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I heard some of Depeche Mode the other day and I must say some of the music I heard from them is pretty darned good.
Does anyone here like DM, and if so which albums of theirs are best?
Also how do they compare with NO in terms of overall quality of music etc...
I'm a fan of DM, although I haven't listened to any of their albums in about three years now. I'm not sure which of their albums I'd recommend, since there's like a certain period where they had a certain style.
The first period was from 1981 to 1984, the pop sounding stuff:
Then they went kind of gloomy, but still had a pop edge to them, 1986-1990: 5. Black Celebration 6. Music for the Masses 7. Violator I'd say the 6th and 7th are the best from this batch, but the 5th is really a fan favorite.
And last they dove out of synth pop and went with a mixture of rock and electronic, and had more of an adult sound, 1993-2001 8. Songs of Faith and Devotion 9. Ultra 10. Excitor The 8th has a really weird rock sound to it, kind of something U2 would do, and the last two are very relaxing and mellow. I'd say dive into their earlier stuff before you get into these.
Try listening to The Singles 86>98 album, you'll get a good idea what DM are all about. Ultra is also a great album. The early stuff is a bit too pop orientated for my liking but their style changed in the mid 80's.
i am a big fan of depeche and if you are into New Order i see no reason that you would dislike DM. Try out Violator, its a wonderful album.
DM is my favourite band, I recommend you "Black Celebration", I think it's their better album. I like every album except the first (Speak & Spell), it's composed almost completely by D. Clarke, who then left (thanks God). If you want to start to know them, get "The singles 86-98", but I recommend you every disc except the first and the last, "Exciter" (it's very good, but not as good as the others). Listen also to "Recoil" - it's the solo project of A. Wilder.
Originally posted by Alberto Timmy DM is my favourite band, I recommend you "Black Celebration", I think it's their better album. I like every album except the first (Speak & Spell), it's composed almost completely by D. Clarke, who then left (thanks God). If you want to start to know them, get "The singles 86-98", but I recommend you every disc except the first and the last, "Exciter" (it's very good, but not as good as the others). Listen also to "Recoil" - it's the solo project of A. Wilder.
I have the three Recoil albums, but I found them rather difficult to get into. It's kind of hard to recommend it to new DM fans because it sounds nothing like DM. However, the Martin Gore solo album is worth hunting down, it sounds alot like the mid to late 80's DM.
My favourite single of Dep Mode is Enjoy the Silence, I havent heard all there albums so I cant pass judgement. The first time I saw Dep Mode live was in 1981 at the Lyceum in London, Vince Clarke was still in the band.
I think DM peaked with Violator in 1990. Black Celebration is my second fave, and Music for the Masses is very good too. Songs of Faith and Devotion, Violator's follower, is very good too, but the next two are rather boring imho.
Nikos, as other posters have explained Depeche Mode have changed quite markedly during their career so I suggest that you start by getting the two singles albums "81-85" and "86-98". "81-85" is a single CD but be careful because there are two versions: the original version which has a picture of the band on the front and a remastered version with two extra tracks which has a picture of an empty cinema on the front - I recommend the latter. "86-98" is a double CD but there is also a DVD of their videos for that period which you many want to get instead as some of their videos are excellent. "86-98" is the better of the two but there are enough great tracks on "81-85" to make it worth buying but depending on where you are or where you shop you may be able to get a double pack containing both singles albums which could work out cheaper than buying them separately. Their double live album "101" (which is basically a greatest hits album from the late 1980's but recorded live) is excellent.
Once you've listened to the singles albums you can then work out which eras of DM you do and don't like before deciding whether or not to buy any of their studio albums, a few of which are great but some of which are forgettable (DM have made some undoubtedly excellent singles but have never quite made an undoubtedly excellent album). Of the studio albums my favourites are "Songs Of Faith And Devotion" (DM at their loudest and most epic, especially on "Walking In My Shoes" and "Condemnation" - there was also a live version of the album but I don't know if it's still available) and "Violator" (DM's first attempt at adding guitars to their usual synths and it works well but the follow-up "Songs Of Faith And Devotion" is bigger and better). I've got the rest but I found most of them disappointing: "Black Celebration", "Music For The Masses" and "Exciter" are the best of the rest.
