It's been many years since rock music was still important and highly relevant. Artists were not pop bunnies who sang with computer voices, but stars with guitars, poets, explainers of the world.
Let's have an ear for Depeche Mode's classical album "Songs of Faith and Devotion".
There are few noises that sound nastier than those made by a dentist's drill. And yet this record begins with one of them. To make matters worse, there is also a love song ("I Feel You"), which ultimately seems like a declaration of war.
Depeche Mode have never made feel-good soundtracks for the cassette recorder in the car, but did that mean everything stayed the same with their "Songs of Faith and Devotion".
Nobody would have expected sweet Irish flute tones from this band (“Judas”), nor a real string orchestra (“One Caress”), and sonorous ones Gospel choirs ("Condemnation") certainly don't. Depeche Mode have built their songs around rock riffs before, but this time it's literally full of guitars, which doesn't exclude scratching, drum loops or crystal-cold samples.
The stylistic range has also grown: “Walking In My Shoes” could be taken over by Massive Attack. “I Feel You” sounds like INXS, just more profound. And "Get Right With Me" is a new stop on the Magical Mystery Tour. However, there can be no question of copying it. Because every bar bears the unmistakable signature of songwriter Martin Gore.
This is one a one brilliant album I often go back to.