Reviews (page 5 of 15)
Não é meu estilo de música favorito, mas gostei bastante do álbum, tem algumas ótimas músicas.
The highs were high but not high enough. Lots of long stretches and stuff that were not that interesting.
Somehow these guys have been around for almost 50 years and half 15 albums. Of course, they have some classic songs that are iconic and if you're an Oldies Radio enjoyer, you're going to hear a ton of Depeche Mode. That said, if you want an album that is quintessentially 80's, this might be it. Yes, even though it released in 1990. It's got that synthwave sound that has come back a little bit and IS cool to listen to, but Dave Gahan's voice stands out so much that it kind of cuts through the synthwave parts of the album.
Hooray! 57 albums in, and this is only the 2nd one that really falls into the electronic pop category. Truly my genre. Of course I've heard this album already. Of course it gets 5 stars! A slight change in sound for the Mode and we get an album full of killer tracks. Personal Jesus is the lead single, but from a pure pop point of view, Enjoy The Silence is the standout track. Outside of the 4 released singles, Halo and Sweetest Perfection stand out and even the slightly unsettling Blue Dress doesn't allow the standards to drop. I loved it back in 1990, it's aged well and it was great to be reacquainted.
*1990. *Personal Jesus, Policy of Truth, and Enjoy the Silence. *I'm a Depeche Mode fan. Dark but catch, and Dave Gahan's vocals are so cool. *Lots of cool stuff here I wasn't familiar with. The album opens with World in my Eyes, which is an instant classic. RATING - 8/10
Heard this many times before, fantastic album. Every song on this is great, and there's a few absolute classics on it as well (Personal Jesus, Enjoy the Silence, Policy of Truth). Easy 5*
I heard one of their latest albums and thought it was great so going back to hear this one for the first time was a good listen. I dig the dark and melancholy vibe of this band. The music is well written and the lead vocals are distinct and great. Definitely want to get more into their catalogue as I’m sure that there’s a lot of great stuff waiting to be discovered in there!
All around meh
For years I thought he was saying "reach out and touch base." Anyway I enjoyed this but the two hits I already knew were the best.
Depeche Mode at the peak of their considerable powers. I have friends who love this band with all their heart. While I like them, they were never *that* band for me. But this one is undeniable.
I still don’t get depeche mode
I'm not a Depeche Mode fan and the vocals are an immediate disqualifier for me. Album grew on me a bit as it went on (Personal Jesus, Enjoy the Silence), but still, meh. 4.5/10 (2.25/5)
I don’t think I actually knew what depeche mode sounded like apart from the more poppy well known songs. So this shocked me. It was moody in the first third, picked up with enjoy the silence (which is so good) then got spooky. Unsure I enjoyed the whole thing, but it really felt like the connection between the 80s and 90s sound. Anyway big up the basvegas boys x
Found this all a bit overblown and melodramatic. Not particularly interesting to my ears but there was the occasional song I liked. Felt like the scope to be more interesting. 2.5
I can see why people would like this album, but I'm finding it a little boring. I'm not a huge fan of the singer for some reason.
A fantastic album from start to finish. I have listened to this album many times but never had it in my collection. 5 stars. Fave track - enjoy the silence.
A magnificent album, nothing to fault on it.
This is such a great album, there are so many bangers. World In My Eyes, Sweetest Perfection, Personal Jesus, Enjoy the Silence, and Policy of Truth are all stone cold classic. All the songs on this album have amazing melodies, and great synth parts. High 5!!!
Álbum perfecto para entrar en trance.
Amazing sound, I can easily imagine this typa music moving the club. Lyrics (although they’re quite repetitive) are well-crafted and some of them really hit home. The sounds are bouncy and soft, making them really fun to listen to. Multiple bangers! All in all, great album. “Policy of Truth” is my favorite track; I love the bassline so much!
Prima
Where has this album been all my life? I knew a couple tracks on here, but front to back I don't think there's a bad song on it. That moody synth is really addicting. Some synthpop is garbage, this is a delight.
Iconic album. Fully deserves to be on this list.
Didn’t know Enjoy the silence and Personal Jesus from this album. My first alternative rock album from 1990s. Nice music to listen while thinking of daily routine.
Best-Enjoy the silence Depeche is very cool! This album did start to get on my nerves a bit bec it's a bit samey. I liked the use of different Synths and drums very experimental 3.5/5
Enquanto minhas velas pretas queimam no meu quarto completamente escuro, iluminando as pétalas de rosa que caem em câmera lenta, deixando apenas os espinhos, eu cerro os lábios sem borrar o batom roxo escuro, e quase sinto uma lágrima se formar no canto dos meus olhos fortemente sombreados, mas me contenho, pois não quero borrar o ankh que desenhei com sombra embaixo dele. Que loucura.
Good album, sounds ahead of its time. Not a fan of the vocal tone, too bland for my taste.
Synthesiser goth-pop.
Love love love this album. The writing, the songs, the feel of these songs are such a strong pull to this time of music.
I LOVE depeche
Didn’t get through the whole thing, not a bad album by any means, but just not really for me.
I'm such a simple gal, give me some synths and I'll be a very happy listener.
