The Light the Dead See | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | 21 May 2012 | |||
Recorded | 12 November 2010 in Los Angeles, New York, London, Berlin, Sydney & Stoke-on-Trent | |||
Genre | Alternative rock, blues rock, acoustic rock, electronica | |||
Length | 44:01 | |||
Label | V2 Records, Mute US | |||
Producer | The Soulsavers | |||
Soulsavers chronology | ||||
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Dave Gahan chronology | ||||
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Singles from The Light the Dead See | ||||
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Aggregate scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AnyDecentMusic? | 6.8/10 [1] |
Metacritic | 73/100 [2] |
Review scores | |
Source | Rating |
Allmusic | [3] |
Consequence of Sound | C+ [4] |
The Guardian | [5] |
NME | [6] |
musicOMH | [7] |
Mojo | [2] |
PopMatters | 6/10 [8] |
Spin | 8/10 [9] |
Sputnikmusic | [10] |
Uncut | 7/10 [11] |
The Light the Dead See is the fourth full-length studio album from English electronica production duo Soulsavers,released by V2 Records in the UK on 21 May 2012, [12] and by Mute in the US on 22 May 2012. [13] The album title comes from a poem by Frank Stanford. [14] The album is a collaboration with Dave Gahan,the frontman of Depeche Mode,as guest vocalist. Gahan sings and wrote the lyrics on all non-instrumental songs on the album. [15]
The album was released as CD and digital download on 21 May 2012. The LP version was delayed to 2 July 2012,due to quality problems in the vinyl pressing. [16] [17]
The first single taken from the album,"Longest Day",was released as digital download on 2 April 2012. A limited etched 7" vinyl version of the single,with only 300 copies pressed,was released on Record Store Day 20 April 2012. [18]
The second single "Take Me Back Home" was released as digital download on 20 August 2012. [19] An official music video was released from the track,directed by High 5 Collective. The video doesn't feature the artists themselves,but a story of life and loss. [20]
Originally there were no plans to tour in support of the album,since Dave Gahan was going to the studio late March 2012 to start working on the next Depeche Mode record. [15] However,the band played an invite-only "secret show" at Capitol Studios in Los Angeles on 21 July 2012. The full set of seven songs at Capitol was recorded and the 30-minute concert video "Live in Hollywood" has been streaming exclusively at the Rolling Stone website since 13 December 2012. [21] [22] According to Rich Machin,it will be available as a limited edition DVD in Europe early 2013. [23]
Soulsavers premiered a music video for the track "Take". It was released on 28 February 2013 via Clash Music. The video was directed by filmmaker Bernhard Wittich. [24]
The album received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic,which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics,the album received an average score of 73,based on 11 reviews,which indicates "generally favorable reviews". [25]
David Von Bader in his review for Consequence of Sound stated,"The Light the Dead See is an album you listen to late at night,possibly in the dark,and absolutely alone. With a dash of Nick Cave and a shade of Scott Walker,the disc is a reminder of why Soulsavers’atmospheric hymns work so well and have earned spots in countless film and television scores." [4] Dave Simpson of The Guardian wrote,"Dave Gahan was a deep personal well of darkness:six minutes spent clinically dead following an overdose in 1996;a cancerous tumour in 2009. He draws on it extensively here... There's tenderness,too,but Gahan's brooding power is central to possibly his best work since Depeche's 1990 Violator :magnificent songs about demons and failings,morality and mortality,regret,faith and devotion." [5] Hamish MacBain of NME added,"Dave Gahan (who provides all vocals here) and mainman Rich Machin have spoken about how much they have re-energised each other,and it shows. Initially it’s strange to hear that instantly identifiable baritone clashing with organic,rough-edged guitars,dirty Hammond organ,and delicate strings rather than the cold electronics of the day job,but it soon reveals itself to be a perfect pairing." [6]
All lyrics are written by Dave Gahan; all music is composed by Rich Machin, Ian Glover
No. | Title | Length |
---|---|---|
1. | "La Ribera" (Instrumental) | 1:51 |
2. | "In the Morning" | 3:33 |
3. | "Longest Day" | 4:14 |
4. | "Presence of God" | 3:45 |
5. | "Just Try" | 4:03 |
6. | "Gone Too Far" | 3:12 |
7. | "Point Sur Pt. 1" (Instrumental) | 1:41 |
8. | "Take Me Back Home" | 4:06 |
9. | "Bitterman" | 4:51 |
10. | "I Can't Stay" | 5:02 |
11. | "Take" | 3:45 |
12. | "Tonight" | 3:58 |
Total length: | 44:01 |
Chart (2012) | Peak position |
---|---|
Austrian Albums Chart [26] | 49 |
Belgian Albums Chart (Flanders) [27] | 35 |
Belgian Albums Chart (Wallonia) [28] | 37 |
French Albums Chart [29] | 120 |
German Albums Chart [30] | 12 |
Swiss Albums Chart [31] | 30 |
Polish Albums Chart [32] | 23 |
UK Albums Chart [33] | 69 |
US Top Heatseekers Albums Chart [34] | 28 |
David Gahan is an English singer best known as the lead singer of electronic music band Depeche Mode since their formation in 1980. Noted for his commanding stage presence and unique baritone voice, Gahan was ranked at No. 73 on Q magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Singers" and No. 27 on its list of the "100 Greatest Frontmen". As part of Depeche Mode, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2020.
Martin Lee Gore is an English musician and songwriter. He is one of the founding members of the electronic music band Depeche Mode and is the band's main songwriter. He is the band's guitarist and keyboardist, and occasionally provides lead vocals. Gore possesses a tenor singing voice which contrasts with lead vocalist Dave Gahan's dramatic baritone. He is also known for his flamboyant and (sometimes) androgynous stage persona. Gore has also released several solo albums and collaborated with former Depeche Mode member Vince Clarke as part of VCMG.
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Soulsavers is an English-American production and remix team composed of Rich Machin and Ian Glover. The Soulsavers' downtempo electronica sound incorporates influences of rock, gospel, soul, and country. To date, the duo has released six albums: Tough Guys Don't Dance in 2003, It's Not How Far You Fall, It's the Way You Land in 2007, Broken in 2009, The Light the Dead See in 2012, Angels & Ghosts in 2015 and Imposter in 2021.
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