When I first learned that the voice of Depeche Mode was going to being doing a solo album and writing all the songs on his own, I muttered to myself, "man is that gonna suck!" But while listening to Paper Monsters I was given quite a shock to the system. Gahan can actually write some half decent songs. Don't get me wrong, there are definitely moments when he falls flat. "Bottle Living" and "Black and Blue" are too overly dramatic and he sings them in a very senseless fashion. Gahan's bread and butter here are his rousing ballads.
Always known as the rock star of Depeche Mode, he shows a sensitive side on fantastic songs like "Hold On," "A Little Piece," and the best of the bunch "Stay." It really is encouraging to see that Gahan doesn't have to depend on Martin Gore to supply all of the words that come out of his mouth. Hopefully, if Depeche Mode make another album in the future, Gahan's imput on songwriting will be included. He has proven here that he commands that much respect.