Spirit

Really enjoying the album. Been a fan since the 80's and DM never fails to impress me. I think some of the context could be interpreted as political, but - as it is with art forms - it's subjective to the listener. We often forget in today's popular music (radio play), that music used to be about presenting a point of view from the artist's perspective, be it about their perspective on life, love, politics, or feelings of anger or joy, segregation or sadness. This album has those things, so new listeners likely aren't going to like it. As an example, I can see other ways that 'Going Backwards' could also reflect society and technology other than a political statement, but that is only personal point-of-view. Again, it's subjective. If you're a long time fan, give it a try, and I think the lyrics are clever enough that people can think of other ways that the lyrics could fit to other situations, other than political POVs. Or they can think of it, if they want. Still a free country. Either way, given the quality of the music and production, I don't find this a disappointing album at all. It's relevant and it sounds fantastic, even better turned up loud. Good going, guys! I appreciate this album, very much!

When I was in my young tennage years, my mother showed me Depeche Mode and I've been a hardcore fan ever since. This was right after Sounds of the Universe same out. I loved their old stuff such as Violator, Music for the Masses, etc. I also really love their new music such as Playing with the Angel, Sounds of the Universe, and Delta Machine. Many people now are saying that Depeche Mode's new music is not like it was before. This might have to do with Alan Wilder's departure. Nevertheless, their music is still extraordinary. To be honest, Violator, Playing with the Angel, Delta Machine, and Spirit are my favorite albums from them. I love their new music so much. I listen to it everyday. People say that Depeche Mode's new music has become darker. I still like it. I love the music because of the message, amazing electronic sounds, and amazing vocals. I am very happy with this album. I listen to it everyday when I drive. Do not listen to the haters. I love the music in this album and hope you too.

It is important to keep an open mind when listening to Spirit by Depeche Mode because the music on this album is a different music quality from maybe some of the their love songs that they are known for (Personal Jesus, Just Can’t Get Enough, Strange Love, A Question of Lust, I Feel You, In Your Room, Only When I Lose Myself, Halo etc.). This album is more of a music energy that can be symbolized as their song Heaven (from their 2013 album release) meets Condemnation, Walking In My Shoes andor People Are People. I confess that I enjoy their relationship type songs the most from Spirit (Cover Me, So Much Love, and a machine remix version of So Much Love if you have an Amazon music subscription), yet I would keep an open mind to hearing some of their other songs andor watching music videos that may feature other songs on Spirit.

I've been an avid DM fan for 27 years now, ever since I was a 5th/6th grader in 1990 (yes, "Enjoy the Silence" is what got me hooked!). Their music truly resonates with me, it strikes a chord. Simply put, DM are mesmerizing! They could release an album of bubblegum pop covers (of course, they would clearly never do this!), and I would still somehow find a way to appreciate it, and maybe even like it. DM do what they want to do, not what record label execs tell them to do. DM are real, authentic, genuine musicians, which I feel has been a rarity for quite a while. That being said, I admit I have been a little disappointed with their work in recent years, which I personally feel has included a lot of "filler material." There is always that one song on each of their last few albums that is an absolute standout, and should have been a single, but was not, and therefore has not been played live in concert. And then there is always that one B-side that is just so, so great, and for whatever reason was completely overlooked as an album track. Ugh, that is so frustrating to me! My initial reaction to DM's new music was actually negative. I had not been all that impressed by "Where's the Revolution," and thought that it sounded like an extremely disjointed song. I still don't exactly love it, and the thing I like best about it is the "Trump Train" reference. Upon my first Spirit listen, I thought it sounded very haphazard and uninspired, like it was slapped together in a jiff just so they could make a few quick bucks. On my second listen, I quickly started to have a change of heart. I realized that this album actually sounds pretty consistent throughout. Overall, it has a very raw, demo-like quality about it, and I believe this was intentionally done as an art form and was not the result of bad producing/mixing. So far, my favorite tracks are "You Move," "So Much Love" and "No More (This is the Last Time)," as these songs, in my eyes, are very indicative of quintessential DM. I believe it is impossible for even DM themselves to recreate the magic of Violator (it truly is one-of-a-kind), but I'm grateful that they are still releasing new music every few years for their fans and hope they continue to do so for years to come. I will listen to Spirit some more, no doubt, and very much look forward to seeing them live in concert for the umpteenth time this coming September!

