SONGS OF FAITH AND DEVOTION  -  DEPECHE MODE

YEAR:  1993
LABEL:  Sire/Reprise
TRACK LISTING:  I Feel You,  Walking In My Shoes,  Condemnation,  Mercy In You,  Judas,  In Your Room,  Get Right With Me,  Rush, One Caress,  Higher Love
BONUS TRACKS:  My Joy (7" Mix),  Condemnation (Paris Mix),  Death's Door (Jazz Mix),  In Your Room (Zephyr Mix),  I Feel You (Life's Too Short Mix),  Walking In My Shoes (Grungy Gonads Mix),  My Joy (Slowslide Mix),  In Your Room (Apex Mix)
IMPRESSIONS:  Following after the monolithic "VIOLATOR", "SONGS OF FAITH AND DEVOTION" was more problematic; not only in the fact that it had to follow a monster hit album but also because lead singer Dave Gahan was battling addiction and Alan Wilder was preparing to leave the group after so many years.  This album did kick off one of my favourite concerts of all time:  the "DEVOTIONAL" tour.  However, it doesn't even contain my favourite Depeche Mode song.  Or does it?  I waver between declaring "Never Let Me Down Again" as my fave and then changing it to this album's "Walking In My Shoes".  Either way, this album contains some of my all-time fave Depeche Mode songs from the aforementioned "Walking In My Shoes" to the toweringly relentless "In Your Room".  The album has more of a guitar presence and the "real live drums" that Alan Wilder fought so hard for.  It may not be the megalithic "VIOLATOR" with its monumental hits "Enjoy the Silence" or "Personal Jesus" but it's still one hell of a terrific album.
MY FAVOURITE TRACKS:  I Feel You,  Walking in My Shoes,  Mercy In You,  In Your Room,  One Caress
FACT SHEET:  SONGS OF FAITH AND DEVOTION is Depeche Mode's eighth album. It reached number one on both the US and UK album charts.  This is the last album featuring the "classic" line-up of Dave Gahan, Martin Gore, Alan Wilder and Andy Fletcher as Wilder departed the group soon after it's release.