For the public record, I do think Depeche Mode has a really, really good album on their hands here. Wall-to-wall bangers with some endlessly talented songwriting and there's enough interesting going on sonically that there's a lot fresh here to enjoy. It's got a fun self-aware weirdness and I broadly agree with all the kind words said about this album by critics over the years. I don't know though. There's always been some issue I've had with Depeche mode and I think after relistening to Violator today I finally realize what it is: Depeche Mode's instrumentation just doesn't fit all that well with each other. There's a couple exceptions proving the rule on this album (Personal Jesus and Enjoy The Silence), but that kind of lo-fi sound they're going for gives basically every Depeche Mode track this slightly awkward lack of cohesion. It's like it's missing *something*. It's weird, because everything about this feels so deliberate - like you can tell that there's an enormous amount of attention paid to each note during production. But feels like it could have benefitted immensely from having more prominent and punchy drums, or maybe a sub-bass or something. But that's probably just me. Enjoy The Silence though? Can't say enough good things about that particular track. As close to perfection as music can be. It just soaks in its own melancholy (and the music video is top notch too). fav tracks: World In My Eyes, Personal Jesus, Waiting For The Night, Enjoy The Silence
This album feels very fresh, weird thing for Depeche Mode but its amazing
Нельзя просто так взять и не поставить этому альбому максимальную оценку по любой шкале. Абсолютная классика. Есть альбомы, в которых особняком стоит пара синглов, но остальные треки скорее призваны заполнить пространство. Есть альбомы, которые отлично и ровно слушаются от первой до последней песни, там нет откровенно слабых произведений, но и нет выделяющихся хитов. Этот альбом - самый редкий тип. Здесь и завидная стабильность качественного материала от начала до конца, и мегахиты, определяющие эпоху. Если б я мог охарактеризовать альбом одним словом, я бы выбрал "баланс". Он не такой наивно-веселый, как их ранние записи, но и не такой декадансно-мрачный, как последущие в 90-х. Не такой синти-поповский или индустриально-электронный, но и не такой альтернативно-роковый. Достаточно инновационный и изобретательный, но не излишне экспериментальный. Довольно короткий, но очень емкий. Здесь нет ничего лишнего, и всего достаточно. Идеальная смесь электроники и рока, повлиявшая на несчетное количество групп и исполнителей. Для меня лично Enjoy the Silence вообще одна из любимых песен ever. Ну и культовая обложка от культового Корбейна эффектно дополняет и без того запоминающийся облик альбома. Эпохально.
Это база
Великое! Sweetest Perfection и Blue Dress очень недохайплены на мой взгляд. Вот тут повторное прослушивание только усилило любовь к альбому. Заодно впервые послушал делюкс версию - такое себе, до основных песен, конечно, не дотягивает.
Лучшая песня - Policy of Truth Худшая - любой из филлеров, которые невозможно вспомнить Типичный альбом Depeche Mode - 3 суперхита и 10 блеклых песен. Последние фортепьянные сюиты просто практически невозможно слушать. Ставлю 4 только из-за Персонал Джизас, Инджой зе Сайленс и Полиси оф Трус
Абсолютное величие, пик синтпопа. Один из лучших альбомов в истории. Enjoy the silence - бэнгер на все времена
не music for the masses, но тоже неплохо
Слушала отдельные хиты депешей в 2010-е,но никогда альбомами. Наконец попалась ЗЕ МЮЗИК для меня в этой активности. Жесткий хорни вайб от альбома - то, что нужно, когда добираешься 1 час до метро в жуткий снегопад. Середина альбома немного просела, но Kaleid разбудила.
Опять же повторюсь - жаль, что нет половинки баллов, ибо для меня альбом 4.5. Помимо двух самых популярных треков DM для меня бриллианты альбома - World In My Eyes и Policy of Truth. Остальное - просто хорошие треки, идеально подходящие к вайбу альбома. Но я слишком люблю DM и не могу отрицать культовость альбома, поэтому 5/5.
Album was fine.
It's just not exactly what I like. The album is fine. It's a different approach than I've heard in music before. It's dark and slow, but also synth heavy and electronic. There's nothing bad about it, just gets a little boring I think.
Very good listen
Decent 5.1/10 Nothing necessarily outstanding Production is brilliant Voice is too much of the same throughout Not really the album for me, maybe 1 or 2 replayable songs
This is an album I have never even heard of before. Favorites: - Policy of Truth - Sibeling - Kaleid Thoughts: This is not really my jam, but probably needs a few more listens for me to really "get it". At first I liked the techno/synth sound, but personally found it repetitive. Near the end of the album with songs like Memphisto and Sibeling, the piano is featured more heavily and those songs remind me of the BoTW soundtrack. Overall, not the sound I was looking for, but I think I should re-listen when I'm in a different mood.
Woah, I actually enjoyed this album way more than I thought I would! I was never a big fan of Personal Jesus as it is pretty over played but I really enjoyed the dark synth and moody electronic vibes. Reminded me of a villain in a 90s techno thriller movie. Favorite Song: Enjoy the Silence
Gear: INAWAKEN Twilight-DS Artwork: ️✒️🌹⬛ Production: 🎧😘🤌 Music: 🖤💎🕯️ Rating: 🌹🌹🌹🌹/5
535/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑
5. Duh.
I knew the hits, but most of this was new to me. This was great. I would happily listen to this again.
90's must have. the originators of Goth music at their best.
I already lived the iconic singles from this album but it's been great to listen to the whole album as a long player. Released in 1990 - I was just a few years too young to have been into alternative music. Feels like I'm 13 or 13 listening to a LP found in the record collection of a particularly cool older sibling.
не мое, но интересна структура музыки, как будто это система, машинная музыка, и в то же время живой человеческий голос, поющий о человеческих заботах +мега популярная песня 1. World In My Eyes 6/10 2. Sweetest Perfection 7/10 3. Personal Jesus 6/10 4. Halo 6/10 5. Waiting For The Night 5/10 6. Enjoy the Silence 10/10 7. Policy of Truth 5,2/10 8. Blue Dress 7/10 9. Clean 6,3/10
This will be fairly obvious and easy 5 stars for me, not as hard choise as it was with Music for the Masses. Every single song on this album is very good, pretty much a perfect album for me and possibly the best Depeche album as well.
I think exactly two things with Depeche Mode: the song You'll Dance to Anything by The Dead Milkmen and the Venture Bros. That being said, I love this album so much. Even having listened to it so many times before it's still surprising how many bangers are on it.
