Paper Monsters is the solo debut album by Depeche Mode lead singer Dave Gahan. The album was produced by Ken Thomas, who is best known for his work with Icelandic band Sigur Rós.

Reviews:

What the hell is it with old new wave stars doing covers albums lately, anyway?First we get Erasure's Other People's Songs, about which the less said the better;and now Martin L. Gore, the songwriter and main instrumentalist—and, notably,not singer—of Depeche Mode, offers eleven new versions of songs by Nick Cave("Loverman"), Brian Eno ("By This River"), the Velvet Underground("Candy Says"), and Iggy Pop ("Tiny Girls"). So, is theresome kind of residual need to address the ancient rockist complaint that becausethey were making deracinated synth-pop they were therefore severing the tissueof classic pop songwriting, or what? That's the problem with rockists: theycan't hear that something beyond their purview might be worthwhile on its own.And that's the problem with people who take them to heart: they're compelledto strike back with lame albums like Counterfeit2, on which the musician—and,again, not singer—lives up to his name by Goring big, boring holes through hisfavorite songs. Or should that be songzzz?

One thing you can say about Depeche Mode vocalist Dave Gahan's new solo album—atleast it's not boring. On Paper Monsters, Gahan's goth-cowboy shtick (thinkhow he sounded on "Personal Jesus") comes off as silly and endearingin precisely equal amounts. He's not the warmest guy in the world, though heuses that to his advantage on the album's highest moment. "You'll alwaysneed me much more than I need you," he proclaims on "I Need You,"which is destined to become a mix-CD staple for alienated, black-wearing teenagers.And the song's electrobeat and synth twinkle, not to mention Gahan's vocal,is subtle and disarming enough to put it over for the rest of us as well.