Sounds of the Universe

Sounds of the Universe
Studio album by
Publication (s)	April 17, 2009
Label (s)	Mute Records
Genre (s)	Synth pop , alternative rock , dance rock , synth rock , techno , dance alternative
Title (number)	13
running time	60:49
occupation	Dave Gahan Martin Gore Andrew Fletcher Christian Eigner Peter Gordeno
production	Ben Hillier
Studio (s)	Sound Design (Santa Barbara), Chung King (New York)
chronology Playing the Angel (2005) Sounds of the Universe Delta Machine (2013)
Single releases February 24, 2009 Wrong June 15, 2009 Peace December 7, 2009 Fragile tension / hole to feed

Chart positions Explanation of the data

Albums

Sounds of the Universe   DE 1 05/01/2009 (27 weeks)   AT 1 05/01/2009 (12 weeks)   CH 1 05/03/2009 (19 weeks)   UK 2 05/02/2009 (5 weeks)   US 3 05/09/2009 (10 weeks)

Singles

Wrong   DE 2 04/17/2009 (15 weeks)   AT 12 04/17/2009 (9 weeks)   CH 16 04/19/2009 (13 weeks)   UK 24 04/18/2009 (1 week) Peace   DE 25th 06/26/2009 (7 weeks)   AT 72 06/26/2009 (1 week)   CH 53 06/28/2009 (1 week)   UK 57 06/27/2009 (1 week) Fragile tension / hole to feed   DE 39 December 18, 2009 (4 weeks)

Sounds of the Universe (German: Klänge des Universum) is the twelfth studio album by Depeche Mode . It reached number one in the respective album charts in 21 countries - including Germany, Austria and Switzerland - in the first week after it was released.

In addition to the obligatory CD version, the album was also released on vinyl (2 LPs + CD), as a special edition (CD + DVD) and as a deluxe box set edition (3 CDs + DVD). In addition to the album, the latter contains additional bonus tracks and remixes as well as demo versions - also of older songs by the band.

In May 2009 the band began their Tour of the Universe , which took them through Europe and North America until early 2010. Collectively, the band played in front of more than 2.7 million people. The Billboard magazine , listed the trip on one of the most profitable tours of 2009 and put them in 20th place in the Top Tours list. A recording of the tour was released on DVD and Blu-Ray Disc in late 2010 under the title Tour of the Universe: Barcelona .

style

With this album, Depeche Mode are consistently continuing the path they have chosen to play the Angel . The typically pessimistic mood of the arrangements finds its textual counterpart in the treatment of interpersonal topics such as sex and love, peppered with religious allusions. Since Some Great Reward ( 1984 ), these themes have been an integral part of Gore's mostly minor compositions . Rich guitar sounds and percussively pumping synthesizers replace superficial drum arrangements as in earlier works. The synthesizer sounds seem more playful, bolder, but less catchy. As a result, a good, melodic pop song of the kind " Enjoy the Silence " or "Precious" is completely missing .

Emergence

While Dave Gahan was still busy with his solo album Hourglass - released October 19, 2007 - Martin Gore was already working on new songs in his home studio in Santa Barbara . In May 2008 the band met in the studio to record their twelfth album. Ben Hillier, who was already involved in the predecessor Playing the Angel and is also putting his rough, analogue stamp on the new album, was hired again as producer .

The band described the time in the studio as very productive, a total of 22 songs were written and it was difficult to choose the right songs for the album. Five of the songs not used on the album were released as part of the Deluxe Box Set.

While the majority of the songs come from Martin Gore's pen, as is usual with Depeche Mode, Dave Gahan contributed three of his own songs, analogous to Playing the Angel , which he wrote again together with Christian Eigner and Andrew Philpott. For the first time in the band's history, Gore and Gahan wrote a song together with "Oh Well". Gore originally planned the song as an instrumental piece, Gahan then wrote the lyrics for it. "Oh Well" was only released on the Deluxe Box Set and as the B-side to the single "Wrong".

During the course of the studio work, Depeche Mode regularly posted short video clips - mostly shot by Andy Fletcher - on their homepage, which showed the band and the production team during the recordings.

Track list

Standard album

1. “In Chains” - 6:53
2. "Hole to Feed" - 3:59 (Dave Gahan, Christian Eigner , Andrew Phillpott)
3. "Wrong" - 3:13
4. "Fragile Tension" - 4:09
5. "Little Soul" - 3:31
6. "In Sympathy" - 4:54
7. "Peace" - 4:29
8. "Come Back" - 5:15 (Gahan, owner, Phillpott)
9. "Spacewalker" - 1:53
10. "Perfect" - 4:33
11. "Miles Away / The Truth Is" - 4:14 (Gahan, Eigner, Phillpott)
12. "Jezebel" - 4:41
13. "Corrupt" - 6:15

Unless otherwise stated, the songs were written by Martin Gore. Except for “Jezebel” sung by Gore, Gahan sings the songs. “Spacewalker” is an instrumental piece . In addition to several films about the making of the album and the music video for the single "Wrong", the DVD also contains the album in 5.1 sound.

