ARTIST: Depeche Mode
TITLE: Songs Of Faith And Devotion
LABEL: Mute
GENRE: Pop
BITRATE: 203kbps avg
PLAYTIME: 0h 47min total
RELEASE DATE: 2006-10-02
RIP DATE: 2006-09-28
Track List
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01. I Feel You 4:36
02. Walking In My Shoes 5:26
03. Condemnation 3:29
04. Mercy In You 4:20
05. Judas 5:13
06. In Your Room 6:23
07. Get Right With Me 3:51
08. Rush 4:40
09. One Caress 3:33
10. Higher Love 5:56
Release Notes:
In between Violator and Songs of Faith and Devotion, a lot happened:
Nirvana rewrote the ideas of what "alternative" was supposed to be,
while Nine Inch Nails hit the airwaves as the most clearly
Depeche-influenced new hit band around. In the meantime, the band
went through some high-profile arguing as David Gahan turned into a
long-haired, leather-clad rocker and pushed for a more
guitar-oriented sound. Yet the odd thing about Songs of Faith and
Devotion is that it sounds pretty much like a Depeche Mode album,
only with some new sonic tricks courtesy of Alan Wilder and
co-producer Flood. Perhaps even odder is the fact that it works
incredibly well all the same. "I Feel You," opening with a screech
of feedback, works its live drums well, but when the heavy synth
bass kicks in with the wailing backing vocals, even most rockers
might find it hard to compete. Martin Gore's lyrical bent, as per
the title, ponders relationships through distinctly religious
imagery; while the gambit is hardly new, on songs like the
centerpiece "In Your Room," the combination of personal and
spiritual love blends perfectly. Outside musicians appear for the
first time, including female backing singers on a couple of tracks,
most notably the gospel-flavored "Condemnation" and the uilleann
pipes on "Judas," providing a lovely intro to the underrated song
(later covered by Tricky). "Rush" is the biggest misstep, a too
obvious sign that Nine Inch Nails was a recording-session favorite
to unwind to. But with other numbers such as "Walking in My Shoes"
and "The Mercy in You" to recommend it, Songs of Faith and Devotion
continues the Depeche Mode winning streak.