Reviews (page 10 of 13)
I like the style but the execution is a little flat and disappointing. Songs by themselves are fine.
music for the working man.
Felt very cinematic throughout. Moments of grief, doom, happiness. Almost performative beyond music. For some reason, 'Never Let Me Down Again' reminded me of 'Andy You're A Star'. Also maybe a little Cure-esque at points.
Might be a little biased because I have been an admirer of Martin Gore's songwriting for a few years now. I have been observer from the sidelines slightly dipping my toes into the world of Depeche Mode through albums like Violator, Playing the Angel, and Ultra. The synth + the reverbed spy-esque guitar just strike a chord for me in a way that intrigues the hell out of me. It's cool riffs like those on "Never Let Me Down Again", airy pads on "Strangelove", and vocal duets on tracks like "Behind the Wheel" that make me come back to DM trying to find that special album or era that really speaks to me. I've found a handful of tracks that really get me going but I have yet to find an album by them that is front to back captivation. In addition to the tracks I named above, other standouts for me were "Sacred" and "Little 15" for the characters the stories portrayed and "Nothing" simply because the track grooves. There is some really awesome sound design in this album that makes me feel some type of way (I don't know if y'all got tracks like "Agent Orange" in your streaming service but holy moly this one is cool!). I really really want to round up to 4 for this one but I think that I gotta stick to my guns here and give the album what I feel in my gut it should get.
Quintessential 80s - I kinda liked it. More than my dad I think. Not something I’ll come back too though.
Couple of decent tunes but a lot of it droned on
80s rock. Meh
Didn’t dislike any songs but didn’t like any enough to be added to the playlist
Chill, downtempo synth pop reminiscent of The Cure. Makes me want to watch crime dramas set in the 80’s. Hypnotic and repetitive.
meh
VERY distinctive 90s sound. Interesting the amount of overlap with early NIN stuff in terms of drum machines at least. Overall probably not one I'd put on, very flat vocals, at times gratingly so.
Music for the Masses is the sixth album by English electronic band Depeche Mode, and is considered one of their best. This synth-pop, new wave album features a lot of sampling to create an intricate, intriguing, and seamless electronic project that the majority of critics liked. I also approve of this album and found it brilliant. This is a great early electronic synth-pop album that most people will enjoy.
Solid album, but not as groundbreaking as the previous DM albums. OK, Never let me down again is a massive hit off course, and great song.
I Want You Now is corny as helllllll. Depeche Mode has better albums
Good album, very inspired by European electro, extremely 80s, melodic and listenable. Better than I expected, a touch experimental, not too poppy. Lyrics were amusingly stupid in places. Worth a listen
Great album. Never heard the whole thing before but know some of the songs quite well. Standouts: Strangelove, Little 15, Never Let Me Down Again and Behind the Wheel. A lot of great tracks. 3.5/5
One massive single with some solid synth-pop after. I don’t particularly like the dramatic parts. I might listen to the record again but synth pop isn’t really about albums, is it?
Never was a fan of this 80s melodramatic sound. I can sort of get behind the instrumentation, but the singing is so needlessly dramatic that I can't take it seriously. It might just be the singer's voice, but this band never tickled my fancy. I completely understand where others may see the beauty in this album though. 3/5
In terms of being able to produce a kind of agonised mechanical pop with avant flourishes, Depeche Mode pretty much hit the bull. An icy, almost industrial collection of songs fit for wintry contemplation, even if 'I Want You Now' sounds like the Flying Pickets were to they be assimilated by the Borg collective.
Didn't quite hit as hard as I was hoping it would. "Icy" feels right in terms of a description, so tip hat to Alex. Case in point: "I Want You Now." For a song with the breathy moans of boning, it's about as arousing as Eyes Wide Shut, like someone dumped a glass of cold sadness over the whole thing. (hello shrinkage!) And like Eyes Wide Shut, I wanted more and it never quite pulls me in, but I can't turn away from it nonetheless. Looking forward to comparing whatever album is next to Lolita tomorrow.
Very 80s sound, dream like qualities. The lyrics weren't relatable.
ok.
Instrumentals were usually enough to keep me interested, but I started it and expected it to be more of “Never Let Me Down Again” and it ended up being a lot darker and more goth-y than I would have liked, some songs just did absolutely nothing for me. Best song: Never Let Me Down Again
It's fine. Not my jam
Started off strong but didn’t maintain that peak.
I get why it's on the list. Just not my jam.
Ooh, I preferred this to Violator, which is a surprise. Still can be bloody OTT, portentous to the point of silliness, but most of the time, it really goes hard and brilliantly.
3. did not like this as much as i thought i would. i did like the remixes a lot though.
Honestly I never really listen to them when I put them on. Just turns into background music. Not sure why. Maybe try again sometime. Although I did enjoy Route 66.
