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35 votes · voting closed
Been in a DM mood lately and I realized that DM is one band that I have a hard time deciding on their quitessential album. On one hand there's Music for the Masses that is the top of old DM, later including 101 and the famous Rose Bowl concert. But then again, Violator took DM to another level and is top for thier defining for a new age.
So any thoughts?
Violator by far. The rest of their albums are riddled with tracks ranging between utter shit and straight-faced mediocrity (not to mention the cheesiest sounding samples this side of 1983).
Construction Time Again was when the band really started getting their own sound on track, which peaked with Violator, but then went off into wonky land again as they tried to go guitary.
It's hard to answer just one; I picked Music for the Masses, though. I would also recommend Violator, SOFAD, Black Celebration, and Some Great Reward.
Violator for me,ive bought most of them but theyve all taken residency in the loft apart from that and 101.
Does that mean you've not made a double album , Mike? 
Very restrained comment, given the subject matter? What's your favourite C
e album then? 
Snorri xxx
I think you will find that Mike is very partial to the Cure's Power, Corruption and Lies....
oh wait...the Cure only wish that was one of theirs...
sorry...
Although Violator, MFTM, and Some Great Reward are all excellent albums, I would have to go with Black Celebration. Not a bad track on there, and it has the best singles - A Question of Time, Stripped, A Question of Lust, and But Not Tonight. Music for the Masses may have Strangelove, but Little 15 as a single?
violator is definitely the best...i kind of liked exciter though as well......................................
EdelBrock wrote: Been in a DM mood lately and I realized that DM is one band that I have a hard time deciding on their quitessential album. On one hand there's Music for the Masses that is the top of old DM, later including 101 and the famous Rose Bowl concert. But then again, Violator took DM to another level and is top for thier defining for a new age.
So any thoughts?
What a great, and difficult, question. BC, MFTM and Violater were right in my formative wheelhouse. I chose MFTM becasue of all the hits and great remixes. Plus, it is one the few albums that I can listen to from beginning to end and not feel like I want to FF past any song.
Honorable mentions:
Catching Up With Depeche Mode 101 live album
By the way EdelBrock, you make some kick butt intake manifolds.
So who chose Speak & Spell, Broken Frame, Exciter and Playing the Angel? C'mon, picking something someone else has not and leaving no explination is just wrong! Now I won't be able to sleep tonight wondering why.
Tex, Wasn't sure if anyone else picked up on that, good noticing. I have the Performer RPM on my Pontiac.
EdelBrock wrote: So who chose Speak & Spell, Broken Frame, Exciter and Playing the Angel? C'mon, picking something someone else has not and leaving no explination is just wrong! Now I won't be able to sleep tonight wondering why.
Tex, Wasn't sure if anyone else picked up on that, good noticing. I have the Performer RPM on my Pontiac.
Not to hijack the thread, but what kind of 68 Pontiac do you have?
I went with Violator even though I listen to Exciter, Ultra and Playing the Angel a lot. I guess to me Violator is what got that part of their music rolling.
Tex wrote:
Not to hijack the thread, but what kind of 68 Pontiac do you have?
Well, that's a harder question than probably expected.
It is originally a Catalina, but quite heavily customized. It has a 67 Grand Prix front end, parts off a 88 Chrysler Lebaron, Shaved and bodywork done to change the contours; a redone interior, hell of a stereo system that will blow your socks off, and of course the baby:
A .30 over bored 455 (almost 8.0 litres, for across the pond folks), and alot of engine work that has taken me years to perfect (and still perfecting). So far 432 horses, and 485 ft/lbs in torque. Hoping to get her in the 12's for the 1/4 mile...which would be a good feat as she's a pretty heavy car.
Could go into way more detail, but don't want to bore anyone.
Speak & Spell: They're just a synth new wave band. New Romantics. At least it was dancy and fun. There's not much dance on their other albums. I've always preferred tracks like Set Me Free, Photograph Live, Enjoy The Silence REMIX and Rush For You REMIX. 
Why could they not perform a straight dance-fueled tracks?Martin Gore has a gift for a dramatic (typical for New Wave) mise en scène in his songs, but no dance feel whatsoever. That's the difference between NO, PSB & DM.
David always wanted to dance - he does on stage - but Gore's admonitory songs are hard to move to.
I voted Playing The Angel because it was my first DM album, and I can't find a flaw with the songs on it.
Violator comes a close second, but Blue Dress ruins it for me.
Christopher Owens wrote: I voted Playing The Angel because it was my first DM album, and I can't find a flaw with the songs on it.
Violator comes a close second, but Blue Dress ruins it for me.
I like that song. It also reminds me of Martin Gore in a blue dress. Do you get the same image?