First off, let me say that I am a HUGE DM fan and have been since Some Great Reward. Unlike some fans, I quite like the albums post Alan Wilder. DM was at their peak for Music For the Masses, Violator, and Songs of Faith and Devotion, but every album has something you can dive into. Spirit starts off strong with Going Backwards which will open the Tour! Where's the Revolution is an honest look at our world and society today. No matter what side of the aisle you are on, you can see that their are issues and problems. This isn't new for DM, take a listen back to Construction Time Again, and Black Celebration and you will find Political Songs like Everything Counts, and New Dress. The mood on SPIRIT is dark and gloomy and the tracks are kind of slow and plodding, but that is ok! You Move is very sexy, and So Much Love reminds me of Something to Do! To me, it is the best track on the album. The thing is Depeche Mode doesn't make Commercial Music. They make music that they enjoy and Martin's lyrics keep it interesting. If you are a hard core fan, you will love Spirit. If you are hoping for another Violator, you may not! I love it! Best Tracks 1) So Much Love 2) Going Backwards 3) Cover Me 4) Where's the revolution.

The most socially relevant album DM has released ever. The first song Going Backward speaks to the heart of modern civilization and is one of the best songs Martin Gore has penned. Where's the Revolution speaks to the same civilization but I feel it directed at the USA. Why? Because so many people in the US are being oppressed by corporations and the ultra rich and nobody is standing up to do anything about it. The US is ripe for a revolution and unless the people do stand up for their rights while they still can, those rights will be squashed really soon without anyone realizing it. The songs are well produced and the writing skills of both Martin Gore and David Gahan are at their best. I would say this is their best album since Playing The Angel. I can't wait to hear the songs live at the Hollywood Bowl!

You can listen from beginning to end, great sound

I'm not going to placate fans. I'm the type of DM fan that wishes they would put a little more innovation into their current work. Since 1993's "Songs of Faith and Devotion" the band has put out a new album every four years, but to me, they've all been pretty much the same. I mean, you could put "Ultra", "Exciter", "Playing the Angel", "Sounds of the Universe", "Delta Machine" and now "Spirit" in a blender and you would fake yourself out trying to guess which song is from which album. Sure, each of those albums have had a handful of good tracks, but none of those albums come close to the consistency of "Some Great Reward", "Black Celebration", "Music for the Masses", "Violator" and "Songs of Faith and Devotion". And don't tell me to just go listen to those albums if that's what I'm after--it's not. What I am after is for these three guys to knuckle down and deliver some really good albums that are filled with consistently good songs from beginning to end, not just a handful. I'm sorry, but the band feels tired to me--like their hearts really aren't in it to win it. Imagine a new DM album as if their very lives depended on it. That would be great. So here we are with "Spirit", another set of 12 songs that really vary in quality. I personally liked the first single, "Where's the Revolution", because at least the band attempts to address current social problems--namely, we have become complacent as a society, accepting garbage politicians and government. It's a reminder that we are being controlled and have very little freedom. This song appears in the middle of a 'social conscience' trilogy of songs "Going Backward" and "The Worst Crime", and you might as well add a fourth, "Scum". A fifth and sixth song in this set fall near the end of the album--"Poorman" and "Fail". These six songs are the best here, mostly because of their lyrical content. You see, the trouble with "Spirit" is the same as previous albums, that the music just isn't there. The music doesn't sound very inspired. I mean, these guys used to sound inspired. Sure, a new DM album is better than no album at all, but isn't that the point? Isn't the band taking advantage of us fans, just like government takes advantage of its citizens? DM have lulled us fans into complacency. We don't demand better from the band. We just accept mediocrity. Perhaps DM should take a look at what Human League, OMD, and even Tears For Fears have accomplished in recent years. At least those bands sound like they are trying. In fact, OMD's "English Electric" album from 2013 was really quite good. Here's how "Spirit" compares with previous DM albums: 1981 Speak & Spell: Three Stars 1982 A Broken Frame: Three and a Half Stars 1983 Construction Time Again: Three Stars 1984 Some Great Reward: Four Stars 1986 Black Celebration: Five Stars 1987 Music For The Masses: Five Stars 1990 Violator: Five Stars 1993 Songs Of Faith And Devotion: Five Stars 1997 Ultra: Three and a Half Stars 2001 Exciter: Three and a Half Stars 2005 Playing The Angel: Three and a Half Stars 2009 Sounds Of The Universe: Three and a Half Stars 2013 Delta Machine: Three and a Half Stars 2017 Spirit: Three and a Half Stars