Mye kult, men få hits.
It's fine, if your going all in with the synths and production of the era be consistent which Depeche Mode definitely is. Agent Orange with the hidden track was pretty good. Kept waiting for Personal Jesus. Still waiting
Pop electrónico con sintetizadores. Ni fu ni fa.
Personal Jesus - hard to go wrong really
6,5/10
First time listening to them. Reminded me of Oingo Boingo
Standard Depeche mode
I'm still not a keen listener to DM but this has some okay moments.
A apocalyptic synth record with a strange religious fervor. Not very hit driven but an interesting listen all the same
3rd synth pop of the week, this one will take more time to digest. Depeche Mode has always left me a little cold, yet I was downright addicted to “Never Let Me Down Again” last year. The dark, almost Halloween-y detours were unexpected, particularly the chanting in the last track. HL: Never Let Me Down Again, Behind the Wheel, I Want You Now
3.8
De kändes som att man höll på att vänta på såsen men den kom aldrig (i dom flesta sångerna ”nothing” gick crazy hårt)
Good songs unfortunately held back by outdated technology, something they’d much improve upon on their following album. Also, Pimpf just sounds silly
Ég skil að fólk elski þetta, flottur 9. áratugur, töff synthar, góð lög og textar, og einkennandi rödd. En þrátt fyrir að finnast þetta á köflum smá töff (sérstaklega Kraftwerkslegt lokalagið) þá er þetta bara ekki mín tónlist. Gott stöff en þið megið eiga það.
I listened to the Special Edition which had a number of songs which were a bit too noodle-y for me. Even "Pimpf" was a bit much for me. Depeche Mode always has this feel of not being overly emotional. It always comes off as cold to me. The few big hits are able to overcome the sterility of their sound, but not the the album itself. It wasn't bad, but again not a big fan. It just doesn't feel very emotional to me.
Before modern day R&B and hip-hop, you just know this was the kids' preferred baby-making music in the 80's. It's hypnotic, it's rhythmic, and then combine those beats with Gahan's sultry vocals (and Gore's lyrics). These guys were the masters of synth pop. I think the 3-song sequence from Never Let Me Down Again to The Things You Said to Strangelove is up there with some of their best work. Awesome tracks. And the sequence from Sacred to Little 15 to Behind the Wheel isn't too shabby either (though lyrics are a bit creepier). There are some bigger holes in the last four tracks. Pimpf is a little too weird and I Want You Now is a little too creepy, but Nothing is pretty good. The album definitely gets better on multiple listens; feels like a solid 3.5. So, round up or down? I went down to clearly distinguish it from Violator, which I feel is a superior album.
I always like Depeche Mode's sound but I rarely find myself drawn in enough to want to explore more. Favorite tracks: Never Let Me Down Again, Strangelove, To Have and To Hold. Could do without the annoying breathing in I Want You Now.
I never really listened to Depeche Mode as an album band. This had more depth than I was expecting. It's not reliant on quirky three minute pop songs, aka the DM Greatest Hits. There was a strong feel throughout. This sounds like a driving album, even though I don't drive.
It was pretty good. Very 80's sounding. I probably liked the Never Let Me Down Again the most.
trails off at the end
I've never been able to permeate DM. Never quite sure why. Possibly because I was always more of a loud guitar teen and DM was always too 80s lightweight keyboard-y and drum machine . Thought 'Never Let Me Down Again' was going to change everything because it's a great track, a fantastic opener. Despite being a single, can't ever recall hearing it. And you know from the very first second that the video for it is an Anton Corbijn clip. But the rest of the album, while not unpleasant is not making me revaluate my opinion on the band. Feel sad that never got to see them live though.
Decent album if feeling some 80s electronic, didn't wow me. Probably will not be listening to again
Meh.
Some very well mad music that I did not like. This stuff is clearly intricately crafted and sounds like science fiction but I did not really feel anything listening to it. The guitars in Route 66 sounds the same as in Doom And Gloom by The Rolling Stones, so maybe the Stones borrowed from this? It was a pretty unique cover.
I don't feel anything so remarkable on this release, but it was a pleasant experience listening to it. The musical work is impressive, they take account of the listener's experience for real, but the high number of promising techniques do not compensate for the lack of "trueness" on the whole album!
80s as 80s gets
It was fine
first listen almost fell asleep
Dave Gahan has a great voice & great performance throughout. Was not hooked by the songwriting here although I liked the minimalism of the creepy little 15.
It has its moments.
Similarly to the Car album, this one could have been so much more entertaining if it was a bit more diverse and upbeat. In the end it was a rather boring and monotonous experience
Good moody album
Keyboards and Cocaine
80s vibes
nokkuð góð DM plata
Fine record, has a few good tracks.
