Paper Monsters

This is an Enhanced CD which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.
Personnel: Dave Gahan (vocals, harmonica, keyboards, Fender Rhodes piano, glockenspiel); Knox Chandler (guitar, dulcimer, cello, keyboards, vibraphone bass, samples, programming); Antoine Silverman, Maxim Moston, Joan Wasser (violin); David Goul (viola); Jane Scarpantoni (cello); Douglas Petty (piano); Paul Garisto, Victor Indrizzo (drums); Joylon Thomas (tambourine); Dee Lewis (background vocals).
Recorded at Electric Lady, New York, New York.
This is an Enhanced CD, which contains both regular audio tracks and multimedia computer files.
Personnel: Dave Gahan (vocals, harmonica, Fender Rhodes piano, keyboards, glockenspiel); Knox Chandler (guitar, dulcimer, cello, keyboards, vibraphone, bass, samples, programming).
More than two decades after Depeche Mode's debut, mouthpiece Dave Gahan finally got around to releasing his solo debut in the shape of 2003's PAPER MONSTERS. Having wrestled with more than his share of personal demons during his ascent to stardom, it's no surprise that this Gahan fills the album with echoes of his inner struggle. Working with New York City-based multi-instrumentalist Knox Chandler, the dour vocalist injects enough swirling synths, droning guitars, and oddly arranged strings to approximate a murder-ballad ambiance that brings to mind Nick Cave. This is particularly true on songs like the harrowing "Black and Blue Again" and the subtler, more ambient "Stay."
Gahan also manages to flex some of his more rock & roll-inspired muscles, pumping swooning harmonies and glammy guitar into the swaggering opening cut "Dirty Sticky Floors" and blowing some sleazy-sounding harmonica over the gritty stomp of "Bottle Living." With PAPER MONSTERS following quickly on the heels of Martin Gore's equally stellar solo outing COUNTERFEIT 2, Depeche Mode fans were given more than enough to feast on until the pair got back to their day jobs.