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Track Listings
| Disc: 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. In Chains | |||
| 2. Hole to Feed | |||
| 3. Wrong | |||
| 4. Fragile Tension | |||
| 5. Little Soul | |||
| 6. In Sympathy | |||
See all 13 tracks on this disc
| |||
| Disc: 2 | |||
| 1. Light [*] | |||
| 2. The Sun and the Moon and the Stars [*] | |||
| 3. Ghost [*] | |||
| 4. Esque [*] | |||
| 5. Oh Well [*] | |||
| 6. Corrupt [Efdemin Remix] | |||
|
See all 11 tracks on this disc
| |||
| Disc: 3 | |||
| 1. Little 15 [Demo Version] | |||
| 2. Clean [Demo Version] | |||
| 3. Sweetest Perfection [Demo Version] | |||
| 4. Walking in My Shoes [Demo Version] | |||
| 5. I Feel You [Demo Version] | |||
| 6. Judas [Demo Version] | |||
|
See all 14 tracks on this disc
| |||
Editorial Reviews
Limited four disc (three CDs + DVD) edition of their 2009 album includes two 84 page books with lyrics and exclusive album and studio session photography. two exclusive enamel badges, poster and five artcards sealed in a collectors envelope with certificate of authenticity. Disc One is the Sounds Of The Universe album. Disc Two contains studio tracks not available on the album plus remixes. Disc Three includes demos from different stages of the band's career. The DVD contains behind the scenes footage on the making of the album, the video clip for 'Wrong' and more. Eclectic and energized, the band's new release is their most dazzling and diverse album in decades. Recorded in Santa Barbara and New York, Depeche Mode returned to using a lot of vintage gear, from analogue synthesizers to drum machines, in order to conjure up the retro-futuristic arrangements featured on the album. Lyrically the release contains many of the group's enduring obsessions plus more overt black humor than any of their previous collections. The release marks a reunion between the band and producer Ben Hillier, who worked with the band on Playing The Angel. Features the single 'Wrong'. Mute.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
83 of 90 people found the following review helpful
Format:MP3 Music|Amazon Verified Purchase
When a band has been around for close to thirty years and is still making music, it probably means one of three things: 1) they're trying to recreate the past, or 2) they're trying to do something very different, or 3) they're recombining elements of their catalogue to make something kind of new and kind of familiar. Sounds of the Universe falls into that last category.
The latest Depeche Mode album features thirteen tracks, all of them using early-eighties synthesizers with no apologies. At times, these tracks sound like they could have been made in 1984, using the melodic sophistication of Some Great Reward and the sonic textures of A Broken Frame. Sounds of the Universe bleeps and thumps and hisses with a seemingly primitive array of manufactured noises in a way that only deep fans of, say, Orbital, Autechre, Kraftwerk, or early Nine Inch Nails can really appreciate.
But to dismiss this album because of its Atari arcade sound effects would be a mistake. For one thing, Sounds is not strictly a throwback in the sense that many of the songs use an actual guitar to great effect, which would have been unthinkable to the band in its earliest years. "Wrong," for example, owes as much to the twang of "Personal Jesus" as it does to the robotic drone of early Depeche Mode dirges such as "Photographic." The same applies to "Fragile Tension" and "Come Back," and even "The Truth Is/Miles Away" and "Perfect" use guitar strategically to great effect, something that never would have happened before Music for the Masses at the earliest.
But even the songs which rely completely on a synthetic sound don't suffer as a consequence. "Little Soul" and "Jezebel" may not be for everyone, with their Exciter-era tempos and "mature" feel (which some would argue is the death knell for any band)--yet they work well for anyone who has enjoyed the quieter moments of past albums. If you're looking for a faster track, "In Sympathy" is probably the best on the album, with its sunny intro and a bridge that delves into a melancholy club-thump, and "In Chains" continues a long tradition of kinky songs with single potential while still remaining true to the album's subtexts of justice and fairness.
Admittedly there are some questionable decisions in the making of Sounds of the Universe, such as predictable rhymes and the campiness of Dave briefly dipping into an Elvis Presley impression as he croons "The Truth Is/Miles Away." And "Peace" is a little embarrassing in its sincerity. But when in the band's career have Dave and Martin sounded so good as vocalists?
