Depeche Mode - Sounds of the Universe
 

This is coming...or is even already here. Thoughts ?

Re: Depeche Mode - Sounds of the Universe
 

not entirely sure yet, but I'm thinking it's a darker affair than Playing the Angel. Maybe a return to form(ish?) not sure yet, only one or two listens.

Re: Depeche Mode - Sounds of the Universe
 

Still haven't received mine in the post yet. I don't think I'm to get it until the end of the month from what the mail tracking shows.

Re: Depeche Mode - Sounds of the Universe
 

Darker, and with a lot of new sounds I think.

Release date is for 20th of april, so it's normal you have not received it yet ;)

Re: Depeche Mode - Sounds of the Universe
 

Well, DM have only made 1 coherent listen-all-the-way-through album (Violator), and this seems to live up to the usual mixed-bag expectations.

Once you're past the odd intro that would work if it didn't get so bagpipey, it's pretty much a more grown-up version of PtA .thankfully without the oppressive brick-wall limiting, but also a lot lighter on memorable hooks.

"Wrong" is the only obvious single, "Peace" is odd but outstanding, and worth the price of the CD on it's own, but it ends very abruptly, which makes me wonder if the leak isn't the finished product. "Little Soul" is the low point, it's practically "goodnight lovers" over again - bleh! It's hard to resist playing "Jezebel" back to back with the Recoil track of the same name, and reaching the conclusion that Alan took away something essential when he left... even though there are more tantaslising hints of classic era Mode in this album than there were last time round.

One of the better Mode albums, but it's no Violator.

Re: Depeche Mode - Sounds of the Universe
 

I too have found a bunch of different trax out there with many different versions of the same song. odd really.

Re: Depeche Mode - Sounds of the Universe
 

some say that the * version is not the final one, that's possible !

Re: Depeche Mode - Sounds of the Universe
 

I have the promo of this to review, so if this is leaked i'm amazed. I only say so as all copies are supposedly watermarked and Mute Records made me sign an agreement pretty much saying they'd chop my balls off if I leak it.

But yer, its good, I like it!

Re: Depeche Mode - Sounds of the Universe
 

I nearly promised not to listen to this before having it in my hands for real, but the fact is that for the first time I was thinking to buy it in the box set edition... just want to avoid bad surprises ;)

But whatever, the things I listened is clearly some new Depeche Mode :p

Re: Depeche Mode - Sounds of the Universe
 

Yes, it's a definite leak of the real thing... good thing it did too, I probably wouldn't have convinced my other half to go see the new tour, or chosen the posh box set over the standard release without knowing it was this good.

Re: Depeche Mode - Sounds of the Universe
 

...what's the 'posh box set'?

I decided to do that iTunes pass - thingy

but I just got a leak of the album... haven't had time to listen to it yet, just enough to skim through.

I did, however notice that "Hole to Feed" seems to be completely different song than the version I found a while ago (but "Come Back" seems to be the same)

are there other different versions of tracks? (the aforementioned are the only two I've found)

Re: Depeche Mode - Sounds of the Universe
 

I think he was speaking about this...

CD 1 - Sounds Of The Universe
1. In Chains
2. Hole To Feed
3. Wrong
4. Fragile Tension
5. Little Soul
6. In Sympathy
7. Peace
8. Come Back
9. Spacewalker
10. Perfect
11. Miles Away / The Truth Is
12. Jezebel
13. Corrupt

CD 2
Bonus tracks
1. Light
2. The Sun And The Moon And The Stars
3. Ghost
4. Esque
5. Oh Well

Remixes
6. Corrupt - Efdemin Remix
7. In Chains - Minilogue's Earth Remix
8. Little Soul - Thomas Fehlmann Flowing Ambient Mix
9. Jezebel - SixToes Remix
10. Perfect - Electronic Periodic Dark Drone Mix
11. Wrong - Caspa Remix

CD 3
Demos
1. Little 15
2. Clean
3. Sweetest Perfection
4. Walking In My Shoes
5. I Feel You
6. Judas
7. Surrender
8. Only When I Lose Myself
9. Nothing's Impossible
10. Corrupt
11. Peace
12. Jezebel
13. Come Back
14. In Chains

