Depeche Mode — Sounds Of The Universe

Sounds Of The Universe

Mute/EMI

Ian Gormely (CHARTattack)

05/05/2009 2:41pm

Depeche Mode's past-their-prime output has been surprisingly potent, particularly given the internal personal problems that once plagued the band. Two well-received studio albums and a handful of best-of and remix collections have gone a long way to establishing the group's legacy.

Sounds Of The Universe mixes the groove-driven sounds of 2001's Exciter with the more organic sounds of their last album, 2005's Playing The Angel. There's a brooding morbidity to many of the songs and a sense that something dark is at work, but there's no payoff or catharsis.

As with Angel, frontman Dave Gahan contributes to three songs on Sounds, while multi-instrumentalist and main songwriter Martin Gore penned the balance of the album's 13 tracks. "Fragile Tension," "Perfect" and "In Sympathy" recapture some of the mood and energy of the band's late '80s dark synth-pop sound, but the group are unable to really match any of their previous heights.

While Sounds Of The Universe won't tarnish the group's reputation, it's doubtful it will convince newbies of the band's past brilliance, as everything here has been done before — and better.

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