Imposter (album)

This article is about the Dave Gahan and Soulsavers album. For the Kevin Max album, see The Imposter (album).

2021 studio album by Dave Gahan and Soulsavers

Imposter

Studio album by

Dave Gahan and Soulsavers

Released| 12 November 2021
Recorded| November 2019
Studio| Shangri-La (Malibu, California)
Genre| Pop rock[1]
Length| 46:42
Label| Columbia
Producer|

* Rich Machin
* Dave Gahan

Dave Gahan and Soulsavers chronology
| Angels & Ghosts
(2015)  | Imposter
(2021)  |

|
|

Dave Gahan chronology
| Angels & Ghosts
(2015)  | Imposter
(2021)  |

|
|

Soulsavers chronology
| Kubrick
(2015)  | Imposter
(2021)  |

|
|

Singles from  Imposter

1. "Metal Heart"
Released: 8 October 2021[2]

Professional ratingsAggregate scores

Source| Rating
AnyDecentMusic?| 6.6/10[3]
Metacritic| 67/100[4]
Review scores
Source| Rating
AllMusic| [1]
Clash| 9/10[5]
laut.de| [6]
Musikexpress| [7]
musicOMH| [8]
Mojo| [4]
Record Collector| [9]
Rolling Stone (de)| [10]
Uncut| [4]
Under the Radar| 6/10[11]

Imposter is the third collaborative studio album by English singer-songwriter Dave Gahan and electronica producer Soulsavers.[12][13] It was released on 12 November 2021 by Columbia Records.[14] The album also produced one single.

## Background

[edit]

This is Gahan's fifth studio album and Soulsavers' seventh. Imposter was recorded live in Malibu, California in November 2019, consisting of cover versions of various rock songs.[14] Dave Gahan has said of the album: "When I listen to other people's voices and songs—more importantly the way they sing them and interpret the words—I feel at home. I identify with it. It comforts me more than anything else. There's not one performer on the record who I haven't been moved by."[14]

## Reception

[edit]

At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received an average score of 67, based on six reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".[4] At AnyDecentMusic?, which collects critical reviews from more than 50 media sources, the album scored 6.6 points out of 10, based on seven reviews.[3]

Ben Hogwood of musicOMH wrote, "In a wide range of interpretations, we are reminded of the extremes of this recognisable pop music voice, but are also given access to his vulnerable side. The singer himself will be 60 next year, and it is fascinating tracking the development of his voice over that time."[8] Clash rated it 9 out of 10 and said that "an album that will become—in time—as significant and important to Gahan's career as Johnny Cash's 'American' series was to his enduring legacy."[5] Neil Z. Yeung of AllMusic commented, "The resulting effort is mostly introspective, contemplative, and relaxing, but taken in another context, can be low energy and wearily sedate... While Imposter doesn't get the blood pumping as much as 2015's Angels & Ghosts, fans in need of a soundtrack for brooding will find this to be an ideal outlet."[1] Lily Moayeri writing for Under the Radar mentioned, "In a way, the gravity and commitment to these appropriated songs makes them even more the property of Gahan & Soulsavers than their own original material. Be prepared for your heart to be wrenched out of your chest."[11]

## Track listing

[edit]

No.| Title| Writer(s)| Original artist(s)| Length

|
|
|
|

1.| "The Dark End of the Street"|

* Dan Penn
* Chips Moman

| James Carr| 2:35
2.| "Strange Religion"| Mark Lanegan| Mark Lanegan| 3:53
3.| "Lilac Wine"| James Shelton| Eartha Kitt | 4:14
4.| "I Held My Baby Last Night"| Elmore James| Elmore James| 3:35
5.| "A Man Needs a Maid"| Neil Young| Neil Young| 4:11
6.| "Metal Heart"| Chan Marshall| Cat Power| 4:46
7.| "Shut Me Down"| Rowland S. Howard| Rowland S. Howard| 4:20
8.| "Where My Love Lies Asleep"| Gene Clark| Gene Clark| 4:22
9.| "Smile"|

* Charlie Chaplin
* John Turner
* Geoffrey Parsons

| Nat King Cole recorded the first version with lyrics| 3:28
10.| "The Desperate Kingdom of Love"| PJ Harvey| PJ Harvey| 2:55
11.| "Not Dark Yet"| Bob Dylan| Bob Dylan| 5:20
12.| "Always on My Mind"|

* Wayne Carson
* Mark James
* Johnny Christopher

| Brenda Lee| 3:18
Total length:| 46:42

## Personnel

[edit]

Band

* Dave Gahan – harmonica, vocals
* Kevin Bales – drums, percussion
* Travis Cole – vocals
* Tony Foster – guitar, pedal steel
* Ed Harcourt – piano
* Martyn Lenoble – bass (electric), bass (upright)
* Rich Machin – guitar, synthesizer
* Janet Ramus – vocals
* Sean Read – organ, piano
* Wendi Rose – vocals
* James Walbourne – guitar

Production

* Geoff Pesche – mastering
* Kaushlesh Garry Purohit – engineer
* Marta Salogni – mixing
* Eric Weaver – engineer