Some bangers but take a while getting used to
Yes yes yes! Easiest 5 so far. Flawless album. Moody, dark, sensual, and so danceable, oh my!
World in My Eyes Personal Jesus Enjoy the Silence Policy of Truth
I love this album so much
Good overall album, with a few repeatable listen songs.
I've always been pretty much a nope for Depeche Mode, so I went into this with some trepidation. But hey, this record was more fun than I thought it was going to be. The best songs here have a tense contrast from the dancey bleep bloop and a dramatic edginess in the vocals, backing strings, and rhythm section and such, so I was pleasantly surprised by a lot of it. But then the 80s/90s dance music that I like best always has that tension. But a whole record full of it is a bit too much! And there were a couple tracks that I really Did Not Like, mainly the slower ones that had lyrics that I guess were supposed to be moody and deep but sounded whiny and uninteresting to me. Odd videos. Depressed-looking clowns being lectured by a Depeche Mode guy in an abandoned adobe hut? Sure, why not. 3/5
Best Song: Personal Jesus This album is the reason I decided to take on this project. For full disclosure, I really don't like New Wave music, never have. Then, yesterday, I put this album on and shockingly thoroughly enjoyed it. Moreso than any other New Wave album I've listened to. Am I starting to become more of a New Wave fan? I doubt it. Am I getting desensitized to it. Probably. Either way, this album was a banger. 5/5.
1. World in My Eyes Sick synth stuff going on. Also sort of sounds like Like a Virgin + Head Like a Hole. 2. Sweetest Perfection Not my fave, something about the vocal mix + lyrics isn't working for me. Feels like phantom of the opera in a bad way 3. Personal Jesus Theatrical in a good way. Feels like a villain song and I'm down. Lowkey like the Marilyn Manson version but he's a bad man. Hm I don't love that breathy breakdown but I get it lol. 4. Halo Cool synth stuff. Oo I like the drums coming in. Unfortunately I feel like this guy doesn't have my favorite voice. Or maybe it needs more effects on it to make it more interesting. Ooo I like the voice effect that just came in at 2:00. 5. Waiting for the Night Ooo I like those lil keys. Some interesting textures. Don't love the burpy sounds 6. Enjoy the Silence Love that guitar tone + riff. They just can't help themselves with the weird chords huh. Depeche Mode walked so DCFC Kintsugi could run. ok good studio fade not mad at that. OH NO THEY'RE BACK WHAT. Ok never heard this part ever. Prob not on the radio edit 7. Policy of Truth Ok very cool opening riff. oh shit i love a good tambourine, that goes hard. Favorite on the album so far. Lots of cool textures happening 8. Blue Dress ok 3/4. Cool and chill, nothing super exciting going on. I like that they tried the 3/4, a nice difference from the rest of the album. What is this laughing at the end. Oh it's not over. oh! 9. Clean Hm ok is this another 3/4? Has a dark, ominous vibe. Again, feels villainous but also sounds like a children's book. 10. Dangerous Oo some funky sounds. Feels very Trent Reznor. Was fine, nothing super different from the rest of the album. 11. Memphisto This feels very Muse. Hm ok, very dramatic 12. Sibeling Feels like tim burton. Pretty, haunting. Like a ghost. 13. Kaleid OK PARTY!! That was sick I like it
For some reason, depeche mode has never sat with me. I just don't enjoy the album. It's creative but I can't find that resonance that I feel with other records. Personal Jesus is a great track and a few of the other ones are catchy but they're probably just not my style.
Personal Jesus isn't even the best song on here! Policy of Truth rules, and even Halo is sneaky good.
This is a perfect album. Every song blends and meshes so well. Halo and Blue Dress are the only songs I didn’t favorite but they are good songs. I truly believe I have a better understanding for music and how far we’ve come since hearing this album. The best song in this is Personal Jesus. They really nailed the electronic sound. Holy shit.
(100/100)
Beats that hold up with worthy stories. Solid.
Policy of truth is the best song on this album. Fight me
Enjoyed
i gain respect for this album every time i listen to it - an absolute classic, really well produced and so timeless
Midnight mass at a dark cathedral of love and longing. A definitive moment for goth music. Though grunge will make synths uncool for a while, when synthesizer music comes back it is rebuilt in the image of this album.
Finfin klassiker æ ikke egentlig hadde hørt før, bortsett fra de åpenbare sangan, men æ likte det godt utenom det også.
May be a good album, but not really my style.
nice
Perfect album.
I like this. some nice tunes
Overrated
Personal Jesus and Enjoy The Silence are obviously bangers. Not yet sure about anything else on this album.
Overraskende bra. Føles som lyricsa og synth beatsa ikke burde funke sammen men det er egentlig en morsom combo med litt sånn gritty britisk alt band på en synth track
Goth synthpop classic
Molto esoteric brat
Very dark sexy sound
Always enjoyed Depeche Mode. They were innovators that created their own distinctive sound. There are some tracks I didn’t love, “Enjoy the Silence” is probably my favourite track. 3.5 but rounded up because of Enjoy the Silence and Personal Jesus and Policy of Truth, which are all great tracks.
It’s ok. Didn’t blow me away. Stand out tracks IMO are Sweetest Perfection, Personal Jesus and Enjoy the Silence.
Good songs on here. Not sure the album is one worth listening to the whole thing though. 3.5 stars
Favourites: Enjoy the Silence Blue Dress
This was my first time kind of properly listening to this genre, like 90s vampy dark synth vibes. I didn't mind it at all. I reckon my favourite would be one of the more popular songs - Enjoy The Silence.
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Bien.