Part of me wishes for the return of rock opera masterpieces such as "Enjoy the Silence," and any legitimate DM fan will probably agree that Violator was either the band's best album or a serious contender for the title. However, that is not going to happen, because that sound is inextricably tied to departed band member Alan Wilder and Flood, Violator's producer. As a trio, Depeche Mode are still making very good, if not great, music--and if you can square yourself with that reality, you may find yourself listening to this "grower" of an album for quite some time.
The latest Depeche Mode album features thirteen tracks, all of them using early-eighties synthesizers with no apologies. At times, these tracks sound like they could have been made in 1984, using the melodic sophistication of Some Great Reward and the sonic textures of A Broken Frame. Sounds of the Universe bleeps and thumps and hisses with a seemingly primitive array of manufactured noises in a way that only deep fans of, say, Orbital, Autechre, Kraftwerk, or early Nine Inch Nails can really appreciate.
But to dismiss this album because of its Atari arcade sound effects would be a mistake. For one thing, Sounds is not strictly a throwback in the sense that many of the songs use an actual guitar to great effect, which would have been unthinkable to the band in its earliest years. "Wrong," for example, owes as much to the twang of "Personal Jesus" as it does to the robotic drone of early Depeche Mode dirges such as "Photographic." The same applies to "Fragile Tension" and "Come Back," and even "The Truth Is/Miles Away" and "Perfect" use guitar strategically to great effect, something that never would have happened before Music for the Masses at the earliest.
But even the songs which rely completely on a synthetic sound don't suffer as a consequence. "Little Soul" and "Jezebel" may not be for everyone, with their Exciter-era tempos and "mature" feel (which some would argue is the death knell for any band)--yet they work well for anyone who has enjoyed the quieter moments of past albums. If you're looking for a faster track, "In Sympathy" is probably the best on the album, with its sunny intro and a bridge that delves into a melancholy club-thump, and "In Chains" continues a long tradition of kinky songs with single potential while still remaining true to the album's subtexts of justice and fairness.
Admittedly there are some questionable decisions in the making of Sounds of the Universe, such as predictable rhymes and the campiness of Dave briefly dipping into an Elvis Presley impression as he croons "The Truth Is/Miles Away." And "Peace" is a little embarrassing in its sincerity. But when in the band's career have Dave and Martin sounded so good as vocalists?
Part of me wishes for the return of rock opera masterpieces such as "Enjoy the Silence," and any legitimate DM fan will probably agree that Violator was either the band's best album or a serious contender for the title. However, that is not going to happen, because that sound is inextricably tied to departed band member Alan Wilder and Flood, Violator's producer. As a trio, Depeche Mode are still making very good, if not great, music--and if you can square yourself with that reality, you may find yourself listening to this "grower" of an album for quite some time.
57 of 63 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Deluxe Boxset Is An Essential Purchase For Any Depeche Mode Enthusiast
April 21, 2009
By Mr.
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
After three years of waiting, Depeche Mode are back with their 12th original studio release, the epically grand titled: "Sounds Of The Universe" w/ Deluxe Boxset 3CD/DVD. The band came up with the name quite early on in the process. Songwriter, Martin Gore, has said that the title just felt like it summed up the eclectic nature of the songs and the sounds on the album. While he feels there is no overall theme, the album tends to focus on different aspects of relationships, both positive and negative. This is a lighter, more laid back `Mode, with the album a cross between 2001s "Exciter" and 2005s "Playing The Angel" with a little "Violator" thrown in for good measure. In fact, while this isn't DM at their darkest, there are very noticeable moments of darkness on the album, as well as a retro feel. This is due in part to the fact that, during the recording sessions, Martin would constantly be winning auctions on eBay for classic older electronic equipment, incorporating them into the productions. As with "Playing The Angel," Martin wrote most of the songs on "Sounds Of The Universe," with lead singer, Dave Gahan, providing writing credits for three songs (*).
