First heard about their upcoming album about a year ago and just purchased it last week.
A funny thought went through my mind as I was in line to buy it though..
A wide variety of Pop culture experiences over 30 years has taught me something; when expecting the next great thing from a beloved and trusted source of entertainment, always prepare for a let down. (Star Wars, Transformers, DC comics and anything "rebooted" I'm thinking of you)
A wide variety of Pop culture experiences over 30 years has taught me something; when expecting the next great thing from a beloved and trusted source of entertainment, always prepare for a let down. (Star Wars, Transformers, DC comics and anything "rebooted" I'm thinking of you)
With this in mind I reluctantly slipped the CD into my car's slot and braced myself for a let down.
Here are the tracks in order on the album:
- Welcome To My World
- Angel
- Heaven
- Secret To The End
- My Little Universe
- Slow
- Broken
- The Child Inside
- Soft Touch/Raw Nerve
- Should Be Higher
- Alone
- Soothe My Soul
- Goodbye
I will begin by mentioning that I made an educated guess about the meaning of the album's title while listening to the songs. Its unique bluesy/electronic sound is captured in the phrase Delta Machine which refers to the Mississippi River Delta blues, while the Machine aspect comes from the marriage of classic blues riffs with electronic themes. Of course, it makes sense to me but it's only a personal opinion.
Welcome To My World- As the first track of the album unfolds (which for once in a long while doesn't begin with a raucous mechano/buzz screech of static) Dave's steady vocalization a capella is soon joined by a rhythmic pulsation of strings and the signature electronic beats DM's reputation is founded on. But lets face it: between Martin Gore & Dave Gahan, Martin has the vocal trill chops to deliver a truly soulful plea of love or loss in contrast to Dave's more direct and forceful musical talent. Perhaps a duet with Martin opening the song and later Dave joining would've been the best way to open this album's first piece.
Angel- Unlike Welcome to my World, this track is perfect for Dave's enforcing tones to deliver a more raw and hard edged opening which accompanies the first bars perfectly. It sounds good and angry and ends with a subdued and relatively pleasant ending within its own lyrical context.
Heaven- This is the first single released to an online public & it continues much of the same religious lyrical bent heard in their Songs Of Faith & Devotion. Heavy on the piano lead, it emphasizes a slow liturgical tempo. The lyrics, as in the first two songs, reveal an angelic/demonic, love/pain dichotomy that permeates much on the album with the exception of a couple of songs.
Secret To The End - Well executed but very similar to previous tracks in recent albums. Not exactly my favorite at first hearing but I'm sure it'll grown on me the more I hear it.
My Little Universe - This piece leans a bit more toward an electronic edge than the first two. It comes alive in techno-centric palpitations, which Dave's breathy voice soon merges with & they both evolve into a mutually complimenting piece, creating this lyrically assertive song. Not to be confused with Little Soul on the previous Sounds Of The Universe album.
Slow - More than any other song in this album, Slow is very reminiscent of Songs Of Faith & Devotion. As implied, the tempo of this track is sensual as it is sexually suggestive. The warbling southern-rock guitar riff works is very effective for mood beside the gloomy ride of swaying synthesizer notes.
Broken - From its mechanical start the tone of this track is dark but befitting a song about redemption or salvation, at 1:35 it begins to alternate (lyrically & musically) into brief but upbeat segments wherein lies the chorus:
When you're falling I will catch you
You don't have to fall that far
You can make it, I will be there
You were broken from the start.
The Child Inside - a new Martin Gore classic, this slow, lamenting lyric describes something lost. His voice commands most of the attention of this piece. Its reminiscent of previous Gore gentle stylized songs such as When The Body Speaks on Exciter or Damaged People on Playing The Angel.Angel- Unlike Welcome to my World, this track is perfect for Dave's enforcing tones to deliver a more raw and hard edged opening which accompanies the first bars perfectly. It sounds good and angry and ends with a subdued and relatively pleasant ending within its own lyrical context.
Heaven- This is the first single released to an online public & it continues much of the same religious lyrical bent heard in their Songs Of Faith & Devotion. Heavy on the piano lead, it emphasizes a slow liturgical tempo. The lyrics, as in the first two songs, reveal an angelic/demonic, love/pain dichotomy that permeates much on the album with the exception of a couple of songs.
Secret To The End - Well executed but very similar to previous tracks in recent albums. Not exactly my favorite at first hearing but I'm sure it'll grown on me the more I hear it.
My Little Universe - This piece leans a bit more toward an electronic edge than the first two. It comes alive in techno-centric palpitations, which Dave's breathy voice soon merges with & they both evolve into a mutually complimenting piece, creating this lyrically assertive song. Not to be confused with Little Soul on the previous Sounds Of The Universe album.
Slow - More than any other song in this album, Slow is very reminiscent of Songs Of Faith & Devotion. As implied, the tempo of this track is sensual as it is sexually suggestive. The warbling southern-rock guitar riff works is very effective for mood beside the gloomy ride of swaying synthesizer notes.
Broken - From its mechanical start the tone of this track is dark but befitting a song about redemption or salvation, at 1:35 it begins to alternate (lyrically & musically) into brief but upbeat segments wherein lies the chorus:
When you're falling I will catch you
You don't have to fall that far
You can make it, I will be there
You were broken from the start.
Soft Touch / Raw Nerve - One of the most accessible songs in the album, its sounds like everyone knows this song. Perhaps gonna be a single hit. I think it's okay but perhaps a little too simple for my tastes... bringing us to...