This album feels so damn erotic. “Enjoy the Silence” is definitely one of my favorites. I can see why people like Depeche Mode. I never really listened to them, just some clips here and there. This album feels like a slow club if you know what I’m saying. Dark red lights, sweaty bodies moving, and of course this music playing in the background. The sounds on “Clean” are so damn sexy it’s crazy. Might be my second favorite track.
Within the first 20 seconds of "World In My Eyes", you know you're in for a ride. Somehow they made synth-pop feel dark & brooding, and Gahan's vocals just flow effortlessly through every song. Violator still sounds incredible to this day.
This was alright. Not my vibe, but more enjoyable than most 80’s music.
Good
Depeche Mode's best and a time machine portal for every GenXer.
Solid album. Great 80s sound. Little more commercial and polished compared to yesterdays The The.
love this album
night drive. fall/winter. rock. cerebral. funky. 80s-90s. haunting. pop. familiar. eerie. cinematic. concise. certified roadhouse bangers (^∆^)
Zeer goed album. Erg van genoten!
Still holds up. It must have been way ahead of its time when released. I can hear the influence in the Smashing Pumpkins' Adore and MCR.
Violator is a lean and mean synthpop powerhouse by a band reaching the height of their talent. There's no fat to trim here...this is a no skipper filled with emotive songs that hold up extremely well.
Pure dark synthpop with powerful melodic and bass synthesizers, a lot of effects in the guitars and a deep voice that lead you into a travel for the sound itself.
Enjoy the silence was good.
Awesome album awesome transitions. The atmosphere is unmatched, and the experience is unique.
Incredible album. The b sides are equal to and sometimes better than the more well known tracks.
I am not a big fan of Depeche mode unfortunately and this album confirmed it. In no way is this album bad it's just not my cup of tea. Enjoy the silence is great tho
Definitely an interesting album. My personal opinion though, the Def Leppard version of ‘Personal Jesus’ is better than the original
Layers synth almost industrial music that backs off enough to be radio friendly
Some great songs, but I don't think I like it as much as similar stuff from the time.
good if you like repetitive synths
An all-time and well-worn favourite. Yes, 'Personal Jesus' and 'Enjoy the Silence' are the huge hits (bigger than anything else DM did since, and deservedly so), but the opener 'World In My Eyes' and 'Policy of Truth' are some of the album's most intrusive and impressive notes. Overall I prefer Dave Gahan's resonant vocals to Martin Gore's soft touch, but tracks like 'Blue Dress' give the album another layer. In context, this album is a triumph: proof that DM could outgrow glossy jangly synthpop, and perfect the darker tone they'd previously set with records like 'Black Celebration'. Best track: Enjoy the Silence Worst track: Waiting for the Night
Not my thing.
A primeira vez que ouvi este álbum nao gostei. Desta segunda vez gostei. É daqueles álbuns/bandas que, para mim, primeiro estranha-se e depois entranha-se. A produção incrível, boa experiência de fones. Destaques óbvios para Personal Jesus e Enjoy the Silence, mas também para a Halo e Blue Dress. No entanto, todas as músicas são top!
ไม่ชอบเพราะดู futuristic
Yes to all of this. 🌹
Makes sense that this came out in 1990. It feels like the perfect version of the 80’s synth music.
Haven’t listened to this in a couple of years and my god is it good. Won’t go that long before the next listen. Dark. In the absolute best way.
3.3 Solid, couple of bangers in the singles, rest of the album is ok, more about atmosphere than melody.
Perfect Album i‘d known it since childhood
I know Depeche Mode, I know their songs, and I love them. I used to them because of my stepfather who was like ten times to their concert. I don’t hear them in general but they’re great and the album is epic
was alright, some songs better than others.
Very niiiiiiice
2/3. Some real 80s shit, I really enjoyed it. Well paced, great synths and production overall, and love the vocals. Will return to this one for sure.
not my vibe. already had enjoy the silence saved tho, I do like that one
Like old techno head bop around but also emo and maybe a lil scary. Not against it but prob won’t listen again
VERY 80s, synth, looong songs
Love some Depeche Mode
Not my thing but still enjoyedle
1) World in my eyes, like that so much, music, lyrics, sound, so shocking that it was realised in 1990 9/10 2) Sweatest Perfection Not bad, like sound, solid 7/10 3) Personal Jesus, like previous, liked more sound, but less then 7/10 cant give 4) Halo, dk 6/10 5) Waiting for the night liked the very beginning, hope that something will happed No it didn't:( but like sound tho 7/10 6) Enjoy the Silence, classic Perfect 10/10 7)Policy of truth, also something popular, like the sound already, more interesting melody, fancy 9/10 8)Blue Dress I CANT UNDERSTAND HOW DID EVERY SONG START IN A DIFFERENT WAY BUT SO COOL WAY also slow, which i dont like, but there it is not bad 8/10 9)Clean started more confident and will continue like that, like lyrics 8/10 total math. : 7.88 I feel more like 7,5 ( 5 saved outa 9)
better than I expected, top 5, sweetest perfection, world in my eyes, clean, personal Jesus's, halo
Gostei bastante, muito coeso e com músicas muito orelhudas.
I like Depeche Mode and this had some good tracks on it!
They have a great sound for sure.
Some massive songs on this album. It's a bit dated, of course, but it's just so cool that it doesn't really matter that much. "Enjoy the Silence" is an all-time classic.
The songs I enjoyed were good, but the rest was a letdown.
This is the perfect album to do this with. I love two songs already and have never listened to the rest. Enjoy the silence is an all time great song. Everyone knows personal Jesus. Waiting for the night is one of their better quiet ballad songs. Three stars? Four stars?
4/10 - Favorite song: Policy of truth
never heard of this band or album before -this is cool i'm gonna crank this next halloween -ENJOY THE SILENCE!! i know this song overall very cool i added a lot to my playlist!! 3.5/5
sweetest perfection is odd! funny tho ig? i like the calmness of waiting for the night policy of truth kinda fun was happy that this album eventually ended. im sure it was great for its time, however not great for me.
