Depeche Mode - Ultra

When I interviewed Gahan some years back he referred to "Ultra" and "Exciter" as more the product of their producers than usual for the band. Something like, "although Martin and Fletch would probably argue with me, I still describe those records as the Tim Simenon album and the Mark Bell album."

― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 14 September 2022 02:44 (four hours ago) bookmarkflaglink

The irony of this is that although I can literally here what Bell contributes on Exciter, at another level it doesn't feel like he leaves much of a trace. All of his typical impulses get translated into this kind of polite fussiness that is of a piece with the mostly nothingy songwriting. But I guess Gahan is also half-right in that the album also feels like less of a DM album than usual as well.

All I know of this album is BOAG, from a free Q Magazine CD released at the time. It slams; I remember thinking how it felt like a different take on the Y2K Matrix-soundtrack cybergoth sound so prevalent elsewhere. I'll have to hear the rest of the album, see if that's the vibe

Sticking it on again, I'm put in mind of nothing so much as The Young Gods

Ultra and Exciter are like the first two Gorillaz albums to me - driven by a single producer before the want to make, for lack of a better term, nearly interchangeable albums slowly takes over (not a criticism, mind).

Really love Ultra a lot, last time I listened to any of it I got really into the songs I never liked when I first heard it about 18 years ago. I got stuck on Useless for ages because I really like the POV shift and the cheesy guitars and The Love Thieves (bc I love how Dave sings love needs its martyrs). When I was younger I was really into Sister of Night and Home (I still really like Home tbh). But happy to see this album get some love!

nearly interchangeable albums slowly takes over (not a criticism, mind)

I definitely criticize them for that