Uploaded April 2023 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
In the wake of Andy Fletcher's passing, Depeche Mode return with a new album that deals heavily in the theme of death and fear of the inevitable, but shows a steadfast unwillingness to let it consume them yet. And yes, it's their best work in at least 20 years. (Your mileage may vary on how much of a statement that is.)
Support me on Patreon: patreon.com/TheWonkyAngle
Listen: open.spotify.com/album/3QWc9HhBWgk9dIEwOkJx4q
Spirit review (warning, old and not very good): youtube.com/watch?v=eaj4sBdUt7s
Favorite Tracks: My Cosmos Is Mine, Wagging Tongue, Ghosts Again, Soul With Me, Before We Drown, Never Let Me Go, Speak To Me
Least Favorite Track: Caroline’s Monkey
Overall Rating: 7.5/10
All ratings based purely off of personal enjoyment at the time of this video's upload and either end in .0, .3, .5, or .7. Take nothing I say too seriously.
In the wake of Andy Fletcher's passing, Depeche Mode return with a new album that deals heavily in the theme of death and fear of the inevitable, but shows a steadfast unwillingness to let it consume them yet. And yes, it's their best work in at least 20 years. (Your mileage may vary on how much of a statement that is.)
Support me on Patreon: patreon.com/TheWonkyAngle
Listen: open.spotify.com/album/3QWc9HhBWgk9dIEwOkJx4q
Spirit review (warning, old and not very good): youtube.com/watch?v=eaj4sBdUt7s
Favorite Tracks: My Cosmos Is Mine, Wagging Tongue, Ghosts Again, Soul With Me, Before We Drown, Never Let Me Go, Speak To Me
Least Favorite Track: Caroline’s Monkey
Overall Rating: 7.5/10
All ratings based purely off of personal enjoyment at the time of this video's upload and either end in .0, .3, .5, or .7. Take nothing I say too seriously.
![DJ DanceAlone - Owl Theory (Album Review & Catalog In Brief) [Patreon Request]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/cLrzNvGXax0/mqdefault.jpg "DJ DanceAlone - Owl Theory (Album Review & Catalog In Brief) [Patreon Request]
The small-time Memphis techno artist also known as Dakuan returns to his primary recording alias to make a challenging semi-experimental swerve that gets way more overtly political. The messaging is great, though musically the results could be pretty messy. (Also I checked out his old albums and theres some solid stuff there too.)
Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheWonkyAngle
Listen: https://djdancealone.bandcamp.com/album/owl-theory
Memphis Innovation review: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gd2bjc7uEfs
More Patreon-requested reviews: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9VloxGOomL5ueXeqSgMqMaLTL8zC2BAz
Favorite Tracks: Sliced Ice, Insecure, Another World, War Panic, Black Marxist, Ignore The Bronx, You Should Have Known
Least Favorite Track: For The People
Overall Rating: 7.3/10
All ratings based purely off of personal enjoyment at the time of this videos upload and either end in .0, .3, .5, or .7. Take nothing I say too seriously.")
![Bent - Programmed To Love (Album Review) [TWA Anniversary Video]](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/dpteQhr7vTI/mqdefault.jpg "Bent - Programmed To Love (Album Review) [TWA Anniversary Video]
For the third video in my 10-year anniversary mini-series, Im starting up a new yearly tradition of reviewing one random album of my own choice, and I decided to go with one particular all-time favorite which has an anniversary of its own this year, talking about the 2000s downtempo duo Bent and their masterpiece debut (and all its frustrating alternate tracklistings).
Support me on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TheWonkyAngle
My new album Real Life and Postcard Use out now: https://256pi.bandcamp.com/album/real-life-and-postcard-use
Listen (US streaming version): https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=OLAK5uy_mL79jtFjJHzLmZjYA7aRO_llY0DeMJBQE
Up In The Air SSIM segment: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CNGRBZwDvy8&t=1226s
More anniversary videos: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL9VloxGOomL6jm3nsQ-2-WEPHU7-dk_Ub
A few of the missing tracks not on the US streaming version, if you need to find them:
A Ribbon For My Hair: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xF9e6bsPzUU
I Love My Man: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s4ErxYI851E
Exercise 2: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rw66ZPIlXy4
A New Wig For Me: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OTqYP2dof0w
Memories: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qM3qkPbf4lY
Beach Buggy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0H_DStVcTqA
Favorite Tracks: Exercise 1, Private Road, I Love My Man, A Ribbon For My Hair, I Remember Johnny, Swollen, Exercise 2, Invisible Pedestrian, Memories, Always, Beach Buggy (and depending on the version, also A New Wig For Me and maybe Welly Top Mary could be here)
Least Favorite Track: Chocolate Wings (on the versions that dont include that track, then I guess Irritating Noises?)
Overall Rating: 8.5/10 for the version currently on streaming in the US, 9.0/10 for the original UK CD version, 9.3/10 for the US CD version, 9.5/10 for the European tracklisting
All ratings based purely off of personal enjoyment at the time of this videos upload and either end in .0, .3, .5, or .7. Take nothing I say too seriously.")