Favorite track: Never Let Me Down Again
7/10 Best Song - Never Let Me Down Again
haven't heard any of these songs before but I can get hints of other songs like policy of truth in certain ones like strangelove. Depeche is always great so this was a good week ender.
Love Depeche Mode, but only for the hits I know, and none of those are on here. Still, a pretty good album with a handful of tracks I dug. Loses a half star though because two of the tracks I loved were from rerelease(s), especially that sparse piano rendition of Sonata No. 14. I'd like at least one more album from them that has some of the big hitters. Favorite tracks: Never Let Me Down Again, Nothing, Sonata No. 14, Route 66. Album art: Not a whole lot to this one, 80% frame around a small picture. I do like that the loudspeakers arranged on the pole look a bit like a small bouquet of flowers, that's what I thought it was when in small mode on my phone. 3/5
kinda spooky
I really like the Depeche Mode sound. Feel like this is isn't the best of their albums though...Violator would likely be better. Hopefully it will be on the list. 3/5
fine - sounds like depeche mode - didn't really get me going
When I was younger I actively hated Depeche Mode, but my views on them have mellowed with age. Still not a big fan, but I don't mind listening to this. I have to give them credit, they could write a catchy synth riff. 3 stars.
Pretty good
Some great singles but not the best Depeche Mode
Cool dark vibes Favorite was Pimpf
Maybe my expectations were a bit too high but this one didn't grab me as much as the other on this list. Maybe it needs a bit more time or I'm just not in the right fram of mind. Fave: Never Let Me Down Again
Somewhat appropriately, my love for this album has faded. At one time I thought it to be much more enjoyable than I do now, and while I do still recognize value in it, my enjoyment of it is nowhere near that of years past.
The odd career arc to go from shy and fey and suffering synth types to the club music equivalent of arena rockers never made sense. This seems a reach to be taken more seriously by being less danceable, but the hooks get a little mechanistic and blocky. “Nothing” and “Agent Orange” are engaging, but “Route 66” and the “Moonlight Sonata” are utterly unconvincing, not even as filler.
3.5
Pop electrónico con sintetizadores. Ni fu ni fa.
Pretty essential, they're nearly there re-inventing themselves from synthpoppers to epic synthpopper gloom gothers. Three stellar singles and a strong set of album tracks.
Legalzinho. Melhores músicas: Never Let me Down again e Strangelove
80s synth electronic. Sometimes it worked.
Good, but Violator is just this album but better in every single way so I don't really see the need to have this on the list. I still enjoyed it though. "Strangelove" slaps so much god damn, that's a song that gets stuck in your head in the middle of the night while you're trying to fall sleep. I had "Architecture & Morality", a very similar album, just a few days ago. What's up with albums from this era having an album cover of a random .jpeg and some text on a plain background?
While the songs that are good are VERY good, most don't really do much for me. Also it gets pretty repetitive at times. There's only so much Depeche Mode i can listen to in one sitting. Still a solid synthpop album, but feels a bit dated.
Very dark and eerie
The album has that 80s sound. It was an alright album. I did not skip any of the songs but I wouldn't pick this album to listen to again.
My first time listening to Depeche Mode (apart from the classics). The album is good, but it does have some weird songs.
High three.
A solid album, but not their best.
Not much of an 80s electronic new wave kinda guy. But this was alright. I thought if the album was like the first and third track I was going to love it. Then there was some wack shit in the second half... So it balances out.
Emotional and contemplative
Depeche Mode... A long time after Vince Clarke left, but before Violator. Hm. OK. Why pick this Depeche Mode? They were pioneers. They changed (well, Vince Clarke did) music with Speak and Spell. They changed it again with Violator, sans Clarke. This album? Say what? Hell. Even Songs of Faith and Devotion was bigger, better and differenter. The album ain't bad - not by a long stretch. But I'd simply not include it given objectively and subjectively better albums from them.
Yep, that’s Depeche Mode
Pretty good. 7/10
I have heard many Depeche Mode songs MULTIPLE times. Depeche Mode has never really caught on with me. Perhaps there were so many strong fans around me, and DM had enough radio play that I never had to listen to much of their music of my own choice. I think I didn't find out about some alternative bands (The Cure, The Smiths, Echo and the Bunnymen, etc.) and later new wave artists until later because the local alternative radio station played so much Depeche Mode. This album sits firmly on the darker side of Depeche Mode's work, a good distance away from the pop-ish new wave of their early work. The dark, broody mood of DM still keeps me from fully enjoying this album. "Strangelove" got the highest marks from me for an individual track.
I dig it
Good, but a bit too ominous for regular listening.
80s synth pop, very samey, extra star for little 15 which I LOVED!
