Spirit [Deluxe]

As usual there are various phrases being bandied about like not the same since SOFAD/Alan left while some fans are even saying this is the finest Depeche Mode album since Ultra but to be honest I do not agree with either. For a start, in my opinion Depeche Mode have continued to be an excellent band since Alan left though admittedly SOFAD will probably always be the height of their achievements for me. But anyway, and this is the other point in which I am not in agreement with is the fact that I feel while Ultra's singles are four of the their most essential tracks the rest of the album while having good songs was more of a mood album and not consistently brilliant. Exciter was again while good with some amazing songs was similarly a mood album but this time the opposite of its predecessor's bleakness, a light celebration - but again frustratingly not perfection throughout like the late 80s/early 90s albums were. For me it took until 2005's Playing the Angel for Depeche Mode to become brilliant again and finally overcome the loss of Alan and all the chaos of the band members' problems during the mid-90s with every track being rather immense. Although I did not mind Sound of the Universe too much I do agree it was a step back. However, Spirit's predecessor - 2013's Delta Machine - was for me the best since SOFAD as Flood's mixing really gave it a vintage sound and there were so many incredible tracks sounding like they could come from the late 80s/early 90s peak years and I thought Ben Hillier's production was enjoyable too. So yes, overall I do not agree that Depeche Mode have not continued to be a vital band since Alan left nor do I agree that Ultra is their one decent album until now since then.This brings us to Spirit and while the band had always released the odd political track in the past e.g. Everything Counts this album is more overtly political commenting on the dark times we live in. While there is a feeling of something a bit new and some progression with this new material, opener Going Backwards is one of the tracks that feels totally like vintage Mode. It is indeed inspired by Ultra's Freestate and with its electro-blues carries on from where Delta Machine left off but for me that 1997 track while good lacked a bit of power and was more of a mood song. This has more energy, better song structure and so is Freestate plus for me and not merely a copy instead developing that song more into what it could have been and because it harks back it gives it a vintage feel. New producer James Ford's production is spellbinding combining the rock instruments - piano, guitars - with some synths and with its political anger at the way our society is "going backwards to a caveman mentality" for me it probably the very strongest track on the record with a great message.First single Where's the Revolution is another very political track wishing for a revolution against what is happening now in the world. I must confess I was not too keen on it on my first listen or two but it has grown on me more especially since I heard the single version which I feel has more oomph because it is better edited. It is more electronic than the previous track and therefore has some of the old mode about it but I also really enjoy Martin's guitar playing in the chorus in a slight Barrel of a Gun style. In fact, I really enjoy the fact that since a couple of the tracks on Violator Depeche Mode's albums have all featured Martin's guitar more prominently throughout the songs as I feel they complement the synths perfectly and add another dimension to the band's sound. But yes, both versions have grown on me and the video is really entertaining too especially with the Karl Marx beards. Overall, while I might not think it is one of the standouts on the record it is very strong but I do wish the single version had been the one used on the album too because of it being tighter and generating more power.The Worst Crime for me is one of the best songs on the record. Again, it is very political highlighting how terrible people's attitudes have become resulting in Brexit/Trump. Martin's guitar sounds sensational and it is just sublime when old SOFAD mode is referenced back when a beat similar to Condemnation occurs in the second half of the song. The thought provoking lyrics and this vintage feel but with some advancement too to the Depeche Mode sound make it a highlight for me.Fourth track, Scum, is another track this time with the most political vitriol. It is another outstanding track for me because musically it is very electronic with a catchy rhythm - it is kind of like Nine Inch Nails or one of the more synth-sounding Marilyn Manson numbers but actually really strong.Another political track about how all the badness in our world won't change the love inside Martin, Dave and Andy is So Much Love and like the opener is simply vintage 80s/90s Mode. It is like what you get when you mix Delta Machine's Soft Touch/Raw Nerve with Black Celebration's A Question of Time and spliced with a bit of the electronics of Ultra classic (and possibly my all-time favourite DM track) It's No Good. It stands out also because it is the only track on the album that speeds up the tempo too and it also has a catchy and memorable melody. For me it is a moment of magic on the record, the second finest song on the album and undoubtedly should be the next single!The other two politically themed tracks on the album have come in for some criticism but I really enjoy both. I know some have perhaps found the band a bit hypocritical by releasing the track Poorman when they are millionaires but it has a good message of when will the riches that big business has "trickle down" to the poorest in society (e.g. the business tax cuts etc.) and they did release a track called Everything Counts once after all. While it is not one the absolute highlights of Spirit it is very strong, a good follow up to that famous 1983 single and musically it has some catchy bubbling 80s synths combined with Martin's guitar once again so yet again harking back to classic electro-pop while moving on Depeche Mode's sound somewhat.I know the final track Fail most people see as the weakest but I actually think it is one of the best songs on the record. It is again conveying how the political disaster of the past decade has caused people and society to become so "corrupt" with "consciences bankrupt" etc. It is slightly less angry than Scum and Going Backwards but is instead in a more rueful, resigned and despairing tone with Martin singing at the end that "we've failed." It is a great final statement from this successful politically charged new direction from Depeche Mode and for me is like U2's Wake Up Dead Man from their 1997 album Pop especially with both songs having similar swearing and desperation. Musically I suppose it is down to taste but I love all the chiming synths, how it reminds me a bit of early Tears for Fears and for me it is surely one of the best Martin sung songs of the 21st century Depeche Mode albums.However, Spirit is not all political and is also balanced out nicely by having some classic Depeche Mode love songs which make up the rest of the album. You Move while not as fast as So Much Love is quite danceable and a catchy electro-pop number co-written by Martin and Dave together sounding quite new too. While not an absolute stand out it is again rather successful and could come under future consideration as a single perhaps.While I possibly do not agree that Cover Me is one of the best songs on Spirit it is indeed a very strong piece of silky soul from Dave. Dave's voice on this track as well as the rest of the album is sung in his signature deep and powerful, melodic baritone and it is great that although he doesn't sound totally the same live as Devotional, in the studio he sounds as great as ever (I especially like the emotion he puts into singing the phrase "northern lights"). Although Cover Me is another track with some old Mode about it with the obvious comparison to my personal favourite Violator track Clean, it is at the same time successful in another sense too as it sounds sufficiently different at the same time so it is not merely a copy.Eternal has come in for a bit of a criticism as well but although it is no One Caress I personally think it is a very good Martin-sung Depeche Mode number and another decent track. No More (This is the Last Time) is yet another very strong track and while perhaps it is not quite one of the very top numbers it is a great piece of classic 80s sounding pop about a failing relationship and could be another future single.My favourite Dave co-written track and one of my personal top tracks on the album is Poison Heart. Again, about a failing relationship it feels both familiar and a bit different again too with its combination of soul and rock. The chord change when Dave sings "You know you've never ever been a friend..." is mesmerising and takes the song to an even higher level. It is definitely another great song from this record for me and like I said the relationship/love songs help add balance to the record and make it more diverse lyrically as well as some of the different musical styles on various tracks.Spirit is yet another excellent Depeche Mode record and breaks the pattern of the 21st century albums alternating from less good to brilliant and back to less good again etc. (e.g. Exciter and Sounds of the Universe were not as strong as Playing the Angel and Delta Machine). With the more politically charged atmosphere on most of the tracks on the album and with the music feeling somewhat more progressed in style too it marks a new direction for Depeche Mode but there is also a good helping of the old Mode too in the songs especially on the vintage sounding Going Backwards and So Much Love which could both fit on any of their mid-80s to late 90s albums. In fact, while Spirit is a cohesive record it also has a bit of variety too both lyrically and musically which also one of its strengths. Like a lot of Depeche Mode music what is so wonderful about it is it is both dark and gloomy yet uplifting at the same time which is why I love this band so much. The only things I would say though are that the lyrics are not always totally perfect but that is only a minor issue as most of them are fine and emotive. Also, the only track that has a fast tempo is So Much Love but that is again only a slight point as the other tracks are so good and after all you would expect this as the band are getting older. While I would probably say Delta Machine had a few more standout tracks, it is similar to 1986's Black Celebration - widely viewed as one of their top releases - in this respect as despite the lack of that many obvious singles there is not a weak link on Spirit and they are all very decent songs. It is a very mesmerising, well rounded album and although I enjoyed U2's most recent album very much Depeche Mode have clearly been the superior band of the 21st century for me.

