About the reasons why the album is so controversial, one can speculate, of course, gladly. One problem could be due to the fomented expectations. Because even before the album release, the band announced a very electronic album with stylistic devices of the previous 80 years. Therefore, the veteran fan looked forward to classic synthpop brand "Some Great Reward" or "Black Celebration". Who in the first rotation of "Sounds of the Universe" went in with such hopes, however, had to be inevitably disappointed.
Clear is "Sounds of the Universe" largely of vintage sounds but after 80s album still sounds. The songs are hardly danceable sound experiments seem some tunes ("in chains," come back) aware to destroy and then turns up in almost all the songs of this strange schrammelnde Sixteesgitarrensound which really has nothing to look for in synthpop widely held Stammtisch opinion. Is "Sounds of the Universe", therefore, a bad album? Not at all.
This is among others the fact that Martin Gore is a songwriter of all the first order who has found after a small hangover during the "Exciter" phase back to old quality back. It is perhaps the band chemistry recovered. When you first hear the album, I felt as if the whole album was recorded in a single session live in a garage. It sounds raw and handmade, even though DM music is produced in a completely different way. "Sounds of the Universe" also transformed skillfully in the footsteps of black music genres, such as blues, soul and gospel - a development that at least since "Songs of Faith and Devotion" an integral part of DM's universe.
How well this mix of styles works show z. B. the first two singles "Wrong" and "Peace". While listening to the first sounds "Wrong" by Electropop par excellence. But among the synth floats with a significant Rockattitüde that would hardly have been feasible in the 80s. "Peace" widerrum combines electronics with classic Gospel - for a an unacceptable breach of style, for me an album highlight, a new classic for my own Best of.
Even more pieces underscore the trend: "Fragile Tension" is a slightly oblique anthem with Schrammel guitar. In "Jezebel" Jarre den Bossa Nova hits and "Come Back" is a pretty ballad (Just look at times the studio session in Youtupe at) inflated with effects and Gittarengekreische and shredded. "Little Soul" widerrum is a fluffy campfire ballad. "In Sympathy" and "Perfect" are beautiful pop songs, radio friendly and hitverdächtig and "corrupt" and "Miles Away" sound wicked and sexy. You guessed it: "Sounds of the Universe" in my opinion is a really good album.
Why do I still was no 5 star, is because I feel "Sounds of the Universe" as too long. I bother because the really good Dave Gahan compositions "Hole to Feed", "Come back" and "Miles Away" were transported to the album seemingly at random, without creating this new album a round structure. Examples? For me, both "In Chains" and "Hole to Feed" each worthy 1st album title. Both titles consecutively allow "sounds" a bit cumbersome to come into gear. "Come back" on the other hand was verrockt because the album would have been too quiet in the middle. "Miles away" is more of a final song, a perceived alternative to the also great "Corrupt". Here there was a lack of clear tape to a clear decision. So Sounds of the Universe does not act as a coherent album two good songwriter but a bit big to compromise brand coalition.