I'm going to tell my kids that "Agent Orange" is about Trump. I'm joking. I already told my kids that "Agent Orange" is about Trump and these fellas were just able to see into a dark future. I might also have thrown in how Trump played "Agent Orange" whenever he was getting a golden shower. It certainly sounds plausible. This album is fine, Depeche Mode is fine. A little overrated? Sure, and I'll save my rant for how the hell they're in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for another day. Do I prefer some love versions of Depeche Mode songs? Yes, surprisingly. I wish my take on "Agent Orange" (a pretty forgettable instrumental that sounds like it was added at the last minute as filler) was true. It would at least show that these guys have a sense of humor.
Easy listening and neat sounds. Not entirely my jam genre-wise, but pleasant overall.
Great band but not exactly what Id like.
I'm fond of the 1980s British synthpop sound, but feel like lots of the bands were singles-driven. Maybe I'm wrong. Either way, this record shows Depeche Mode in album mode. It's pretty consistent and well paced. The singer has a very distinctive voice, but hardly any variation - after about half the record, it does begin to seem like the songs blur into one. Overall, it's good but inessential to me. 3.5*
Reminds of Brian Eno
I used to work alongside an obsessive Depeche Mode fan. She would constantly bleat on about her devotion and mainly because of this I couldn't be less interested in the band
Estilo discotequero sin ser techno del todo. Ritmos no muy movidos, pero con un estilo predefinido. Fácil para tener de fondo y disfrutar en la lejanía. No he terminado de enganchar, porque no es un estilo que me guste especialmente
I am a fan of the Depeche Mode albums that follow this (Violater and Songs of Faith and Devotion), which are a bit darker, rockier, and noisy than their early records. The greater inclusion of guitar, the more industrial sound design (more noise and distorition), and greater reliance on pentatonic harmonies (ironically, simpler harmonically than their earlier material) is more to my taste. While familiar with their singles, I had not given earlier albums much attention. It was a real pleasure to spend some time with this album in full. David Bascombe, fresh off producing Tears for Fears and working with DM for the first time, brings a big sound and a penchant for experimenting than is enjoyable. Watching the doco on this album, he was clearly influenced by minimalist composers lie Glass and Reich, which is a bit of a niche sensibility that appeals to me greatly. I really enjoyed this, although not to the same degree as the albums mentioned above. Would buy (albeit for cheap).
Coooool mais un peu long sur la fin
It was fine. Never listened to much Depeche Mode other than the singles, and this was pretty much what I expected.
Jamen godt album. Til tider lidt kedeligt. Til tider rigtig godt!
New wave elektronisk 80’er, hypnotiserende, dystrest, medrivende
Pretty good example of 80s dark synth work
Used to love this
один из лучших их Альбомов у них
The light side and prelude to Violator, paling in comparison. The worst intervals are concentrated on the A-side; The rest lacks the coherence of the followup but stretches toward it and functions as good pop. To Have And To Hold justifies the listen almost by itself, which betrays my sympathies for less positive electronics.
Nothing special. Behind the wheel and Route 66 are decent. The rest is unremarkable, no appeal for me. Can't give 2.5 stars. Flipping a coin between 2 and 3.
Never Let Me Down AgainBehind the Wheel Nothing I guess I liked Strangelove back in the day but it is so overplayed it's hard to stomach. For the rest I could attribute not really liking them to the songs not aging well but this might just be an excuse. I liked these guys enough back in the day to buy their first album. tbh, I don't think I listened to it too much since I only liked a few songs. Sounds familiar. Anyway, liking three songs gets a 3.
I’m surprised that none of the half dozen or so songs that I associate with Depeche Mode have shown up on this album. I love the lead off track plus some of the ambient instrumentals that end the album like Pimpf and the remixes tacked on after are punchier and less dated than the rest of the material. The rest I find kind of gloomy and plodding. The vocalist doesn't really have a good voice for that type of music, they should have borrowed Peter Murphy from Bauhaus. I’ll round my score up based on Never Let Me Down Again.
Depeche Mode is certainly not for everybody, and even me in particular moments of time. This moody, brooding, dark sound of euphoric synthesizers and keyboards makes for great atmosphere music, and can be a really cool experience just listening in the dark or with mood lighting if you want to create your own little at-home show. Everyone other song on this album is a hit for me, and not including the 2006 Remastered bonus tracks, this is a pretty front heavy album. I honestly don't know enough about the band to put this up against any of their other works, but from my understanding this is a more mature album to leave for later if you want to get into them. I'll certainly revisit it once I do. Favorite Song: Never Let Me Down Again Honorable Mention: Behind the Wheel Least Favorite: Nothing
This is listenable but pretty borning.
When it comes to British New Wave, Depeche Mode is certainly another one of the bands on this list.
