Ultra

1. Barrel Of A Gun 5.35
Do you mean this horny creep
Set upon weary feet
Who looks in need of sleep
That doesn't come
This twisted tortured mess
This bed of sinfulness
Who's longing for some rest
And feeling numb
What do you expect of me
What is it you want
Whatever you've planned for me
I'm not the one
A vicious appetite
Visits me each night
And won't be satisfied
Won't be denied
An unbearable pain
A beating in my brain
That leaves the mark of Cain
Right here inside
What am I supposed to do
When everything that I've done
Is leading me to conclude
I'm not the one
Whatever I've done
I've been staring down the barrel of a gun
Is there something you need from me
Are you having your fun
I never agreed to be
Your holy one
Whatever I've done
I've been staring down the barrel of a gun
2. The Love Thieves 6.34
Oh the tears that you weep
For the poor tortured souls
Who fall at your feet
With all their love begging bowls
All the clerks and the tailors
The sharks and the sailors
All good at their trades
But they'll always be failures
Alms for the poor
For the wretched disciples
And the love that they swore
With their hearts on the bible
Beseeching the honour
To sit at your table
And feast on your holiness
As long as they're able
Love needs its martyrs
Needs its sacrifices
They live for your beauty
And pay for their vices
Love will be the death of
My lonely soul brothers
But their spirits shall live on in
The hearts of all lovers
You're holding court
With your lips and your smile
Your body's a halo
Their minds are on trial
Sure as adam is eve
Sure as Jonah turned whaler
They're crooked love thieves
And you are their jailor
Love needs its martyrs
Needs its sacrifices
They live for your beauty
And pay for their vices
Love will be the death of
My lonely soul brothers
But their spirit shall live on in
The hearts of all lovers
3. Home 5.42
Here is a song
From the wrong side of town
Where I'm bound
To the ground
By the loneliest sound
That pounds from within
And is pinning me down
Here is a page
From the emptiest stage
A cage or the heaviest cross ever made
A gauge of the deadliest trap ever laid
And I thank you
For bringing me here
For showing me home
For singing these tears
Finally I've found
That I belong here
The heat and the sickliest
Sweet smelling sheets
That cling to the backs of my knees
And my feet
But I'm drowning in time
To a desperate beat
And I thank you
For bringing me here
For showing me home
For singing these tears
Finally I've found
That I belong
Feels like home
I should have known
From my first breath
God send the only true friend
I call mine
Pretend that I'll make amends
The next time
Befriend the glorious end of the line
And I thank you
For bringing me here
For showing me home
For singing these tears
Finally I've found
That I belong here
4. It's No Good 5.58
I'm going to take my time
I have all the time in the world
To make you mine
It is written in the stars above
The gods decree
You'll be right here by my side
Right next to me
You can run but you cannot hide
Don't say you want me
Don't say you need me
Don't say you love me
It's understood
Don't say you're happy
Out there without me
I know you can't be
'cause it's no good
I'll be fine
I'll be waiting patiently
Till you see the signs
And come running to my open arms
When will you realise
Do we have to wait till our worlds collide
Open up your eyes
You can't turn back the tide
Don't say you want me
Don't say you need me
Don't say you love me
It's understood
Don't say you're happy
Out there without me
I know you can't be
'cause it's no good
I'm going to take my time
I have all the time in the world
To make you mine
It is written in the stars above
Don't say you want me
Don't say you need me
Don't say you love me
It's understood
Don't say you're happy
Out there without me
I know you can't be
'cause it's no good
5. Uselink 2.21