Love it! 🌹
Good
Classic
no es tanto mi estilo pero tiene algunas canciones a destacar, las mejores son enjoy the silence y policy of truth
As a DM fan, it sure does feel as their milestone record where all their previous efforts were leading to. Dark, moody and seductive.
this is really 4.5 but this platform hates me (i love a ten point scale) i love this album but loses half a star for being a bit samey it sounds so good though very enjoyable
Not a fan.
2/5 not my fav type of music very vampiric vibes
mid
:0
Some absolute classics here of dark 80s synth. Vibes for days
How can an album from 1990 still sound futuristic. Amazing synths all over this album. Every song is catchy with Enjoy the silence being my favourite
Some absolute gems.
I've already heard Music for the Masses, released a few years earlier. I recall enjoying it quite a bit. Violator is similar. Texturally, it's like if the Smiths went much more electronic and sci-fi with their sound. The guitars and lead vocals are similar to that of the Smiths, but everything else is very much reflective of the shift towards completely (or mostly) electronic music in the late 80s. Blue Dress is the track that's most reminiscent of the Smiths – in fact I'm pretty sure the two notes Gahan's melody bounces between are the same two Morrissey overuses in 95% of his own tunes. The textures are complex and (at times) intense, almost overwhelming. For 1990, there's some darn good electronic work here, from bloopy synths to less-bloopy synths and everything in between. Electronic drums are surprisingly enjoyable when they use 80s-inspired beats and avoid a generally bad-sounding trap beat. Depeche Mode really hits their peak, I think, when they try to make a groove – particularly a riff-type groove, as heard with Enjoy the Silence and the electronic "aahh" sounds marking the chord progression nicely. Another good groove is the bassline in Personal Jesus. That particular track is great despite having very few chords to play around with. That backing percussion, the sly swing persisting throughout, the quietly aggressive vocal. I would personally remove the vocal echo, though, and maybe add more harmonising. Later tracks, like Halo, have pretty convincing harmonising but are less cohesive in other ways. Speaking of cohesion, Policy of Truth is another excellent example of riff-based electronic music, and I think it's the most cohesive of any song here. (The masses seem to agree with me.) 4/5 Key tracks: Personal Jesus, Enjoy the Silence, Policy of Truth
Note from my morning pages: Imagine having "Personal Jesus" and "Enjoy the Silence" on the same record?
Insane beats. At least 4 classics on this. I will be going back
had only heard enjoy the silence before. enjoyed!
Never heard the whole album, though I've loved enjoy the silence for a while. I'm an 80s fanatic so this album was awesome.
I was never really a fan of Depeche Mode growing up but I started to pay more attention after the singles from the their 2017 album Spirit caught my attention on the radio and I ended up listening to that album quite a bit. That's made me re-evaluate them, listening to some of their earlier albums and since this is seen as one of their best, I started here. So I've been listening to this on occasion now for several years and it does get better each time! It's dark and moody but with that underpinning of pop sensibility, in some ways similar to how I hear NIN only this leans into much more 'accessible' places.
A nearly perfect album in my eyes. This is the first album by Depeche Mode that I ever listened to all the way through and I struggle to say whether this is my favorite album by them or not. Either way, it's nearly impossible for me to say anything negative about Violator. It's mainstream without being a "sell out" record and (I think) helped set the template for modern synthpop artists who don't mind being a bit depressing while also not totally becoming a pop band. It's a hard needle to thread and I'm not sure they ever did it as well as they did here. I dislike gushing, but man, this is just a good album.
Quirky. ‘1990 rock’. Favourite song is ‘policy of truth’.
pas naze mais pas ma came
Love the 45 min runtime. Nice and succinct.
It’s not really my style but cool sound
Magisterial - they never really bettered this but with a watermark this high you can't really be surprised. There are more DM songs that should be heard prior to death, but if you only listen to one album it should be this
Well there are 2 of my favorite tunes on it but the whole album is dragging a little bit.
The album that all the girls I fancied in sixth form listened to, and the real move from synth pop into BDSM goth pop. The singles are great but it’s a bit one beat, they know how to write a hook though
Liked the dark gothy vocals and there was some cool songs design and ambience, but I just really don't like the boxy 90s snare clap sound and rigid midi rhythms. Enjoyed it more than I expected, definitely sounds like a product of its time
yep that was really fun made me want to go to the goth club. 8/10
Not for me:(
It is better than the other projects from them I heard, and they are very talented at making singles. There are 3 very good songs in there, but much like a U2 album, the rest is slop that sound the same. It would be a bit unfair to enjoy the silence, which is an all time great, to give the album a one, but man was I bored and did not need to discover this ..
Kojarzę Personal Jesus, jest na playliście Jeana, Come Back to ich piosenka Fajny, trochę mroczny, ale nie przygnębiający
Et av mine favorittband. På dette albumet finner man tre av historiens beste synthpop-sanger. Dessverre er resten av albumet mindre interessant. Jeg har i grunn ikke noe behov for å lytte til andre låter enn de som lander på top 3-lista mi her. Det blir derfor en firer. Top 3: Enjoy the Silence, Policy of Truth, Personal Jesus
an electronica album shouldnt be good but..
Already knew some songs but it was the first time I've heard the full album. Pretty good, had fun, an interesting experience to listen to this. Every song felt different yet as if they're part of the same whole. Fave song would be Clean and Blue Dress
absolutely incredible and surprising, thought this would be absolute slop but it’s really great production and vocals all around.
I'm utterly indifferent to Depeche Mode but I'm familiar with a few of these songs. A fine album, nothing to get crazy over. Does it deserve to be on this list? I don't know. But it deserves it more than some of the other trash this app is feeding me.