Another DM album that has its own enticing personality unlike anything they've done before. Could this be their first concept album? The production is top-notch although maybe a bit heavy-handed with the bass and drums at times.Standouts so far are: the epic opener Going Backwards which is more like a melodic-tinged rock track giving me goosebumps on the "we feel nothing inside refrain"; Where's the Revolution with its ambient verses and changes in tempo, the (too) loud choruses, the train is coming; Scum with its relentless onslaught of anger and distortion punctuated by melody (surely the second single?); the obligatory Martin wierd track, Eternal, with gloriously creepy harmonium enveloping his angelic voice (goosebumps at crescendo); Poison Heart has country guitar-tinged verses and the woa woa chorus (probably too much bass in the thumping beat); So Much Love is a better version of Soft Touch/Raw Nerve with changes in the beat and nuances throughout the song - it only misses out on not having a better melody than the guitar refrain used, perhaps something like the "oh, brother..." from STRN.Elsewhere, The Worst Crime is a tender dark song beautifully sung by Dave. Poorman is an atmospheric mix of gospel heys, distorted guitar and percussion which possibly misses out on being a great track. Fail isn't quite working for me yet but I feel drawn to it.The singing is exquisite throughout with only minor occurrences of Martin's vibrato, Dave's croaking and elongated vowels.I love almost everything about this album. The only downers are the Dave tracks. I say this as a huge fan of Delta Machine which had three superb songs by Dave (& co). Apart from Poison Heart, I find You Move and No More mediocre at best. Even the much vaunted Cover Me fails to make an impression. Its instrumental outro is appealing but yet bland.There's a superb 9 track album in here. It's more accessible than Delta Machine and PTA (both of which I adore). Still getting to know Spirit :)

Everything Counts started me off and Master & Servants got me and Condemnation continued my hook and been avid since SOFAD but have all the back catalogue. I've been to see them 4 times over the years.Very different choices to many people's DM soundtracks and this is what DM are about.I like a lot of DM stuff, they and Enigma are the only 2 acts I purchase music for now and hearing Enigma's last fail of an album (yep first time I gave a 1 star) I was worried about Spirit.But I am very presently surprised at actually how good this album is. Post Ultra I struggled with Exciter and Playing the Angel, SOTU & Delta Machine were stronger but this is above all of them.Took me longer to get into previous albums, understanding the songs and music but getting to like most of them.This album though lyrically slightly weaker then SOTU & Delta Machine it is much better produced musicallyHighlights for me areCover Me - is true silk an absolutely stunning track their best in years, the slide on that makes you hair stand on end.You Move - is an amazingly sexy track very imposing yet subtle in the verseI have the deluxe edition and actually the mixes are pretty good bar 1, usually the extra tracks do disappoint but this is a decent set of mixes.Bad bitsMartin's tracks I struggle with these, I suspect he liked these but others didn't but he had the say in the ones he wanted to put on the album which he recorded.Overall I feel the other tracks on the album will settle with me better then previous albums and I will listen to this one more. Seen it at 3 out of 5 and was worried but its now nearly 4 out of 5 and I think that is more so in the right direction, good on DM.