Depeche-mode-news | Depeche-mood : moody depeche-mode devotee

Archive for the ‘depeche-mode-news’ Category

Sounds Of The Universe is OUT !

Monday, April 20th, 2009

Here it is, Sounds Of The Universe is out !

To be honest, it’s hard for me to tell you right away, how I feel about this record. At first it was like: “Oh ! my god, what is going on ?” If you only compare to Playing The Angel, Sounds Of The Universe is alot more calm and you can definitely tell Martin feels alot better than he did when he composed Playing The Angel.

I really enjoy Wrong, which is what I consider being the best track on this NEW L.P. Then, I really get confused. It feels like Ben Hillier was there a while and then, left. I also think there are some really good songs, but it doesn’t feel as easy to get in as it was with Playing The Angel. My feeling is that Depeche Mode has never been a band which needed to be up-to-date, they were ahead, but with this L.P, they are just sort of following what mainstream bands are doing. It probably needs to grow on me.

I have the chance to own the Sounds Of The Universe Deluxe Box Set Edition and to tell you the truth, I think the demos are by far the most interesting thing on this box. I never thought Martin was able to deliver such great demos, I mean, you can really feel like everything is there, but needs to be amplified, it’s simple, subtle, and it’s definitely really made by a sensitive personn. (I have never, ever had any doubt about it !!)
If you did not yet have the chance to hear it, you should think of it as a Counterfeit L.P, but really from scratch. No matter from which period these demos are from, Little 15, Only When I Lose Myself, Sweetest Perfection, etc. It always sounds/feels great.

This makes me think of 3 things :
- Martin Gore is an awesome writer & composer;
- Dave Gahan is a great, great singer;
- Depeche Mode really and definitely misses Alan Wilder ( Should I say it Twice ?!)

Alan Wilder was the best to understand Martin’s work, and was the best to enhance his work to bring it to another level.
Alan Wilder is required for the next Depeche Mode record, PLEASE ! (as a producer would be perfect)

You can find all Sounds Of The Universe album covers (record sleeves)

Also you still have Sounds Of The Universe Lyrics - Depeche Mode - SOTU lyrics

Tags: bonus track, demos, depeche mode, Sounds Of The Universe album
Posted in depeche-mode-news | No Comments »

MARTIN L. GORE: LAYS (lyrics book)

Sunday, April 19th, 2009

MARTIN L. GORE: LAYS

You definitely, should avoid this book called “MARTIN L. GORE: LAYS” : a bilingual book in french and english about Martin L. Gore Lyrics.

The book itself is great, you can find original lyrics, and few illustrations, but the translations and writing skills of the author are missing the point, almost every time. It gives a very bad feeling to the lyrics written in english, and translations are almost not french, by times. Obviously the translator doesn’t feel comfortable with french, and maybe this authorized version should not be printed, if you consider it damages original work.

Here is two examples of what has been done :

Personal Jesus :

“Your own personal jesus, Someone to hear your prayers, Someone who cares.”

> Translation <

“Votre Jésus personnel à vous, Quelqu’un qui entende vos prières, quelqu’un qui s’intéresse à vous.”

It sounds weird, doesn’t it ?! Weird and pretty bad, too. In french , you can read : “Your own personal Jesus, yourself, Someone to hear your prayers, Someone interested in you”

Worst of all, sometimes, translations change sense and meaning and seems to avoid any poetic approach of the lyrics, for example in Never let me down. Lyrics in french “Ne me fais plus jamais faux bond.“ so far translation is ok, but then “ride” becomes “walk” in french, loosing track of the situation.

“I’m taking a ride, With my best friend, I hope he never lets me down again, He knows where he’s taking me, taking me where I want to be, I’m taking a ride With my best friend”

> Translation <

“Je vais en promenade avec mon meilleur ami. J’espère que jamais plus il ne me fera faux bond. Il sait où il m’emmène, il m’emmène, là où je veux me trouver. Je fais un tour avec mon meilleur ami.”

In the end, translated from french you get something like this :

“I’m going out for a walk with my best friend, I hope he will never let me down again, He knows where he’s taking me, taking me where I want to find myself, I’m going out With my best friend”

In fact they are many of the translations that are made without considering the context. If the goal was to give a better understanding of Martin’s lyrics, the goal is missed and like I said, it’s harmful.

Save 23 euros, don’t buy this book.

I don’t think Martin L. Gore knows about this, maybe he should.

P.s: I would advise the writer/translator to read : Musique d’ailleurs par Leonard Cohen, an awesome work, translated by: Jean Guiloineau

Posted in depeche-mode-news | 5 Comments »