I actually really liked this album I thought it was nice and spooky and different than any other album i’ve ever listened to if this was out of 10 I would probably give it seven but four is too high but I did really enjoy this album
Another band I wanted no part of during the late-80s; "don't even show me any moody synth-pop!" So... as has been the case in this exercise, I was actually excited to get it today and give it a re-listen. Right off the bat it's both a lot of what I expected and I ... kind of like it? My teen-filter never let me like Dave Gahan's voice at all but it's perfect for this music and the more I listen the more I like it. To be critical, the songwriting as a whole is fairly limited - there is a sameness to the songs once I start listening. But keeping positive, to me the band's strength is more in invoking a gloomy and dark mood instead which in an odd way is not necessarily a bad thing; almost like all these minor-key synth songs begin to wash over you and create more like a 45 minute experience rather than crafting quality "songs". I'm not sure I'd ever have strong cravings for this specifically, mostly because of the lack of great (or good?) songs... but if someone (including me) says "i'm feeling emo/sad and need to be alone for a while" I know the right album to put on. 5/10 3 stars
Decent but nothing more.
Good album not my favorite from the band.
They’re one of my dads favorite bands so I’m pretty familiar with them. I was real excited to listen to this one. Though the hits aren’t really on it I did quite enjoy it for what it is.
zzz
It's not relaxing listening but it's pretty enjoyable music to mix it up once in a while. 2.5 from me
Strong 3, almost a 4. A few low points but some great tracks, I enjoy the overall style/sound: it's pretty distinctive
Would've been my jam if I was in my 20s in the 80s
Pretty monotonous. Not a bad listen though.
Classic, not for me
Interesting
Nicht so schlecht wie ich über Jahrzehnte proklamiert habe...
Yeah it was alright!
meh
boring af
Its alright, like most 80s synth pop its a bit limp wristed, lacking depth and excitement.
dark and somewhat groovy, maybe worth a revisit
Some obvious highlights on here - such as the opener- this is an album that is brilliant in places but a bit patchy overall. Apparently the album title was meant to be ironic, ironically the irony is that this was indeed the album that hinted at the stadiums Depeche Mode would soon be filling.
Quite repetitive and not particularly memorable. Better was to come.
Good alternative
Gloomy stadium naval gazing. Best Tracks: Never Let Me Down Again, Strangelove, Behind The Wheel
Pero por qué me aparece toda la electrónica junta 🙃, aunque no me disgusta, es un poco como rock alternativo.
Enough enjoyable songs outweigh the less interesting. I'd be happy to listen to it again 3*
I liked this more than I thought I would. As an album, I would happily listen again. No massive standout tracks at the moment but enjoyable.
A bit Samey but not bad
Enjoyed this. Quite like a bit of Depeche Mode. A shame none of their big hits were on this but was still a good listen.
It helps with hindsight hearing their evolution. I got as far as track 7 before moving on.
Den er ok ig
Not bad but not my cup of tea
3.8 + Love some Depeche Mode, and some of their best output is here (e.g. "Never Let Me Down Again", "Little 15"). There are also some strange asides ("Pimpf", "I Want You Now", "Agent Orange") where the band experiments with an expanded soundscape. Given the simplicity in the compositions, the almost brute force in the synthesized parts, tracks work best when they're focused around a composed song with standard structure (Verse-Chorus-Verse...). The experimental tracks sometimes sound ham-fisted and pretentious.
Nunca me gustó pero nunca le di una oportunidad. Mejor de lo esperado
Good, partly very good but not great
Ich war mal zufällig auf einem Depeche Mode Konzert und konnte den ganzen Fan-Wahnsinn spätestens nach der Performance von NLMDA voll nachvollziehen und war auch infiziert. Aber über die ganze Albumlänge komme ich mit der Euphorie heute nicht mehr hin.
Electronic not my cup of tea
Electrónica. Bastante más interesante de lo esperado.
It was fine, I guess. I've really liked Depeche Mode very much. This was exactly what I thought it would be.
for many years I believed I was a Depeche Mode fan (i really like the hits) but I cannot stand any of their records for its whole length
Muy lejos de su mejor nivel
I’m not a huge 80s music guy. It just sounds too old. This reminds me of the Smiths and The cure
Eh
another interesting album, had a cool sound and some cool tracks, "never let me down again" and "strangelove" were highlights
great singles, but albums can be a slog.
Kind of dark tone overall. Some of it weirdly reminded me of Pink Floyd The Wall.
Never heard of it before. Songs not familiar. Definitely enjoyable but not my jam on a whole.
4 3 5 3.9 3 2 1 3 3 3
Buen disco.
