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Underrated Albums: Depeche Mode- Songs of Faith and Devotion

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Depeche Mode is one of the most intriguing bands of the last 30 plus years. They have never been a band to keep making the same album. They’ve experimented and evolved in a way that is truly astounding. Each album stands out on it’s own. Some are better than others but the true essence of Depeche Mode is in each of their releases. Which brings me to their 1993 album Songs of Faith and Devotion. Following up an album like Violator is never easy but, this is Depeche Mode we are talking about. They followed up their breakthrough album with a record that took chances and showed just how really diverse Depeche Mode is.
Songs of Faith and Devotion is the eighth studio album in the bands catalog and it’s one of their more darker and aggressive albums. This album would be produced by Flood again and was recorded in a rented home which the band built a studio and live and worked in. This album saw the band become very interested in the alternative music that was taking over. Bands like Jane’s Addiction and Soundgarden have been mentioned as key inspirations for the albums sound and style. The making of the album was quite difficult. Growing tensions among band members and drug addiction had caused some very trying times for Depeche Mode. Despite all this, Songs of Faith and Devotion is one of the best pieces of work the band has ever put out. Songs like “Walking In My Shoes,” “I Feel You,” “Condemnation,” In Your Room,” “Rush,” and “Higher Love,” just further prove that this album is truly remarkable. Even with the addiction issues, Dave Gahan’s vocal performances on this album are beyond stellar. Martin Gore, in my opinion, outdid himself with the songs he wrote on this album. Perhaps the growing tensions within the group especially the most strained between drummer Alan Wilder and Gore, helped to make some of the bands best songs. The following promotional tour for the album, The Devotional Tour, would be regarded in the bands history as their most “debauched” rock tour ever. This tour would also be the catalyst for the long break the band took afterwards before they would begin work on their album, Ultra.

Depeche Mode’s catalog is full of so many great albums. Violator is always going to be the one that the “masses” reach for but, the deep fans know there is more than just “Personal Jesus” and “Enjoy The Silence.” Personally for me Songs of Faith and Devotion is in my top 3 favorite Depeche Mode albums (the other two are Music For The Masses and Exciter). There is something truly beautiful about how all the negativity that surrounded the making of this album created a record that surpassed an expectations that people would have. For almost 40 years now, Depeche Mode has proven you don’t need to make the same record twice. Taking chances and evolving in a way that still keeps the essence of the band in tact, has always been key to the bands success, and Songs of Faith and Devotion cements that fact.

 
Depeche Mode- Songs of Faith and Devotion:

 

 

Songs of Faith and Devotion Documentary:

 

Unsung Masterpieces: Smashing Pumpkins- Adore
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The process of following up a career defining album is a very serious task. The amount of pressure that is put on a band to follow that up with a great deal of success is overwhelming. The Smashing Pumpkins follow up to Mellon Collie and The Infinite Sadness, Adore is one of the most daring and intriguing albums in the bands discography. Recorded following the death of Billy Corgan’s mother and his divorce, this was a significant change of style from the bands guitar driven albums. Adore saw the band venture into more electronic territory. This was in part to drummer Jimmy Chamberlain being fired from the band before the recording process. Instead the drums on the album were cut from drum machines and the assistance of drummer Matt Walker who toured with the band following Chamberlains release. During this time as well, the bands image shifted toward a more darker gothic sensibility.

Adore is the type of album that when you first listen to it, you are taken aback by it. There is a purity and solemnness to it, that delves even deeper than the bands previous works. Songs like “To Sheila,” “Crestfallen,””For Martha,” exhibit this notion. The more electronic driven songs like “Ava Adore” and “Perfect” show some similarities to classic Pumpkins material. Then there are songs like “Tear,” “Appels & Oranjes,””Pug,” “Behold! The Night Mare,” that show an added maturity to Billy Corgan’s writing.

Adore was obviously not the album that fans of the band wanted, but it was necessary to reinvigorate the band to come to terms with their issues. Over time, Adore has been one of those albums that with time and age has truly become a wonderful album. It really has a sense that if you’ve lived life and been through hell to an extent, then this album will really hit the mark. Take it for another listen, and you’ll see what I mean.

Smashing Pumpkins- Adore: