listening to SoF&D hot on the heels of Violator is interesting. Some great songs but seem to be utterly lacking in the details, the technical and emotional flourishes that lift Violator to the next level.
― Touché Gödel (ledge), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 14:09 (twelve years ago) link
"I Feel You" doesn't suffer from any of those problems, though
― I need new, hip khakis (DJP), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 14:12 (twelve years ago) link
My #1 is on SOFAD.
― And I have been called "The Appetite" (DL), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 14:17 (twelve years ago) link
As is mine
― Ismael Klata, Tuesday, 24 April 2012 14:17 (twelve years ago) link
"Walking in My Shoes" and "Mercy in You" are damn good. I remember a couple of interesting remixes of "In Your Room." Otherwise the rap on this album – Achtung Baby manqué – is correct imo
― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 14:21 (twelve years ago) link
Ouch.
― Touché Gödel (ledge), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 14:23 (twelve years ago) link
Yeah, no fan of SOFAD here. I don't even like the tracks people are saying are good.
― Johnny Fever, Tuesday, 24 April 2012 14:25 (twelve years ago) link
well that's on you
― I need new, hip khakis (DJP), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 14:26 (twelve years ago) link
Some tracks are superb, most are good, but at least half are far too long.
― Ismael Klata, Tuesday, 24 April 2012 14:29 (twelve years ago) link
Like Gahan's hair.
― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 14:31 (twelve years ago) link
lol I was able to get down to 50 tracks; I have no idea where I'm going from here
― I need new, hip khakis (DJP), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 14:31 (twelve years ago) link
Refraining from voting in this cuz my ballot would be half Catching Up With (an important cassette for me circa 1986), 1/4 Music for the Masses and 1/4 Violator.
― something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 14:32 (twelve years ago) link
― I need new, hip khakis (DJP), Tuesday, April 24, 2012 10:31 AM (1 minute ago) Bookmark
don't just cut the most popular tracks or you'll get a stern lecture on the ills of 'strategic voting'
― some dude, Tuesday, 24 April 2012 14:34 (twelve years ago) link
That sounds like a pretty good ballot imo. xp
― Johnny Fever, Tuesday, 24 April 2012 14:34 (twelve years ago) link
I see absolutely nothing wrong with that (although I would recommend listening to Construction Time Again, Black Celebration, Some Great Reward, Playing The Angel and Sounds of the Universe just on general principle)
lol, weirdly this is a band where I'm kind of burnt out on the popular tracks so me cutting them is more in the vein of "I'm tired of this song now" rather than "this song doesn't need my help so I'm voting for something more obscure"
like, the reason why "Blasphemous Rumours" is likely to not appear on my ballot isn't because I really think other songs need the exposure, it's because after playing it on repeat for five years between the ages of 14 and 19 I'm kind of sick of it and never need to hear it again
― I need new, hip khakis (DJP), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 14:37 (twelve years ago) link
ballot sent. didn't aim for it but got a neat split of 10 from the 80s, 10 from the 90s.
― Touché Gödel (ledge), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 14:58 (twelve years ago) link
holy shit you guys, "New Life"
this is fucking impossible
― I need new, hip khakis (DJP), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 15:02 (twelve years ago) link
this craziness about some ppl's #1 DM song being on SOFAD - my world is being turned on its head. and i like that album.
― Roberto Spiralli, Tuesday, 24 April 2012 15:04 (twelve years ago) link
in high school we thought we were such wits by making up lines like:
copulatingmasturbatingNEW LIFE NEW LIFE
― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 15:05 (twelve years ago) link
man, I wish Dave wasn't so sharp in the beginning of "Ice Machine" because otherwise that song would be perfect
it's kind of hilarious hearing how awkward his vocals were early on compared to now, even on his rougher live outings
― I need new, hip khakis (DJP), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 15:17 (twelve years ago) link
oh man, you know what song no one really knows but is pretty fantastic, is "Comatose":
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PpE1Zo6XUEE
― I need new, hip khakis (DJP), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 16:16 (twelve years ago) link
I like it's called a heart too.
I pretty much don't like anything after SoFAD though admittedly I haven't given it much of a shot.
― wolf kabob (ENBB), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 17:16 (twelve years ago) link
Ultra is kind of boring with a couple of highlights, but starting with Exciter they started becoming a consistent album band again; I like Playing The Angel more than most of their classic period albums and the good songs on Sounds of the Universe are worth discussing with their famous favorites.
― I need new, hip khakis (DJP), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 17:19 (twelve years ago) link
For context, I'd probably rank the albums something like:
Black CelebrationPlaying the AngelConstruction Time AgainMusic for the MassesSome Great RewardViolatorExciterSounds of the UniverseSongs of Faith and DevotionSpeak and SpellUltraA Broken Frame
― I need new, hip khakis (DJP), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 17:23 (twelve years ago) link
E, you need to get hepped to Playing the Angel in short order.
