As the lead vocalist for
Depeche Mode,
Dave Gahan appeared to be far removed from the common trappings of rock & roll stardom. Although the group often flirted with gloomy overtones throughout their career, they maintained a largely squeaky-clean image. By the early '90s, however,
Gahan had moved to L.A., gotten hooked on heroin and booze, and immersed himself in the grunge scene. When
Depeche Mode regrouped to record
Songs of Faith & Devotion,
Gahan had transformed himself into the perennial junkie. As his addictions worsened,
Gahan lost his friends, lost himself, and for a few short minutes, lost his life before paramedics revived him after an all-night drug binge. Following
Gahan's journey through both physical and mental rehabilitation,
Paper Monsters is what many would expect -- a collection of material culled from his addictions, failed relationships, and spiritual rebirth. While the lyrics on
Paper Monsters lack some of the depth and clever irony associated with those of bandmate
Martin Gore,
Gahan masters innuendo, often hiding the true identities of his subjects. As the titles suggest, "Dirty Sticky Floors" and "Bottle Living" are glam-induced snapshots of
Gahan's days spent at rock-bottom. "Hold On" and "A Little Piece" each offer a glimpse into
Gahan's reconciliations with a higher power, while "Bitter Apple," "Black and Blue Again," and "Goodbye" shed light on his relationships, both bad and good. On "I Need You" and "Hidden Houses,"
Gahan sounds as though he could be addressing all of his subjects at once. Additionally, "Hidden Houses" offers his most naked moment on the album: "Inside each man is a frightened lamb who hides beneath the sheets/Waiting for a chance to just be free." Having toyed with the idea of releasing a solo album ever since
Depeche Mode released
Exciter,
Gahan approached the project slowly. Initially shy and even a bit scared, it wasn't until he began jamming with friend and multi-instrumentalist
Knox Chandler that he gained the confidence he needed to get serious about releasing an album of his own material. They, along with producer
Ken Thomas (
Sigur Rós), began shaping
Gahan's ideas into a mix of swampy blues-injected rock, slick urban electronica, and atmospheric balladry.
Paper Monsters is a competent solo debut, and although it doesn't stray too far from the
Depeche mold,
Gahan does manage to put his own stamp on the songs. While it doesn't shy away from recalling his past demons,
Paper Monsters ultimately points toward his optimism for the future.