ was a Martin Gore vocalled outtake from the ‘Sounds Of The Universe’ sessions and while it was included on the deluxe 4CD boxed set alongside ‘Oh Well’, the original guitar driven ditty was not very convincing. The more overtly electronic Microdrum Mix with its scratchy rhythm passage and robotised harmonies was far superior, as an example of yet another more fully realised recording courtesy of an external remixer.

Available on the iTunes Pass download album ‘Sounds Of The Universe’ via Mute Records

Soothe My Soul (2013)

An obvious cousin of the bluesy ‘Personal Jesus’ but quickly disowned and dropped from the ‘Delta Machine’ tour, ‘Soothe My Soul’ was one of the few crowd pleasers in a live set that had far too many lulls. But with Gahan’s rockist tendencies and insistence on live drums from Christian Eigner, why don’t DEPECHE MODE be brave and go the full blues combo hog, put Peter Gordeno on bass guitar and drop the electronics, as well as the old hits? Is that possibly because no-one would bother to see them?

Available on the album ‘Delta Machine’ via Columbia Records

Broken (2013)

A song that Dave Gahan said to Mojo Magazine was “uptempo” but in reality, was more like ‘A Question Of Time’ with assistance provided by a mobility scooter, ‘Broken’ was nevertheless, one of the better and more electronic offerings on the blues dominated ‘Delta Machine’. But the end result sees Gore desperately trying to work guitar into a track where it’s not needed, almost as a statement to say that DEPECHE MODE are NO LONGER an electronic band!

Available on the album ‘Delta Machine’ via Columbia Records

All That’s Mine (2013)

In a pattern similar to ‘Oh Well’, the best song from the ‘Delta Machine’ sessions was left out of the main act. ‘All That’s Mine’ featured a tightly sequenced backbone, electronically derived rhythms and a gloomy austere… in fact, they were all the perfect ingredients for a classic DM tune! But it was no doubt rejected because Dave Gahan can’t do a Mick Jagger impression to it and would have been changed beyond recognition if performed with live drums.

Available on the 2CD deluxe album ‘Delta Machine’ via Columbia Records

Should Be Higher – In My Eyes Remix (2013)

Using sounds sampled off ‘World In My Eyes’, this 4/4 bootleg remix by DOMINATRIX was far superior to the original, offering many of the synthesized textures and electronic percussive templates that made DEPECHE MODE great. In its original form, the song was good but suffered from a lacklustre production and ploddy arrangement, perhaps in an attempt to project a more authentic bluesman demeanour. It’s as if DEPECHE MODE are scared to be considered an electronic band these days.

Remix not officially available

Cover Me – Alt Out (2017)

The vocal-less second half of ‘Cover Me’ was brilliant, a gorgeous cacophony of arpeggios and layers of sweeping synths reminiscent of the ‘Violator’ era. But when the ‘Alt Out’ mix was issued as a bonus on the ‘Spirit’ album’s deluxe edition, it was as if someone within the band’s circle understood Gahan’s SOULSAVERS warbling was likely to polarise and that an instrumental version would be appreciated by the masses… it was!

Available on the 2CD deluxe album ‘Spirit’ via Columbia Records

Fail (2017)

Despite being the main songwriter, things do not look good when the best vocal song on a DEPECHE MODE album is one sung by Martin Gore. And on ‘Spirit’, it was the turn of the sombre but enticing ‘Fail’. Gore seems to have an understanding of what is appealing about DEPECHE MODE, but appears too frightened to assert that ethos on the grunge victim that is Gahan. But their financial dependency on each other to means that much of the music now in the name of the brand seems strangely muted.

Available on the album ‘Spirit’ via Columbia Records

DEPECHE MODE play London Stadium on Saturday 3rd June 2017

http://www.depechemode.com/

https://www.facebook.com/depechemode/

Text by Chi Ming Lai
19th April 2017

DEPECHE MODE Live at Glasgow Barrowlands

27 March 2017 /

It can’t be easy being DEPECHE MODE, the sheer weight of expectation for everything they do from their devoted fan base must sit heavy at times, a fact evidenced by the diminishing returns on recent albums, the latest ‘Spirit’ included.

There is no denying however that they are still a huge live draw even if, like the aforementioned recorded output, recent tours have seemed like an exercise in going through the motions. As someone that remembers them as fresh faced poppets wielding synths without a drummer in sight at venues smaller than the average arena green room, it was with some fascination I approached the BBC 6 Music headline show at the legendary Glasgow Barrowlands.