Depeche Mode no deja de sorprenderme, a pesar de tantos años que llevo comprando sus discos me parece que siguen muy vigentes y más innovadores que nunca con esas nuevas letras de protesta muy pasionales, esos ritmos muy característicos de la banda pero con un nuevo toque como de película ciber punk de los 80s y la voz de Dave Gahan exigiendose al máximo me queda claro que este es uno de sus mejores albums de estudio, comprenlo sin lugar a dudas deben tenerlo en su colección.

Après un SOTU très moyen, j'avais été assez conquis par Delta Machine qui remettait en avant le côté electro blues du groupe, qu'il ont contribué à inventer et qui leur a permis de signer leurs meilleurs albums (la trilogie Violator-SOFAD-Ultra). Quand j'ai vu que le groupe voulait refaire des textes politiques, j'ai eu très peur. Pour moi, le groupe a grandi le jour où Martin Gore s'est concentré sur l'intime et cette frontière entre le spirituel et le salace.... Le premier single n'apporte rien de bien nouveau... Je craignais l'essai raté. Force est de constater qu'il se dégage une grande cohérence dans la production. L'ensemble est brut, sombre et direct. Les mélodies ne sont certes pas les meilleures, mais le propos et la cohésion sont là. L'apport de James Ford est indéniable, cet album a une véritable identité qui plaira ou pas. Pour des cinquantenaires qui n'ont plus grand-chose à prouver ou gagner, c'est déjà un gage de qualité à l'heure où certains autres s'encroûtent. La palme à Cover Me et sa fin planante, l'ovni Scum, Fail qui clôture parfaitement et le caractère brut de Poorman et So Much Love. Une fois la bête apprivoisée, c'est un véritable bonbon acidulé.

