Violator!

No, not better, I said "on a par with" ferchrissakes.

I'm going to wait for the final bump on this, I think. It's 'Clean' today, but will be something else tomorrow.

"enjoy the silence" is DM-do-NO and, while i love it, doesn't even come close to the great hewn-from-diamond NO moments.

somewhere i've got a massively lengthy mix of it on a cassette single, which is awe-inspiring.

"Enjoy The Silence" is one of those rare Utterly Perfect Songs®

my feelings exactly.

the sasha & digweed trance mix ain't bad.

Listening to "Enjoy the Silence" on Top 40 radio in the summer of '90 reminded me what "Like A Prayer" did to me the year before: it was filthy and utterly awesome.

I think part of the reason "A Broken Frame" gets slagged off so much is that it doesn't work as an album like their later releases. It's more a loose collection of songs. Construction Time Again avoids this by being more or less a concept album; after that they played around enough with song textures & transitions to be a true album band as well as a singles band. But the songs on "A Broken Frame" are fantastic.

I think this is exactly right.

BTW: "Waiting For The Night" is my vote but it was almost "Blue Dress" or "Policy of Truth". I'm guessing if one song doesn't get a vote, it will be "Sweetest Perfection".

A couple of years ago it would have been "Clean". Now I think I'll go with "Waiting for the Night". I fear that "World in my Eyes" will be overlooked, but it is an amazing opener.

I have to be predictable and vote for "Enjoy the Silence". You know, because it's one of my top two or three favourite songs ever.

"Sweetest Perfection" is definitely the ugly duckling here, but as the stopgap between two incredible singles, it works. They got the sequencing perfect with this one. Slot it anywhere else, and it hurts the album quite noticeably.

Sweetest Perfection is grebt! I used to think halo was a bit meh but really it's all good. No unfavourites on this album at all.

Policy of Truth doesn't get enough luv

^^^^^^^^ true

That reminds me I need to download NO's "Republic"...

wow. tough poll. was leaning towards 'clean' but in the end went with 'enjoy the silence' - it really IS one of those perfect songs.

and for those who haven't seen the new re-issue companion DVDs, the guys clearly didn't have a lot of love for 'a broken frame'. martin was quite frank about it being his least favourite DM album. however daniel miller was right - 'sun & the rainfall' is a killer track, neatly tucked away at the end of the album...

Sweetest Perfection is grebt!

It is, but I don't know a single person who wouldn't put at least one other song on the album ahead of it.

So many of the songs on A Broken Frame are really great in isolation (ESPECIALLY "The Sun and the Rainfall" and "Shouldn't Have Done That") but listening to that whole album at once really makes my skin crawl.

it's really only "a photograph of you" that upsets me about ABF. the rest of it -- all of it -- i love. yes, even "see you". and TS&TR is just blinding, yes.

agree with ledge: there's not a moment on this album that is less than wonderful. maybe i should have gone with "enjoy the silence" after all ... but it's bound to win, and i really do think "waiting for the night" is the pivotal track.

I wanted to vote "Enjoy the Silence," but couldn't bring myself to do it when half the arrangement is just a reworking of "Stripped."

As this has become almost as much a "Broken Frame" thread as a "Violator" one, just let me add that "Leave In Silence" and "Nothing To Fear" are both absolutely and totally ace!

NOT ENOUGH LOVE FOR "HALO."

There's that awesome moment when the string swoop right before doubletracked Gahan sings "It will be worth it" that's my favorite DM moment ever.

soooo. any other "Blue Dress" voters?

*crickets*

John Justen, if he sees this thread.

oh by the way: i don't think this has been linked yet. it's definitely worth a read for those who haven't seen it before. Ned's top 136 albums of the '90s. Violator placed second. It's one of my favorite Ned pieces in the entire 136, really does a good job with the album: http://www.netcomuk.co.uk/~tewing/ned/n2.html

Sure, "Halo" is the hidden highlight on that album. It's an absolutely beautiful song, my favourite on the album, and it is often cited as one of the most influential electronic tracks ever.

Blue Dress would be my no.2 vote. The interlude after it is a little gem too; all those strange clicks and whirrs and animal noises bookending a simple organ and vocal harmony piece. Hard to tell but is it Gahan and Gore both singing?

(incidentally: stephen, i can't find that thread anywhere. perhaps it was on the sandbox or something. annoying. sorry.)

enjoy the silence is one of their best and creepiest love songs

Poll closes November 05?! Goddamn why you set these things to run so long.

on the other hand i was listening to "personal jesus" while high the other day and i had a vision of wearing an all-black suit and driving a really fast black motorboat at sunset and generally being bad-ass

TS: Mode vs Cash vs Manson versions.