"In Chains" starts things off with a one minute intro, reminiscent of how a live orchestra sounds like when they're tuning up their instruments. Only here it's a bunch of electronic equipment that's preparing to play a piece of music, with lots of strange noises and other odd sounds going off one after the other, until all is in readiness. Then what sounds like an electric organ begins to play the main melody, which almost sounds like something you might hear during a funeral procession. Until Dave Gahan's voice comes crying out with sexy allure, proclaiming his adulation for the seductive power of the woman he desires, ("The way you move, has got me yearning. The way you move, has left me burning. I know you know what you're doing to me. I know my hands will never be free. I know what it's like to be in chains") and the way she controls him ("I know I crumble when you are around. Stutter, mumble, a pitiful sound. Stagger, stumble, shackled and bound, in chains") with her sexual powers of persuasion ("You've got me dying for you. It's you that I'm living through. You've got me praying to you, saying to you anything you want me to...You've got me reaching for you. My soul's beseeching me to. You've got me singing to you, bringing to you anything you ask me to") that always wins over in the end. Martin Gore adds a funky guitar riff throughout the song that gives it a bit more bite, along with his affective backing vocalizations that are always a crowd pleaser.
"Hole To Feed,"* which sounds more like a Nine Inch Nails title, opens with a cool little beat and an array of retro electric laser beam sounds, as it's formatted interestingly in a chorus-verse-chorus motif. The song centers on the maintaining of a serious and meaningful relationship. ("We are here, we can love. We share something. I'm sure that you mean the world to me.") But with all relationships, there are pros ("You opened my eyes to a world that I could believe."..."The games that we're playing, they've left us hoping") and there are cons. ("When you get what you need, there's no way of knowing what you'll have is another hole to feed") The real point here is that real love takes hard work and dedication, and it doesn't always turn out quite the same way we expect it to be. It's a nice tune with a very poignant message that's rumored to become a future single.
"Wrong," the first single taken from the album, immediately begins with a unified chanting of the title name, four times in a row, until Dave Gahan's voice explodes into the first verse ("I was born with the wrong sign, in the wrong house, with the wrong ascendancy") subjecting the listener to a torrent of negative outcries ("I took the wrong road that lead to the wrong tendencies") and self-deprecations ("There's something wrong with me chemically, something wrong with me inherently") that signify an essence of decay and hopelessness ("I was marching to the wrong drum, with the wrong scum, pissing out the wrong energy") yet is still able to retain that one bleak glow of hopefulness ("With the wrong tune played till it sounded alright, yeah!") that rings true. The word, "Wrong," is actually used a total of 72 times (including backing vocals) on this original album version. It's got a fast groove with a heavy techno backbeat that'll have you singing along and dancing to your heart's content.
"Fragile Tension" is another excellent track from Sounds Of The Universe that also discusses the intricacies of relationships ("There's a fragile tension that's keeping us going. It may not last forever, but oh when it's flowing") and the strength and power the right kind of chemistry conjures up between two people. ("There's a strange obsession that's drawing us nearer. We don't understand it, it never gets clearer") Despite the problems and difficulties, they always seem be able to pull closer together in the end. ("Oh when we're teetering on the edge of collapse, nothing can keep us down") The song has a strongly positive and powerful message with a great beat, a wonderful guitar performance by Martin Gore, as well as a beautiful vocal job by Dave Gahan. ("There's something radical in our hands, nothing logical to our plans") This track has "Hit Single" written all over it!
"Little Soul" is indeed a soulful little tune with an introspective, yet slightly vain, viewpoint. ("My little light is going to shine. Shine out so bright and illuminate your mind. My little soul will leave a footprint") The song has some nice vocal duo moments between Gahan and Gore, with a slow, quiet, and easygoing melody that, while sounding pretty, ("I'm channeling the universe that's focusing itself inside of me...a singularity") still retains that usual DM melodic sense of melancholy. ("My little words are going to sting. Haven't you heard the pain and joy they bring?") It's a pretty tune, which calms things down a bit.