DVD
Video
Making The Universe / Film (45.23)
Usual Thing, Try And Get The Question In The Answer (55.12)
Sounds Of The Universe [A Short Film] (10.05)
Wrong (promo video - 3.16)
Studio Sessions:
Corrupt (4.08)
Little Soul (3.52)
Stories Of Old (3.24)
Come Back (6.05)

Audio
Sounds Of The Universe plus bonus tracks in 5.1 surround sound
1. In Chains
2. Hole To Feed
3. Wrong
4. Fragile Tension
5. Little Soul
6. In Sympathy
7. Peace
8. Come Back
9. Spacewalker
10. Perfect
11. Miles Away / The Truth Is
12. Jezebel
13. Corrupt

Bonus tracks
1. Light
2. The Sun And The Moon And The Stars
3. Ghost
4. Esque
5. Oh Well

Packaging / additional content:
2 piece custom made box with foil blocking.
2 x 84 page hardback books:
The first featuring the lyrics to all the songs from the Sounds Of The Universe sessions accompanied by exclusive photography by Anton Corbijn.
The second featuring exclusive and candid studio photography by Daniel Miller, Ben Hillier, Luke Smith and Ferg Peterkin.
2 exclusive enamel badges
1 poster
5 artcards, sealed in a collectors envelope
1 certificate of authenticity

Re: Depeche Mode - Sounds of the Universe
 

oooh

that looks NICE I just checked it out on the DM page

sure it's a bit pricey (like $100) but man... it's certainly a step up from Portishead's or U2's recent deluxe editions - each of which I very nearly purchased, then I realized - I was paying for fancy boxes not more actual "content"

but man three cd's a dvd, and other stuff

Re: Depeche Mode - Sounds of the Universe
 

step up for sure. hey, how was the Anton Corbijn movie in that U2 collector ?

Re: Depeche Mode - Sounds of the Universe
 

still haven't watched it. I've heard it's boring.

Re: Depeche Mode - Sounds of the Universe
 

I've found the least expensive price for the Depeche Mode boxset to be $79.98 via Tower and Amazon (links below):

Amazon

Tower Records.com

There's some more pics here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/hanzan/...th/3444924424/

I'm really looking forward to the demos. --Jason

Re: Depeche Mode - Sounds of the Universe
 

The box set looks great, but somehow looses its prestige when shown spread out on someones bedding ;)

Re: Depeche Mode - Sounds of the Universe
 

For those in the UK, cheapest seems to be 55.93gbp at TheHut http://www.thehut.com/hut/10040444.product or a few pence more at Zavvi (both free postage) - which is $82.

Re: Depeche Mode - Sounds of the Universe
 

The box set came in the mail today for me. It is an outstanding piece of art. I haven't listened to it yet. But in terms of box set packaging, this is highly recommended for Depeche Mode fans.

Jason

Re: Depeche Mode - Sounds of the Universe
 

Mine arrived too, pleasantly surprised that I don't feel ripped off - it's a seriously heavy duty item. It'll be days before I've worked my way through all the content, but so far it's all good, the main album is sounding much better than the leak.

I'm convinced that this sort of thing is the way forward for the music biz - use piracy as free advertising to hook in fans, then sell the most committed fans big ticket items like the DM box or the whole live here now series.

Re: Depeche Mode - Sounds of the Universe
 

Just had a listen - hey, it's pretty good!

DM albums are always sort of a mixed bag for me- a few proto-electro tracks i love, a couple harmless, but forgettable synth-pop tunes, and a few ballads or otherwise less-inspirational cuts i can do without.

"Sounds of the Universe" is true to form in consideration of their back catalog, but shifts the balance towards the aspects of the Mode that i find catchy - dark lyrics, simple synth hooks, layers of countermelody, but not too many.

Some reviews have found this uneven, with the band losing the point in the latter songs. For me, it's all on an even keel (except for the ballads that i skip!), and certainly sounds current but distinctively Mode.

Fave trax:

2. Hole To Feed
3. Wrong
4. Fragile Tension
10. Perfect
13. Corrupt

Re: Depeche Mode - Sounds of the Universe
 

Depeche Mode had their warm-up show on the 6th in Luxembourg. Setlist per the DM message boards seemed pretty good to me. Including a few great surprises.


Plenty of youtube vids out there. Jason