Scenario: Depeche Mode releases the first single off the
new album, there's some
dist guitars on it, the music press claims DM is now a rock band. Does
it sound familiar? However, this
first single is a bit rockier than most of their other stuff,
but there's still a lot of synths behind it. It's quite slow, sort
of 'groovy'; it looks really silly in the video when Martin's trying to
look 'groovy' as well - now why does he always look as if he'd rather
be somewhere else doing something completely different? Dave, on the
other hand, looks like the stereotypical rock star: long unkept hair,
trendy beard, lots of tattoos, sunglasses etc. Something must have
gone seriously wrong with his 'image' since the last album, where
he was as clean and tidy as can be.
'One Caress' is a great slow track, with Martin singing to an
all-string background - and it's real strings! No synths
whatsoever here; DM has done something they never had before, which
is to bring in outside people to play on their songs. The result
is very good, although it feels a bit strange to know it's not
Alan's sounds that make the music behind the voice.
The 'throb' is an extended and more synthetic mix, and with
the disted guitars mixed down a bit (but they're still there). More
of those noisy sound effects.
'Babylon' is an up-beat semi-disco version of the song. Although
quite good, it lacks the feel of the original. It's somehow lost
in the disco beat.