EdelBrock wrote:
Tex wrote:
Not to hijack the thread, but what kind of 68 Pontiac do you have?
Well, that's a harder question than probably expected.
It is originally a Catalina, but quite heavily customized. It has a 67 Grand Prix front end, parts off a 88 Chrysler Lebaron, Shaved and bodywork done to change the contours; a redone interior, hell of a stereo system that will blow your socks off, and of course the baby:
A .30 over bored 455 (almost 8.0 litres, for across the pond folks), and alot of engine work that has taken me years to perfect (and still perfecting). So far 432 horses, and 485 ft/lbs in torque. Hoping to get her in the 12's for the 1/4 mile...which would be a good feat as she's a pretty heavy car.
Could go into way more detail, but don't want to bore anyone.
It doesn't bore me! Sounds like quite a project. My mom had a '68 Tempest.
The only other Pontiac we've had in the family was this:
http://thepontiactransampage.com/gallery/album11
I got to drive this in high school. Me and the old man did the engine mods ourselves. The stock 305 lasted about a year. We upgraded to a 350. We also went through a couple of differentials. They were not that strong.
Lorraine is the big Depeche fan - she has all but one of their albums ("Squeak and Smell", which even she says was pish) but didn't think much of their recent one "Fisting The Angel" or whatever it's called. I think her favourite was either "Violator" or "Songs Of Faith and Devotion" cos the band were like really huge then and after that it was kind of downhill cos the singer went bananas and tried to OD - thinking he was going to be reborn like Jesus Christ or something (hence the long hair and beard around that time).
I always found their other singer (Martin Gore ?) hilarious cos he always dressed like such a fucking nonce and yet sang in a voice like that silly old bone -dome frizzy head Art Garfunkel. 
Tex wrote:
EdelBrock wrote:
Tex wrote:
Not to hijack the thread, but what kind of 68 Pontiac do you have?
Well, that's a harder question than probably expected.
It is originally a Catalina, but quite heavily customized. It has a 67 Grand Prix front end, parts off a 88 Chrysler Lebaron, Shaved and bodywork done to change the contours; a redone interior, hell of a stereo system that will blow your socks off, and of course the baby:
A .30 over bored 455 (almost 8.0 litres, for across the pond folks), and alot of engine work that has taken me years to perfect (and still perfecting). So far 432 horses, and 485 ft/lbs in torque. Hoping to get her in the 12's for the 1/4 mile...which would be a good feat as she's a pretty heavy car.
Could go into way more detail, but don't want to bore anyone.
It doesn't bore me! Sounds like quite a project. My mom had a '68 Tempest.
The only other Pontiac we've had in the family was this:
http://thepontiactransampage.com/gallery/album11
I got to drive this in high school. Me and the old man did the engine mods ourselves. The stock 305 lasted about a year. We upgraded to a 350. We also went through a couple of differentials. They were not that strong.
Can't see he webpage at work for some reason. I'll check it when I get home tommorrow. Here's a link to my pictures and info on the Poncho:
68 Tempest is a nice little car. A lot of stuff you could do to one of those little things to make them a beast.
Can't wait to check out your site tommorrow, love to see ol' projects.
Black Celebration. If this is not your answer, you're not a right and proper Depeche Mode fan.
I'll say Violator, although Songs of Faith And Devotion and Music For The Masses are both brilliant.
What do you suppose he meant by 'quitessential' album, LE?
The one that forced you to throw in the towel as a fan?
I vote Exciter.
:\pimp3:
Violator is the best through & through album w/ no skipsies.
The rest, in order from best to shite:
A Broken Frame Music for The Masses Some Great Reward Black Celebration Playing The Angel Songs of Faith & Devotion Construction Time Again
Speak & Spell, Ultra, and Exciter are pretty much unlistenable (the Wilder-less Factor, w/ the notable exception of PTA)
Sheds on a Plane wrote: Violator is the best through & through album w/ no skipsies.
The rest, in order from best to shite:
A Broken Frame Music for The Masses Some Great Reward Black Celebration Playing The Angel Songs of Faith & Devotion Construction Time Again
Speak & Spell, Ultra, and Exciter are pretty much unlistenable (the Wilder-less Factor, w/ the notable exception of PTA)
Alan Wilder didn't play on A Broken Frame. He was just a keyboardist for gigs at the time. His real contribution to the band's sound came with the single "Get the Balance right" and then on Construction time again.
vIOLATOR!
I fuckin loves it! dunnae know why but i was mesmerised by the red rose on the violator sleeve/shirt etc,so much so i bought a CIAO black t shirt wi a red rose on it from Mancland...sad bastard!
Quite like some of the later stuff too,quite dark,but very not bad !