How would they fair away from the huge stages of European Olympic stadia and under the eye of a watchful BBC TV camera crew? The answer is, unsurprisingly, good and at times bad… The Barras and the Glasgow audience has a fearsome reputation and rightly so… if they like you, you will be carried along triumphant to the encore and beyond… hate you and, well let’s say many a band have found out that it isn’t beer in those thrown pint glasses…

The scramble for tickets for this show and the fallout surrounding touting/reseller sites has left a bitter taste in the mouth of many a fan but the lucky 1200 or so that attended the Sunday night show, from across Europe and beyond, settled into the East End venue under a palpable blanket of expectation.

The BBC missed a trick by not pairing Depeche with an actual band as warm up James Lavelle’s DJ set was little more than background music to the inevitable meetings and greetings between fans. Come just after 9pm however and DJ Lauren Laverne came on stage to awkwardly introduce the headliner.

Keeping with tradition the set opened with the opener from the latest album, in this case ‘Going Backwards’ from ‘Spirit’. I’ll admit I haven’t enjoyed a DM album since ‘Songs of Faith & Devotion’, I find the way the band has developed to run counter to what made them great in the first place (and no, I’m not going to mention a certain Mr Wilder…) – however, this track sounded much punchier than the version on ‘Spirit’.

Another new song, ‘So Much Love’, comes across better live as did the surprise inclusion of ‘Corrupt’ from ‘Sounds Of The Universe’. But it was from here that things started to go a little awry and the fault can be laid squarely at the door of Mr Eigner and his bish-bash-bosh style of drumming.

As someone said, he plays like he hates his chosen instrument with little finesse and at times apparent rhythmic skills. His timing seemed off during the next couple of numbers, especially so on the intro to ‘World in My Eyes’. His fills and cymbal rolls added little to ‘Cover Me’, a track crying out for a real big production à la Midge Ure’s ‘Dark Dark Night’.

I have to question the need, in a shortened set like this, to allow Martin Gore his solo slot but it was given to allow a performance of ‘Home’. The latest single ‘Where’s The Revolution’ remains a plod, one thankfully without an anticipated mass audience train dance while ‘Barrel Of A Gun’ did little to lift the tempo. ‘Walking In My Shoes’ was messy, but thankfully an energetic ‘Personal Jesus’ lifted the set back on track, in time for it to finish.

Calls for an encore were answered with a spirited ‘Enjoy The Silence’, the crowd, who in reality gave more energy to the band than they received from the stage, taking the lead on the choruses. And with that it was over, a short set but one that encapsulates everything that is right and wrong about DEPECHE MODE 2017.

The band, I am sure, won’t be particularly bothered about my opinion, as they embark on what will no doubt be another highly lucrative world tour. This showing however demonstrates that as a band, they don’t really work as well on the huge stages of football stadiums and indoor arenas as they do in the more intimate environs of venues like the Barras.

An enjoyable evening but one I fear, as we all get older, we won’t see the likes of again. Still a valid live act? Yes, of course but one better experienced up close and personal and not 1000 yards away outdoors. Although even this near, nobody can tell what Fletch does…

Special thanks to Kevin May for the use of his photos, please visit http://halotheviolatorbook.com/ for information on his forthcoming book ‘Halo’

‘Spirit’ is released by Columbia Records in CD, deluxe 2CD, double vinyl LP and digital formats

http://www.depechemode.com/

https://www.facebook.com/depechemode/

https://twitter.com/depechemode

Text by Ian Ferguson
Photos by Kevin May
27th March 2017

DEPECHE MODE Spirit

8 March 2017 /

So, the Camaraderie of Black Swarm have awaited four years to receive their gift of a new DEPECHE MODE album.

Following in the footsteps of ‘Delta Machine’ which paired with ‘Sounds Of The Universe’, did not cause a stir and failed to impress. With lacklustre productions on both, the general feeling was that the Basildon boys were either bored or burnt out. The obvious question was the choice of the producer on both records, with Ben Hillier seeming not to quite get what DM are about, the results being, in both cases, flat and soulless, even though a commendable dose of blues was introduced on ‘Delta Machine’.

As Gore, Gahan and Fletch drifted towards Columbia as their chosen record label, that move inevitably furthered the non-niche perception of the band. That’s not to say that Martin Gore had passed his expiry date, with as good writing as he always had done, and Gahan’s own songs having proven better and better with each opus, in particular a very vintage DM sounding ‘Happens All The Time’, which sadly, was not included on the standard release.

Still, the devoted and ever hopeful fans of one of the biggest UK exports since THE BEATLES, have been as anxious as ever to put their hands on the newest release entitled ‘Spirit’, which together with Anton Corbijn’s artwork, suggests a clear political statement.

The choice of the producer in James Ford of SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO, who worked with FLORENCE & THE MACHINE, MUMFORD & SONS and LITTLE BOOTS caused a stir from the onset and prompted doubts in the direction which the band was heading.

