DEPECHE MODE - GHOSTS AGAIN

 

Ghosts Again, the first single from Memento Mori has just been released after weeks of anticipation and a day of fanbase frustration last Friday.

I think the song is fantastic and, for me, it's their best since Wrong. It's certainly their poppiest song probably since Precious and that is very much welcome as far as I'm concerned. Ghosts Again certainly leans toward the band's mots lauded era and that cannot be a bad thing at all can it?

The press release for the single says:

Depeche Mode has confirmed the release date of its eagerly anticipated new album, Memento Mori, which will be released March 24 via Columbia Records.

Memento Mori’s arrival is heralded by today’s release of first single “Ghosts Again.” Having been stealthily previewed in Berlin in October at the Memento Mori launch event, “Ghosts Again” is nothing short of classic Depeche Mode: Evocative Dave Gahan lyrical imagery including “wasted feelings, broken meanings… a place to hide the tears we cry” and a hypnotic Martin Gore guitar figure atop an uplifting, optimistic groove. “Ghosts Again” is available now across digital platforms, and as an instant grat with pre-saves and pre-orders of Memento Mori - which is available for pre-order now on 2LP vinyl, CD, cassette, and digital.

“To me, ‘Ghosts Again’ just captures this perfect balance of melancholy and joy,” commented Gahan. Gore added, “It’s not often that we record a song that I just don’t get sick of listening to – I’m excited to be able to share it.”

There is also a new Anton picture of Dave and Martin accompanying it:

The video is really very good though I must say I felt a real sadness watching it given Fletch's absence. Seeing the band without Andy felt very strange indeed and it made me realise how very different a Depeche Mode campaign without him will be. Dave and Martin both look great and Dave, at least for now, is not bothering with the pencil moustache which is no bad thing.

It really is great to have them back.

The Memento Mori tracklist has been revealed too and it does indeed feature a song called Caroline's Monkey which I'm choosing to believe is a Small Faces knockabout romp of a tune. Perhaps. Here is the official news:

Release Date: 24th March 2023

Memento Mori is Depeche Mode's 15th studio album and its first as a two-piece lineup of Gahan and Gore, following co-founder Andrew “Fletch” Fletcher’s tragic passing in 2022. Produced by James Ford, with additional production work by Marta Salogni, Memento Mori's gestation took place during the early stages of the Covid pandemic, resulting in themes inspired directly by that period. The album’s 12 tracks chart a vast expanse of moods and textures, from its ominous opening to its closing resolve—running the gamut from paranoia and obsession to catharsis and joy, and hitting myriad points between. The complete track listing for Memento Mori is:

My Cosmos Is Mine
Wagging Tongue
Ghosts Again
Don’t Say You Love Me
My Favourite Stranger
Soul With Me
Caroline’s Monkey
Before We Drown
People Are Good
Always You
Never Let Me Go
Speak To Me

The album can be ordered from various places. Mute are selling the black vinyl and both hardcover book and standard CD versions. Their email asks us to raise a glass to Fletch which I'm sure we all will do.

On the official site, you can get the red vinyl, red cassette and CD versions. The initial batch of red vinyl with signed insert have gone already and, no, I didn't get one.

So there we have it - Depeche Mode are back. If Ghosts Again is a hint of what is to come with Memento Mori, then I for one am very much looking forward to it.

A MEMENTO - A DEPECHE MODE TOUR PROJECT

 

In 2017, I had an idea. "What if I managed to get a fan to review every one of the first leg gigs for the blog?" I thought. That quickly evolved into trying to cover every gig and it worked - The Global Spirit Tour Project saw every single gig on the tour from Stockholm in May 2017 to Berlin in July 2018 reviewed by fans who kindly gave up their time to help this blog out.

It was a slog though and I swore I wouldn't do it again, partly because I didn't imagine Depeche would tour again, or at least not to any great extent.

Here we are then, nearly five years after Berlin and a new tour is about to start which is of course a wonderful thing. It's going to be strange of course as we'll be seeing Depeche Mode as a duo and we will all be thinking of Andy at every gig.

As soon as the first leg of the tour was announced, I was asked if I was doing a project again and I didn't commit to anything but, in the last couple of days I've cracked and so A Memento is now a thing.

The plan for A Memento is slightly different to The Global Spirit Tour Project. Every single gig on the tour will be reviewed, but this time, reviewers will submit either video or written reviews. Video reviews will be hosted on the Almost Predictable Almost YouTube channel (presuming I can work it) and will also appear here. I will try to include some more detail than last time such as setlist pictures, merchandise images and attendances etc. At the moment though, this is all in the planning stage so don't hold me to that.

I have already lined up a few reviewers and they along with the tour dates they are reviewing will be released soon.

More news about this inevitably bad decision will follow in the next few days.

DEPECHE MODE ANNOUNCE AN ANNOUNCEMENT

 

Oh, Depeche Mode. 

For what seems like the last ten years, the online Depeche fanbase has been going crackers. Murals have been under 24 hour Black Swarm surveillance, posters have been given scrutiny usually reserved only for documents of historical import, lyrics have been imagined, tracklistings dreamt up and, frankly, many people have lost their minds all because the band's social media channels have had a countdown running, leading to 5pm UK time today.

5PM duly arrived and.....

....the band took to Instagram to announce that the new single, Ghosts Again, will be available on 9th February at 5pm UK time.

So that was that. It is of course great news that Depeche Mode are back and we are all looking forward to seeing them live again and hearing what Memento Mori has to offer, but this was a bit of an anti- climax really. 

Much has been written in the last week by people who suggest they know what they're talking about and today's announcement has shown that they really knew nothing at all. The fact is that there is now only 6 days until we hear new Depeche Mode music and that is no bad thing.

At least we know something now then. Bring on the new single. 

And welcome back Depeche Mode.