In praise of...Music for the Masses by Depeche Mode

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Does it really have anything to do with the "joys of drug use" though??

Er, I was referring to "Never Let Me Down Again."

― Ned Raggett, Thursday, 1 March 2007 18:51 (6 years ago) Permalink

Oh, yeah, duh.

― Curt1s Stephens, Thursday, 1 March 2007 18:53 (6 years ago) Permalink

I still don't see it as my favourite Depeche Mode album. It is partly the entire 1987 aesthetic I dislike (electronic music in the midst of primimtive D50/M1 sampling machines and the DX7 - never liked the sound of those). I also feel like the album wears a bit thin towards the end.

Like I already said, I absolutely love "The Things You Said". I also have a soft spot for "Sacred" and "Nothing", and "Strangelove" sounds great in the album version (as opposed to the somewhat thin-sounding single version that predated it)

"Never Let Me Down Again" and "Behind The Wheel" are just too monotonous for me to enjoy them. I know they are loved by several fans, but I haven't quite gotten the grip. The too-authentic-sounding piano on "Never Let Me Down Again" also puts me off somewhat - somehow it just doesn't sound synthpop/electronic enough. "Behind The Wheel" sounded better in its 7 inch version btw.

"To Have and To Hold" is kind of interesting in a weird way, as is definitely "I Want You Now". Both could have done with a better arrangement, as could definitely "Little 15" - a wonderful ballad that is somehow partly spoiled by a nagging and irritating backing track (particularly at the beginning)

Which leaves us with "Little 15" - probably the most pointless thing they ever did. Would have been better off having been replaced by "Pleasure Little Treasure"; and let me add that I am no fan of "Pleasure Little Treasure" either.

― Geir Hongro, Sunday, 4 March 2007 00:48 (6 years ago) Permalink

PRE-D50/M1 sampling machines, is what I was supposed to write in that paranthesis up there.

― Geir Hongro, Sunday, 4 March 2007 00:49 (6 years ago) Permalink

Tedious reverence around them aside, when it comes to the music and performances of it, it just bugs, like an itch you can't scratch. I don't find much in the way of personal connection there, in fact really none, maybe a song or two aside.

― gershy, Sunday, 4 March 2007 02:21 (6 years ago) Permalink

5 years pass...

Ultra is easily the best of their 90s albums IMO; it's much more cohesive than SOFAD and it isn't completely forgettable two weeks later the way that Exciter is.

funny how 7 years later I don't really like Ultra all that much and am really, really, really bullish on Exciter (which still isn't as good as Violator)

― I'M THAT POSTA, AAAAAAAAAH (DJP), Friday, 27 April 2012 17:17 (1 year ago) Permalink

also, "Never Let Me Down", "Strangelove" and "The Things You Said" all own hardcore

― I'M THAT POSTA, AAAAAAAAAH (DJP), Friday, 27 April 2012 17:17 (1 year ago) Permalink

Especially in their various album mixes.

― Ned Raggett, Friday, 27 April 2012 17:24 (1 year ago) Permalink

oh yeah, the single version of "Strangelove" is TERRIBLE and embarrassing tbh

I don't think there's a version of "Never Let Me Down Again" that I've heard that I've disliked, though

― I'M THAT POSTA, AAAAAAAAAH (DJP), Friday, 27 April 2012 17:28 (1 year ago) Permalink

There is not one song on this album that I dislike.

― Respectfully, Tyrese Gibson (Nicole), Friday, 27 April 2012 18:31 (1 year ago) Permalink

I like the remix of "Behind the Wheel" that was on the single more than the album version (probably because I heard the single first)

― I'M THAT POSTA, AAAAAAAAAH (DJP), Friday, 27 April 2012 18:35 (1 year ago) Permalink

I had all of the remixes back in the day on a cassette tape, but I couldn't even tell you what they sounded like now.

― Respectfully, Tyrese Gibson (Nicole), Friday, 27 April 2012 19:10 (1 year ago) Permalink

I like this record but still prefer Violator even if I think about it for more than a few seconds the later album has as much filler.

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 27 April 2012 19:14 (1 year ago) Permalink

violator is the ne plus ultra of zero filler albums!

― Touché Gödel (ledge), Friday, 27 April 2012 19:25 (1 year ago) Permalink

don't like "Blue Dress" or "Clean"

― Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 27 April 2012 19:26 (1 year ago) Permalink

well that's just crazy

― I'M THAT POSTA, AAAAAAAAAH (DJP), Friday, 27 April 2012 20:13 (1 year ago) Permalink

Great thread, yawl. What a magnificent op too. Love the love for Agent Orange, I keep going back to it. They have some very pretty instrumentals.

Ned, I hope you're going to vote in this one.

― Ismael Klata, Friday, 27 April 2012 21:06 (1 year ago) Permalink

Alas, you'll have to make do without me.

― Ned Raggett, Friday, 27 April 2012 21:24 (1 year ago) Permalink

booooooooooooooooooooo

― I'M THAT POSTA, AAAAAAAAAH (DJP), Friday, 27 April 2012 22:49 (1 year ago) Permalink

it would be politically and philosophically incorrect to know Ned's top 20 songs by any of his favorite bands. he gave us Ned's Nineties and anyone who dares connect the dots further from there is on their own.

― pizza pizza and cult jam (crüt), Friday, 27 April 2012 23:04 (1 year ago) Permalink

Our loss that any alliterative decades are a long ways off (unless he has a Scooby Doo-style change of heart in 28 years and brings us Raggett's Rirties).

― Dale, dale, dale (Abbbottt), Friday, 27 April 2012 23:32 (1 year ago) Permalink

Now that would be a vision.

― Ned Raggett, Friday, 27 April 2012 23:46 (1 year ago) Permalink

run rundred rirty eight best ralbums

― Dale, dale, dale (Abbbottt), Friday, 27 April 2012 23:50 (1 year ago) Permalink

I always tend to prefer the album mixes of Depeche tracks over their single versions. For me, the single versions of 'Strangelove' and 'A Question Of Time' seem to lack the power that the album versions have. I suppose the Zephyr mix of 'In Your Room' is an interesting and different take on the song, but for me there is nothing more powerful than the 6-minute dark and atmospheric-as-fuck album version.

My favourite version of 'Never Let Me Down Again' is the one on 101 where they segue into the remix briefly for the middle section. I often find myself listening to it and wishing that they could have put that pulsing bass synth section into the album version.

― The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Tuesday, 1 May 2012 00:01 (1 year ago) Permalink

I've always found 'Blue Dress' and 'Clean' closes the Violator album perfectly. Granted, neither of them are as anthemic as many of the tracks that came before, but those songs are definitely in the right place on the tracklist. The way that 'Blue Dress' segues into 'Clean' via that interlude piece is one of the highlights of the album for me!

― The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Tuesday, 1 May 2012 00:05 (1 year ago) Permalink

Love the video for the album mix of Strangelove. They look so fucking bored in it.

― Dale, dale, dale (Abbbottt), Tuesday, 1 May 2012 01:28 (1 year ago) Permalink

Also I love that they're projecting this big heart shape on everything but stretched out it's like they're illuminated by a big nutsack.

― Dale, dale, dale (Abbbottt), Tuesday, 1 May 2012 01:29 (1 year ago) Permalink

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