Spirit

1. depechemodefan

   Mar 17, 2017

   10

   Wow! This album is ridiculously good! For me, Poorman is the highlight as to me, it serves as an excellent build up song like Never Let MeWow! This album is ridiculously good! For me, Poorman is the highlight as to me, it serves as an excellent build up song like Never Let Me Down. Dave and Martin's voices are as beautiful as ever. For me, this is their best album since Ultra because, unlike Exiter, Playing the Angel, Sounds of the Universe and Delta Machine, this album easily absorbs you into its dark and bleak world. Well done Depeche Mode!… Expand

   • 6 of 10 users found this helpful
2. KoffieJames

   Mar 17, 2017

   10

   People, what are we thinking?
   It's shameful, our standards are sinking
   We're barely hanging on Our spirit has gone... I did not expectPeople, what are we thinking?
   It's shameful, our standards are sinking
   We're barely hanging on
   Our spirit has gone...
   
   I did not expect such excellent, different from the previous releases, new Depeche Mode album. It's nice that the guys before his late fifties still able to surprise fans and not only ... There is music and message, I'm impressed.… Expand

   • 4 of 7 users found this helpful
4. outd00rminer

   Mar 19, 2017

   9

   This is Depeche Mode's strongest record since 1993's Songs of Faith and Devotion. On Spirit you will find a frustrated and angry DM with aThis is Depeche Mode's strongest record since 1993's Songs of Faith and Devotion. On Spirit you will find a frustrated and angry DM with a production to match it. Still, despite all the rage there are moments of absolute beauty as found on "Cover Me", perhaps the album's best track.
   
   Other Standout Tracks:
   "Scum"
   "So Much Love"
   "No More (This Is The Last Time)"… Expand

   • 5 of 8 users found this helpful
5. Stringer360

   Mar 17, 2017

   8

   This is a great dark and gritty style of music, it has bass under tones with a torn style. The mix between rock and Indy is well balanced. IThis is a great dark and gritty style of music, it has bass under tones with a torn style. The mix between rock and Indy is well balanced. I find myself truly enjoying the mix of this music. I strongly recommend it to all rock and Indy music lovers.… Expand

   • 3 of 5 users found this helpful
6. Sh0danV3

   Mar 18, 2017

   7

   "Where's the sound? Come on DM, you're letting me down"
   
   Very good album that has too poor production, a feel of laziness in general and"Where's the sound? Come on DM, you're letting me down"
   
   Very good album that has too poor production, a feel of laziness in general and sounds like DM is trying out where to go with their sound. Doesn't sound too bad, right? And boy did I write "sound" a lot. Well... I'm one of those fans who are not "religious". I love DM, but I'm also aware about their flaws. Album like Spirit is great if you are a new band looking for your place under the Sun and Spirit just proves that they are lost regarding who they want to be. Even their live show yesterday was a mix of rock/guitar presence which they can't and should not try to "pull of".
   To put it into perspective, listen to any album until 1997 and then Spirit. Hear what I mean? Yea times change, but DM doesn't know how and where to.
   
   Ok, so the songs:
   
   1. Going Backwards - a great opener, should have louder, more brave synths 9/10
   
   2. Where's the Revolution - generic single which sounds like Delta Machine "B" track. Playing it safe here 6.5/10
   
   3. The Worst Crime - a bit melancholic and full of potential, but lack of good samples or dark synths to back it up 5/10
   
   4. Scum - once again beat does not follow rest of the song as it should (frequent issue in post-Wilder era),
   otherwise great melodies and a good "single" material even tho it has a bit too much vocal effects 7.5/10
   
   5. You Move - starts very industrial in terms of music and has a great tone to it. Shame it feels "muffled" by production 7/10
   
   6. Cover Me - great progression through the song, they hit most of the switches right with this one. Love it. 9.5/10
   
   7. Eternal - Martin's ballad and sadly a very average one. Boring music, but a "grover" 4/10
   
   8. Poison Heart - Dave sounds "muffled" once again, music feels like from "Construction time again" which is great. And again, this songs feels lazy and under-produced. A potential 7.5/10
   
   9. So Much Love - So Much Potential once again!! DM, come on, why? Such a good song ruined by 5-year old background beat "doom, doom, doom, doom, doom, doom" 7/10
   
   10. Poorman - very good and critical lyrics, feels like "Everything Counts" with empathy towards workers. Lyrics sadly won't save it, music is average at best, saved by the last 40 seconds or so. 6.5/10
   
   11. No More (This Is the Last Time) - has a feel of "new retro wave" such as Mitch Murder, Perturbator etc. Gloomy in a good DM way, kind of depressing. Lyrics would fit on "Black Celebration". Synths amaze in this one 9.5/10
   
   12. Fail(ed) opportunity as an album which is so full of potential - Fail as a track has, THANK GOD, some proper music right from the start and Martin's little soul is opening up in this one. Drums just don't fit in this tone, and yet here they are. 8/10
   
   As an album in general, in a world full of mainstream crap, this is a very solid 8/10, but as a Depeche Mode album? Oh boy. They really need to put more effort, love and money into studio work since they are releasing an album every 4 years. I'm not one of those "Where is Alan Wilder" crybabies, but dear lord, do they need someone like him to steer demos Martin makes into proper songs. This album sounds like full of polished demos with 3 or 4 songs that I'd say are great. It's a "so close, yet so far" 7 out of 10 in total from me.… Expand

   • 1 of 3 users found this helpful
7. Maetro

   Mar 18, 2017

   6

   If you haven't noticed, this is two albums. One which is depressing, political and preachy written by Gore, the other is brilliant,If you haven't noticed, this is two albums. One which is depressing, political and preachy written by Gore, the other is brilliant, non-preachy and classic songs written by Dave Gahan. Something about this album just felt disjointed on first listen. It all became clear when I looked up who the songs were written by. I liked every song written by Gahan and none written by depressing Gore.
   
   Cheat sheet: Cover Me, Poison Heart and No More are all excellent songs and all happen to be written by Dave Gahan. Gore's self righteous songs Poor Man, Fail, Scum, The Worst Crime and Going Backwards leaves me feeling lousey and hopeless. Not something I want to listen to 50 times. I get it Marty, you are watching the news way, way, way too much.
   
   Diehard DM fans will defend this album "just because" and liberal critics will praise the album for the lyrics alone. What's funny is I don't necessarily disagree with what he writes, I just don't want to hear it when I am listening to the music I love. I think it's time for Dave to go solo again. Besides "Kingdom" and "Love Will Leave You (Cap10 Kirk Remix) are way up there with any of the DM greats. Hear me Dave?… Expand

   • 4 of 6 users found this helpful
8. jonste

   Mar 17, 2017

   1

   Boring. Where is the dynamics of the old DM? It might be a small step up from the horrid last couple of releases, but there is absolutelyBoring. Where is the dynamics of the old DM? It might be a small step up from the horrid last couple of releases, but there is absolutely nothing left of the great song-writing, arrangements or sonic palette (Oh how we miss you, Alan). Also, I cannot get over how one of my favorite vocalists is now a parody of his old self, continuously growling his OTT R O C K god act.
   
   My, oh, my, what happened to the band I fell in love with the moment I heard "Love In Itself"? The first 20 years where great. Let´s pretend they split up after that.… Expand

   • 7 of 26 users found this helpful

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