Track Listing

1. Saw Something
2. Kingdom
3. Deeper And Deeper
4. 21 Days
5. Miracles
6. Use You
7. Insoluble
8. Endless
9. Little Lie
10. Down

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #6915 in Music
• Released on: 2007-10-22
• Number of discs: 1

CD Description
Sophomore solo effort from Depeche Mode frontman follows his 2003 debut 'Paper Monsters'. Where that album featured a heavy use of guitar in a bid to forge him an identity distinct from the band, this release is more synthesizer driven and, while the music is reminiscent of his day job, the lyricalvoice - dark and anguished - is all his own. Co-produced and co-written with Gahan by Andrew Philpott and Christian Eigner ('Paper Monsters', Depeche Mode's 'Playing The Angel'), it includes the single 'Kingdom'.

Customer Reviews

Better than Paper Monsters
In my opinion Depeche Mode have never recovered since the departure of Alan Wilder, he added a musical integrity to Martin Gore's lyrics and Dave's voice that was lacking on subsequent albums. On Paper Monsters, Dave's first solo album he's finding his feet as a solo act and while the results are encouraging, the outcome is pretty average.

The addition of Christian Eigner & Andrew Phillpott (DM's touring band) to the mix has made a huge musical difference to the second album, Hourglass. Dave's fantastic voice is backed up by layer upon layer of sound and melody. The outcome is more electronic than Paper Monsters but it's also more cohesive; this is not only a great album for DM fans, it's a fantastic album for Dave Gahan fans.

Mature, intensive, enthralling - a unique Dave!
The first three songs on the CD are absolutely awesome: Saw something" is a wonderful electronic ballad that starts really slow and ends with a brilliant climax, so that you only want to close your eyes and let yourself fall into the arms of someone else. It is an excellent song and it has been a long time ago, that I have ever heard a song that really captured my heart like this. The second song Kingdom" is a great dancetrack and is going to be one of these classic songs. Deeper and deeper" is a song where people will have different opinions about: Either you'll hate it or you'll love it. I loved this song from the first tunes. It is smashing, fast, aggressive, evil" and great for dancing.

21 Days" sounds dark, slow and Dave has a real penetrating voice that sounds extremely sexy and which really turns me on. It reminds me a bit of DM Ultra" times. The next song is the ballade Miracles" that starts with an electronic sound layer, followed by Dave's striking slow voice and lyrics pointing out what I think and feel too. Use you" sounds a bit like former DM songs. It's a great dance track, falling in the categorie nasty, evil, sexy and dangerous". Insoluble" is a kind of ingenious ballade starting with strong electro sounds that are really exciting, ambitious and diversified.

Endless" is the most wicked song on this album. I have never heard some tunes like this before. It starts with some electrobeats which sound like the volume is consistently openend and closed. Dave's voice appears in an extremely resound and hypnotic way. I love this song and I am addicted to it. It's wicked, lush, sexy and a good song for DM partys. A little lie" is a wonderfull balade with strong drums and great guitar tones that remind me of very old Simple Minds songs. Down" is a condigned last song on this album.

I have never liked Dave's first album Paper Monster" that much. But this album is different. I am really impressed by the mature Dave and his extremely intense voice, of which I have the impression, that I have never heard it in this perfect quality ever before. The way Dave sings and in addition his lyrics really capture my heart and my soul. I Thank Dave, als well as Andrew Philpott and Christian Eigner, for this excellent work and I hope to hear more music like this in the near future.

The idea to show the handwritten lyrics in the booklet, instead of just printing them as everyone does, is absolutely lovely. Thus the album gets a more individual character.

Time to take some risks Dave
After a solo debut album, Paper Monsters, that set itself apart from Depeche Mode's current output by putting a guitar up front, Mode front man Dave Gahan has, with this follow-up, veered back toward the dark rock grooves and electronic buzzing we've come to expect from this Essex boy.

Hourglass is as tasteful, professional, and as sophisticated as you'd expect, and Gahan's world-weary sonorous tones breathe new life into well-worn Mode themes of religion, addiction and self-doubt. Unfortunately there is no sense of risk here; of pushing the boundaries, and this is an ultimately `safe' release from Gahan.

I don't doubt that those who have followed Gahan and Depeche Mode for years will find things to like in Hourglass and enjoy hearing him continue to struggle with the topics he and his lyrics always do; he's eloquent and interesting, and I have no doubt that he's feeling every word and note here.