Depeche Mode

[Cells&Plasma]

Never had one classic album.
Mainly a singles band

They have sold upwards of 100 Million LPs...think the biggest Sellers were Music For The Masses, Violator and Songs of Faith and Devotion which I would regard as Classics especially Violator.

[jonimac]

Yes, I’ve heard them all.
They have made some great music, sometimes dark as _____, sometimes pop perfection, but to my ears not one album I’d easily listen to from start to finish.

My favourite would be “The Best Of Depeche Mode”

[markorbit]

I managed to take a listen to the new one. I didn't think it was that great on first listen. Seems to have a demo feel to me. I like 'My Cosmos is Mine' but it wasn't more of the same.

[jason]

I think overall most of their albums are very good but there are normally a couple of weaker experimental tracks on them.

[jason]

The new album sounds quite good on first listen.

[Cells&Plasma]

The new album sounds quite good on first listen.

I have only played one Track: My Favourite Stranger. I like the Production and Mix....

[jason]

The new album sounds quite good on first listen.

I have only played one Track: My Favourite Stranger. I like the Production and Mix....

Yep agreed.

[parasiteinblack]

Finally got round to listening to this today and I must say it's actually very good.
"My Cosmos Is Mine" was probably a poor choice of promo track because when I listened to it on youtube it made me think the album was going to be a dull plodding one like the previous few but actually in the context of the album it's fine.
This album actually has:
interesting sounding instruments!
nice guitar parts!
nicely produced synth parts including big atmospheric pads!
not just loads of glitchy distorted stuff!
TUNES!
Actual melodies!
A Martin vocal that isn't just a warbly vibrato-fest!

Colour me happy anyway, it sounds pleasingly 90s and is the best album they've done in many many years.

[jason]

Finally got round to listening to this today and I must say it's actually very good.
"My Cosmos Is Mine" was probably a poor choice of promo track because when I listened to it on youtube it made me think the album was going to be a dull plodding one like the previous few but actually in the context of the album it's fine.
This album actually has:
interesting sounding instruments!
nice guitar parts!
nicely produced synth parts including big atmospheric pads!
not just loads of glitchy distorted stuff!
TUNES!
Actual melodies!
A Martin vocal that isn't just a warbly vibrato-fest!

Colour me happy anyway, it sounds pleasingly 90s and is the best album they've done in many many years.

On first listens I agree with all of that.

[Lafleur]

At the time when Hugh Cornwell wrote the Aural Sculpture Manifesto one of the bands he's critizised was Depeche Mode...

[StanInBlack]

It's cleaner sounding and more up uptempo than the last few albums but repeated listens reveal that it's a bit of a smokescreen that initially hides that the majority of the material is crap. "Before We Drown" is okay and "Speak to Me" is alright, but when Gahan is writing the highlights of the record then something's up. Two slices of stale bread cushioning a shit sandwich.

[Cells&Plasma]

Stanley's review namechecked Spinal Tap...we have made it at last.

FB_IMG_1679876540144.jpg (94.28 KiB) Viewed 2700 times

It's cleaner sounding and more up uptempo than the last few albums but repeated listens reveal that it's a bit of a smokescreen that initially hides that the majority of the material is crap. "Before We Drown" is okay and "Speak to Me" is alright, but when Gahan is writing the highlights of the record then something's up. Two slices of stale bread cushioning a shit sandwich.