Depeche Mode.

[Gotters]

I forgot about the fact I'm also buying a digital HD copy off HD tracks to listen to on high end open back Grado headphones on an HD music player !

[FishyFish]

DM's biggest problem is that they created Violator and now everything they do is measured against it, and I doubt that anything they do will ever reach those heights again. I reckon if they took the best tracks from the last five albums, they might be have something approaching it, but that'd be cheating.

 

The new album has a few nice tracks, but none of them have that hook that makes me want to instantly re-play them. Not sure if it's the tracks or just the fact that I'm approaching 50 years old and so don't have the same desire for music that I used to?

 

Another longtime fan BTW - right back to hearing New Life in the charts (although Leave in Silence was the first single I bought).

[cubik]

First listen time:

 

Track 1 - Going Backwards - I like it - Good start.

Track 2 - Where's the Revolution - Didn't like it a few weeks ago but it has grown on me. It'll be a real crowd singalong at the tour I bet.

Track 3 - The Worst Crime - Again, not bad. If it was an instrumental you wouldn't think it was a DM song. Edit - Sounds like Dave's work with Soulsavers.

Track 4 - Scum. Overly distorted vocals (common theme throughout). Is Dave's voice now just so knackered that they have to mask it?

Tracks 5 to 11. One big sort of thing that just happened.

 

I'll add to the disclaimers discussed previously, I'm a lifelong fan, it can't live up to violator etc.

 

I'm listening to the remix CD now and track 2 (Scum, Frenetic Mix) has just started.

It sounds like a Roni Size outtake - I'm waiting for an MC to drop a quick booyaka or something.

 

To sum it up - I found Spirit "texturally" quite samey, the same accusation of the previous Hillier albums.

I've mentioned this before but it's worth repeating, I don't think Hillier was the problem, I think DM themselves want to sound like this.

 

On a slightly more positive and optimistic note, I hated Where's the Revolution when I first heard it and it grew on me and I now quite like it, so I'm hoping that applies to the rest of the album.

 

Edit - Second attempt, part way through so far:

Cover Me is actually pretty good.

Eternal sounds like something from Martin's Counterfeit EP 1

[cubik]

5 hours ago, FishyFish said:

DM's biggest problem is that they created Violator and now everything they do is measured against it, and I doubt that anything they do will ever reach those heights again. I reckon if they took the best tracks from the last five albums, they might be have something approaching it, but that'd be cheating.

 

Whilst violator is their peak, they don't have to match it to create something wonderful. They were great before that came out.

 

If they took the best tracks from the last 5 albums you'd be able to select from Exciter to this one.

Number one on my list would be Shine from Exciter. I love that song. Also included:

Wrong

Dream On

Precious

John the Revelator

In Chains

Broken

Heaven

Soft Touch, Raw Nerve

and then something from this album to finish off.

 

They're the first chunk of favourite tracks that I can think of, and putting them together doesn't even come close to something like Black Celebration, Music for the Masses, SOFAD or even Ultra, let alone violator.

 

Let's face it, we're getting old, and so are they. The same happens to all bands, but the old stuff still exists - a below par release doesn't have to tarnish their previous work.

[FishyFish]

I think my favourite track that hasn't been released as a single from the past five albums is Alone from Delta Machine. Love that track. In fact it probably beats all the singles from those albums too, including I Fee Loved and Precious, both of which I think are great.

[KartoffelKopf]

Small club gig in Berlin, stream starts at 7

 

 

[ngchol]

<bateman>After a few listens this comes across much more clearly than the last two albums, "Sounds Of The Universe" and "Delta Machine". James Ford's arrangements are punchier and less tired than those of his predecessor. It's lyrically their bleakest album, and that's against some tough competition! "The Worst Crime" is a damning indictment of the uneducated and those who would exploit them. "Where's The Revolution" is a rhetorical question in musical form. When Martin Gore sings "Oh, we're fucked" in "Fail" it's a genuinely show-stopping moment. </bateman>

[cubik]

7 minutes ago, ngchol said:

<bateman>After a few listens this comes across much more clearly than the last two albums, "Sounds Of The Universe" and "Delta Machine". James Ford's arrangements are punchier and less tired than those of his predecessor. It's lyrically their bleakest album, and that's against some tough competition! "The Worst Crime" is a damning indictment of the uneducated and those who would exploit them. "Where's The Revolution" is a rhetorical question in musical form. When Martin Gore sings "Oh, we're fucked" in "Fail" it's a genuinely show-stopping moment. </bateman>

It is a grower. I know it's a music cliche but it is true, I've given this a bit of stick this afternoon and am really getting into it after my initial lack of enthusiasm. It's definitely not as "gritty/crunchy" as the Hillier stuff, even if it is reminiscent of it in places.