Depeche Mode are/were a great band but I don't know whether to refer to them in the present or past tense. The members of DM seem to get on with each other like the members of NO have got on with each other (and especially when it comes to touring and after show parties) and DM may now be in the same situation as NO were after Republic (Dave Gahan is currently working on his first solo album). However, whether or not Depeche Mode are still together they are not as good as New Order (and neither are The Cure).
Originally posted by Benny's Cobweb Eyes Deep Ache Mods ? Are they a Factory band ?
What do you mean a factory band BENNY?
DM are my favourite band too, (closely followed by the Order, though), and my personal fav. album in 1986's "Black Celebration". I strongly recommend 1990's "Violator" and 1993's "Songs of Faith and Devotion" if you want to try and get more into them.
i got into DM back in primary school, before my NO days. as for my favourite albums: black celebration, violator and some great reward. any of their compilations are good, as well (especially 101).
another DM related story: it was when i saw them at red rocks on the violator tour, right before the opening act nitzer ebb came on, that i first heard happy mondays' hallelujah (club mix), a song that changed my life. :D
When are the NOOL Old Guard going to turn up and start expressing outrage at the very thought of DM being mentioned in conjunction with NO?
I've always quite liked DM, though for me they've always remained the lightweight teeny pop outfit they were when they appeared on TOTP doing New Life. Not really in the same league as NO. Top quality pop though. I'd also rate Ultra as by far and away their best album. Guess no one else here agrees.
Originally posted by 404 error When are the NOOL Old Guard going to turn up and start expressing outrage at the very thought of DM being mentioned in conjunction with NO?I've always quite liked DM, though for me they've always remained the lightweight teeny pop outfit they were when they appeared on TOTP doing New Life. Not really in the same league as NO. Top quality pop though.I'd also rate Ultra as by far and away their best album. Guess no one else here agrees.
agreed that NO are much more sophisticated. but there is a certain amount of fan crossover, particularly amongst the 20-30 age group (here in the states when i was a kid there was a lot of crossover. i think it's the pigeonholing of anything with an electronic element.)
Ultra is indeed a class album, but lacks...something. Home, Insight, The Bottom Line are three brilliant tracks but then again the album is hampered by the whole publicity that preceeded it in 1997.
Originally posted by Fingers DM may now be in the same situation as NO were after Republic (Dave Gahan is currently working on his first solo album).
Yes, Dave is working on solo stuff, as is Martin, but Martin has said that he had a very-severe case of writer's block during the Exciter sessions and now, he claims, thanks to this cover album, he indeed has ideas to write about and wants to get back into the studio.
Wouldn't suprise me to see them back in the studio by the end of 2003.
My PERSONAL favourite is "Sun and the Rainfall" from 1982's A Broken Frame, but it's not a song that grabs your attention and makes you go OMG DEPECHE FUCKING MODE!!! It's more of a song that us elitist-DM fans worship.
Take your pick - "Enjoy the Silence", "Personal Jesus", "Walking In My Shoes".
Originally posted by Low lifer i am a big fan of depeche and if you are into New Order i see no reason that you would dislike DM. Try out Violator, its a wonderful album.
OK, this has gone on long enough - I am undeniably into NewOrder, but let the record show that I don't like DM at all. Not even slightly. The one song of theirs I regarded as passable is a NO ripoff anyways, namely Enjoy the Silence, which even has synthetic Hooky-like sounds on it.
I incurred the wrath of many NOOLers quite a while ago with my comments about DM sounding like 'hairdresser music' to me, so maybe I'll leave it there. 
Only an opinion, as always.
CTB
Originally posted by CTB > Originally posted by Low lifer> i am a big fan of depeche and if you are into New Order i see no reason that you would dislike DM. Try out Violator, its a wonderful album.
