Depeche Mode founder member Martin Gore's solo album is a collection of reworkings of classic tunes by some of his musical heroes.

Taking in tracks from artists as diverse as Brian Eno, Julee Cruise, Nick Cave, Lou Reed and David Essex (!), Gore marries the tracks with electronica making for a laid back and evocative album. There's all the dark soul searching and emotional vulnerability of classic Depeche Mode but there's a quirky sense of humour at work here. Ironically, this only adds to the emotional intensity of the tracks.

Gore stirs up emotions which lay dormant in the original tracks and the changes in mood make for some surprising about turns. In particular on the piano and string led cover of Kurt Weill's Lost in the Stars'.

Counterfeit' isn't going to make you dance but that's hardly the point. Just lie back, shut your eyes and soak up the atmosphere.

A great collection of late night tracks.

April 23, 2003 13:30