Album title: Spirit
Artist: Depeche Mode
Genre: Electronic/Synthpop
Nationality: English
Release date: March 17
Position in Discography: Fourteenth
Fear Factor: Moderate
Familiar with this artist? I've heard some of their work, never a full album
Familiar with the genre or subgenre? No
Average RYM Score: 2.88
Now here's a band young Trollheart was contemptuous of, for reasons of youth and ignorance and being a metal and proghead. Anything that sounded vaguely like electronic music was anathema to me, and as a result I viewed Human League, Yazoo, OMD and of course these guys with nothing but disdain. So this will be the first time I've really listened to Depeche Mode with an open mind, and it's good. Actually, it's very good. “You Move” is the first track I don't really like; it's just dreary and boring, but “Cover Me” soon makes me forget that and then “Eternal” keeps the high quality going with an almost dronelike dour ballad that really works.
“So Much Love” is the closest this comes to what I remember about the band; sounds quite dated but it's still pretty good. “Poorman” is a dark melancholy dirge decrying the state of the world, and overall I'd have to say this is much better than I had expected. Time to throw out those old prejudices. Again. Getting a little tired of this. I guess that's what comes of being an insular-minded kid, huh?
Check out more from this artist? Yes
Check out more from this genre or subgenre? Yes
Expectation Index: 10