Depeche Mode “Momento Mori” 2023. Their 15th studio LP is darkly ambient and aptly titled: it’s very death-orientated, coming on the heels of the tragic death of Andy Fletcher, the pandemic and the war in Ukraine. It went to #2 in the UK and #14 US. Honestly I wasn’t super-jazzed on their latest release…until we saw them last night in Chicago at the United Center and had the opportunity to hear them play a few of the tracks live. Truly amazing, gorgeous and lush; from Momento Mori their performance included “The Cosmos is Mine” and “Wagging Tongue” as the concert openers – also the LP’s openers. “Wagging Tongue” was the second single released from the album and it’s one of my favorite tracks (again, after seeing it live). It’s also the first Martin Gore-Dave Gahan writing collaboration that has made it as a single release and has an early 80’s synth sound (that shows up on a few other tracks as well). “Wagging Tongue” went to #54 in the UK. They also played “Ghosts Again,” which was the first single released; Psychedelic Furs’ Richard Butler co-wrote the song with Gore and it hit #20 in the UK (#9 on the US alternative chart). I also like the dark meets sparkly dream pop groove of “Never Let Me Go.”

The concert overall was just incredible. It’s been over 30 years since I’ve seen Depeche Mode perform – 1990 in Milwaukee on their World Violation tour for the masterpiece Violator; I also saw them in Chicago in ’86 touring for another masterpiece: Black Celebration. Besides playing songs from their new record, I was delighted with their picks from their old catalog, including songs from Violator, Music for the Masses, Black Celebration, Construction Time Again, and Speak & Spell. There were so many top moments last night! But to narrow it down a bit: “Policy of Truth,” “World in My Eyes” as a tribute to Andy Fletcher, “Everything Counts,” Gore’s acoustic version of “Dressed in Black” (that one surprised me!), “Stripped” and then I was just beyond about the final 3 songs of the encore: “Just Can’t Get Enough” “Never Let Me Down” and “Personal Jesus.”