I like Depeche Mode, but I do not love them. I think the vocals are too naked/clean/straight compared to the darkness of the sound for my taste. I don't think this is their strongest album. Just felt a little too dated, very 80s, a little cheesy at parts. I like the synths though! I have heard "Behind the Wheel" before, prob one of the standouts. Nice driving beat. Also heard "Nothing" before too. Really don't like "I Want You Now", those breaths are a biiiit much. Pimpf is sooo overdramatic. "Agent Orange" was nice atmosphere. Kinda reminds me of a jam of ours without lyrics. "Pleasure, Little Treasure" is kinda fun. I swayed my shoulders in a goofy way. Pretty sure I've heard "Route 66". Had to look it up, but it's a cover. I'm guessing I'm getting into B-sides or something now. "Stjarna" reminds me of like, FF7 music or something. I can't believe they put a cover of Moonlight Sonata on here. Ballsy, but I am not a fan of something that popular being on an album as a cover unless it's a piano-focused album/cover album.
pimpf sounds like it could fit in a Castlevania game - C
Tengo conocidos una generación arriba de la nuestra y creo que no hay uno solo de ellos a los que no les guste Depeche, ese sector fueron darkis fresas sin duda. Es un sonido que me agrada bastante, aunque no se que diablos hace ahí claro de luna.
not totally sure this was for me. maybe i'm not a synth gal? but glad i listened i suppose. oh also, wish it had wayyyyy fewer references to little girls...
Depeche Mode has such an interesting sound they could be reading the newspaper and it would slap. Unfortunately this album had a few pieces that seemed off, but overall a good listening experience
This was ok, probably not going to come back to it ever though
Enjoyable album very Castlevania feel especially early on. Some classic 80s sounds, very common for the time. Good but not great, some songs are a bit repetitive. 3.5
Lettere ens-tonigt.
ok electronic album. A must listen to?
Super bizarre record. I actually like the Depeche Mode, but this one had like— a piano sonata? A cover of Route 66? Weird background cinematic jams? I give it 3 stars just for weirdness
ok
Spannend. Gut zum Coden. Tatsächlich habe ich gar nicht gemerkt wie schnell das Album durch war.
-Very futuristic sounding even now. -Some songs kinda repetitive. -Last half of album went further into a concept album style.
I was expecting to like this more than I did. The first time listening through a whole LP of theirs in a while, if ever.
I enjoyed it but I think I’m gay now.
There are a couple of songs that don't sound like Depeche Mode songs. Those are the best ones. Best track: Pimpf
Plain
1987. Key Songs: Never Let Me Down Again, Strangelove
Very campy.
Another Depeche mode album... ok buddy. The world doesn't need to listen to this much new wave, it just doesn't. Fuck off. I've always been skeptical of this band anyway, its fans are always the sort of people that think the lyrics are inspired by great philosophers etc. That end of the music fan spectrum is full of aspies who love this shit. No doubt if I searched I'd pretty quickly find nerds commenting on "the intersectionality of Hegelian tradition reflecting the human condition" on half the tracks here. This album is ok tbh, catchy enough and it's better than the last Depeche mode album I had (2 days ago). Fair bit darker, almost sisters of mercy dark. So it gets points for that. Truth be told this album IS worthy, it's just the other one that wasn't really. 3/5.
I think we can cool it with the Depeche Mode now.
Boring moody 80s snyth pop. Forgettable and 2 stars only.
Just sounds so dated and of a very specific era. Just whiny British 80s pop. Not overtly awful, but almost zero moments perked me up.
I like depeche mode it kinda sounds like they make all their music in a warehouse banging chains on the ground and wearing trench coats. I like it it's like if the 80s were a little evil. Big fan of the vibe. Ok so that might've just been never let me down again this is kinda ass. What the fuck are they talking about. Holy shit these guys kinda suck. They so did not need an instrumental track. Or two. Favourite: Never Let Me Down Again Least favourite: Little 15
This album was very boring. I see why people enjoy this music but genuinely I could not think of a time I would ever want to play this album. Overall probably great for others but just not me
I am confused by this album. Two stars
Well, I'm proud to not be part of the masses this time around. Favorite Track: "Pimpf".
Not my jam
Overrated bontempi music.
Didnt need 2 Depeche Mode albums. 2/5.
Album started out really strong. but as it went on, some of the songs felt like filler songs to the first few. some songs with just the vocalist singing and nothing else. that may do it for some but wasn't my thing. songs I liked: Never let me down again, the things you said, strange love, behind the wheel 2.5/5
I was not a fan of this. Too instrumental and nothing memorable.
Christ it’s like Morrissey fucked Tetris
An interesting album. Takes a strong start before veering into something more experimental, landing between their usual sound, goth opera and simplified driving synth riffs. Overall, not a bad outing but doesn't feel engaging as an album.
Struggled to get through the cheesy lyrics
I guess?