Just kidding. Cash's is alright I guess. Manson's is the one I have to sing along to on Singstar (but then they brought one out with Enjoy the Silence!!!)

i was listening to "enjoy the silence" while wearing an all-black suit and driving a really fast black motorboat at sunset and generally being bad-ass the other day and had a vision of ... no, this hasn't worked. forget it.

grimly: thx for looking

Absolutely has to be "Policy of Truth".

Policy of Truth doesn't get enough luv

-- Catsupppppppppppppp dude 茄蕃, Monday, October 29, 2007 5:03 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Link

otm

even though there are so many great songs on this, i picked "policy of truth" because i think the lyrics are the height of gore's sleight of hand morality play and because of the guitar. i think i prefer the beatbox drums on the remix though.

Policy Of Truth.

Always did, always will.

Never again
Is what you swore
The time before

... Perfect.

Among other fine things about that song -- how it ends. Gore's concluding guitar parts are further evidence, as I muttered elsewhere, his ability at performing anti-solos.

Someone should start a Flood-as-producer poll. Certainly this album is the apex, despite considerable achievements. For all the deserved talk about the guitar on Violator, I've always admired how you can't distinguish between guitar and synths -- a tribute to the band and Flood. That's partly what made the three singles so unusual and extraordinary on Top 40 radio.

There was a period of time where I looked for Flood-produced albums, regardless of artist.

Haha yes, me too, or rather all the bands I liked seemed to be involved with him and Alan Wilder. What are these guys up to these days?

Flood's busy as sin. Alan Wilder does occasional Recoil stuff.

Seems like these two guys never really recovered from their early 90's glory days.

Wikipedia has more on Flood. I'm actually terribly amused by the fact he and Moulder worked on the Killer's last abomination of an album, because you just know Brandon Flowers was all "If only I could get them to work for me like they did for Depeche and NIN and the Smashing Pumpkins oh please oh please oh please..." I assume at some point Flood and Moulder exchanged looks of the 'well we can't polish a turd but here goes' variety.

Killers', obviously. Jerry Lee Lewis presumably does not need Flood.

although i for one would love to hear that ...

Who needs to hear the album, I just want to hear the studio chatter outtakes.

"I eat sunuvabitch limeys like you for BREAKFAST!"

oh god I need to buy so many of those albums (probably not The Killers tho)

I see Wilder is now married to Ms. Hallyday...

Damn, I've been talking about Alan Moulder all along!

i had trouble choising between 'halo' and 'world in my eyes'

the former was my initial (and long time favourite). the latter is the track i return to these days the most. i sometimes specifically play it for the 'that's all there is' bit :)

i listened to the whole thing this morning, incidentally, inspired by this thread. good god, it's a work of wonder.

i'm beginning to think i should have voted for "enjoy the silence" because it does approach perfection, but ... nah, i stand by my choice.

_Pretty Hate Machine is Depeche plus late 80s Ministry and that’s why it rules.

― Ned Raggett, Monday, August 16, 2021 10:56 AM (three_


NED you goddamn genius.

One of the things I appreciate most about Violator is that Depeche seemed to be the best analog band to transition into digital and make it shine.

yes otm with behavior, what’s strange to me is I’m pretty sure I read that they/faltermeyer used a ton of analogue equipment on that one but it sure sounds state of the art

otm. Violator and Behaviour have a sonic richness that sets them apart from their contemporaries.

Tennant and Lowe have admitted they listened closely to Violator while recording. They even picked up a couple ideas, i.e. Tennant's twang guitar.

You get a sense that both acts really have figured out how to use the studio with intent. I'd argue Depeche slightly more so; even as early as Construction Time Again with Wilder first on board they were absolutely leaning into trying to explicitly fuck around with sound and samples above and beyond simply seeing what their synths could do.

One of the things I appreciate most about Violator is that Depeche seemed to be the best analog band to transition into digital and make it shine.

Ironically, once everything went totally digital, that's when DM started grunging it up with more murky lo-fi sounds.

Yeah very true

I’m pretty sure I read that they/faltermeyer used a ton of analogue equipment on that one but it sure sounds state of the art

Faltermeyer brought in his Moog System 15 for the bass sounds - as he had done on "Axel F"! - but his Synclavier, the cutting edge at the time, is very prominent in the arrangements too. So it's the best of both worlds.

another thing in common - “world in my eyes” and “being boring” are two of the greatest openers ever, like they’re so good it would be disrespectful not to keep listening

Too bad they never did an acoustic version

Unplugged with bongos.

enjoy the bongos

there’s an acoustic version of Personal Jesus on the b-side

there should be a song called "there’s an acoustic version of Personal Jesus on the b-side" by Robbie

Assuming these are done with AI but some of them actually sound pretty good

"Violator, if it was recorded in the 1950s"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vt69FeFz-ko

Enjoy the Silence is juuust about to hit 1B plays on Spotify.

How much will that have earned Martin? £1.20?