Sounds of the Universe explained

Sounds of the Universe
Type:studio
Artist:Depeche Mode
Cover:Depeche Mode - Sounds of the Universe.png
Recorded:2008
Studio:
Genre:
Length:60:52
Label:Mute
Producer:Ben Hillier
Prev Title:The Best of Depeche Mode Volume 1
Prev Year:2006
Next Year:2011

Sounds of the Universe is the twelfth studio album by English electronic music band Depeche Mode, released on 17 April 2009 by Mute Records. The album was supported by the 2009–10 Tour of the Universe. Three singles were released from the album: "Wrong", "Peace", and a double A-side of "Fragile Tension" and "Hole to Feed". "Perfect" was also released in the United States as a promotional single.

The album was released by Virgin Records and Capitol Records in the United States and by EMI in Canada and Mexico, marking the first time in the band's catalog that saw distribution from EMI within North America, where previous albums were released by Sire Records and Reprise Records, both divisions of Warner Music Group.

Background and composition

While Dave Gahan was still busy with his solo album Hourglass (2007), Martin Gore was in his home studio in Santa Barbara, California, working on new songs. In May 2008, the band went to the studio to record their twelfth studio album.[3] [4] Ben Hillier took the production reins again, because the band were so satisfied with their previous collaboration on Playing the Angel (2005). As with their previous album Playing the Angel, Gahan once again wrote three songs with Christian Eigner and Andrew Phillpott: "Hole to Feed", "Come Back", and "Miles Away/The Truth Is".[5] Gore shares lead vocal duties with Gahan on "In Chains", "Hole to Feed", "Peace", and "Little Soul". The band described the time in the studio as very productive, a total of 22 songs were created 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.[6] Short video clips of the band and production team at work in the studio were regularly posted on the band's homepage. This would be the first time that the band would openly post detailed clips of their recording process on social media.

Lyrically, this album has a good amount of personal lyrics. Gahan explained that the song "Hole to Feed" was written about the desire to fill a metaphorical hole but not knowing what to fill it up with.[7] The song "Wrong" was described by Gore to have a bit of black humor in its lyrics but doesn't want people to find it depressing.[8] Gore believed that "Peace" is one of the best songs he had ever written.[9] Even though the track "Miles Away/The Truth Is" is not inherently about drugs, Gahan feels like that subject is always present in his songs due to his past substance abuse.[10]

Musically, the album has a heavy use of analog synthesizers giving it a more traditional electronic sound. The opening track "In Chains" opens with synthesizers tuning up. "Wrong" was chosen to be the first single off the album since the band felt it sounded very different. Gahan described the track as having R&B influences while also being a rant.[11] Gahan explained that "Come Back" was going to sound more gospel but the band decided to make it into a wall of sound.[12]

Reception

Sounds of the Universe received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalised rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, the album received an average score of 70, based on 28 reviews.[13] Entertainment Weeklys Leah Greenblatt stated that on Sounds of the Universe, Depeche Mode "still sound genuinely inspired"[14] and Ned Raggett of AllMusic concluded, "Sounds of the Universe is a grower, relying on a few listens to fully take effect, but when it does, it shows Depeche Mode are still able to combine pop-hook accessibility and their own take on 'roots' music for an electronic age with sonic experimentation and recombination." Neil McCormick of The Daily Telegraph noted that the album "shows up the imaginative constraints of most guitar-based rock."[15]

However, Rolling Stone critic Melissa Maerz felt that "the result sounds like a time machine back to the Eighties", adding that "Depeche Mode should be poised for a comeback, but it's too soon to unpack those black turtlenecks."[16] Bill Stewart of PopMatters wrote that Depeche Mode "tempt us with a strong first half and then dump us in a collection of tossed off b-sides."[17] Jon Caramanica wrote for The New York Times that while the album "lacks the fragility of 1984's Some Great Reward or the earned attitude of 1990's Violator, it's unmistakably an attempt at revisiting the past, admirable either as an act of defiant stubbornness or tenacious commitment", but also opined that "even at its most imaginative, this is seamless Depeche Mode filler, music that could be made by any number of acolytes."[18]