I bet Trent Reznor loves Depeche Mode. Depeche Mode, The Smiths, The Cure...times were dark in the UK. Interestingly, I recognize Strangelove and nothing else on the album but it isn't the most streamed track on the album, that doesn't happen often. Little 15 was one of the singles, it is not a great song. These guys watched too many Zamfir infomercials. The album is getting worse. Behind The Wheel feels like a knock-off Bond theme. The album is slowly descending into awfulness. I Want You Now has some weird tube breathing noises and some found sound of a radio broadcast that stretches into To Have And To Hold. Pimpf sounds like something a kid on his home computer in 1987 created for a MIDI file. This album might have gotten a little worse, song by song.
Not sure what I expected from this, but it was flat and had little substance. Perfectly good for what it is - I’m sure at the time it had a lot more impact, but hearing it for the first time it was really nothing to write home about for me.
I have this album, a gift from a former girlfriend. Even with the positive Nostalgia, this was dull. Guess I was never meant to be a Depeche Mode fan.
To have and to hold агент оранге невер лет ми давн агейн мне понравилось но я 0 треков добавил, поэтому 3 это много.
Feeling a bit harsh. Not quite as goth moody as the cure, not quite as iconic as a lot of their later stuff
I’m riding a bike so it’s day two of currently have like 5 km done in about 30 minutes in. I started this album yesterday a few songs in and I finished it today. I did not enjoy it. I thought I would because I know one song of the album, which is the probably like the most famous song ever, but I didn’t enjoy the album as much as I thought. The album they remind me slightly of Stranger Things season one and two because I had that like 80s atmosphere and 80s vibe which I kinda enjoyed again but not so much. I read this album two out of five. I don’t think it’s amazing. I hated the songs that we’re just instrumental.
this album got me like *snore* mi mi mi mi *snore* mi mi mi mi *snore* mi mi mi mi
a whole album of dirgy synth music, yippee!
🥱
Do you like '80 snare drum, I hope so because we put some 80 snare drum in your '80 snare drum so you can 80 snare drum while you 80 snare drum.
Not my favorite but I know they do have some good VB music
I've never understood Depeche Mode, and I probably never will. It's just such a dreary, boring thing, with an unbelievable amount of hype.
solidly forgettable
These guys should not be famous
It's fine. I've heard better Depeche Mode. I really enjoy Violator. I'm noticing the songs aren't particularly long, but they feel long. I'm not really getting a lot from this, it feels very dated and if I'm honest, boring. It's one of those albums where I'm forcing myself to listen to it. I had to skip through the second half of Little 15 to see if anything happened in it, if it was building up to anything. Nope. Violator is awesome, this album is boring.
Just not that fussed on Depeche Mode, even that other album i wasn't that keen on
Maybe I had high expectations but this was a really underwhelming album. Very monotonous and uninteresting. It did capture the era it was created during but I listen to far better ones than this.
Its not my tipe of music, kinda boring, meh...
Im tired of it all sounding the same and some instrumental but it is good just let me listen to one song every few shuffles on a playlist. Full album was too much. 2
It was ok. I didn’t love it.
Känns som låtarna aldrig kommer igång
I guess I’m not one of the masses
Music for the asses
synth pop really isnt my style but it still was a fun listen very good for exercising to as well
Just pretty rubbish
Canciones largas, muy similares, se sentían como dark o ns como explicarlo, me aburrió un poco
Nothing much appealing about this
Not my thing at all but I guess now I understand why Hot Chip got popular. Enjoyed some moments, but mostly found it boring.
I really wanted to like this, but found it kinda boring. Gothy elements with a EDM base on paper is what I would love.
Fastnar inte. Föredrog violator framför denna.
Rätt besviken efter förra!
one writihing mass lay unearthed upon the linoleum
me gusto hasta ahí. arranca bien, arriba, buena vibe, pero después se me hizo bastante monótono
Surely there are plenty of other Depeche Mode albums more worthy for this list?
hay algunos temas buenos pero me aburrio
I dunno, depeche mode all sounds the same to me.
Starts really strong but doesn’t go anywhere in particular
Expected to like this one more, but honestly felt like I was in church and the vicar was really dreary. 4.5 / 10
For me 1 or 2 Depeche Mode songs are enough. Their sound is interesting and a little different but it also grates on me
Alright, pretty boring
This did very little for me. I'm not against some solid 80's synths, but I just couldn't find something that I connected with throughout.
It was ok. Didn't really blow me away but I'm not a massive fan of this band.
I liked this album but not so much
Not something I’d listen to in my own but I enjoyed it. ⭐️⭐️
Maybe my mood, but didn't connect with this at all
Man, Depeche Mode could just crank this stuff out. Forgettable, mindless, meaningless, nihilistic. But I don’t actively hate it as much as some other stuff.
Nope, cancled, didnt like it
2 sterne
Nearly gave it 3 as quite enjoyable for the most part. Just didn’t have enough of an impact on first listen.
