Product Description

Depeche Mode's tenth album, SONGS OF FAITH AND DEVOTION, finds the band reinventing itself somewhat. Not that it'd beenexactly treading water, but its last several albums had explored and refined a particular aesthetic of dark lyrical themes and minor-key synthesizer atmospherics.
However, in 1993's grunge era, lyrical mopeyness was endemic and keyboards were rapidly becoming out of date. Wisely, Depeche Mode sought to change both elements of its music, not just one. Incorporating guitars--most notably on the oddly blues-derived "I Feel You"--and other instruments into its songs was a canny move, but the stroke of genius is in Martin Gore's lyrics, which largely abandon the bleakness of the band's more recent work in favour of cautious optimism and spiritual questions. In an age of irony, the real surprise was that this album's title was not particularly ironic.

Track Listing

1. I Feel You
2. Walking In My Shoes
3. Condemnation
4. Mercy In You
5. In Your Room
6. Get Right With Me
7. Rush
8. One Caress
9. Higher Love
10. Judas

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #60853 in Music
• Released on: 1993-12-31
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.co.uk Review
People are so predictable in their Greatest Albums list--nominating Pet Sounds and What's Goin' On?, and neglecting Depeche Mode. But if you had to spend the rest of your life listening to either a) some boring old classic soul or b) four boys from Basildon making sleazy stadium electro-goth-rawk, stomping all over the place in leather trousers and stetsons, and berating God in no uncertain terms for condemning them to a life of rock, who would you choose? Well yes: that's why you'll be wanting to buy a second copy of Songs of Love and Devotion, now your first one's worn out. And in under a week you'll be vibrating with pleasure again as "Walking In My Shoes" dooms it's way to a gulag-sized chorus, and "In Your Room" comes across like a smack-Queen punching you repeatedly in the face with the biggest bass-line they could find. Sigh. --Caitlan Moran

Customer Reviews

Depeche mode go dark. Very dark. ;-)
I remember getting into Songs of Faith and Devotion after being introduced to the Mode by they much underrated album, Ultra. But listening to this album made me understand why the fans didn't like it as much, because the sound in this album is - immense.
Starting off with the dirty sexy riffs of I Feel You, Dave Gahan and Martin Gore seduce you with a soundscape of brooding bass lines and heavy guitar, complimented with synths, and gospel singing in songs like Condemnation, it almost feels like you're the audience to a satanic choir - and it's Gahan who's singing the tunes - they always say the devil's got the best songs.
But even with all this, the most impressive thing is the thinly veiled autobiographical lyrics by Gore about Gahan, about the destructive nature of addiction, replete with themes of repentance, betrayal, redemption.
In interviews it's been said that this was Depeche Mode's attempt to make a grunge album, like Nirvana's Nevermind. In truth what they achieved was so much more than just a grunge album. They made a dark, visceral, emotional album, a nightmarescape of all the things that seemed to be breaking down the band at the time, the drugs, the sex, and the falling apart of a band from within - it's all in there, if you listen closely.

The producer hated it... we loved it!
Their are many instances on Amazon where people will rate albums badly simply because the artist in question has gone for a different angle. Therefore, I was pretty surprised, but also glad to see the number of positive reviews present, as this was truly a turning point for the band that rocked America with electronic music.
Songs of Faith and Devotion reflects the bands sudden loss of innocence, as they were dubbed on magazine at the time, "Drug Mode", for their extreme cases of drug consumption. This is no new situation - The Beatles were led onto drugs, and some may say their album 'Sgt. Peppers' was a reflection. However, while Martin Gore remained mature during the planning of the songs and lyrics, the reason this albums stands out from any other Depeche Mode album is because it's so emotional and mellow - a huge change of direction from the poppy, sythy sounds of the 80's, but songs like 'World In My Eyes' perhaps presented the end of an era for the clever boys.
As you've probably guessed from the cover art, this is not album to listen to a beautiful summers day. It is filled with emotional surging rhythms, and dark, yet meaningful lyrics. Their is no doubt this is best played at night time. The albums title reflects, nice and simply, what the songs are all about. 'I Feel You' is likely to be the most well known song on the album, as it was seen as the turning point for Mode. Its also the most 'faith' based song, with the lyrics based Allah. Favourite songs would have to include Gores beautiful 'One Caress' - a reflection that even though the band had become more rock based and dark sounding, Mr Gore still wanted his say, and as ever, produces a lovely solo.
'Mercy In You' is perhaps the powerful songs on the album. The reverb on the vocals seems to make it for me. It's a small part of the production of a song, but somehow makes it much more complete. Another factor could be that its the most instrumental and uplifting of all the songs. 'Get Right With Me' breaks away from the dark tones with what is a nice song, bringing in what was then, a common harmony from gospel singers! 'Rush' brings a more electronic feel to the album with a move away from the 80's synth, to a more modern 'rhyth'. It's also a favourite in that the title reflects the feeling you get from it, and the vocals are well arranged.
If your a fan of the 80's 'Mode', then it'd be wrong to recommended this album if you want the disco-sounding songs of their 81>85 album, or their more mature years between 86 and 1990. In a short space of time, Mode fell for the trap of drugs and alcohol, and so their vision of music changed. Dramatically. This album proves more their an ever that they had their own style as they combined rock with electronic. To some, this may be a grim change from what was, an amazing era for the young lads of the 80's. But the main thing is that as they changed their output, the quality didn't deteriorate until the mid to late 90's.
I still think the 86>98 album is their best, as to me, it gives a broader horizon of what they're capable of, and includes songs from this album too. But this is, no doubt, an important album for them and an essential album for you, if you happened to find a great deal of emotion in music. In this case, it crosses mellow lust with sheer beauty. You just need an open mind!

Possibly the best DM?
I think so. Perhaps it is because I prefer their rock/rock acoustic side in comparison with their pure new wave sounds, still, even some of their hardcore fans recognise SOFAD as Depeche Mode's most interesting/ intriguing work.

The album contains some of their best songs and my personal favourites, such as 'I feel you', 'Walking in my shoes' and, undoubtedly, 'In Your Room' (by the way, guys, where was 'In Your Room' in your Best Of? - oh well, it was volume I, I hope it will be included in vol. II maybe?). Its dark ambience and melancholic tunes (I would say melancholic rather than depressing)are almost hypnotizing, and David Gahan's voice suits this album more than any other.

Even if you are not familiar with DM's work, this is a great chance to discover them - a much better opportunity than their Best Of - Vol. 1 release. This album is good even for an agnostic atheist like myself.