Sounds of the Universe debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart with first-week sales of 30,537 copies[19] —the band's highest-peaking album since chart-topping Ultra (1997). However, it is their first album in their career not to contain a top 20 hit single in their homeland country. In the United States, the album debuted at number three on the Billboard 200, selling 80,000 units in its first week.[20] The album was ultimately ranked number 200 on the Billboard 200-year-end chart for 2009, and had sold 193,000 copies in the US by November 2012, according to Nielsen SoundScan.[21]

Sounds of the Universe was nominated for Best Alternative Music Album at the 2010 Grammy Awards, but lost out to Phoenix's Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix.[22] The album's sleeve design was voted number ten on the 2009 Best Art Vinyl poll.[23]

Accolades

Track listing

LP+CD

Contains the standard 13-track album on two LPs, as well as a CD of the album (as per the standard CD).

Special edition CD+DVD

Contains the standard 13-track album, plus a bonus DVD with exclusive features:

Video

Audio

iTunes Pass version

With iTunes Pass, fans receive new and exclusive singles, remixes, video and other content from Sounds of the Universe over a set period of time, delivered to their libraries as soon as they're available. In addition, the iTunes standard pre-order release of Sounds of the Universe contained "Oh Well" (Black Light Odyssey Dub) as track 14, along with an exclusive edit of "Wrong" called the Trentemøller Remix Edit as track 15.

The iTunes Pass track listing contained the standard 13-track album, plus the following:

Deluxe box set edition

Includes three CDs containing the album, bonus songs and remixes, as well as 14 exclusive demos ranging from as far back as the Music for the Masses era.[25] It also contains a DVD featuring three films, a promo video for "Wrong", four songs filmed live in the studio in December 2008, and the album and bonus tracks mastered in 5.1 surround. The box set also includes two 84-page hardback books, the first featuring lyrics to all the songs from the Sounds of the Universe sessions, along with exclusive photography by Anton Corbijn, and the second containing exclusive and candid studio photography by Daniel Miller, Ben Hillier, Luke Smith and Ferg Peterkin. In addition, the box set includes two enamel badges, five artcards sealed in a collector's envelope, a poster, and a certificate of authenticity.

CD 2 – Bonus Tracks & Remixes

  1. "Light" – 4:44
  2. "The Sun and the Moon and the Stars" – 4:41
  3. "Ghost" – 6:26
  4. "Esque" – 2:17
  5. "Oh Well" (Gore, Gahan) – 6:02
  6. "Corrupt (Efdemin Remix)" – 6:29
  7. "In Chains (Minilogue's Earth Remix)" – 7:54
  8. "Little Soul (Thomas Fehlmann Flowing Ambient Mix)" – 9:20
  9. "Jezebel (SixToes Remix)" – 5:33
  10. "Perfect (Electronic Periodic's Dark Drone Mix)" – 5:21
  11. "Wrong (Caspa Remix)" – 5:04

CD 3 – Demos

  1. "Little 15" – 4:16 (Music for the Masses, 1987)
  2. "Clean" – 3:42 (Violator, 1990)
  3. "Sweetest Perfection" – 3:23 (Violator, 1990)
  4. "Walking in My Shoes" – 3:22 (Songs of Faith and Devotion, 1993)
  5. "I Feel You" – 4:03 (Songs of Faith and Devotion, 1993)
  6. "Judas" – 3:25 (Songs of Faith and Devotion, 1993)
  7. "Surrender" – 5:00 ("Only When I Lose Myself" B-side 1, 1998)
  8. "Only When I Lose Myself" – 5:22 (The Singles 86>98, 1998)
  9. "Nothing's Impossible" – 5:02 (Playing the Angel, 2005)
  10. "Corrupt" – 4:41 (Sounds of the Universe, 2009)
  11. "Peace" – 4:33 (Sounds of the Universe, 2009)
  12. "Jezebel" – 4:38 (Sounds of the Universe, 2009)
  13. "Come Back" – 5:09 (Sounds of the Universe, 2009)
  14. "In Chains" – 4:33 (Sounds of the Universe, 2009)

