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Angels & Ghosts

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Angels & Ghosts
Studio album by
Released23 October 2015
Genre
Length38:29
LabelColumbia
ProducerSoulsavers
Dave Gahan and Soulsavers chronology
The Light the Dead See
(2012)
Angels & Ghosts
(2015)
Kubrick
(2015)
Dave Gahan chronology
The Light the Dead See
(2012)
Angels & Ghosts
(2015)
Imposter
(2021)
Singles from Angels & Ghosts
  1. "All of This and Nothing"
    Released: 11 September 2015
  2. "Shine"
    Released: 10 December 2015

Angels & Ghosts is the fifth studio album by English electronica production duo Soulsavers, released on 23 October 2015 by Columbia Records.[1] It is their second collaboration with Dave Gahan, the frontman of Depeche Mode, as guest vocalist and songwriter, this time released under the moniker Dave Gahan & Soulsavers.

Artwork

[edit]

The cover photo was shot by Gahan's daughter Stella Rose.

Release and promotion

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The album was released as digital download, as well as CD and vinyl through Columbia on 23 October 2015. In support of the album, a tour with a 10-piece band followed with six shows in the US and Europe in late October and early November.[1][2]

Pre-orders for the album started 11 September 2015.

The lead single from the album titled "All of This and Nothing" was released digitally 11 September 2015. A lyric video for the song was released on VEVO 10 September 2015.

The video for the second single "Shine" was premiered on 10 December 2015.

Critical reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Aggregate scores
SourceRating
AnyDecentMusic?6.6/10[3]
Metacritic67/100[4]
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic [5]
The Guardian[6]
The Music[7]
The Observer[8]
Pitchfork5.7/10[9]
PopMatters6/10[10]
Renowned for Sound[11]
Rolling Stone[12]
RTÉ.ie[13]
Under the Radar7/10[14]

Angels & Ghosts received generally favourable reviews from critics. On Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream publications, it received an average score of 67, based on 12 reviews.[4] On AnyDecentMusic?, which collates critical reviews from more than 50 media sources, the album scored 6.6 points out of 10.

Kory Grow writing for the Rolling Stone stated, "The reason Angels & Ghosts works, though, is because Gahan and Soulsavers sound like a band... Gahan has always sounded like a complex individual with Depeche Mode, but on this set, he sounds set free."[12] Alan Corr of RTÉ.ie mentioned, "Now a well-preserved 53, Dave Gahan has travelled a long way from his '90s nickname “The Cat”. He earned that sobriquet for his talent for cheating death but these days he channels his classic rock'n'roll story into brooding songs of redemption and rebirth."[13] Jon Dennis in his review for The Guardian observed, "Gone are Depeche Mode’s shiny synths of yore: Angels & Ghosts’ default position is the doom-laden, mid-paced ballad. Gahan sings with unsparing emotional commitment against Soulsavers’ canvas of gospel-tinged backing vocals, ghostly organ and big minor chords."[6] Lily Moayeri of Under the Radar added, "Once again, Gahan has turned himself inside out on these songs. He laments and beseeches by turns, giving Angels and Ghosts a gospel bent, which is enhanced by choir-like backing vocals. Organs further this spiritual aspect with their quaking tones..."[14]

Track listing

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All songs written by Dave Gahan and Soulsavers.

No.TitleLength
1."Shine"3:40
2."You Owe Me"4:22
3."Tempted"4:19
4."All of This and Nothing"4:17
5."One Thing"4:40
6."Don't Cry"4:43
7."Lately"4:32
8."The Last Time"3:57
9."My Sun"3:59
Total length:38:29

Charts

[edit]
Chart (2015) Peak
position
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[15] 18
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[16] 31
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[17] 9
Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)[18] 7
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)[19] 60
French Albums (SNEP)[20] 33
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[21] 5
Greek Albums (IFPI)[22] 25
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[23] 19
Irish Albums (IRMA)[24] 62
Italian Albums (FIMI)[25] 7
Polish Albums (ZPAV)[26] 3
Portuguese Albums (AFP)[27] 29
Scottish Albums (OCC)[28] 30
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[29] 46
Swedish Albums (Sverigetopplistan)[30] 54
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[31] 5
UK Albums (OCC)[32] 27
US Heatseekers Albums (Billboard)[33] 2
US Top Alternative Albums (Billboard)[34] 23
US Top Rock Albums (Billboard)[35] 31

