Depeche Mode - Sounds of the Universe

[Lx_Nen]

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.