 

The soulsavers-esque tracks are quite a nice break from the electronic ones, and I even quite like Martin's tracks, which on the last few albums bordered on awful at times, with "See the microcosm, in macrovision" being a real low point.

 

Yes, lyrics are a bit too "unsubtle" occasionally but don't forget the time they once rhymed houses with trousers and they've been closing shows with that for over 20 years.

 

All in all, it's certainly better than Playing the Angel and SOTU. The special edition remix disc is a bit meh though.

 

I give it 4 Gs.

[KartoffelKopf]

Cover Me is stunning. Lyrically it's quite lovely and melodically and the way it builds reminds me of Clean. Going Backwards is the best opener since World in my Eyes and You Move and No More are sleazy techno goth pop just like they used to do. 

 

Glad you gave it some more time Cubik, I'm really digging it a lot more than I thought I would. 

 

[cubik]

5 minutes ago, KartoffelKopf said:

Cover Me is stunning. Lyrically it's quite lovely and melodically and the way it builds reminds me of Clean. Going Backwards is the best opener since World in my Eyes and You Move and No More are sleazy techno goth pop just like they used to do. 

 

Glad you gave it some more time Cubik, I'm really digging it a lot more than I thought I would. 

 

Cover Me really builds in the second half, it does get better and better. Going Backwards was a real winner for me first time I played it, great opener.

Track 5/6 onwards seemed a bit ploddy first time round but the songs do warrant a second/third/fourth listen.

 

I'll never give up on these guys, I've invested too much time (and money) over the years. I just hope that the future remixes for the singles from this album are half decent.

[Gotters]

second listen and I definitely got it more than the first, none of it grabbed me yet but I was more interested in it for sure.

 

love the ending to Cover Me - its almost like recent Radiohead as it swirls and builds

 

I may have to buy that HD version after all I was threatening

[Gotters]

Listening on my digital HD player (having dropped another £20 for the HD version) via a nice pair of Grado's and this really opens up - sounds so much better.

 

Hearing far less distortion on the vocals and just sounds so much more interesting

[Gotters]

Cover Me may be one of my fave Mode songs in years, I just love it, listening to it in the car through a decent system is epic.

[strider]

Saw this in HMV. £27 for a double lp is ridiculous. I'll listen to violator and songs of faith and devotion until it comes down to a sensible price

[ngchol]

Last night's absolutely excellent gig is here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p04wv8vb

[Mr Do 71]

BBC Four have a Depeche Mode evening, this Friday.

 

9-10pm 

Depeche Mode at the BBC

 

10-11pm

Depeche Mode at 6 Music Festival

 

11pm-1am

Depeche Mode: 101

[StephenM]

Is anyone else watching this DM evening on BBC4?

 

I'm loving it, but the 'DM at the BBC' show seemed to get to Music for the Masses then suddenly go 'DRUGS HAPPENED' and skip right to Ultra.

 

Weird choice to be very much working through the timeline, but miss what most would consider peak DM.

[PaB]

Yeah they almost completely missed out violator except for perosnal

jesus at the end . I saw mode twice , once in 87 for music for the masses tour and once in , I guess it was 90 for the violator tour . The violator tour remains one of the best live performances I have seen . They were at their absolute peak 

On 02/04/2017 at 21:53, Mr Do 71 said:

BBC Four have a Depeche Mode evening, this Friday.

 

9-10pm 

Depeche Mode at the BBC

 

10-11pm

Depeche Mode at 6 Music Festival

 

11pm-1am

Depeche Mode: 101

If  you haven't seen 101, then watch it . 

[Mr Do 71]

That's better, World In My Eyes. That's the Depeche Mode I know.

[StephenM]

1 hour ago, Mr Do 71 said:

That's better, World In My Eyes. That's the Depeche Mode I know.

 

As ever, no intros to old songs remains my favourite thing. I'm still pretty lukewarm on the album so hoping for some tour gems. 

 

1 hour ago, PeteBrant said:

If  you haven't seen 101, then watch it . 

 

I've seen it a few times but for whatever reason it's really clicking tonight. Other than the all time classic money counting scene, my favourite bit is kids in the front row not quite knowing the words they're mouthing along to...

[KartoffelKopf]

17 hours ago, StephenM said:

Is anyone else watching this DM evening on BBC4?

