Depeche Mode

In the world of rock, if you've stuck around long enough and paid your dues, you can follow up a mediocre album with a massive world tour. This is exactly what Tour of the Universe: Barcelona 20/21.11.09, the fourth live album from Depeche Mode, documents in beautiful HD. The DVD (or Blu-ray)/double-CD combo is superbly packaged and compiled, featuring a 25-song performance chronicling two nights at Barcelona's Palau Saint Jordi on both DVD and CD. With bonus features including a full tour documentary, rehearsals, music videos and bonus live tracks, along with Anton Corbijn's "screen films," specially shot to run on the stage's massive LCD screen. Over the nearly two-hour concert, Gahan, Gore and Fletcher look and sound energized, revitalized and exactly like the beloved superstars they are. On songs like "Policy of Truth," "I Feel You" and "Never Let Me Down Again," the director does a terrific job capturing the buzzing energy exuded by the band, reciprocated by the fervent crowd. Playing in front of a gargantuan LCD backdrop and ball, the visuals come off stunning and revolutionary, as the ball transforms into a giant mirror ball, eyeball and even a cluster of balloons. As the band deliver crowd favourites "Enjoy the Silence" and "Personal Jesus," and revive old gems "Fly on the Windscreen" and "Dressed in Black," Tour of the Universe proves to be another triumph for a band with little left to prove. This is a 101 for the hi-def age.