References

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  1. ^ a b Minsker, Evan; Monroe, Jazz (10 September 2015). "Depeche Mode's Dave Gahan Announces New Album and Tour With Soulsavers, Shares "All of This and Nothing"". Pitchfork. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
  2. ^ Grow, Kory (10 September 2015). "Hear Dave Gahan and Soulsavers' Darkly Cinematic New Song". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 11 September 2015.
  3. ^ "Dave Gahan & Soulsavers: Angels & Ghosts". AnyDecentMusic?. anydecentmusic.com. Retrieved 8 June 2018.
  4. ^ a b "Angels & Ghosts by Dave Gahan & the Soulsavers". Metacritic CBS Interactive. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  5. ^ Yeung, Neil. "Angels & Ghost - Dave Gahan & The Soulsavers". AllMusic. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  6. ^ a b Dennis, Jon (22 October 2015). "Dave Gahan & Soulsavers: Angels & Ghosts review – doomy ballads from Depeche Mode frontman". The Guardian. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  7. ^ McNaughton, Mac. "Dave Gahan - Angels And Ghosts". The Music. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  8. ^ Mongredien, Phil (25 October 2015). "Dave Gahan & Soulsavers: Angels & Ghosts review – powerful and affecting". The Observer. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  9. ^ Rachel, T. Cole (26 October 2015). "Dave Gahan/Soulsavers - Angels & Ghost". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  10. ^ BERGSTROM, JOHN (29 October 2015). "Dave Gahan and Soulsavers: Angels & Ghosts". PopMatters. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  11. ^ Anna, Wilson (18 November 2015). "ALBUM REVIEW: DAVE GAHAN & SOULSAVERS – ANGELS AND GHOSTS". Renowned for Sound. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  12. ^ a b Grow, Kory (23 October 2015). ""Angels & Ghosts", Dave Gahan, Soulsavers". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  13. ^ a b Corr, Alan (27 October 2015). "Bringin' It by Christian McBride". RTE. RTÉ.ie. Retrieved 17 June 2018.
  14. ^ a b Moayeri, Lily (22 October 2015). "Dave Gahan & Soulsavers - Angels & Ghost". Under the Radar. Retrieved 26 October 2015.
  15. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Dave Gahan & Soulsavers – Angels & Ghosts" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
  16. ^ "Ultratop.be – Dave Gahan & Soulsavers – Angels & Ghosts" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
  17. ^ "Ultratop.be – Dave Gahan & Soulsavers – Angels & Ghosts" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
  18. ^ "Czech Albums – Top 100". ČNS IFPI. Note: On the chart page, select 44.Týden 2015 on the field besides the words "CZ – ALBUMS – TOP 100" to retrieve the correct chart. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  19. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Dave Gahan & Soulsavers – Angels & Ghosts" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
  20. ^ "Lescharts.com – Dave Gahan & Soulsavers – Angels & Ghosts". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  21. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Dave Gahan & Soulsavers – Angels & Ghosts" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
  22. ^ "Official IFPI Charts – Top-75 Albums Sales Chart (Week: 47/2015)". IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on 1 December 2015. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  23. ^ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2015. 43. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
  24. ^ "GFK Chart-Track Albums: Week 44, 2015". Chart-Track. IRMA. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
  25. ^ "Italiancharts.com – Dave Gahan & Soulsavers – Angels & Ghosts". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
  26. ^ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  27. ^ "Portuguesecharts.com – Dave Gahan & Soulsavers – Angels & Ghosts". Hung Medien. Retrieved 5 November 2015.
  28. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  29. ^ "Spanishcharts.com – Dave Gahan & Soulsavers – Angels & Ghosts". Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 November 2015.
  30. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Dave Gahan & Soulsavers – Angels & Ghosts". Hung Medien. Retrieved 30 October 2015.
  31. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Dave Gahan & Soulsavers – Angels & Ghosts". Hung Medien. Retrieved 4 November 2015.
  32. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 31 October 2015.
  33. ^ "Dave Gahan Chart History (Heatseekers Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  34. ^ "Dave Gahan Chart History (Top Alternative Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 19 January 2021.
  35. ^ "Dave Gahan Chart History (Top Rock Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved 19 January 2021.