Instrumental - no lyrics
6. Useless 5.12
Well it's about time
It's beginning to hurt
Time you made up your mind
Just what is it all worth
All my useless advice
All my hanging around
All your cutting down to size
All my bringing you down
Watch the clock on the wall
Feel the slowing of time
Hear a voice in the hall
Echoing in my mind
All your stupid ideals
You've got your head in the clouds
You should see how it feels
With your feet on the ground
Here I stand the accused
With your fist in my face
Feeling tired and bruised
With the bitterest taste
All my useless advice
All my hanging around
All your cutting down to size
All my bringing you down
All your stupid ideals
You've got your head in the clouds
You should see how it feels
With your feet on the ground
7. Sister Of Night 6.04
Sister of night
When the hunger descends
And your body's a fire
An inferno that never ends
An eternal flame
That burns in desire's name
Sister of night
When the longing returns
Giving voice to the flame
Calling you through flesh that burns
Breaking down your will
To move in for the kill
Oh sister
Come for me
Embrace me
Assure me
Hey sister
I feel it too
Sweet sister
Just feel me
I'm trembling
You heal me
Hey sister
I feel it too
Sister of night
In your saddest dress
As you walk through the light
You're desperate to impress
So you slide to the floor
Feeling insecure
Sister of night
With the loneliest eyes
Tell yourself it's alright
He'll make such a perfect prize
But the cold light of day
Will give the game away
Oh sister
Come for me
Embrace me
Assure me
Hey sister
I feel it too
Sweet sister
Just feel me
I'm trembling
You heal me
Hey sister
I feel it too
8. Jazz Thieves 2.54
Instrumental - no lyrics
9. Freestate 6.44
I can hear your soul crying
Listen to your spirit sighing
I can feel your desperation
Emotional deprivation
Let yourself go
Let yourself go
Let your feelings show
Picking up the conversation
Deep in your imagination
Tune into the lonely voices
Talking of their only choices
Let yourself go
Let yourself go
Let your spirit grow
Step out of your cage
And onto the stage
It's time to start
Playing your part
Freedom awaits
Open the gates
Open your mind
Freedom's a state
I can taste the tears falling
The bitterness inside you calling
Yearning for a liberation
Emotional emancipation
Let yourself go
Let yourself go
Let your senses overflow
Step out of your cage
And onto the stage
It's time to start
Playing your part
Freedom awaits
Open the gates
Open your mind
Freedom's a state
10. The Bottom Line 4.26
Like a cat
Dragged in from the rain
Who goes straight back out
To do it all over again
I'll be back for more
It's something
That is out of our hands
Something we will never understand
It's a hidden law
The apple falls
Destiny calls
I follow you
Like a pawn
On the eternal board
Who's never quite sure
What he's moved towards
I walk blindly on
And heaven is in front of me
Your heaven beckons me enticingly
When I arrive
It's gone
The river flows
The wise man knows
I follow you
I'm yearning
I'm burning
I feel love's wheels turning
Like a moth on love's bright light
I will get burned
each and every night
I'm dying to(o)
The sun will shine
The bottom line
I follow you
11. Insight 6.26
This is an insight
Into my life
This is a strange flight
I'm taking
My true will
Carries me along
This is a soul dance
Embracing me
This is the first chance
To put things right
Moving on
Guided by the light
And the spirit of love
Is rising within me
Talking to you now
Telling you clearly
The fire still burns
Wisdom of ages
Rush over me
Heighten my senses
Enlighten me
Lead me on
Eternally
And the spirit of love
Is rising within me
Talking to you now
Telling you clearly
The fire still burns
I'm talking to you now
The fire still burns
Whatever you do now
You've got to give love
The world still turns
I'm talking to you now
12. Junior Painkiller 2.11
 

