Even though the band managed to finish eighteen tracks during their recording sessions over the past year, the forthcoming album will “only” feature an impressive thirteen tracks, according to sources familiar with the details.

Last tour was marred by wide spread ticket scams in Germany, but this time making illegal money off an impending Depeche tour has gone to a whole new level. Instead of selling fake tickets to real shows, someone’s trying to sell FAKE SHOWS to local promoters, Depeche Mode agent Andrew Zweck tells Pollstar.com. Hit the jump for the full article.

French producer Marc Collin and his band Nouvelle Vague have won fans and foes aplenty with their fresh takes on New Wave classics. [...] The new album will [...] feature duets with the original singers of the some of the featured songs, including Depeche Mode’s Martin Gore.

Just because they finished the upcoming album last week, doesn’t mean Depeche Mode are already on their Christmas break. This week has seen them back at work, filming the video for the first single, “Wrong”, with Award winning director Patrick Daughters.

Dave Gahan recently recorded backing vocals for the band frYars’s debut effort, and the resulting track, “Visitors”, is now yours to get at the highly competitive price of absolutely free. Combining absolutely free with Gahan’s vocals makes frYars Home’s Single Of The Week this week. Go register here for your download!

“We’ve completed the record,” the band’s frontman, Dave Gahan, told Pop & Hiss on Thursday via phone from New York. “There might be a couple of bits and pieces we’ve got to clean up, but I feel really good about the fact that we’re finished,” he continued. “I think we’ve made a great record.”

The title of the Depeche Mode’s first “Single Of The Universe” leaked onto the internets today. While it’s been speculated since it’s inclusion at the October 6th press conference, it’s now not-yet-at-all-official that “Wrong” will be the lead single from the band’s yet-to-be-publicly-named album. While a release date has yet to be confirmed, it’s likely to be late March/early April, with a radio date some time in February.

Pinkpop has been added to the band’s itinerary, with a stop on Sunday, May 31st at the festival site in Landgraaf, Holland. Depeche Mode are headlining the festival, and also on the bill is Placebo! Good line up there! Tickets go on sale March 7th, 2009.

This weeks single of the week is the fantastic new mix of Recoil’s ‘Prey’ by David Husser. The mix is Alan’s early Xmas gift to us all, and in true audio aficionado style there’s full resolution wav available, as well as hi-res mp3 and two different lossless formats. Grab this mix TODAY - you will NOT regret it!!

… in bright and wonderfully loud colours - and on environment friendly card stock! Check out the band’s Christmas Card anno 2008 after the jump. And thanks to Andy for sending it over.