Depeche Mode enjoyed their most creative period when all four personalities were operating at their peak: the songwriter, the arranger, the singer and the, erm, accountant. Alan Wilder, the arranger, left after their last truly brilliant album, 1993’s Songs of Faith and Devotion and they’ve been in search of that fourth wheel ever since. This notion only compounds the sincere, playful, wistful and even exploratory tones of the singer, Dave Gahan’s second solo album. It rocks, it pulses, it throbs, there’s what would appear to be a little bit of anguish and terror in there, but it lacks the verve and tension that makes a collaborative venture so fruitful and satisfying. (Mark Robertson)