DAVID GAHAN PAPER MONSTERS ALBUM MUTE, PLAYGROUND RELEASE: JUNE 2, 2003 REVIEW: MAY 20, 2003

Not surprisingly, the first solo album by Dave Gahan does indeed sound a little like Depeche Mode. Of course we have Dave's vocals, but also the overall feeling. As we all know, Dave Gahan is into rockier territory than Martin Gore, and it shows. Their respective solo album sound very different from each other, and “Paper Monsters” has a more conventional approach with guitars, bass and drums. I think it works well, and the sound is of course spiced up with electronics too.
As with “I Cast a Lonesome Shadow” on Martin's album, one track stands out for me - “Hidden Houses”. It somehow reminds me a bit of The Cure, and is very hypnotic, dreamlike and smooth. A keeper. Unfortunately, some of the other songs are more forgettable, but I still think most of them show that Dave can write too. He has expressed a wish to add more to the Depeche recordings in the future, and I think he may have gotten some well-deserved self confidence by taking this step. It should be interesting to see how the next Depeche sessions with Martin turns out.
A big problem with the album is that there are too many slow, not very memorable songs. Only a handful really catches on, leaving you wanting a more upbeat and interesting selection. Depending on mood, this is a very different album from listen to listen. At times you find it’s very pleasant, but other times you just think it’s boring and just a tad on the bland side. I’m very interested to see what Dave comes up with next time.

JOHAN CARLSSON