Rock and Roll reached its peak in 1993

Hello Friends,

     It is I, Raphael De La Ghetto, back again to sing the praises of 1993's Songs of Faith and Devotion by Depeche Mode.  1993 was a good year.  The president was sleeping with many ladies upsetting his husband Hillary.  The ecomony was robust.  90's excess was greater than the 80's excess, but tinged with a bit of grunge.  Depeche Mode decided to move to Spain, and hope their drug-addicted frontman would make it thorugh the 2 year touring schedule.  This album was rockier, and the suggestion of half the band, notably,. the half of the band that either left the group, or tried suicide a few times.  From that train wreck, came the best album of Depeche Mode's discography.  You may frwon and fret and scream to the heavens that Exciter or Violator was just as good, but thats cause you don't know shit about shit.

"I Feel You" – 4:35

The song starts out with a needle being pulled off a record, which jars you to attention, and seduces you slowly with sexy rock guitars.  Four minutes and 35 seconds later, you are smiocking a cigarette wondering where that came from. 
"Walking in My Shoes" – 5:35
Dave Gahans' rich baritone finds a home here singing what could easily be the theme song to any youung teenager's life.  The imagery of crazy stork-legged birds with crazy scissor beaks in videos only serves to cement this catchy song in your mind. 

"Condemnation" – 3:20
The familiar churchysong found on every Depeche Mode cd.  This one is catchier than most, and lets the lead singer wallow in a sadness and pity that would become a part of his turbulent life later on.  Who knew?    
"Mercy in You" – 4:17
Dramatic hooks, desperate lyrics, and a time-tested story of sin and redemption.  The fuzz guitar and backwards piano chords really work well.  Plus, I think there was some cowbell in here somewhere. 

"Judas" – 5:14
The sappy "song that is about a biblical story but set in modern times with only cursory allusions to the source bilical story," song.  This one is nice and quiet, and is usually sung by the Band leader Martin Gore, alone on stage, wearing a sexually ambiguous costume, while the rest of the band goes to have a beer and a toss. 

"In Your Room" – 6:26
Here we get back to the sexy/dance sound.  The guitars really work on this track and the reverb editing make it sound unique and very familiar all at once.  This had more studio work done on it than 3 T-Pain cd's.  It sounds like it was written in a dark room that was underwater in the desert next to a stable of pegasus horses and delicious ponies. 
"Get Right with Me" – 3:52
its ok.

"Rush" – 4:37
Here we get the last aggressive song on the cd.  Its sexually forward, powerful, and all-encompassing.  Its kind of like getting attacked by a sexy snake.  Ah yeah, i loves the sexy slither of the female snake. 
"One Caress" – 3:32
Classicly-preformed orchestral song that really works more because its a radically different sound on a rock cd song.  It is beautifully done, and coming off of the last song, is a great change of pace track.
"Higher Love" – 5:56
The last song on the cd is one of the better ones.  Its starts slowly, and is unabashedly all about getting with your loved one to the next level in a physical relationship.  Try to listen to this track, and not picture a hyge silvery ass.  Its no secret that Depeche Mode like this meed-setting track.  They liked it so much, they started their Live Concert dvd Devotional, with this song.

a young, impressionable Jokey Jokemaker
1993
Faithful and Devoted