 

I'm loving it, but the 'DM at the BBC' show seemed to get to Music for the Masses then suddenly go 'DRUGS HAPPENED' and skip right to Ultra.

 

Weird choice to be very much working through the timeline, but miss what most would consider peak DM.

 

It was a 'Depeche at the BBC' programme and I don't think they actually did anything for the BBC in that time. When Noddy Holder introduced Barrel of a Gun he said it was their first TOTP since 1987, which was Strangelove. They were off conquering America during the early 90s and I remember any kind of TV in the U.K was unbelievably rare. Agree was weird that they didn't even mention it though in the little text pop up thingys. 

 

They did Rapido for the launch of Violator and then there is the infamous Dave interview by Johnny Vaughn where if I didn't know better you would think he had maybe done some drugs but I don't remember much else. 

 

 

[StephenM]

21 minutes ago, KartoffelKopf said:

 

It was a 'Depeche at the BBC' programme and I don't think they actually did anything for the BBC in that time. When Noddy Holder introduced Barrel of a Gun he said it was their first TOTP since 1987, which was Strangelove.

 

 

Ohhhhhh good point! 

[McFly]

Would anyone here be interested in buying a copy of DMs Monument book? I found in my uncles flat after his death and its really nicely made but its for mega fans of the band, which im not.

 

PM me and i can send pics

[Jammy]

I kind of lost touch with them after Ultra having been with them from the beginning and seeing them at Crystal Palace in '93. 101 is an extraordinarily good live album. For me the classic era started with Some Great Reward and right up to Violater they were fucking amazing.

[krenzler]

The official Youtube channel have been uploading quite a few videos in the last month.

 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCM-CWGUijAC-8idv6k6Fygw/videos?view=0&sort=dd&shelf_id=0

[cubik]

Seeing as how today is the 30th anniversary of the release of DM's seminal album Violator, I thought it worth resurrecting this thread.

 

Their last few albums may have been less well received (even by me), but I guess that when compared to the 47 minutes of perfection they released in 1990, anything else would be a disappointment.

 

It showed DM at their creative peak, before the drugs & personal traumas took over. It spawned 4 singles, one of which won a Brit award (not using that as a mark of quality) a video that is potentially Anton Corbyjin's finest work (see below) and is still regarded as one of the best electronic albums. All the remixes, B-sides and single releases from Violator are pretty much amazing, every last one of them.

 

I love this album, and always have. It's still my favourite complete piece of work by any artist, in any medium. Without sounding too depressing (not that a DM fan even got accused of being depressing) I've always wanted Clean (track 9) played at my funeral. Hopefully it'll be a while till that happens.

 

In the meantime thanks to the boys from Basildon for thirty years of electronic joy and especially to Alan Wilder, the technical genius and full time DM member who was instrumental in creating the sound of this record along with producer Flood but never quite got the credit he deserved.

 

 

[Mr Do 71]

Got a spare £750? Then you can buy this book by Anton Corbijn.

 

 

[cubik]

8 minutes ago, Mr Do 71 said:

Got a spare £750? Then you can buy this book by Anton Corbijn.

 

 

Even the devoted fans like me are ripping the piss out of this on twitter.

 

They're a long time past their peak and expect people to be paying that in the middle of a global pandemic & downturn? I still love them but this is just having a laugh. Yes, I know it's not compulsory to buy it but it feels like a piss take.

 

Greedy fuckers. Maybe Dave needs a new waistcoat or Fletch needs piano lessons?

 

[Mr Do 71]

3 minutes ago, cubik said:

Even the devoted fans like me are ripping the piss out of this on twitter.

 

They're a long time past their peak and expect people to be paying that in the middle of a global pandemic & downturn? I still love them but this is just having a laugh. Yes, I know it's not compulsory to buy it but it feels like a piss take.

 

Greedy fuckers. Maybe Dave needs a new waistcoat or Fletch needs piano lessons?

 

 

And that's on top of all those album+12" box sets they've been releasing.

[Gotters]

There are few bands more ruthless and relentless at exploiting their back catalogue.

 

I was in when they did the nice re-issues and remasters of their albums on CD with a good selection of extra tracks and making of films, they seemed worthwhile for fans as you got better versions of the originals and the making of films were really good - the constant repackaging of 12", vinyl releases and now this just seem to exist to separate the hardcore fans from their cash - and I'm speaking as somebody who owns the Chronicles japanese only boxsets of rarities that I paid a lot for back in the 90s.