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Depeche Mode

Hattie's Kitchen

14:05 / 07.10.05

I love Depeche Mode, from their early days as electro-pop boys-next-door imps, through to their leather/industrial techno era.

The new single "Precious" is hauntingly pared down compared to some of their over-produced metal-inspired efforts, and reminds me of early-era DM. Dave Gahan's voice has matured well, I think, and he's never better when singing about sorrow and angst, as on this single. You can hear the sadness in his voice.

Anyone else heard this?

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

19:50 / 07.10.05

Ooh, not yet, (didn't even know it was coming out, tbh)- I'll definitely be picking it up, though. DM are, like the Cure, one of those great bands I can't actually remember NOT liking.

lekvar

18:38 / 21.10.05

I was listening to the radio in the car the other day when the first lilting strains of "Precious" started playing. I don't know about UK/Canada/Other Places, but it's simply not the kind of music that we here in the US get to hear on Top40 Radio. College or High School radio, yes, or specialty shows that come on at 2 am on the first Tuesday of each month, but not Top40.

I've been listening to a lot of Industrial/Dark Wave/Electronica lately, and my first reaction was along the lines of "Holy shit! This stuff is 100% pure!" It was like I'd found the font from which all the music I'd been enjoying sprang from, the germ from whence came VNV Nation, Seabound and the like.

"Precious" is reminiscent of the overall tone of "Violator," which is certainly a good thing. I can't wait to hear the rest of the album.

And -squeeeeee!- I've got tickets to their show on the 18th of Nov., and NIN the day after.

19:29 / 21.10.05

I'm listening to the new DM album now. Its very good, esp. the first 5 tracks.

rising and revolving

20:49 / 24.10.05

Likewise, been listening to the new album. It feels like it's halfway betwixt their newer stuff and their older Black Celebration era work.

Lyrics are a little overwrought, though. Even for Depeche Mode. "I see the Microcosm, in Macrovision" - yes indeed. Macrovision does sound a little bit like Macrocosm. Very clever. But it means shit all.

They're even less upbeat than usual. Every time I think a lyric will have a potentially positive reading, the next line is "But I'm stuck in this rapidly rotting old body. Oh woe is me."

Not that any of this is unusual for DM. Just feels ever so much more so on this album.

02:42 / 25.10.05

Yes... But Gahan sings it so convincingly!

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

03:20 / 25.10.05

I've got tickets to their show on the 18th of Nov., and NIN the day after.

You, sir, are a bastard. But, y'know... tell us how they are, yeah? Not that I'm jealous or anything...

04:58 / 25.10.05

Actually, I'll go out on a limb and say that this is arguably Depeche Mode's third greatest album (1st is Black Celebration, 2nd is Violator, IMO). Its just really stayed with me... One of those albums that you slowly warm to. From the industrial squal of "A Pain That I'm Used To", the pure jazzy pop of "John the Revelator", the quirky beat and soaring chorus of "Suffer Well", the menacing, funky "Sinner in Me", the lush old school DM single "Precious", the strange but compelling "I Want it All", the cool instrumental "introspectre", "Lilian"... This album has almost no weak moments at all. Some people have criticized the two Gore tracks, "Macro" and "Damaged People"... Okay, "Damaged People" was a little weak, but I really, REALLY love "Macro". An odd track with some great sounds. I'd say that the second half of the album isn't quite as compelling as the first half, but its still really good. I've been playing this one non-stop.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

05:13 / 25.10.05

In a top 3 with Black Celebration? I am SO buying this.

13:14 / 25.10.05

Well, in my opinion at least. Now that I think about it, "Black Celebration" was the first DM album I ever listened to, which might explain why its always been my favorite.

lekvar

20:05 / 25.10.05

tell us how they are, yeah? Not that I'm jealous or anything...
You have no idea how deeply I've fucked my finances to do this. Three tickets at exorbitant prices. But given their history of drug abuse and general meancholy I figured that this might be the last chance I get to see them live before Gahan or Gore dies of an overdose/old age/suicide/whatnot.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

20:57 / 25.10.05

Seeing as how they're one of the few bands I've like consistently since childhood when I first heard "New Life", it seems a little remiss of me to have never caught them live. I'm so jealous.

Mirror

21:30 / 26.10.05

I'm torn about this. I was a huge DM fan in the CTA - Masses period, but I though that Violator was a downhill step (albeit still high quality) and that they totally lost it through the next one, whatever it was called, and Ultra. If this is something of a return to the Black Celebration era, I'm interested, but... nervous. Depeche Mode has dissapointed me too much in the past decade.

Of course, maybe now they're starting to get old enough that simply being mega-huge popstars is passe and they're becoming interested in music once again, instead of trying to relive their boy-band heydey.

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

15:41 / 04.11.05

Finally got round to buying the album, and... crikey, it's really quite something. Have to give it a few more listens, but on an initial spin, I have to agree, it's bloody good.

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