Instant 5 stars! Another album that gets better and better each time I listen to it. Zero skips, all bangers. Track ranking (These are all at least 8/10 songs): 1. Policy Of Truth 2. Sweetest Perfection 3. Enjoy The Silence 4. Halo 5. Blue Dress 6. World In My Eyes 7. Personal Jesus 8. Clean 9. Waiting For The Night
DM ei oo oikein kolahtanut. Tämän levyn parasta antia oli ”Personal Jesus”, mikä on näistä tutuin biisi.
I’ve never really been a fan of DM and listening to this album didnt change anything for me. In fact I was surprised by the low points of the album - the album is thin on content imo. There are high highs as well and I see why folks love this album. Just not my bag.
yeah i mean like its just so good man
Pretty boring. One decently good song. The rest are not good minus a couple of sound effects buried within a few that I liked.
Have listened before. It’s good.
I really liked this album. It still sounds dark, but in a way that really works for me. It feels more sensual, smooth, and satisfying. The music and lyrics fit together really well, and the flow and overall vibe made it a great listening experience for me.
One of my all time favourites.
Very cool album with some big hits.
❤️ i’m
A true synthpop classic. Very good.
I must have missed a day. I haven’t listened but depeche mode are marginal anyway. I probably would have given this two. But I can’t judge fairly.
I had acquired a copy of Depeche Mode's The Singles 81-85 from the cut-out bin at Central Station Records, so had a good working knowledge of their early singles output, and a fine body of work it is. Dark themes with light tunes, as Robert Christgau opined. But it is really just pop music for mopey teens (not that there is anything wrong with that). I remember when Violator was released, it was a big surprise. The inclusion of more rock sounds (guitars, real drum sounds even if still sampled and programmed to the grid) in conjunction with consistently strong song writing was quite to my taste. (Songs for Faith and Devotion which means even more heavily into that trend is a real favourite record of mine). The whole band is hitting their strengths - Martin Gore's songwriting is incredible, Gahan's voice is mature and confident and he sings with credibility and conviction, but the real strength is the production teamwork of Alan Wilder and Flood, who arrange and record the songs with power and atmosphere. Flood is a name that appears on a surprising number of albums on this list from the 90s, producing, engineering and/or mixing. He brings a tasteful noise to the records he works in, which really helped Depeche Mode add some grit to their sound. Listening to this again for the first time in a while reminded me of what a great album this is. I still prefer Faith and Devotion, but this is probably the better album. 4.5 stars, rounding up.
Transported me back to 1990 - the year I started teaching
Alright
Not a big space mode guy but they’re alright.
All I ever wanted All I ever needed Is here on my list Words are very unnecessary They can only do harm
Brilliant
Not my kind of thing
Amazing!
i listened to their most popular on Apple Music, their 3, 6, and 7th song, pretty mid, probably wouldn’t listen to again, not terrible, but not good, boring, just definitely not my taste, really happy i listened to something different tho
surpassed my expectations. Added to my list of favorite albums
bass line to die for
What a discovery...
One of my wife's favorite. More of a Cure guy myself.
There are several better options for depeche mode …..
not their best to me but a really good album
I was 10 years old when this album was released and it scared me. The dark, gothic atmosphere, the lack of recognizable instruments, the singer’s deep, insanely resonant voice. This album sounded like a vampire to me, the truly terrifying kind. Like the thick, jet black ooze that pulls you under to drown in the ScarJo movie ‘Under the Skin’. Not as spooky to me now, obviously, but it still sounds like vampires made it, if maybe now the kinds of vampires that wear designer suits. And damn, the singles are staggeringly good. They were so omnipresent in the 90’s that hearing them again now is like stepping into my old self. Had never heard the full album before today and it will take me some time to digest it all, but I’m drawn to this music in a curious way, probably directly related to how frightening it was to me once upon a time. Favorite song: Policy Of Truth
Not good
Solid album.
👎
Noted
Not the worst ‘80’s album
Very 80s. Sounded exactly like I expected it to. 3.5 stars rounded up!
Well, sure I knew Personal Jesus and Enjoy the Silence, I have them in my playlist. But I had never listened to the whole album. And it’s stunning, astonishing, remarkable and so on. I added everything to my playlist except one song. It’s a perfect album for today, so I listened to this dark synth-pop three times hehehe. There will be only one more Depeche Mode album on the list and I definitely want to listen to more of their albums. 5/5 —————————————— Liked: — World In My Eyes — Sweetest Perfection — Personal Jesus — Halo — Waiting for the Night — Enjoy the Silence — Policy of Truth — Clean
Great listen
Good stuff
3.5/5. Love depeche mode.
hindi siya yung album na papakinggan ko daily
один из любимейших альбомов моего бати. ну и мой тож.
soo mood and dark, loveee
This seemed like a fun era of music but I was a skosh too young
a vibe kinda. dark disco. there are long tracks. not bad, 6.5/10 1 hr 12 min long
Tried to build a PC while listening to this. Failed miserably.
Overall: 8/10 Beautiful. I love how ethereal and gothic this album feels. The vocals are haunting, yet the music is danceable for the most part. These guys were totally different and unique. Fav Song: Enjoy the Silence
BEST BESTE BEST
Hm not a fan of the vocals tbh i don’t really like the whole dark vibe. The synths are fun but not enough to carry the album😭
keine gesteigerte Meinung. Die Klassiker haben mir Popotanz gegeben, deshalb gut.
Kovaa kamaa
Kyllä tämä ihan toimii ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Great album, wonderful music
7/10
Phenomenal production and sounds 3/5 a little dull
The best Synth-Pop album I know - including my favourite DM-song and probably also my favorite early 90s song of them all "Enjoy the Silence". What a pleasure to the ears;)
Two tracks I knew of and enjoyed but overall I’m not sure the music style is for me.