"In Sympathy" picks things right back up again with its nicely moody up tempo sound, ("They're almost falling over you. Why don't they call a truce? Whatever they are trying to do, it's of little use") as Dave plays an onlooker to a beautiful and intelligent woman, whose physical attributes bring her much notice. ("They're drowning you in compliments, trying to furnish proof. And though they speak with eloquence, there is little truth") The chorus is fraught with positive reinforcements, ("You're bright, you're strong, you know your right from wrong, at least to some degree. You're wise, you're tough, you've heard their lies enough. You smile, in sympathy") and coupled with the nice beat, Dave's great vocals, and Martin's alluring guitar work, it makes for a nice morality tale with some good-spirited heart and soul. ("And as the night begins to fade, you're heading for the door. Followed by a sad parade; you're on your own once more") Longtime fans may recognize a swirling noise throughout the song that's reminiscent of a sound used prominently in the 1984 track: "People Are People," which gives this new tune an added retro feel to it. It's a lovely song that has the makings of another "Hit Single."
"Peace," the second single taken from the album, has an affirmation vibe about it, ("Peace will come to me") along with a bit of an Erasure-esque sound quality, as Dave goes through his positive mantra ("I'm leaving bitterness behind this time, I'm cleaning out my mind. There is no space for the regrets I will remember to forget") which gives off this glowing ray of hope & happiness, ("I'm leaving anger in the past with all the shadows that it cast. There is a radar in my heart I should have trusted from the start") something you don't usually find, on a regular basis, in a Depeche Mode album, ("Just look at me. I'm a living act of holiness. Giving all the positivity that I possess, I'm going to light up the world") that's nicely done.
"Come Back"* is one of those tracks that just get better, over time, with each listen. Here we have Dave begging and pleading for that special someone to return into his life ("Come back. Come back to me. I've been waiting patiently") as he bares his soul ("Walking a thin white line between love and hate. Wasting all of my time in another world...in another place. I could use a little company, a little kindness can go a long way") and appears to be waiting in vain. ("Weeks turn into months, months turn into years. Reaching the same conclusions, gathering up the fear") Gahan, always the hopeless romantic, evokes a personal, poetic longing and sweet sincerity, ("Light will always shine in the heart of you. In truth and in reality, only blindness can hide it away") which gives the song its power and additional beauty. Nicely executed by Mr. Gahan.
"Spacewalker" is a short, nearly two minute, instrumental interlude that's reminiscent of "Easy Tiger," from 2001's Exciter. It has an outer-world, space age feel to it, with a moderate beat and an upbeat melody. While the interlude ends all too briefly, it sets things up nicely for the next track on the album.
"Perfect," again, continues the whole relationship motif of the album, this time with the idea of using other dimensions & realities to tell the story. Read more ›
"In Chains" starts things off with a one minute intro, reminiscent of how a live orchestra sounds like when they're tuning up their instruments. Only here it's a bunch of electronic equipment that's preparing to play a piece of music, with lots of strange noises and other odd sounds going off one after the other, until all is in readiness. Then what sounds like an electric organ begins to play the main melody, which almost sounds like something you might hear during a funeral procession. Until Dave Gahan's voice comes crying out with sexy allure, proclaiming his adulation for the seductive power of the woman he desires, ("The way you move, has got me yearning. The way you move, has left me burning. I know you know what you're doing to me. I know my hands will never be free. I know what it's like to be in chains") and the way she controls him ("I know I crumble when you are around. Stutter, mumble, a pitiful sound. Stagger, stumble, shackled and bound, in chains") with her sexual powers of persuasion ("You've got me dying for you. It's you that I'm living through. You've got me praying to you, saying to you anything you want me to...You've got me reaching for you. My soul's beseeching me to. You've got me singing to you, bringing to you anything you ask me to") that always wins over in the end. Martin Gore adds a funky guitar riff throughout the song that gives it a bit more bite, along with his affective backing vocalizations that are always a crowd pleaser.