DVD

  1. "Corrupt" – 4:08 (Sounds of the Universe, 2009)
  2. "Little Soul" – 3:52 (Sounds of the Universe, 2009)
  3. "Stories of Old" – 3:24 (Some Great Reward, 1984)
  4. "Come Back" – 6:05 (Sounds of the Universe, 2009)

Packaging/additional content

Personnel

Credits adapted from the liner notes of Sounds of the Universe.[26]

Depeche Mode

Additional musicians

Technical

Artwork

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2009)! scope="col"
Peak
position
Croatian Albums (HDU)[27] 1
Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)[28] 1
European Albums (Billboard)[29] 1
Greek International Albums (IFPI)[30] 1
Japanese Albums (Oricon)[31] 31
Mexican Albums (Top 100 Mexico)[32] 1
Russian Albums (2M)[33] 1

Year-end charts

Chart (2009)! scope="col"
Position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[34] 53
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[35] 49
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[36] 9
Danish Albums (Hitlisten)[37] 34
European Albums (Billboard)[38] 20
French Albums (SNEP)[39] 37
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[40] 5
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[41] 16
Italian Albums (FIMI)[42] 25
Mexican Albums (Top 100 Mexico)[43] 65
Polish Albums (ZPAV)[44] 14
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[45] 63
Swedish Albums & Compilations (Sverigetopplistan)[46] 93
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[47] 23
US Billboard 200[48] 200
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[49] 36
US Top Dance/Electronic Albums (Billboard)[50] 5
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[51] 48

