Sounds of the Universe

EMI

4 stars

From opener ‘In Chains’, I was sold. The dark seven-minute romantic melodrama is wonderful in all its excessive, indulgent glory. Singer Dave Gahan has got a real knack for conveying desperate love in stark contrast to the band’s steely heart. In fact, the highlight tracks on Sounds of the Universe are those that express a similar human agony, like ‘Hole to Feed’ and ‘Come Back’. These New Wave survivors, despite being a little world-weary, haven’t lost their hold on angsty heartbreak. This sometimes goes a little too far perhaps – ‘Jezebel’ being exhibit A – but I can forgive a wound-too-tight love song if it’s done well. Moreover, Depeche Mode still effortlessly steamroll younger pop-rock acts who model themselves in their image. The Killers are one example – they just don’t have the convincing hard edge.

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