Deluxe box set

CD 1 - standard album “In Chains” - 6:53 "Hole to Feed" - 3:59 (Gahan, Eigner, Phillpott) "Wrong" - 3:13 "Fragile Tension" - 4:09 "Little Soul" - 3:31 "In Sympathy" - 4:54 "Peace" - 4:29 "Come Back" - 5:15 (Gahan, owner, Phillpott) "Spacewalker" - 1:53 "Perfect" - 4:33 "Miles Away / The Truth Is" - 4:14 (Gahan, Eigner, Phillpott) "Jezebel" - 4:41 "Corrupt" - 6:15

CD 2 - bonus tracks & remixes "Light" - 4:42 "The Sun and the Moon and the Stars" - 4:42 "Ghost" - 6:29 "Esque" - 2:18 "Oh Well" - 5:59 (Gore, Gahan) "Corrupt ( Efdemin Remix)" - 6:28 "In Chains ( Minilogue 's Earth Remix)" - 7:52 "Little Soul ( Thomas Fehlmann Flowing Ambient Mix)" - 9:21 "Jezebel (SixToes Remix)" - 5:32 "Perfect (Electronic Periodic Dark Drone Mix)" - 5:25 "Wrong (Caspa Remix)" - 5:05

CD 3 - demos "Little 15" - 4:15 "Clean" - 3:41 "Sweetest Perfection" - 3:24 “Walking in My Shoes” - 3:45 "I Feel You" - 4:02 “Jude” - 3:32 "Surrender" - 5:06 "Only When I Lose Myself" - 5:50 "Nothing's Impossible" - 5:05 "Corrupt" - 4:44 "Peace" - 4:36 "Jezebel" - 4:39 "Come Back" - 5:10 "In Chains" - 4:34

Single releases

Wrong

As the first single from Sounds of the Universe , “Wrong” was released on April 3, 2009 in Germany. For the worldwide premiere, Depeche Mode performed with the song on February 21 at the Echo Awards 2009 . The B-side to Wrong is the piece "Oh Well", which Gore and Gahan wrote together for the first time.

The video for "Wrong" was shot in New York City in December 2008 and directed by Patrick Daughters. It was nominated for a Grammy in 2010 .

Peace

"Peace" was released in Germany on June 12, 2009 and was only released in Europe. In the United States , "Perfect" was instead released as a non-commercial promo single. "Peace" was only moderately successful in the charts.

The music video for "Peace" is the first Depeche Mode that does not feature the band members - apart from a tour poster. After Dave Gahan had to undergo surgery on his bladder, the band could not take part in the shoot in Romania. Directed by Jonas & François.

Fragile tension / hole to feed

The double A-side "Fragile Tension / Hole to Feed" was released on December 4, 2009. "Hole to Feed" is the second song written by Dave Gahan to be released as a single after "Suffer Well" (2006). A video was made for each of the two songs.

Setlist of the Tour of the Universe 2009–2010

First, second and third tour section:

1. In chains
2. Wrong
3. Hole to Feed
4. Walking in My Shoes
5. It's no good
6. A question of time
7. Precious
8. Fly on the windscreen
9. • Jezebel
   • Little soul
10. • A Question of Lust
    • Home
    • Judas
11. • Come back
    • Miles Away / The Truth Is
12. • Peace
    • Policy of Truth
    • Fragile tension
13. In your room
14. I feel you
15. • In sympathy
    • Policy of Truth
16. Enjoy the silence
17. Never Let Me Down Again
18. • Stripped
    • Somebody
    • Shake the disease
    • A Question of Lust
19. • Master and Servant
    • Stripped
20. • Strangelove
    • Behind the wheel
21. Personal Jesus
22. Waiting for the night

Fourth section:

1. In chains
2. Wrong
3. Hole to Feed
4. Walking in My Shoes
5. It's No Good ( if Fly on the Windscreen and World in my Eyes were played, It's no good was played according to Policy Of Truth )
6. A question of time
7. Precious
8. World in My Eyes (for the first time in Mannheim)
9. Fly on the Windscreen (to Bologna)
10. • Freelove
    • Clean
    • Dressed in black
    • Sister of Night
    • Jezebel
    • Insight
    • One caress
11. Home
12. • Miles Away / The Truth Is
    • Come back
14. Policy of Truth
15. In your room
16. I feel you
17. Enjoy the silence
18. Never Let Me Down Again
19. • Somebody
    • A Question of Lust
    • Dressed in black
    • One caress
20. Stripped
21. • Behind the wheel
    • Photographic (only at the final concert in Düsseldorf)
22. Personal Jesus
23. Waiting for the Night (was only played on the second gig in Barcelona)

Individual evidence

1. ↑ musicline.de: Depeche Mode in the German album charts ( Memento of the original from April 22, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
2. ↑ billboard.com: Depeche Mode on the US Billboard 200 album charts
3. ↑ ^{a b} austriancharts.at: Depeche Mode in the Austrian charts
4. ↑ ^{a b} hitparade.ch: Depeche Mode in the Swiss charts
5. ↑ ^{a b} Depeche Mode in the Official UK Charts (English)
6. ↑ musicline.de: Depeche Mode in the German single charts ( Memento of the original from April 22, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) Info: The archive link was automatically inserted and not yet checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. 
7. ↑ billboard.com: Depeche Mode on the US Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart
8. ↑ Depeche Mode conquer the world! ( Memento from July 5, 2009 in the Internet Archive ) (weblinkportal.de from May 4, 2009)
9. ↑ Sounds Of The Universe - The Album ( Memento from August 10, 2012 in the Internet Archive )
10. ↑ http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/266418/top-25-tours-of-2009
11. ↑ ^{a b} Depeche Mode: "I want to keep the demos depressed" (laut.de from April 11, 2009)
12. ↑ Depeche Mode back in the studio (depechemode.de, May 8, 2008)
13. ↑ "We were afraid that the album was too long" (Rolling Stone 04/2009 via depechemode.de of March 29, 2009)
14. ↑ Video for “Wrong” shot in New York (depechemode.de from December 22, 2008)

Web links

• Sounds of the Universe , Wrong , Peace , Perfect and Hole to Feed / Fragile Tension on the official band homepage
• Criticism on laut.de
• Criticism on plattentests.de