Enjoyed this one, think I need to listen to more Depeche Mode!
really great vibes, would fit great in a movie soundtrack of some kind. Halo really stood out to me. as a whole, I wish some of the songs played with modulating to major keys more. also, the end of Enjoy the Silence flopped 3.5?
I'm into the second song and I'm gonna make a leap of faith: I love it.
alas, it's a classic case of "yeah I get why it's beloved but I don't love it." i can appreciate depeche mode and wowee the production value on this record is incredible! but it's not for me, unfortunately* *this may be somewhat colored by my initial exposure to this album, which came from a coworker when I lived in chicago who introduced depeche mode (and this album) to me. i later discovered she was really into overwatch futa porn, and i could not "separate the art from the artist", as it were
I have always said and will continue to say Personal Jesus has one of the sickest riffs ever made. Very few songs compare to the main little lick they play. They're not even what I would consider a "guitar" band, which I think makes that all the more impressive. Depeche Mode as a band is one that I've always wanted to do a deep dive on. I've never really disliked a song of theirs that I've heard but I've also never gone out of my way to listen to them. This album was a great experience and I enjoyed it all the way through. I think this is the album in this challenge that I'd listened to the most for the sake of this challenge. Being a Friday album definitely helped, but I kept coming back to it, which is more than can be said for a majority of the list thus far. Banger.
This album has been in my rotation ever since I tried to do the miniature version of this list on Rate Your Music. Everything about it just clicks for me. It’s not one that I can listen to every day, but every now and then I’m feeling melodramatic enough to give it a spin.
I almost rated this a do not listen since I skipped a couple songs, but “Waiting For the Night” grabbed me so I ended up finishing it. I deeply despise Depeche Mode. The vocals are bad, many of the songs are too all over the place and over the top. But I like some of the quieter, simplistic moments like “Waiting For the Night.” I think actually I just liked that song.
I don’t hate anything here and several individual tracks here that I really like quite a bit (“Enjoy the Silence” is just a sublime pop song) but not to the point where the whole album feels like something I need to put on. Depeche Mode is very much in my wheelhouse but I struggle to get into them. I don’t really know what it is that holds me back from that but it’s something. I don’t vibe with their dancier stuff the way I do with New Order or Happy Mondays and I don’t vibe with their moodier stuff the way I do with Joy Division or The Smiths. There’s definitely some attempts at Cure-esque soundscapes but they just don’t stick the landing for me in the same way. It’s got all the pieces to be something I love but it’s like that last switch ain’t flipped. I do remember being like 13-14 and keeping the radio in GTA San Andreas on Radio X and getting annoyed when “Personal Jesus” came on, along with “Movin’ on Up” by Primal Scream and “Been Caught Stealing” by Jane’s Addiction and those are now the only 3 songs from that station that I seek out. Funny how we change.
Decided to listen to this while wrapping Christmas gifts, which made me feel like I was in a version of Santa’s workshop where all of the elves are goth with varying degrees of substance abuse issues.
Was never a huge fan but you couldn’t escape this album and there’s certainly a reason for that. It’s a creepy, spooky great album.
A masterclass in synthpop, simple as. Solid 5 Stars.
Well, that’s obviously a 5, if not higher. See, THIS is the Depeche Mode I was expecting on “Music for the Masses”; still moody, still heavy on the synths, still rhythmically pleasing as hell, and vocally gliding on all of these electronica-influenced pop beats, but done so in a way that leans towards the UK house scene of the early ‘90s whilst blending in eerier & haunting tones reminiscent of the late 80s bands that laid the groundwork for the grunge to come. This album is a very last gasp of the Kate Bush style of ‘80s production, refined & blended to a point where it feels like the first true album of the 1990s. Hell, it came out in March, so it may as well be. If I’m struck by anything, it’s that the production work here, especially in the percussion, feels like it could be just as common in 2025, with a surprising amount of tracks feeling sort of Jack Antonoff-esque. A lot of my praise from “Music for the Masses” still applies here, in the sense that all of the instrumentals are still crafted like hip-hop beats with the ability to shift the momentum of a track on a dime. The vocals are still monotone yet great & that spatial awareness I praised is even better here, so maybe this isn’t the “Depeche Mode I was expecting”, as opposed to the version of Depeche Mode I’m most familiar with. It’s probably due to my adoration for “Enjoy the Silence” & “Policy of Truth” as examples of pure synthpop dopamine. Seriously, two of the best instrumentals of this style / era of music put to tape. I wasn’t as familiar with “Personal Jesus” until the Johnny Cash cover we got on “American IV”, but hearing the original here, I’m just stunned they were able to translate it so well for Johnny’s version. Of the other 6 tracks here, they all clicked REALLY well, with “World In My Eyes”, “Halo”, & “Waiting for the Night” as my favorites. “Blue Dress” stands out as the only one a little out of place, but it’s still well done in its own right. I’m a little bit pressed for time, so I can’t gush about these in the way I want to, but they’re all hypnotically good, & the ambiguously moody tones this album takes creates a great atmosphere that feels unique for its time – a darker version of Eurythmics would be the easiest way to describe it, but I pictured it like a noir movie in a dance club, and I just felt captivated by it the whole time. It’s a breezy 47 minutes that’s impossible to not find a groove in, and I think it makes for a great album. Hence, a very easy 5, if not higher. I really wish there were more Depeche Mode on the list, but I’m definitely gonna listen to more of them in my own time.
To quote Domhnall Gleeson in Ex Machina - “I like Depeche Mode.”
Overshadowed by Plastic Ono Band, this is Lennon and his poppiest, his most optimistic and his nastiest. An incredible statement.
Not for me, but shocking I knew multiple songs? I didn't know I knew anything about Depeche Mode.
Incrível!