Release history

Region! scope="col"
DateLabel
Australia17 April 2009EMI[52]
Germany[53]
Italy[54]
France20 April 2009[55]
Sweden[56]
United KingdomMute[57]
Canada21 April 2009EMI[58]
United States[59]
Japan22 April 2009EMI[60]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: WXPN . WXPN . Depeche Mode: Cosmic Synth-Pop . . 10 July 2009 . 8 May 2015.
  2. Web site: Reed . James . Depeche, Pet Shop still moving . . 20 April 2009 . 6 February 2019.
  3. Web site: Schulzky . Stephan . Ich will die Demos depressiv halten . de . laut.de . 11 April 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090414063657/http://www.laut.de/vorlaut/feature/21546/index.htm . 14 April 2009 . 17 July 2010.
  4. Web site: Plaggemeier . Sven . Depeche Mode wieder im Studio! . de . DepecheMode.de . 8 May 2008 . 17 July 2010.
  5. Sounds of the Universe Electronic Press Kit.
  6. Web site: Plaggemeier . Sven . Wir hatten Angst, dass das Album zu lang ist . de . DepecheMode.de . 29 March 2009 . 17 July 2010.
  7. Web site: Songs of faith and commotion. .
  8. Web site: Martin Gore: Masters of the Universe.
  9. Web site: Peace.
  10. Web site: Miles Away / The Truth Is.
  11. Web site: Wrong.
  12. Web site: Come Back.
  13. Web site: Sounds of the Universe by Depeche Mode Reviews and Tracks . . 31 August 2020.
  14. Greenblatt . Leah . Sounds of the Universe . . 14 April 2009 . 8 May 2015.
  15. Web site: McCormick . Neil . Depeche Mode – Sounds of the Universe, album review . . 9 April 2009 . 9 April 2009.
  16. Maerz . Melissa . Sounds of the Universe . . 14 April 2009 . 5 May 2011.
  17. Web site: Stewart . Bill . Depeche Mode: Sounds of the Universe . PopMatters. 20 April 2009 . 21 April 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20120529041430/http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/72729-depeche-mode-sounds-of-the-universe/ . 29 May 2012.
  18. Web site: Caramanica . Jon . Critics' Choice: New CDs . . 19 April 2009 . 24 April 2009.
  19. Web site: Williams . Paul . Number One is number one . . 27 April 2009 . 22 January 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140203182629/http://www.musicweek.com/news/read/number-one-is-number-one/039826 . 3 February 2014.
  20. Caulfield . Keith . Rick Ross Debuts at No. 1 on Billboard 200 For Third Time . . 29 April 2009 . 3 February 2013.
  21. Peters . Mitchell . Depeche Mode Signs with William Morris Endeavor . Billboard . 13 November 2012 . 1 February 2014.
  22. Web site: Grammys 2010: Selected winners . . 1 February 2010 . 22 January 2013.
  23. Web site: Best Art Vinyl – Top 50 2009 . . https://web.archive.org/web/20120330071315/http://www.artvinyl.com/en/nominate/past_winners_2009.html . 30 March 2012 . dead . 11 July 2010.
  24. Web site: The Top 100 Albums of '09. . 2009 . 27 February 2021.
  25. Web site: Gundersen . Edna . Depeche Mode makes 'Sounds' in many forms . . 19 February 2009 . 22 January 2013.
  26. Sounds of the Universe . liner notes . . . 2009 . CDSTUMM300.
  27. Web site: Top Kombiniranih – Tjedan 16. 2009. . Top Combined – Week 16, 2009 . hr . . 3 February 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20140222031344/http://www.hdu-toplista.com/index.php?what=arhiva&w=details&id=529 . 22 February 2014.
  28. Web site: Albums – Top 100 (Depeche Mode – Sounds of the Universe) . cs . . 10 June 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200702133946/http://hitparada.ifpicr.cz/index.php?a=titul&hitparada=14&titul=146901&sec=1028c58dfce30755f56d9194a3efe1c0 . 2 July 2020.
  29. Sexton . Paul . Depeche Mode Fends Off Green Day on Euro Chart . Billboard . 21 May 2009 . 10 June 2022.
  30. Web site: Top 50 Ξένων Αλμπουμ – Εβδομάδα 17/2009 . Top 50 Foreign Albums – Week 17/2009 . el . . 10 August 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090522211445/http://www.ifpi.gr/chart01.htm . 22 May 2009.
  31. Web site: https://www.oricon.co.jp/prof/111737/products/809465/1/ . ja:サウンズ・オブ・ザ・ユニバース デペッシュ・モード . Sounds of the Universe Depeche Mode . ja . . 8 May 2015.
  32. Web site: Mexicancharts.com – Depeche Mode – Sounds of the Universe . Hung Medien . 6 March 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20131029224406/http://mexicancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=Depeche%2BMode&titel=Sounds%2BOf%2BThe%2BUniverse&cat=a . 29 October 2013.
  33. Web site: http://2m-online.ru/news/detail.php?ID=5307 . ru:Российский чарт 22-2009 . Russian chart 22-2009 . ru . 2M . 3 June 2009 . 3 June 2009 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130113090812/http://bitrix60.timeweb.ru/error_domain.htm . dead . 13 January 2013.
