CD Title: Exciter
Warner Reprise Records

by Caren Spitler

Electric, and erotic --Exciter brings offerings of graceful sensuality. Enter on the exhale of Dave Gahan's first breathy vocals as 'Dream On' leads you into the Depeche Mode world. For those of us who know DM it's like daja-vu. Exciter feels very fresh, yet still sounds like Depeche Mode. Perhaps that's because they always were ahead of their time. Together for 20 years and 11 albums DM is better than ever. Exciter is like a welcome home to old DM fans, and a call to a new generation ready to be introduced to Depeche Mode for the first time.

Dave Gahan's vocals are even more expressive and emotional in this album. In 'Breathe' Dave emotes passion as he tells the tale of hearing your lover's news though hearsay and rumors. It's like an old torch song updated with some electronics. It could easily translate to an old smoky speakeasy during prohibition, with a sexy chanteuse singing of heartache. In 'When the Body Speaks' and 'Goodnight Lovers' Dave's vocals have a real richness and soul to them. He generates smoldering sexuality in nearly every breath of this album

Before someone coined the phrase "Synth-pop" Depeche was creating a style of music that would subconsciously influenced musician to come. They are still at the heart and soul of the synth and electronic sound. This is evident in songs like 'Shine' and 'Dead of Night'. 'Shine' has a down right erotic feel to it. I think Depeche Mode as always worked well with themes that evoke sexuality. 'Dead of Night' seeks a harder place with gritty guitar sounds, it's tranceful and edgy. 'When the Body Speaks' is slightly reminiscent of an older DM tune, melancholy to the point of tears. Like 'Somebody' there is also a backbeat that echoes a pounding of a beating heart, the melody is carried on the lightest whispers of soft keyboard tune. 'Comatose' could have been on an old DM album it's like a direct flash back as though it was a track they never released. Lastly, 'Goodnight Lovers' It's soulful background vocals have a do-whoop quality about them. Here Depeche Mode is lulling us all to sleep as they give us the final kiss off... it was intoxicating while it lasted. Thus is a fitting ending to the album.