Soul music for the masses (Songs Of Faith And Devotion - Depeche Mode)

Member Name: anelegantsir

Product:	Songs Of Faith And Devotion - Depeche Mode
Date:	24/09/00 (80 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Brilliant songs throughout - well written, well performed, well produced

Disadvantages: Honestly? None...

This is one of my favourite albums of all time for a number of reasons. As a big Depeche Mode fan, I was glad when their 1990 album, Violator finally broke them through, and deservedly so, for it's a true aural epic with well-crafted songs that captured lead singer, David Gahan's velvety tones to a touch. It was also the first time the band worked with Flood, certainly one of the most under-rated British producers, who took the band's material to a more credible, mainstream level, and added an edge to their sound. So what great joy for me when they did it all over again three years later with Songs of Faith and Devotion - only this time, they managed to excel themselves further!

Opening with I Feel You, the song the band chose as their come-back single, the track revealed a rockier side to the band. Their traditional instrument, the synth, was low on the mix, whilst live drums, Martin Gore's bluesy rock guitar riff and Dave's full on growl were raised to the forefront. The press laughed, but the fans lapped it up and if anything the song served as an eyeopener, if not a slightly misleading introduction to the album.

One thing that's highly laudable about Songs of Faith and Devotion is the lyrics. Looking back through Depeche Mode's back catalogue, more album tracks than singles mind, songwriter Martin Gore's interest in religion and all that brings coupled with the dynamics people experience in relationships means the songs here are deliciously complex, littered with biblical references and sprinkled with enough soul-wrenching to make anyone that's had any contact with Christianity to stop and think.

The fantastic album centrepiece, In Your Room, captures everything the band had been trying to do to date. Switching from cowardly fear to sexual aggression in the space of 6 minutes, we too cower in the midst of a domineering presence in a soundscape that's dark, dramatic and extremely menacing - a t
ruely fantastic listening experience.

Walking in my Shoes is another gem, a true confession of a song thanks to the endearing lyrics and vocals. Condemnation's nod to gospel follows the same theme - guilt, justifying actions and redemption, whilst Judas, sung by Gore, can be read as a blatent attack on the demands of Christianity doctrine or a selfish lover - capturing the beauty of the album where songs can be interpreted either way and yet capture Gore's concerns perfectly. The album concludes with One Caress, again with Martin Gore on lead vocals, backed by a string orchestra whilst Higher Love leads you awe-inspired and soul-fed.

I doubt that Depeche Mode will ever reach the dizzy heights they achieved with this album. The band's studio genius, Alan Wilder, quit following the gruelling tour Depeche Mode embarked on to promote the album, and a number of personal factors, mainly Martin Gore's drinking binges and David Gahan's heroin addiction, saw the band venture into darker places both during and following the making of the album. With everyone feeling happier now, I just hope that the remaining members of the band will take what they learnt from the Songs of Faith and Devotion period and apply to future material - they haven't done so so far but here's hoping...

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