Search - Dave Gahan :: Paper Monsters

3,75 stars actually - solid solo effort

emvb | SEATTLE | 05/21/2004

(4 out of 5 stars)

"dave gahans first solo record was a suprise- what i imagined was some horrible cliche rock record but what i found was a very moody wellcrafted album that mixes the best of sofad-era depeche mode with some ry cooder electro blues slide guitar( nearly on a majority of the tracks. throw in some nice strings(ala richard ashcroft-verve) some plucked acoustic guitar and top it off with gahans best vocal performances and paper monsters is more or less a winner.PROS: good vocals-great ambience-well produced- guitars are wonderful-continuity throughout the album- unconcerned with trying to be overly catchy( though there are a few radio hit attempts)- material reflects an older wiser gahan(not some sad attempt to rock out at 44-see rolling stones) slide guitar is choice- pretty good songs though some drag abit or take to long to get going(patience is rewarded though)!CONS: lyrically flat-(lyrics are not in booklet-wise choice as they are pretty poor and cliche)-sometimes material is alittle sparse- both "bottle living" and "dirty sticky floors" sound like remakes of i feel you and personal jesus (too redundant of that style but not bad nonetheless. "I need you" sounds like depeche mode completely and doesnt sit well in this format. some may find the album slow but most work by older artists is( usually there is more depth and meaning to be found-here that is the case though better lyrics would have helped even more)SOUNDSLIKE: sofad era depeche mode- slower acthung baby u2- hints of verve or richard ashcroft-ry cooder soundtrack work- abit of nick cave or scott walker in ambience.FAVS: hold on-stay-bitter apple-bottle living-hidden housesOverall: give this to the older brother who thought depeche mode were to synthy or poppy sounding- fans of depeche mode will probally have mixed opinions( i think its better than the last two depeche mode albums and gores solo effort). its a solid record that grows on you-( has to be listened to in one sitting to fully appreciate) doesnt stray too far from mode but is different. Worth getting especially if you can pick it up used but worth full price!"

Some artists just have it all

Laury B. | Canada | 07/13/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"So this is what Dave Gahan sounds like when (finally) left to his own devices. Any other artist would have been nervous, or even scared, at the prospect of doing it their way after singing someone else's songs for over 20 years. But not Dave. While not a complete departure from Depeche Mode (some songs on the album, especially Hold On, could well have been heard on Exciter), Paper Monsters truly feels like Dave was ready to do his own thing and share his own views on life. Of course, like with any other solo debut from a member of a hugely sucessful band, Paper Monsters does somewhat leave you thinking that there's room for improvement. But make no mistake : this is the work of a true professional here, an artist who you feel has been there and done that and who knows what he's doing. With highly autobiographical and well-crafted lyrics, exquisite vocals (Dave's smooth barytone has never sounded better in my opinion) and some masterful arrangements, Dave's Paper Monsters may leave you wanting more...but it doesn't disappoint."

Did You Really Want Another Depeche Mode Album?

The Straw Man | Aloof October on April's Birthday | 12/20/2006

(5 out of 5 stars)

"The fact that this album was made is awesome. To recall some of the outlandish things that happened to David Gahan during his career as a musican, it is a wonder he is still around. After all, it was only yesterday that he was addicted to drugs and overdosed on a speedball of smack and coke. Does anyone remember that he was legally dead for like three minutes?



Then he arose from the ashes and made three more Depeche Mode albums (to date) Ultra, Exciter and Playing the Angel. In between the latter two, David Gahan recorded his first solo album, Paper Monsters.



It appears that the Paper Monster album has been twenty plus years in the making. As the front man of the alternative electronic-rock band Depeche Mode, David Gahan has paid his dues. However the one endeavor that he had never done was pen any of the songs that he sung. It seemed strange that the (main) voice of the Depeche Mode, didn't write any of the words he sang. The job of song writing belongs to Martin L. Gore, or at least it did. This solo effort is what proved David Gahan could write and allowed him to compose three songs for the next Depeche Mode album, Playing the Angel.



As for Paper Monsters itself, it is a bit of a departure from the idealism that is Depeche Mode. Which is good, why not a toss it up a bit. The content isn't quite as enigmatically as Depeche Mode, but does offer some dark and moody elements, as in Black and Blue Again. Yet there are other songs that are paradox. For instance, Dirty Stick Floors is about David Gahan being an addict and the cause and effect it had on his life. Now with that type of foundation, it would seem that this song would be malicious and/or sullen. In fact, Dirty Stick Floors is a satire and is poppy and jovial in nature. Many of the other songs appear to have a blues, jazz, and rock `n' roll feel to them. The only song that really seems like it could be a Depeche Mode song is I Need You. So yes one could say that this album sounds like Depeche Mode, but perhaps David Gahan has been "typed-cast". After all, Depeche Mode is all he had done until the recording of Paper Monsters.



As for the debate: David Gahan isn't a better writer than Martin L. Gore. Well David Gahan is no Martin L. Gore and vice versa. Martin L. Gore is an amazing songwriter and has been writing songs for like twenty-five years. However, there were many people quizzical of Martin L. Gore writing songs for Depeche Mode after Vince Clark left the group in 1982. For those of you that aren't aware, Vince Clark did all the writing for Depeche Mode's first album Speak and Spell. He then quit the band to form Easure. As for David Gahan's writing, it isn't Martin L. Gore style, it is different. But it should be noted that different doesn't equal bad.



I found Paper Monsters to be a very enjoyable album and I am pleased to see David Gahan writing songs. I believe that this album, if nothing else, is a great foundation for future songs, regardless if it is with Depeche Mode or solo. Two of my favorite songs on Playing the Angel are Suffer Well and I Want it All. Both tracks written by Gahan, with Depeche Mode, after Paper Monsters was recorded.



Overall, I think David Gahan is super cool and I have always liked his voice. Which brings a powerful, soulful, robust and mystical quality that many contemporary male vocalists do not possess.

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