As with everything DM, most of the hardcore fans will forever defend anything the trio may release; indeed the first single, ‘Where’s The Revolution’ certainly proves to be a head scratcher.

This politically charged number suits the general feeling of living in the times of real change, but the message conveyed appears somewhat naive and not very refined for Gore. Talking about politically directed songs, PET SHOP BOYS sure did a better job on their last album ‘Super’ with ‘The Dictator Decides’ and that’s not just on lyrical level.

Musically, the long awaited surprise seems to fade upon the very first verses. A tedious bass line with few dull droning sounds and a chorus, which comes in unexpectedly and has a rather irksome off beat repeat, followed by a middle eight, as far detached from the rest of the song as it possibly could be, with a pleading communist message to jump on board of the revolution train, by which time most listeners probably pressed the pause button to wonder which song from ‘Delta Machine’ or ‘SOTU’ this sounds most like. Oh, here it is: ‘Corrupt’!

Furthermore, audiences worldwide are seemingly sickened with the prevailing politics talk and yearn for some escape, as opposed to more drama. As Depeche’s album announcing singles haven’t been all that great since ‘Barrel Of A Gun’, the hope was for the rest of the long player to pick up where DM left off a long time ago.

From the onset, ‘Going Backwards’ sets the tone of the record, with sombre tones, which develop into a metallic cacophony a la Dave’s solo projects. Lyrically continuing the political pleas, but musically leaving one to wish DM were “going backwards”. Gentle guitar riffs on ‘The Worst Crime’ are pleasantly calming; however, and that feeling filters through to ‘Poorman’, it’s a minimalistic synth sensation with a rather interesting build-up to the abrupt halt, if not a little disrupted by unnecessary added noises.

‘Fail’ isn’t at all what it says on the tin, maybe mainly to that angelic voice of Gore, but also unusual instrumentation and likeable sequences, especially right at the end; it is a little gem. Gahan had been “up all night”, unable to breathe in ‘Cover Me’. This bluesy number marries dreamy guitar Badalamenti style and synth a la vintage DM, which equals success and goes down quite smoothly.

‘So Much Love’ snaps back to reality. However, it’s too much like ‘Soft Touch/Raw Nerve’ from ‘Delta Machine’, with Gahan shouting out lyrics over a pumping rhythm that’s nearly impossible to swallow. ‘Poison Heart’ marks another slice of subdued content, describing failed friendship and what many would describe, a classic “depressed” DM track.

What remains to move one is ‘You Move’, which is dirty and sleazy, but with added gritty synth and an adequate amount of electronic goodness to satisfy the devoted. ‘No More’ is unlikely to go on repeat, while ‘Eternal’ cannot be saved, even with the angelic Gore vocal, which on this one fails to magnetise.

The trigger is pulled on ‘Scum’, which would have been an interesting track, if it wasn’t for its messiness. The content is there, but it’s so confusingly disjointed, that it never really comes together, but maybe that’s the allure of it. Some will laugh, some will ignore, some will bow, some will love…

‘Spirit’, for certain, won’t be THE album a DEPECHE MODE weathered fan will reach out for readily in the backdrop of their back catalogue. If you didn’t like anything post-Wilder, you’re certainly unlikely to appreciate this one. If you thought ‘SOTU’ and ‘Delta Machine’ weren’t your thing, ‘Spirit’ is even less likely to satisfy.

But this is what DM are now; bass synth heavy, calmer, mid-tempo and sombre. James Ford brings very little to the table, the agenda is clearly pre-set by the band themselves, and the forever devoted will inevitably muse over what this album would sound like with the magic touch of Alan.

Millions will still flock to the immense tour, further millions will buy the release and any possible add-ons, but the few disgruntled will criticise and hate, a standard to be expected within the DM crowd. The question remains: is this really what Gahan and co wanted, or are we all caught up in the cogs of the greedy corporate machinery? Everyone will have their own response, so (try to) enjoy ‘Spirit’, as it may as well be the last…

‘Spirit’ is released by Columbia Records in CD, deluxe 2CD, double vinyl LP and digital formats on 17th March 2017

DEPECHE MODE play London Stadium on Saturday 3rd June 2017

http://www.depechemode.com/

https://www.facebook.com/depechemode/

Text by Monika Izabela Trigwell
Photos by Anton Corbijn
8th March 2017

DEPECHE MODE Where’s The Revolution

13 February 2017 /

Revolution, you say? DEPECHE MODE fans far and wide have awaited four years to hear their heroes’ newest album.

‘Delta Machine’, which followed ‘Sounds Of The Universe’ did not bring total joy to weathered lovers of the Basildon boys, and the reasons have been widely discussed on well frequented DM forums and social media alike.