"Hole To Feed,"* which sounds more like a Nine Inch Nails title, opens with a cool little beat and an array of retro electric laser beam sounds, as it's formatted interestingly in a chorus-verse-chorus motif. The song centers on the maintaining of a serious and meaningful relationship. ("We are here, we can love. We share something. I'm sure that you mean the world to me.") But with all relationships, there are pros ("You opened my eyes to a world that I could believe."..."The games that we're playing, they've left us hoping") and there are cons. ("When you get what you need, there's no way of knowing what you'll have is another hole to feed") The real point here is that real love takes hard work and dedication, and it doesn't always turn out quite the same way we expect it to be. It's a nice tune with a very poignant message that's rumored to become a future single.
"Wrong," the first single taken from the album, immediately begins with a unified chanting of the title name, four times in a row, until Dave Gahan's voice explodes into the first verse ("I was born with the wrong sign, in the wrong house, with the wrong ascendancy") subjecting the listener to a torrent of negative outcries ("I took the wrong road that lead to the wrong tendencies") and self-deprecations ("There's something wrong with me chemically, something wrong with me inherently") that signify an essence of decay and hopelessness ("I was marching to the wrong drum, with the wrong scum, pissing out the wrong energy") yet is still able to retain that one bleak glow of hopefulness ("With the wrong tune played till it sounded alright, yeah!") that rings true. The word, "Wrong," is actually used a total of 72 times (including backing vocals) on this original album version. It's got a fast groove with a heavy techno backbeat that'll have you singing along and dancing to your heart's content.
"Fragile Tension" is another excellent track from Sounds Of The Universe that also discusses the intricacies of relationships ("There's a fragile tension that's keeping us going. It may not last forever, but oh when it's flowing") and the strength and power the right kind of chemistry conjures up between two people. ("There's a strange obsession that's drawing us nearer. We don't understand it, it never gets clearer") Despite the problems and difficulties, they always seem be able to pull closer together in the end. ("Oh when we're teetering on the edge of collapse, nothing can keep us down") The song has a strongly positive and powerful message with a great beat, a wonderful guitar performance by Martin Gore, as well as a beautiful vocal job by Dave Gahan. ("There's something radical in our hands, nothing logical to our plans") This track has "Hit Single" written all over it!
"Little Soul" is indeed a soulful little tune with an introspective, yet slightly vain, viewpoint. ("My little light is going to shine. Shine out so bright and illuminate your mind. My little soul will leave a footprint") The song has some nice vocal duo moments between Gahan and Gore, with a slow, quiet, and easygoing melody that, while sounding pretty, ("I'm channeling the universe that's focusing itself inside of me...a singularity") still retains that usual DM melodic sense of melancholy. ("My little words are going to sting. Haven't you heard the pain and joy they bring?") It's a pretty tune, which calms things down a bit.
"In Sympathy" picks things right back up again with its nicely moody up tempo sound, ("They're almost falling over you. Why don't they call a truce? Whatever they are trying to do, it's of little use") as Dave plays an onlooker to a beautiful and intelligent woman, whose physical attributes bring her much notice. ("They're drowning you in compliments, trying to furnish proof. And though they speak with eloquence, there is little truth") The chorus is fraught with positive reinforcements, ("You're bright, you're strong, you know your right from wrong, at least to some degree. You're wise, you're tough, you've heard their lies enough. You smile, in sympathy") and coupled with the nice beat, Dave's great vocals, and Martin's alluring guitar work, it makes for a nice morality tale with some good-spirited heart and soul. ("And as the night begins to fade, you're heading for the door. Followed by a sad parade; you're on your own once more") Longtime fans may recognize a swirling noise throughout the song that's reminiscent of a sound used prominently in the 1984 track: "People Are People," which gives this new tune an added retro feel to it. It's a lovely song that has the makings of another "Hit Single."
"Peace," the second single taken from the album, has an affirmation vibe about it, ("Peace will come to me") along with a bit of an Erasure-esque sound quality, as Dave goes through his positive mantra ("I'm leaving bitterness behind this time, I'm cleaning out my mind. There is no space for the regrets I will remember to forget") which gives off this glowing ray of hope & happiness, ("I'm leaving anger in the past with all the shadows that it cast. There is a radar in my heart I should have trusted from the start") something you don't usually find, on a regular basis, in a Depeche Mode album, ("Just look at me. I'm a living act of holiness. Giving all the positivity that I possess, I'm going to light up the world") that's nicely done.
