Depeche Mode - Delta Machine Review

Depeche Mode's been my favorite band for 7+ years, but as a fan of their earlier work their last few albums have been a bit disappointing to me (with Sounds of the Universe hitting rock bottom). I know, I know, Alan is never coming back, etc., etc. Still, as a loyal fan, I looked forward to giving Delta Machine a chance and, surprisingly, I didn't hate it.

1. Welcome to My World
2. Angel
3. Heaven
4. Secret to the End
5. My Little Universe
6. Slow
7. Broken
8. The Child Inside
9. Soft Touch/Raw Nerve
10. Should Be Higher
11. Alone
12. Soothe My Soul
13. Goodbye

When "Angel" and "Heaven" were released as the first singles, I was certain the album would basically be SOTU: II. Lyrically "Angel" felt lazy, and sonically felt like it could have been a PTA b-side. "Heaven" was a better song overall, but it just didn't capture me the way I wanted it to. I was later relieved to find that DM pulled a Bowie and did not pick (at least in my opinion) the strongest song to be their first single. I can understand the motive; it might not have been the catchiest song but it's the song they felt most connected to and proud of on the album. However, it ended up being a good way to scare off their fans from giving this album a chance.

"Welcome to My World" was a great beginning track to this album. The low, buzzy synths at the beginning with the slow build up reminded me a lot of "World In My Eyes". Off to a good start, I thought. "Secret to the End" also has some interesting synth sounds in it, although it remained mostly forgettable to me as a track. "My Little Universe" was the first track that really got me excited. The pacing felt so much different than what they have been doing in the past few years, a little less grungy and a little softer on Dave's vocals. "Broken"has some of my favorite lyrics on the album, with Gahan diverging from the religious notes that are so prevalent on Delta Machine.

"Should Be Higher" is the single song on this album that just blew me away. It's one of my favorites Depeche Mode has released in years. It's a bit dancier than a lot of this record, and it's got a nice balance between pure synthpop and blues (a good testament to the album's namesake). "Soothe My Soul" comes as a close second, but again, the cheesy lyrics sets it back for me a bit. It uses some of the same musical tricks as "Personal Jesus", without feeling like a deliberate copy of the song. 

"Goodbye" was as good of a closing for this album as it's name suggests. Fantastic blues riff and masterful transitions between chorus and verse, and a beautifully haunting outro with Martin's sweet harmonies. Even if I didn't love Delta Machine in it's entirety, "Goodbye" closes the album on anthemic note, one that I hope to hear when I see them in September.