## Charts

[edit]

Chart performance for Imposter Chart (2021)  | Peak
position

|

Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[15] | 11
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders)[16] | 119
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia)[17] | 11
Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI)[18] | 42
French Albums (SNEP)[19] | 151
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[20] | 12
Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)[21] | 27
Italian Albums (FIMI)[22] | 27
Polish Albums (ZPAV)[23] | 6
Portuguese Albums (AFP)[24] | 28
Scottish Albums (OCC)[25] | 25
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE)[26] | 20
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[27] | 9
UK Albums (OCC)[28] | 65

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c "Imposter - Dave Gahan, Dave Gahan & the Soulsavers, Soulsavers | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
2. ^ Krol, Charlotte (4 October 2021). "Depeche Mode's Dave Gahan announces new album 'Imposter' with Soulsavers". NME. Retrieved 17 December 2021.
3. ^ a b "Imposter by Dave Gahan & Soulsavers reviews | Any Decent Music". AnyDecentMusic?. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
4. ^ a b c d "Imposter by Dave Gahan & the Soulsavers". Metacritic. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
5. ^ a b Smith, Mat (11 November 2021). "Dave Gahan & Soulsavers - Imposter". Clash Magazine. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
6. ^ Schuh, Michael (2021). "PJ Harvey, Elvis und Nina Simone im Knebelgriff des Dunkelfürsten" (in German). laut.de. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
7. ^ Boße, André (12 November 2021). "Dave Gahan & Soulsavers: Imposter". Musikexpress (in German). Retrieved 15 November 2021.
8. ^ a b Hogwood, Ben (15 November 2021). "Dave Gahan & Soulsavers - Imposter | Album Reviews". musicOMH. Retrieved 15 November 2021.
9. ^ Harley, Kevin (6 December 2021). "Dave Gahan & Soulsavers | Imposter - Record Collector Magazine". Record Collector. Retrieved 8 December 2021.
10. ^ von Lähnemann, Frank (22 November 2021). "Dave Gahan & Soulsavers: "Imposter" – einfach herzzerreißend". Rolling Stone (in German). Retrieved 17 December 2021.
11. ^ a b Moayeri, Lily (24 December 2021). "Imposter". Under the Radar. Retrieved 30 May 2022.
12. ^ Barker, Andrew (12 November 2021). "Depeche Mode's Dave Gahan Talks About His First Covers Album, the Aptly-Named 'Imposter'". Variety. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
13. ^ Trendell, Andrew (8 October 2021). "Dave Gahan covers Cat Power and tells us about his "liberating" new album and the future of Depeche Mode". NME. Retrieved 9 October 2021.
14. ^ a b c "New Dave Gahan & Soulsavers Album IMPOSTER to be Released November 12th". Columbia Records. 4 October 2021. Retrieved 9 October 2021 - via PR Newswire.
15. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Dave Gahan & Soulsavers – Imposter" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
16. ^ "Ultratop.be – Dave Gahan & Soulsavers – Imposter" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
17. ^ "Ultratop.be – Dave Gahan & Soulsavers – Imposter" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
18. ^ "Czech Albums – Top 100". ČNS IFPI. Note: On the chart page, select 46.Týden 2021 on the field besides the words "CZ – ALBUMS – TOP 100" to retrieve the correct chart. Retrieved 22 November 2021.
19. ^ "Top Albums (Week 51, 2021)". Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 27 December 2021.
20. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Dave Gahan & Soulsavers – Imposter" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
21. ^ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2021. 48. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 10 December 2021.
22. ^ "Italiancharts.com – Dave Gahan & Soulsavers – Imposter". Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
23. ^ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
24. ^ "Portuguesecharts.com – Dave Gahan & Soulsavers – Imposter". Hung Medien. Retrieved 6 December 2021.
25. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 20 November 2021.
26. ^ "Spanishcharts.com – Dave Gahan & Soulsavers – Imposter". Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 November 2021.
27. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Dave Gahan & Soulsavers – Imposter". Hung Medien. Retrieved 21 November 2021.
28. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 November 2021.

* v
* t
* e

Soulsavers

* Ian Glover
* Rich Machin

Studio albums|

* Tough Guys Don't Dance
* It's Not How Far You Fall, It's the Way You Land
* Broken
* The Light the Dead See
* Angels & Ghosts
* Kubrick
* Imposter

* v
* t
* e

Dave Gahan

Studio albums|

* Paper Monsters
* Hourglass

Remix albums|

* Hourglass: Remixes

Video|

* Live Monsters

Singles|

* "Dirty Sticky Floors"
* "I Need You"
* "Bottle Living" / "Hold On"
* "Kingdom"
* "Saw Something" / "Deeper and Deeper"
* "Ocean"

Collaborators|

* Knox Chandler
* Victor Indrizzo
* Vincent Jones
* Martyn LeNoble

Soulsavers|

* The Light the Dead See
* Angels & Ghosts
* Imposter

Related|

* Discography
* Depeche Mode

*[No.]: Number
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*[t]: Discuss this template
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