Feel like this would make a great movie soundtrack or jukebox musical. This was not for me personally though. Fav: Personal Jesus
This for sure set the tone for the dance club scene to begin the decade. It has several heavy hitters on it that are staples with crossover appeal to this day. The play through factor is not there for me to get it to a 5, but a strong 4 indeed.
This was a nice listen after the week of crap leading up to it. I had already peeled away from DM at this point, but with over half of it being top notch songs in heavy rotation at the time…and since, it deserves a full rating. Some nice flashback memory triggering too.
I guess Depeche is just not my preferred mode. I can most definitely see why people like this band, but the music is too monotonous for me. For sure not bad, and a couple great songs here.
Couple great tunes. A few sleepy ones. And others that were distinct that era. 3.25
Sweet relief from a week of truly mind-numbing albums. The only decision here is do I go 4* or 5*? And you know what? Fuck it. I like three songs on here enough to round up. Not my cup of tea genre-wise, but this is clearly one of the best of the best of its ilk. 4.25/5
Hi level dance music from the eighties and nineties. One can also just sit and listen.
Didn't mind this one, but it wasn't anything special either.
Perfect. Just perfect. If you were to have asked me at the start of this process what I thought the best album on the entire list was, based on those I would've been familiar with at that time, Violator would have been a firm contender if not the album I'd have suggested. That could well remain the case after I'm finished in two and a half years time. A masterful marriage of darkness, wistfulness and charm.
3.11
First two songs were very samey and blended into one - zoned out while listening. Personal Jesus is famous for a reason; it is a great song. Halo was a bit back to the first two. Waiting for the night is a change of pace - definitely for the better. Enjoy the Silence is the best song on the album. I was not captured by this album at all and won't be listening again.
Enjoyed
I really like this album. World in my eyes starts it off well, it’s almost hypnotic. Halo makes me feel like I’m loosing myself in bright flashing lights, sea of bodies but I feel so lonely. Loved Blue dress felt like I was waltzing with a vampire Dangerous was also A CERTIFIED BANGER My favs Personal jesus, waiting for the night, Blue dress, enjoy the silence I enjoy the rhythmic vampiric feel to this album and how It all blends together but each song doesn’t sound the same - they’re all different but under one theme. The lyricism is also good.
meh
Top album, lekkere nummers, dikke sound
Dark, moody synths, and lots of them. Some good tracks that you could even dance to, but you’re more likely to be sitting alone in the dark by yourself contemplating your own mortality.
I genuinely thought the singles off this album came out in the mid 80s, and was surprised how much I liked the rest of the album. Songs like Personal Jesus make me wish I was at a British club in the late 80s/early 90s
7/10
PEAAAK PEAK ALBUM. Got so happy when this loaded up. Back to back BANGERS every album is a hit in my books. Personal Jesus is one of my favourite Depeche Mode songs of all time, but I really enjoyed Halo and Blue Dress which were first time listens for me today. Enjoy the Silence is obviously iconic, I will never get sick of that song.
Electronic new wave, synth pop peaked and ended all at once with this record
A wonderfully dark synth album about our human impulses.
Suites vibes
Not the biggest fan of this album. Just not to my taste, but can see why people like it.
Didn’t hate it didn’t love it
first listen: fav is waiting for the night and personal jesus is a classic later half of the album>>
some alright songs but generally average for me
Scorching highs, a couple of dips, but overall iconic!
remember when you smeared honey all over joe's dorm room door because he fucked a hitchhiker even though you were fucking both Chris and Sean and finally when driving route 90 clean came on and you were crying so hard you had to pull over? good times
Pretty solid offering
Depeche Mode fuckin rules, man
1. UUORLD -1.5 2. zuueetez - 1.5 3. jezuz - 1.5 4. Halo - 1 5. Night -1.5 6. Silence -2.5 7. Truth - 1.5 8. Blue -1.5 9. Clean - 1.5
Quite a few iconic tracks. Great album
Some classics by Depeche mode such as personal Jesus and enjoy the silence and more obscure tracks such as blue dress but an overall quirky and enjoyable album
Ok
Some good songs
One of my top 5 albums of all time
The Good: Uhmmmm… two Depeche Mode albums in a row? The Bad: Getting violated… The Ugly: By your own personal jezus… In my memory this album came out later than 89… I don’t know why. I was not a big Depeche Mode fan, though I knew/know all their mayor hits and appreciate them. My biggest problem with this album is that, setting aside the known hits, the rest of the songs just don’t do it for me… which leaves us with a conundrum as to how to rate this album… We will have to leave it at a 4* for the moment, as this seems to be acceptable in general.
Sone great singles- particularly thought the instrumental tracks were good.
2.5
Love it! Love it!
Luscious album. Loaded with bangers. Haven't heard it an album. Depeche from the 90s.
- enjoy the silence on yks kauneimpia ja parhaimpia biisejä tässä mualimassa - joo kylmät väreet koko biisin ajan nonstop, on kova - tää levykin on vaan niin saattannan cool
An absolute classic.
4 great songs and a few good ones. A little slow, at times. "Policy of Truth" hits hard every time.
Very good album, some classic songs!
not my vibe, but the songs are good for the score in a movie such as clean and blue dress.
May have been great in the 80s but sounds very dated now
Great album. Listening this makes the Johnny Cash’s Personal Jesus seem a lot worse.
4.5 (47:02, 9 tracks 1990, 7th studio album), late generation Synth Pop I find it hard to believe that this was released in 1990 not because it seems newer but I could have sworn I listened to it in the late 80's, probably because Personal Jesus was released so long before the album. Contains so many hits - going to edge it to a 5 - may reflect later and downgrade to 4
World in my eyes - felt like a song that would play when a creepy, pedo villian is chasing me in a club. Sweetest Perfection - Thug in me I can’t finish this