Die Zeit zwischen den Olympischen Spielen heisst Olympiade und beträgt immer vier Jahre. So langsam müsste man ein Wort erfinden, dass die Zeit zwischen zwei Studioalben von Depeche Mode widerspiegelt, denn seit 1993 gilt auch hier ein strikter 4-Jahres-Rythmus. Erschien Delta Machine noch am 22.3.2013 ( auch schon 1993 der Albumveröffentlichungstag von Songs of faith and devotion ) so war dieses mal der 17.3. der große Feiertag für alle Devotees (übrigens wie 1986 bei Black Celebration). Und mir ging es gleich so, dass ich mich an Delta Machine erinnert fühlte. Vielleicht, hab ich das Album so gegenwärtig, weil ich es immer noch sehr oft höre, aber die Bluesanleihen und Elektroelemente klingen doch sehr vertraut, was ich wirklich positiv meine. Das Album hat wie üblich einen starken Opener mit GOING BACKWARDS, dass eigentlich nur zwei Gitarrenklänge als Grundlage hat, aber ganz schnell ins Ohr geht. Der Rest des Albums braucht da sicher größtenteils mehrere Hördurchläufe bis sich da was tut. Aber was anderes erwartet man bei dieser Band, bei der eigentlich jedes Album nicht den Hörgenuss direkt entfaltet, auch nicht. Was dieses Mal extrem leicht war, war die Kompositionen von Gore und Gahan auseinander zu halten. Mag auch daran liegen, dass man Daves Art auch inzwischen besser kennt, aber seine Nummern fallen auch leicht ab zu Martins Liedern und haben selten Gitarrensounds, aber das ist sicher Ansichtssache. WHERE'S THE REVOLUTION, die Vorabsingle, fällt wie jede Vorabveröffentlichung, auch das eine Bandtradition, etwas aus dem Rahmen und ist dann aber auch zum Einstieg das zweite schnell eingängige Lied mit ungewohnt politisch offensivem Text. So direkt politisch kennt man die Band nur von Everything Counts her. Dann aber geht's los mit der Schwergängigkeit des Albums, die einem einiges abverlangt. THE WORST CRIME ist sicher alles andere als radiotauglicher Pop, der aber nach einer Weile seine Wirkung zu entfalten weiss. SCUM ist dann ein richtiges Brett und mit Stimmverzerrern à la Barrel of a gun gibt es richtig einen mit. Super Nummer, die aber erstmal auch befremdlich klang. YOU MOVE, ein Elektroblues von Martin der sicher schon Instrumental echt gut war. Dann durfte Dave aber doch noch Hand anlegen und fertig ist eine weitere Gemeinschaftsproduktion der beiden, bisher die Beste. COVER ME, ist eine mittlerweile schon typische Gahan-Komposition. Subtil-melodisch, geht es nach einer Zeit auch schön ins Ohr und hat durchaus was SPIRITuell getragenes. Was mir zudem gefällt ist, dass der Song sich entwickelt und Dave sich traut ein Lied zu komponieren, dass sich in der Instrumentierung steigert hin zu einem echt megagelungen langen elektronischen Fadeout. ETERNAL ist für Martin ungewöhnlich direkt autobiographisch. Normalerweise lässt er sich textlich nicht so in die Karten schauen, wie in diesem Fall. Er verspricht mit einem sanften, für Kinderohren geignetem Lied, als Vater dazu sein und zu beschützen. Er ist ja jetzt wieder, nachdem er schon drei grössere Kinder hat, Vater zweier kleiner Töchter. Das Stück wirkt auch aufgrund seiner Kürze wie ein Interlude, was bei Depeche Mode Alben üblicherweise durch Instrumentals erfolgt. Mit POISON HEART folgt das für mich schwächste Stück des Albums. Es ist etwas eintönig und träge geraten, wobei es kein Lied ist was man deshalb skippen muss, zumal der Refrain dann das Lied etwas aus seiner Lethargie reißt. Ganz anders SO MUCH LOVE, die eigentlich einzige offensichtliche Single des Albums. Man geht sofort mit und es ist sofort im Ohr und eigentlich kann man beim zweiten Refrain schon mitsingen. Ähnlich war es bei Soothe my soul auf der Delta Machine, die ansonsten ja auch keine Radiohits zu bieten hatte Gottseidank. Apropos Delta Machine, POORMAN ist wohl am offensichtlichsten an dieses Album angelehnt und sogar der textliche Hinweis erfolgt, wenn Dave singt "Hey, there`s no news, poor man still got the blues". Wer das Album mochte fühlt sich hier direkt wohl. Dann kommt das, aus meiner Sicht, beste Lied von Dave auf diesem Album, was seine kompositorischen Beiträge betrifft. NO MORE (THIS IS THE LAST TIME) ist rundum gelungen, erinnert durchaus an The truth / miles away von Songs of the universe, aber das war damals ja auch ein durchaus gelungenes Stück, dass leider live fehlte. Diesmal könnte es die Singleauskopplung werden die Dave wieder zustehen wird und der Song hätte es verdient. Den Abschluss macht wieder Martin, der FAIL singt und noch mal zusammenfasst was das Album insgesamt als Botschaft hat. Es sieht nicht ganz so sonnig aus in der Welt. Das ein DM-Song mal das F-Wort enthalten würde hätte man sich nach 37 Jahren Bandgeschichte auch nicht mehr erträumen lassen. Schon das Wort pissed in REVOLUTION (nach Wrong erst das zweite Mal) ist ja ungewöhnlich explizit für den Meister der Subtiltität. Dieses Mal jedenfalls sind die beiden von Gore gesungenen Stücke wirklich gelungen. Überhaupt ist das Album wie aus einem Guss und von dem neuen Produzenten James Ford offenbar gut begleitet worden. Man kann es gut durchhören und hat einen roten Faden in der Dramaturgie, in der Emotionalität und im Abwechslungsreichtum der Songs. Wir dürfen dieses Album inkl. Tour nun erstmal genießen und uns auf weitere Highlights in der Zukunft freuen. Martin Gore hat ja jüngst in einem Interview gesagt, er könne sich vorstellen das 50-jährige Bandjubiläum auch noch zu begehen. Das wären ja drei weitere Studioalben, die noch zu erwarten werden. Aber nun heißt es erstmal: Get the Spirit and start the Revolution.