ヒット曲、シングルカット曲だけではわからない「ウルトラ」

このアルバムからのシングルカット曲のうち、最大のヒットが確か「イッツ・ノー・グッド」だったと思う。それから、「バレル・オブ・ア・ガン」「ユースレス」「ホーム」がシングルとして売られていた。
もう日本盤は廃盤になってしまったが、「シングルズ８６−９８」の中の「ウルトラ」カット曲しか聴いたことのない方に、是非本作をお勧めする。
きっと、このアルバム後半の曲群「フリーステイト」「ボトム・ライン」などに感激するだろうから。アラン・ワイルダーがいなくなってしまったので、古くからのファンの方々には物足りなさを感じるかもしれない。けどじっくり聴いて欲しい。このアルバムは素晴らしい、と感じることができるから。
「フリーステイト」の歌詞・・・「自由になるんだ、自由になるんだ・・・扉を開いて、君のステージに立つんだ・・・君の自由に演じていい、君は自由なんだ・・・」
「ボトム・ライン」・・・「リンゴがおっこちる、運命が呼んでいる、ぼくは君についていく・・・賢者は言うだろう、河は流れるのだと。ぼくは君についていく・・・ぼくは焼かれたい、そう願っているんだ・・・日はまた昇る、とっても大切なこと、ぼくは君についていく・・・」
アルコール中毒を克服したマーティンの、あまりに悲痛な心の叫び・・・と解釈したら、大袈裟だろうか。相棒のデイヴを、ドラッグで亡くしてしまいそうになった、マーティンのすさんでしまった、ある種の悟り、ともとれる・・・この解釈も、大袈裟だろうか。
アンディ・フレッチャーも、デイヴもマーティンも、「このままではだめだ」と感じていただろうことがわかる。「ソングス・オブ・フェイス・アンド・デヴォーション」と本作を比べてみれば、ただアランを失っただけのショック、とはとれない独特の雰囲気、そういったものが本作の、シングルカットされていない曲から、読み取れるのだ。
そうした意味では、メンバーは本作を忘れてしまいたいのではないか、ともとれる。尤もマーティンは「ぼくらもそろそろ、自分たちのアルバムを『ウルトラ』と呼んでもいいんじゃないだろうか」と、発言しているのだが。
私は、本作を永遠に忘れない。ヒット曲、シングル曲に隠れてしまった曲のことを、永遠に覚えていられる。一時は心臓さえ止まってしまった、デイヴの歌声を。マーティンのあまりに美しい歌詞を。もちろん、アンディのことだって。
「ウルトラ」を最後まで、６０分間聴いて、まったく損することはない。どんな奇麗事でも隠し通せない厳しい現実から生まれた歌に感激できるから。
デペッシュ・モードのファンでいられたことを感謝している。

彼等の新たな前進

マーティンの色がとても強い作品。アランの抜けた穴を色々なミックスダウンで見事にカバーしてます。過去の彼等を知らない方はこのアルバムが一番入りやすいと思います。　お楽しみのDVDは、ファンにとってはも〜涙無しではみれません！Daveの死の狭間からの生還劇がリアルに語られてます。US盤（Rhino盤）は日本語字幕付きです。但し、リージョンコード１ですので、リージョンフリーのDVDプレイヤーが必要です。

ティムシムノンのプロデュースに賛否両論

アレンジの要だったアランワイルダーが脱退してしまった穴を、メンバーとは一回り下のセカンドサマーオブラブ世代のティムシムノンをプロデューサーとして起用して新たなアレンジを展開している。リリース当時、シムノンのプロデュースワークに何故か賛否両論であったが、確かにアランワイルダーの音響と空間を重視したアレンジはなくなってしまったが、ティムの率いるボムザベースで顕著な力強いビートで押しまくるアレンジはデペッシュモードの楽曲に今までにない攻撃性を付け加えることに成功していると思う。今のリスナーにはこのアルバム辺りから入ると聴き易いのではないか。

死にたくなるような名盤

ＤＭのアルバムではヴァイオレーターかこれかというオススメどころ。深い深いところから、沸きあがってくるような、引きずり込まれるような世界というところでウルトラの勝ちか。

甘く切ない音のなかにある落ち着き

とりあえず、聴いてみて下さい！でも、１曲目はとばした方が、入りやすいから、そうして下さい。深みのあるヴォーカルのなかに甘い包み込む雰囲気。男が語る詩。エレクトロサウンドとの調和が完璧に繊細さを悟らせるような。聴けば聴く程良い！４年の、メンバーにとってのつらいブランクを乗り越えてできた作品。