Some said it was the choice of the producer on both those records.

Ben Hillier seemingly did not understand the uniqueness of the synth gods; the results: an overly noisy, non-uniform, at times puzzling approach to songs, which otherwise could be great.

As Gore still remained one of the best writers alive, with his astonishingly grown-up lyricism and quirky use of sound, even the blind could see that the good songwriting was still very much there. Even Gahan’s own songs proved to step up a notch, with a few notably good numbers (even though couple of them did not get to feature of the main releases).

The others, and there are a good army of those as it seems, still reminisce the times when Alan Wilder put his heart and soul into the DM productions, giving them depth, texture and lustre second to none, and those fans continue to blame the current line-up for poorer releases, even though Wilder hasn’t been in the band for a longer period than what his involvement had been…

If it’s true that Wilder will not come back, and it’s unlikely he’s bound to produce any of the future (if there are any) outings by the trio, why is it that every time Mode air their new stuff, it is immediately compared to the likes of ‘Violator’ or ‘Songs Of Faith & Devotion’?

Like any band with a career spanning over decades, some things have to change, surely? Oh, and they have… keyboards have been nearly retired by Gore who loves his guitars and would rather let Peter Gordeno do his own handiwork live, while many a fan rolls their eyes every time Christian Eigner turns into Animal from ‘The Muppets’. And musically a large dose of blues have been introduced over the last three albums.

All that aside, the Devotees eagerly await any news that leaks from the Depeche camp; after all, how many bands could get away with calling a press conference in a chosen European city, just to vaguely describe the upcoming opus and roll out the extensive tour dates, which start selling out pretty soon after, given that the album is not to be aired for months?

James Ford for ‘Spirit’: a curious choice of producer known for working with FLORENCE & THE MACHINE and MUMFORD & SONS alongside many, but can he grasp what DM are about? Can he bring the long lost magic to the record that historically appears every four years?

Anton Corbijn: the man famously responsible for much of Depeche’s artwork, videos, stage plans and a two-time video actor has been utilised again for the album visuals. Indeed his work graces the first single’s cover of ‘Where’s The Revolution’. A simplistic, almost communist notion of red, grey and black, which five sets of marching boots with six flags warns of clear political connotations. Well, the title says that too!

The song / video: ‘Where’s The Revolution’ is clearly a politically charged number, which certainly suits the general feeling of living in the times of real change, what with Brexit and Trump’s presidency in the US, which took social media by storm, feeding even those not at all interested in politics, with a large dose of just that every day.

It starts off with a rather gripping rhythm, seeing Gahan playing the role of a dictator speaking to the brainwashed, marching posse. Rather quickly, the promising sounds roll into a tedious bass line with a few droning sounds.

Well, at least the guitar sounds great… and just as you settle into the song, BANG! Here comes the chorus! Literally off the metronome scale and coming back on an off-beat, Gahan wants to know where the Revolution is, while his posse scatters away and the dictator and co move to another spot for a further bit of marching and flag flying.

But that’s not all; here comes the middle eight, (or a middle sixteen on the full length version), which if the song wasn’t on the poor side already, totally wipes out any hope, both audibly and visually.

Gore, Gahan and Fletch are seen wearing Rabbi-like beards and stood in line, perform choo-choo motions to “the train is coming… the train is coming… get on board”, which soon is likely to be adopted by nursery schools far and wide as the newest after nap time activity.

Afterwards, Gahan puts on his live gigging vest and Gore produces his guitar, and Fletch… well Fletch just stands there, but what’s new? One more dose of chorus and we are done…

Well, it could be worse. On the tenth or twentieth listen, the song isn’t too bad, it even gets one singing the chorus, but is that really the “Revolution” that DEPECHE MODE wanted to bring upon their ever so devoted fans?

The guys have either got lazy, and really don’t care what it is that they release as long as the money is coming in, or they simply lost it… even Gore’s lyrics on this one smell of naivety, and the whole thing is just a big head scratcher. As for the production, James Ford has brought absolutely nothing new to the table set before by Ben Hillier.

Anton Corbijn has always liked to inject a funny, mocking even, element to his DM videos, but somehow this looks unsophisticated and predictable… almost.

Surely the album is going to be far better than this, “here is a plea”….

‘Where’s The Revolution’ is from the new album ‘Spirit’ released by Columbia Records in CD, deluxe 2CD, double vinyl LP and download formats on 17th March 2017

DEPECHE MODE play London Stadium on Saturday 3rd June 2017

http://www.depechemode.com/

https://www.facebook.com/depechemode/

Text by Monika Izabela Trigwell
13th February 2017

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