Sempre um clássico.

Ahora que ya tengo el lanzamiento y antes de que llegue el vinilo y el cd por Amazon Music puedo dar mi punto de vista a este gran álbum de 17 temas. Al principio al escuchar el pre lanzamiento escuchando el tema Where's the Revolution pensé que sería la bomba este nuevo trabajo y lo es en varios temas. Al repasar tema por tema me di cuenta que hay muy buenos temas con sonidos electrónicos de los que ha mi me gustan, pero hay algún tema que otro muy lento. Conforme los voy escuchando uno a uno una y otra vez me doy cuenta que cada vez me va gustando más que al principio. Soy un seguidor de Depeche Mode desde finales de los 80 y poseo algún que otro álbum de los más cañeros que ha sacado a la venta. Y un tour en VHS vídeo. El vinilo y el cd que he comprado de este álbum se quedan en el recopilatorio de colección que tengo! Mientras más lo escucho MÁS ME GUSTA sin duda. Mis partes técnicas y cada uno tendrá las suyas, estas son las mías: sin ofender: 1 - Going Backwards Este tema es uno de los buenos del álbum. un 9/10 2 - Where's the Revolution Este tema es también de los buenos me gusto. un 9/10 3 - The Worst Crime Tema lento, me gusto. un 8/10 4 - Scum Este tema con vocal distorsionada, nada mal el invento, pero las palmas (cajas) no me gusto. un 7/10 5 - You Move Un tema con fuerza. Tiene unos toques sintéticos que me gustaron. un 8/10 6 - Cover Me Tema que está muy bien con toques hawaiano y secuencias muy chulas 9/10 7 - Eternal Tema lento en su mayoría vocal. un 6/10 8 - Poison Heart Este tema es lento y trasmite un poco de fuerza en cierta medida: un 5/10. 9 - So Much Love Este tema está más a la línea de Depeche Mode y así tendría que ser: un 7/10. 10 - Poorman Tema que empieza con una secuencia que atrae, con los sonidos que acompaña ideal para desiertos, tema lento con momentos de fuerza: un 6/10. 11 - No more (This is the Last Time) Tema lento con una línea suave y continúa. un 7/10. 12 - Fail Tema lento con un principio oscuro siniestro. Me recuerda en cierta medida a Erasure. Un 5/10 13 - Cove Me (Alt Out) Tema lento que empieza muy idm experimental, va introduciéndose y coge ciertos sonidos de lo mismo experimental. Sonidos tipo hawaiano y secuencia tipo tron. Si no supiera que es Depeche Mode diría que no es suyo. Un 5/10. 14 - Scum (Frenetic Mix) Tema raro raro experimental que a mí ni fu ni fa, este es de relleno: un 4/10. 15 - Poison Heart Tema electrónico tipo experimental muy lento. un 7/10 16 - Fail ( Cinematic Cut) Lo mismo pienso, pero más sintético que el normal secuencias a lo bestia: un 6/10 17 - So Much Love (Machine Mix) Tema tipo techno minimal experimental duro: un 6/10. Este último lo puedo hacer incluso yo. En definitiva haciendo el balance de todos se queda en un 8/10 ya que el sonido está en mi opinión bastante logrado, pero nada que ver con las épocas pasadas. Es un álbum que excepto cuatro temas lo demás es demasiado experimental.