Some of Depeche Mode's albums

tj-music.com

Depeche Mode - Speak & Spell (1981, Mute Records Limited)

With the exception of Big Muff and Tora! Tora! Tora! (respectively written by Martin Gore) all songs for Depeches debut album were written by Vince Clarke and he undoubtedly opened doors for DM. New Life still sounds fresh, even after 20odd years. Even though Just can't get enough has been overplayed by radio- and TV stations it is a massive milestone for Depeche Mode. Photographic is still one of my all-time favourites.

When Clarke left DM in October 1981 to form YAZOO it really was a big blow for the band.

Although the 1982 follow up album:

Depeche Mode - A broken frame (1982, Mute Records) peaked at # 8 in the UK charts, it looks pale in comparison to its predecessor.

Surely, Leave in Silence is a cool opener for the album, but overall the album lacks depth. The single releases See you and The Meaning of love weren't bad but songs like My secret garden or Satellite aren't any good at all. The best thing about the album is the cover.

A good few years into their career Depeche Mode finally picked up speed. While Construction time again with the rather dodgy Love in itself ranks among their weakest releases, Depeche Modes Black Celebration was a stunner.

Martin Gore said himself that after 1986 he pretty much liked everything they put out.

Depeche Mode - Music for the masses (1987, Mute Records) was the album that really pushed their boundaries. Songs like Never let me down , Strangelove and Behind the wheel survived. Little 15 is an absolutely charismatic masterpiece.

The album delivered the soundtrack to their massive sell out concert-turned-into-a-movie 101 @ Pasadena's Rose Bowl in 1988.

Their best selling album to date and probably their best to date as well was the follow up to Music for the masses:

Depeche Mode - Violator (1990, Mute Records)

This album has it all: Enjoy the silence, Personal Jesus, Waiting for the night ... - Depeche at its best.

When the follow up Songs of faith and devotion hit the shelves DM had changed and Alan Wilders departure from DM together with Dave's drug addiction was a huge crisis for the band.

Depeche Mode - Ultra (1997, Mute Records)

When DM pulled together for a new album I was really eager to get hold of it. ULTRA went on to become yet another classic DM album in its own right. Songs like Barrel of a gun , Home as well as the "back to the roots" single It's no good are among Martins best material.

Their second compilation The singles 1986 - 1998 and the follo up tour were massive, although, I thought, Only when I loose myself wasn't such a strong song.

Depeche Mode - Exciter (2001, Venus Note Limited)

Exciter started off with the brilliant Dream On and some of the album highlights like When the body speaks , Freelove or Goodnight lovers made the album worth listening to, one must admit that the whole concept of the album was a bit too one paced. I think it doesn't sit too well with earlier releases.

In fact, although it is all just cover versions, Martin Gore's anticipated solo album Counterfeit 2 (2003, Grabbing Hands Music) sounds like a valid addition to the DM catalog.

Martin was able to create different moods all throughout his musical journeys on this album and the German sung Das Lied vom einsamen Maedchen (The song of the lonely girl) was among the highlights on Counterfeit 2 .

Dave Gahan's Paper Monsters (2003, Mute Records) is a different monster altogether.

Dave's voice is simply brilliant and Dirty Sticky Floor is a cool opening track. But, again, it seems that Dave wants to be recognised as something else other than as the "Depeche Mode singer goes solo". One can't blame him but songs like Bottle living or Black and Blue are just miles off.

To put I need you on the album could be interpreted as a lame stunt to try and get some DM fans to listen to the record. Its not all bad, surely the album has a life of its own, but Dave Gahan and his songwriting companion Knox Chandler do not possess the songwriting qualities of Martin Gore.

Depeches first single from the upcoming Playing the angels album: Precious is some of their best singles ever and I am looking forward to the new album and the tour.

CombatCow

Ultra followed by Violator are my fav's. DM 101 looked like an unbelieveable concert especially when they played "never let me down again" the crowd were giving it loads

Precious is a fantastic single i really like it, and i cant wait for the album later this month...and more so the concer next year in manchester


Im a HUGE D/M fan

CC

regi

No tour date in Dublin? Gah

Doctor J

You forgot Songs Of Faith and Devotion in the poll, so I had to go for Ultra

Stark

tj-music.com wrote:

Depeches first single from the upcoming Playing the angels album: Precious is some of their best singles ever and I am looking forward to the new album and the tour.

Indeed, I love that song.

tj-music.com

Regi wrote:

No tour date in Dublin? Gah

Unfortunately not. I was able to secure tickets for their gig in Lisbon (February 06) as well as in Manchester and Birmingham (both March 06)

I don't know why they don't bother playing Dublin considering that their fan base doesn't seem to be that small over here at all.

Pompey Magnus

I went for Black Celebration, the album that most defines DM for me. A Question of Time, A Question of Lust, Black Celebration and Stripped are all absolute classics.

Exciter was an awful album, possibly the worst since "A broken frame" on which the only redeeming feature was The Sun and The Rainfall, a diamond in an otherwise poor album.

Playing The Angel is a huge improvement on Exciter, with 2 or 3 songs that will be regarded as some of their best. Nothings Impossible and John the Revelator are the highlights of the album.

Not surprised Dublin was given a miss on their tour so I have to settle for Manchester, will be a great night no doubt .

its a pity you forgot songs of faith and devotion, i reckon that violator and Ultra are their 3 greats, each as good as the other

jimmycrackcorm

You forgot "none of the above".

honru

Black Celebration.

They're playing a very extensive European tour without Ireland. I'd imagine they'll return in the summer for (mostly) UK outdoor shows and will have an Irish date then, but I'm hoping it won't have to be Oxegen.

Then again, they could always add an Irish date to the current tour...

tj-music.com

f®eak s&#169 wrote: »

Then again, they could always add an Irish date to the current tour...

They sure could, but will they? :mad:

Pompey Magnus

Heres some pics and clips from their Tampa concert last Friday, they still sound good and the set list included something from every album apart from A Broken Frame. They did include Just Can't Get Enough for some reason . Hopefully it will be dropped for the European leg of the tour, it sucks. If they wanted to include something from Speak and Spell it should have been Photographic, the Rex the Dog remix of it last year was probably the highpoint of The Remixes compilation.

http://www.aylasaur.com/Tampa/EnjoyTheMode/

tj-music.com

Cool pics. Thanks for the link. Can't wait to see them.

nlgbbbblth

What sort of a poll is this???

NO
Some Great Reward
OR
Songs Of Faith And Devotion

Including the remix album is pointless

Violator is my favourite.

slave1

Well, my little story with Depeche Mode started with See You back in the days...Speak & Spell remained their greatest Album by a loooonnnnggg way until that day in 1990 when I stuck on the Violator CD and feck my pink that was good, great timing too after the US success of MFTM and 101, Ultra followed next and is a very close second, but still a second
Violator
Ultra
S&P