― Johnny Fever, Tuesday, 24 April 2012 17:23 (twelve years ago) link
"Precious" might make mine – their best single since "Walking in My Shoes."
― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 17:29 (twelve years ago) link
E, have you seen the "Hole To Feed" video?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3i0TJtnyFj0
― I need new, hip khakis (DJP), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 17:30 (twelve years ago) link
Nobody likes Barrel of a Gun? That's an extraordinary track.
― Ismael Klata, Tuesday, 24 April 2012 17:46 (twelve years ago) link
It's an extraordinary track for Ultra, IMO.
― I need new, hip khakis (DJP), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 18:40 (twelve years ago) link
(I do like it, I just think they've done better.)
They suffered the same trouble as the Pet Shop Boys. Their deepening craft got inversely proportional to their curiosity about interesting electronic rhythm tracks.
― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 18:46 (twelve years ago) link
I don't think that's true at all, actually. Sounds of the Universe alone has "Hole To Feed", "Little Soul", "Spacewalker", "Jezebel" and "Corrupt" on it, none of which are what I would consider to be standard, uninteresting electronic rhythm tracks. Playing the Angel also has a bunch of tracks that are more interesting than your standard straight unsyncopated 4/4 beat ("John the Revelator", "The Sinner in Me", "Macro", "The Darkest Star") and several of the more straightforward tracks either use nonstandard percussion sounds ("I Want It All", "Damaged People") or a lot of offbeat rhythmic flourishes ("Nothing's Impossible").
― I need new, hip khakis (DJP), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 20:18 (twelve years ago) link
"Barrel of a Gun" seemed bizarre and unpleasant to me at the time and, revisiting it recently, only moreso now
― some dude, Tuesday, 24 April 2012 20:26 (twelve years ago) link
although i heard "It's No Good" today on the local alt-rock stations '90s at noon' block and it sounded alright
― some dude, Tuesday, 24 April 2012 20:32 (twelve years ago) link
"it's No Good" is so fucking AWESOME, wld fit right in on Violator IMO.
― the Dandy Club (Abbbottt), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 21:08 (twelve years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aieEZ950d1I
― the Dandy Club (Abbbottt), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 21:09 (twelve years ago) link
freeerrrrm freerrrmmm freerrrmm frerrrrm freerrrrrrm frerrrrm freerrrrrrmfrrrrrrrrrmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm
― the Dandy Club (Abbbottt), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 21:11 (twelve years ago) link
The rhythm track on "It's No Good" is precisely what I dislike about the song.
― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 21:12 (twelve years ago) link
What do you dislike about it?
― I need new, hip khakis (DJP), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 21:20 (twelve years ago) link
I love pretty much all their singles and at least an additional third of their album tracks. I don't know how I could do this, but then, Led Zeppelin is pretty much all albums tracks, and it turned out OK there in the end.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 24 April 2012 21:23 (twelve years ago) link
god I need to stop listening to these albums, it's making my ballot expand rather than shrink ("Leave In Silence"!)
― I need new, hip khakis (DJP), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 21:24 (twelve years ago) link
Because it's inert, there's more pressure on the vocals, melodies, and lyrics, none of which deliver. I couldn't have asked for anything less inspiring from a college radio stalwart in 1997.
― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 21:29 (twelve years ago) link
The year of Be Here Now
― Ismael Klata, Tuesday, 24 April 2012 21:32 (twelve years ago) link
So... the rhythm track isn't precisely what you dislike about the song; it doesn't really sound like you like any of it!
― I need new, hip khakis (DJP), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 21:40 (twelve years ago) link
It starts with the rhythm track though. That chugga-chugga-chugga program in 1997 was lame.
― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 21:41 (twelve years ago) link
DJP that video is wild. I didn't like the song.
― wolf kabob (ENBB), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 22:15 (twelve years ago) link
The one Abs posted is better.
― wolf kabob (ENBB), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 22:16 (twelve years ago) link
Being reminded of the greatness of "But Not Tonight" is tipping me toward putting in enough effort to compile a ballot.
― something of an astrological coup (tipsy mothra), Tuesday, 24 April 2012 22:53 (twelve years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uolAT4HqH5c
― crüt, Tuesday, 24 April 2012 23:44 (twelve years ago) link
do want to echo the praise for playing the angel above, doing a cursory review before putting together my ballot i was struck by how strong that album is, to my ears the best album they or any of their big pre-nirvana modern rock radio hitmaker peers put out this century (and i'm far from a depeche mode obsessive). to anyone that lost the plot w/ these guys around the time of songs of faith i'd highly recommend you give 'precious' a listen at the very least.
― balls, Wednesday, 25 April 2012 00:06 (twelve years ago) link