"Come Back"* is one of those tracks that just get better, over time, with each listen. Here we have Dave begging and pleading for that special someone to return into his life ("Come back. Come back to me. I've been waiting patiently") as he bares his soul ("Walking a thin white line between love and hate. Wasting all of my time in another world...in another place. I could use a little company, a little kindness can go a long way") and appears to be waiting in vain. ("Weeks turn into months, months turn into years. Reaching the same conclusions, gathering up the fear") Gahan, always the hopeless romantic, evokes a personal, poetic longing and sweet sincerity, ("Light will always shine in the heart of you. In truth and in reality, only blindness can hide it away") which gives the song its power and additional beauty. Nicely executed by Mr. Gahan.
"Spacewalker" is a short, nearly two minute, instrumental interlude that's reminiscent of "Easy Tiger," from 2001's Exciter. It has an outer-world, space age feel to it, with a moderate beat and an upbeat melody. While the interlude ends all too briefly, it sets things up nicely for the next track on the album.
"Perfect," again, continues the whole relationship motif of the album, this time with the idea of using other dimensions & realities to tell the story. Read more ›
40 of 45 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Depeche Mode is a survivor and has kept creating full studio albums long after many of their peer bands dissolved. This album and the last (Playing the Angel) are a continuation of the journey and reflects the entry into middle-age. Those people looking for songs like "Lie to Me" and other very sexually charged songs need to go back and listen to DM's earlier work when these men were much younger and compelled to write those kinds of songs. Sounds of the Universe has a lot of steady patterns with the feeling of deep movement (example: "Come Back") and going somewhere with the patience (and weariness) of age. Its a bold stare into the void which can develop (much akin to outer space) when one looks at the other side of the life cycle. To do it right you can't have the young more energetic and poppy DM without the darker, slower, more mature DM, it gives the band/project a life of its own and more purpose and meaning. I personally thank DM for continuing to make work and offer up such great songs for the enjoyment of us all.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
2.0 out of 5 stars
Like A Short Sweet Sugar Rush...
...it's very sweet and flavorful at first listen but as time goes on you start feeling weighed down and bored with it's shoddy production and distracting noises. Read more
Published 1 month ago by violator
4.0 out of 5 stars
great
depeche mode does it again. But after hearing the remix albums I found this cd lacking the excitement of the remixes. Still a great album. Read more
Published 2 months ago by michael dube
1.0 out of 5 stars
Artsy Crap
This album sounds like a kid experimenting with the new synthesizer her got for Christmas in 1982. Random electronic sounds aren't music. Don't waste your time.
Published 2 months ago by R. Budge
5.0 out of 5 stars
Depeche Mode Fan
I didn't have this in my collection of Depeche Mode CDs. I guess I have a few more to purchase.
Published 2 months ago by Sue Wojakowski
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great music
Its good to hear them again, its sounds great and up to date, worth the money . . . .
Published 4 months ago by Dave
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Ultimate DM Box Set
This box set is a must for the die hard DM fan!!!! I've been a DM fan since the early 80's and still amazed that they and a few other 80's bands are putting out quality material to... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Ronald K. Chan
4.0 out of 5 stars
Good...
This is a quite good album. Even if not a masterpiece, it is still a lot better than most music out there. Depeche Mode simply cannot make a bad album! Read more
Published 9 months ago by Rank
1.0 out of 5 stars
One More Strike and DM's Out
Yes, this record came out almost three years ago, and I still have a bloodlust. Yes, I've got all the whiny DM classicist fan trappings, and the influence of their classic material... Read more
Published 16 months ago by spatz0r
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not their best, but better than most other music out there.
Been listening to this for a while, I didn't care for most of it when I first bought it but time made it better (Ultra took a while to grow on me as well, although I like it better... Read more
Published 21 months ago by Robert Wilcox
5.0 out of 5 stars
Depeche Mode - Nuff said
It is truly amazing the way this band continues to stay fresh. The previous album, "Playing The Angel" was much rockier than this one. Read more
Published 23 months ago by Paul A. Mccann
Listmania!
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