OK, this has gone on long enough - I am undeniably into NewOrder, but let the record show that I don't like DM at all. Not even slightly. The one song of theirs I regarded as passable is a NO ripoff anyways, namely Enjoy the Silence, which even has synthetic Hooky-like sounds on it.
I incurred the wrath of many NOOLers quite a while ago with my comments about DM sounding like 'hairdresser music' to me, so maybe I'll leave it there. Only an opinion, as always.
CTB
yay, here they come!
Batton down the hatches. If you need me, I'll be putting all my DM vinyl's in a treasure chest which we'll dump on The Cure's Island and hope to salvage at a later date.
MODE! love them, not in the same way as the order though. Personal DM faves are gonna be Black celebration, masses, and 101. The new one ( Exciter)is quite good. saw the exciter tour when it happened into Boston, Massachussetts. I must say, they sounded great. Favorite songs, Black celebration, fly on the windscreen, in your room and behind the wheel. Take a chance on them. good stuff.
Violater's a top-notch album (and the only proper studio LP of theirs in my collection), but, as I've stated before, apart from NO there's just not much electronic acts that I like. I keep meaning to get one or two more DM albums, but I just never get around to it. The Singles 81-85 is pretty decent, I pulled it out for a listen a few days back. Other than that, nought.
My favourite song is "The sun and the rainfall" - I thought I was the only one...All their songs are great... except the ones on the 1st album and the b-side "set me free (remotivate me)"
i'm a big dm fan. i think violator is the best studio album to start with and of course the 2 best of cds for a wider range to sample from.
pretty happy to see Dave cleaned up and looking almost like he did when dm first started. can't say i'm a fan of the recent albums though (although i love It'S No Good).
i just picked up the 86-98+ double dvd pack. fun stuff to watch though i'm pretty sure its missing a couple of videos and it doesnt have anything from Exciter :|
I am also a big DM fan (mainly 86-present). Although I do enjoy some of their earlier work (some singles and Some great reward). I have had the pleasure to see them for the first and only time during the Exciter tour when they played Toronto. They put on a very good live show. Dave Gahan knows how to get the crowd eating out of the palm of his hand.
Their two best albums have to Music For The Masses and Violator. Also "101" is a pretty good representation of how good this band was live.
i always thought Depeche Mode was kinda a joke that you shouldn't take seriously... pretentious cliches that gave electronic music a bad name, very superficial, and an insult to compare them to Joy Division and New Order.
i always associate Depeche Mode with the posers, people not really all that much into music... saying that they liked Depeche Mode was just sort of like a fashion accessory for the club crowd before the rave and house scene really kicked in... at least in the USA. i always associate DM with the so-called "fag hag" crowd, the homely girls who hung out and went out with the more extreme gay guys, and always were so proud to tell everybody how cool and edgy and arty they were cause they liked Depeche Mode. you go girl!
yeah... i'm harsh... honestly...i really don't feel much nostalgia at all for much of their stuff... i dunno... Never Let Me Down was kinda good i guess... Strangelove had a nice remix even if it was stupid song... Black Celebration was the only record that came close to sounding like a band album to me... Enjoy the Silence... bleh... my own personal jesus was nicely produced i guess...i'd just as soon hear the Safety dance and You Spin me around like a record baby again thou...
I'm another who always saw DM as a teenybop act, a poor plastic alternate to the real stuff.
" always thought Depeche Mode was kinda a joke that you shouldn't take seriously... pretentious cliches that gave electronic music a bad name, very superficial, and an insult to compare them to Joy Division and New Order.
i always associate Depeche Mode with the posers, people not really all that much into music... saying that they liked Depeche Mode was just sort of like a fashion accessory for the club crowd before the rave and house scene really kicked in... at least in the USA."
Well put!
I'd just like to add that I read somewhere that Anton Corbijn's pictures of Depeche Mode contributed much to transforming their image from pop liteweights to something "serious", about the time when thier music became "serious".
Funny, I also liked "Never let me down", it's about the only one I like, it's great!
Alyssa
