It's rare for any musician from the '80s to smoothly transfer its appeal past that era without seeming like they're trying too hard to update themselves. The alternative is embracing their '80s-ness to such a degree it's almost pastiche. Depeche Mode has avoided both these pitfalls with a musical…

Depeche Mode's Dave Gahan tapped into another side of himself when he joined fellow Brits, production duo Soulsavers, for their 2012 album, The Light the Dead See. A noted shift away from the dance-pop electronics of his primary group, Soulsavers' dusty, organic sounds allowed Gahan to bare his soul…

Let's face it: Depeche Mode haven't released a good album in nearly a decade. And Playing the Angel was good, not great. They haven't released a great album in over 20 years. Last year's Delta Machine was unlistenable. 2009's Sounds of the Universe was similarly excruciating (except "In Chains"-that…

For a unit that's long been the model of the archetypal studio band, it's no surprise that Depeche Mode's 13th record is another exemplary display of aural wizardry and high production value. Delta Machine is the latest in a long line of records that'll really impress on an expensive stereo system.…