  34. Web site: Jahreshitparade Alben 2009 . austriancharts.at . de . 8 May 2015.
  35. Web site: Jaaroverzichten 2009 – Albums . nl . Ultratop . 6 March 2011.
  36. Web site: Rapports annuels 2009 – Albums . fr . Ultratop . 6 March 2011.
  37. Web site: Album 2009 Top-100 . Hitlisten.NU . da . 12 October 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100926182233/http://hitlisterne.dk/yearlist.asp . 26 September 2010.
  38. Web site: Year End Charts – European Top 100 Albums . Billboard.biz . 2009 . 6 March 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121003174206/http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/charts/yearendcharts/2009/european-100-albums . 3 October 2012.
  39. Web site: Classement Albums – année 2009 . fr . . 23 February 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130921185658/http://www.snepmusique.com/fr/pag-259376-Classements-Annuels.html?year=2009&type=2 . 21 September 2013.
  40. Web site: Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts – 2009 . de . GfK Entertainment . 26 January 2016.
  41. Web site: Összesített album- és válogatáslemez-lista – eladási darabszám alapján – 2009 . hu . MAHASZ . 31 August 2020.
  42. Web site: Classifica Annuale 2009 (dal 29.12.2008 al 27.12.2009) – Album & Compilation . . it . 10 June 2022.
  43. Web site: Los Más Vendidos 2009 . es . . 6 March 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100215042213/http://www.amprofon.com.mx/Archivos/PDF/top_anual/Top_100_Album_2009.pdf . 15 February 2010.
  44. Web site: Top 100 – annual chart: 2009 . . 7 March 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20111002222206/http://zpav.pl/rankingi/listy/top100/roczna.php?lang=2&idlisty=3 . 2 October 2011.
  45. Web site: Årslista Album, 2009 . sv . . 10 June 2022.
  46. Web site: Årslista Album (inkl samlingar), 2009 . sv . Sverigetopplistan . 10 June 2022.
  47. Web site: Schweizer Jahreshitparade 2009 . hitparade.ch . de . 16 June 2022.
  48. Web site: Year End Charts – Top Billboard 200 . Billboard.biz . 2009 . 6 March 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121003062419/http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/charts/yearendcharts/2009/the-billboard-200 . 3 October 2012.
  49. Web site: Alternative Albums – Year-End 2009 . Billboard.biz . 22 January 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180310025813/https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2009/top-alternative-albums . 10 March 2018.
  50. Web site: Year End Charts – Dance/Electronic Albums . Billboard.biz . 2009 . 6 March 2011 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121004152906/http://www.billboard.biz/bbbiz/charts/yearendcharts/2009/dance-electronic-albums . 4 October 2012.
  51. Top Rock Albums – Year-End 2009 . Billboard . 8 May 2015.
  52. Web site: Sounds of the Universe . . 8 May 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150508223617/https://www.jbhifi.com.au/music/browse/pop/sounds-of-the-universe/249718/ . 8 May 2015.
  53. Web site: Depeche Mode // Sounds of the Universe . de . . 22 January 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130310092048/http://www.emimusic.de/release/1350182%2C5099969605529/depeche-mode-sounds-of-the-universe . 10 March 2013.
  54. Web site: Depeche Mode – Sounds of the Universe . IBS.it . it . 22 January 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090405121532/http://www.ibs.it/disco/5099969605529/depeche-mode/sounds-of-the-universe.html . 5 April 2009.
  55. Web site: Sounds of the universe – Depeche Mode . fr . . 22 January 2013.
  56. Web site: Sounds of the Universe – Depeche Mode . CDON.com . sv . Sweden . 22 January 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20100206205446/http://cdon.se/musik/depeche_mode/sounds_of_the_universe-4160719 . 6 February 2010.
  57. Web site: Sounds of the Universe: Depeche Mode . . United Kingdom . 6 January 2019.
  58. Web site: Depeche Mode : Sounds of the Universe . ShopEMI . 22 January 2013 . https://archive.today/20130216183747/http://www.shopemi.com/album_page.asp?upc_id=5099969676925 . 16 February 2013.
  59. Web site: Sounds of the Universe: Depeche Mode . Amazon . United States . 6 January 2019.
  60. Web site: http://www.emimusic.jp/artist/depechemode/?id=54134 . ja:デペッシュ・モード . Sounds of the Universe . ja . . 22 January 2013 . https://archive.today/20130221012339/http://www.emimusic.jp/artist/depechemode/?id=54134 . 21 February 2013.

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