Should Be Higher - Definitely my favorite song on the album so far. I find that in spirit it reminds me of the mid-late 80's Depeche Mode musical aesthetic. Although the tempo remains consistent throughout, one can hear the difference in Dave's vocal pace and lyrical falsetto:
Your lies are more attractive than the truth,
love is all I want...
your lies are written down there, in your book
love is all I want...
Despite its cryptically reproachful message(s) I find the overall tonality of the piece stands out above the other songs on the album.
Alone - Good song. Contains alot of the previously mentioned Judeo-Christian imagery (i.e. "...I was your father, your son and your holy ghost and priest... I couldn't save your soul..." etc..) Sounds like a song about heartbreak or a death. In any case, its very memorable and easily recognizable. Mid-tempo rhythm
Soothe My Soul - Another really good song. Sounds fresh and revitalizing unlike some of the darker themed songs on the album. Upbeat and faster paced, it definitely sounds good on your car speakers while driving with the windows & top down. In my opinion the second best song on the album.
Goodbye - The final track of this standard album (since there is a special edition available that contains four additional tracks) opens with a typical bluesy riff and throughout the tune. Andrew Fletcher's synthesizer backup helps to elevate the mood from a repetitious guitar and then they all rise in crescendo for the chorus which is, Goodbye. Naturally. As the last guitar note reaches what seems to be the end of the song, they all explode again, returning once again someone reluctantly leaving. Very memorable tune.
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# Additional tracks
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# Additional tracks
- Long Time Lie
- Happens All The Time
- Always
- All That's Mine
Long Time Lie - There's a reason these tracks are included in the Deluxe edition and it's because they're so interesting!
Long Time Lie's opening blares like a warning buzzer, which reminded me of the intermittent warning buzzer heard in sci-fi films when the ship is about to self-destruct, etc. Considering the lyrics it should be no surprise that a subtle sense of urgency or eventuality was needed to convey a woman's need to escape an abusive relationship (as far as I've understood the meaning.) Great song!
Long Time Lie's opening blares like a warning buzzer, which reminded me of the intermittent warning buzzer heard in sci-fi films when the ship is about to self-destruct, etc. Considering the lyrics it should be no surprise that a subtle sense of urgency or eventuality was needed to convey a woman's need to escape an abusive relationship (as far as I've understood the meaning.) Great song!
Happens All The Time - Very interesting experiment with various conflicting sounds. The lyrics seem to describe observations outside our stream of life, perhaps an awareness deducing the futility of exploring alternate lifestyles? In any case, the progressively dissonant theme continues over the vocals and tune only to eventually die down as if the structure of the song itself were to illustrate the theme in the lyrics. Very "industrial" sense of musicality in this, their 15th track. Quite interesting!
Always - One of the first things that attracted me to the sound of Depeche Mode was their unique sense of tonality and style. This song is perhaps the most radically different effort in the album as far as arrangement is concerned. It starts with a heavy accompaniment of electronic sounds, including a vintage sounding warble like an 8o's Texas Instrument toy or a similar device. Martin Gore's voice comes across distorted at first but eventually shines and cuts through alongside the synthkeys like a ray of light into a darkly mechanical maze. It took a few times of listening to appreciate the overall effect. While its not an instant hit, it grew on me, so speak. Give it a chance (if you get this version of the album) and you'll see what I mean.
All That's Mine - For some strange reason (or maybe not so strange) this song sounded ALOT like Oingo Boingo's 1990's album Dark At The End Of The Tunnel, SKIN. As the lyrics go "... this is someone else's story.." I start to hear similarities in the songs. Maybe it's a little unfair to say but although this song has its own merits, I feel that its not as inventive as the rest of the tunes in the album.
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Well, these are my observations on the album. I have already secured my tickets to their concert when they come to town (thanks to my loving sibling, Gato) and hope that by the time they are playing live a few hundred meters from where I will be seated, I will have become well-versed (so to speak) with this great new album's lyrical content to sing along!
Follow OBSERVATORIO360 by signing up in the upper right hand corner of this blog and thanks for reading! :)
Always - One of the first things that attracted me to the sound of Depeche Mode was their unique sense of tonality and style. This song is perhaps the most radically different effort in the album as far as arrangement is concerned. It starts with a heavy accompaniment of electronic sounds, including a vintage sounding warble like an 8o's Texas Instrument toy or a similar device. Martin Gore's voice comes across distorted at first but eventually shines and cuts through alongside the synthkeys like a ray of light into a darkly mechanical maze. It took a few times of listening to appreciate the overall effect. While its not an instant hit, it grew on me, so speak. Give it a chance (if you get this version of the album) and you'll see what I mean.
All That's Mine - For some strange reason (or maybe not so strange) this song sounded ALOT like Oingo Boingo's 1990's album Dark At The End Of The Tunnel, SKIN. As the lyrics go "... this is someone else's story.." I start to hear similarities in the songs. Maybe it's a little unfair to say but although this song has its own merits, I feel that its not as inventive as the rest of the tunes in the album.
_______________________________________________
Well, these are my observations on the album. I have already secured my tickets to their concert when they come to town (thanks to my loving sibling, Gato) and hope that by the time they are playing live a few hundred meters from where I will be seated, I will have become well-versed (so to speak) with this great new album's lyrical content to sing along!
Follow OBSERVATORIO360 by signing up in the upper right hand corner of this blog and thanks for reading! :)