I was about 13 when this album first came out. Depeche Mode always intimidated me. People who listened to it were cool and weird and though interested I stayed away. I learned to appreciate them later. I can really enjoy Violator and some of their later works but not this album.
I did not vibe with this at all. 1.7/5
2+ Stars (6/15)
Man depechai nelimpa
Not really for me.
“Nothing” was probably my favorite, but otherwise I didn’t click too much with the album on the whole. I think other entries in the genre might fair better.
I have never heard of this band! First song is promising. This album gives a very specific goth vibe that I thing is very cool! I dont think I would listen to the album again, but several songs will probably make my Playlist.
Would give 2.5 if I could. I think violator is a stronger album.
83. hmm
Didn’t hear any hits on this one
Not so good smiths
It has the grandiose electronic soundscapes Depeche Mode is known for, but other than the opener there weren’t as many peaks as I needed.
every song sounded exactly the same and was hella gloomy
Okay, unremarkable, a few interesting moments, but there were other people doing more interesting things with the same equipment in this era.
Music for the Masses is my shit on paper: industrialized robot pop, expensive gloom, synths humming like a sexy appliance, I don't even mind the sad boi vibez. Reality? It just washes over me. Nothing really pops. Nothing sticks. And repeated listens unearth no mysteries. It's polished, very moody, very "come stand in this dimly lit fog and despair" but the songs never really sink their claws in. I don't hate it, which honestly makes it worse. I just sit there thinking "yeah...yeah" while the album quietly slips out the back door. Great wallpaper for a depressive European nightclub. Stinks like vomit and cigarette butts.
Depeche Mode's sixth studio album. Released in 1987. "Music For The Masses" is a series of synth-pop songs. Critiques of the time seem pretty mixed, none really giving it a negative score. They instead seemed to feel it was fine yet missing something while other give it an incredibly glowing review. This felt quite new for the album reccs up till now as either critics or retrospectives had been mostly or overwhelmingly glowing. Retrospectives seem to agree with the critics of the day who view it as fine though often highlight its legacy. I did come across a retrospective review that talked about how it did get negative perception in the press for being too depressing. Which felt surprising as I listening to the album. It's not positive but it's not THAT depressing to my ear. Though in saying that, I couldn't find more than one interview by the French and that was it. I'll probably keep this one brief for how I feel. It was fine. Nothing really moved me. It feels like a pretty stock standard synth-pop album from the 80's. Perhaps the lens of hindsight is cruel but there is no other lens on which I can view it from. Perhaps I could play a mental contrarianism in my mind for its benefit, yet I feel no drive there because of how little moved I was by the album. We got a song about drugs, a song about driving, and the rest are about some kind of sad love song in some way, shape, or form. Little 15 is probably the only song that stands out however and not for a good reason. Listen/read the lyrics and you'll see what I mean. The songwriter himself even mentions the song was partially inspired by a classmate he once had, who had an affair with a middle-aged woman when he was 15. The song doesn't glorify or condemn the relationship. It instead simply has the middle-aged woman telling the 15 year old about how much life will suck in future for him. So you're left with a strange context to a song that doesn't have much of a message other than life is hard. And after typing that out, I think I know what my conclusion for that song and this album are. It's directionless. The songwriter was in this limbo state emotionally and mentally, while that can be fun to explore I do not think this album actually explores those feelings or state. Instead it sadly declares them in this listless and low energy way that leaves me feeling bored of the album the longer it goes on.
OK, full disclosure... I dated this one girl long ago, and I told her that I liked Depeche Mode because I knew SHE liked Depeche Mode. Figured it was a white lie and no one would ever know the difference... Fast forward 37 years, and now I have to do a critical listen of possibly the most important record Depeche Mode ever had... ...and I hated it. How these guys ever recorded the number of albums they did or kept their careers going with essentially 2 songs IS BEYOND ME. And worse, I now have to basically confess this to my children (borne of that previously mentioned girlfriend) that I lied about this specific band just to get closer to their eventual mother... Oh what a tangled web we weave... Anyway, hated it. Probably a 1, but I'll notch it up to a 2 because I did win the girl in the end... Debatable whether it was due in part to my lie about Depeche Mode.
Never quite got on with Depeche Mode and I don't really know why - do they sound dated or just of their time - is there a difference? Something rather drab about them, and I like plenty of miserable music.
1/3. Maybe I just wasn’t listening closely, but this never caught my ear at all. I feel like based on my music taste I should like Depeche Mode, but these guys just bore me. The voice, the general muted sound; this is a high offense to them but I imagine I’d get a similar album if I asked AI to generate a dark wave album for me.
You know what, I've clowned on so much britpop that I just can't give Depeche Mode a free pass. I appreciate them, I think they broke new ground in the synth-driven '80s, but this isn't the album to nominate here. Shoulda been Construction Time Again imo.
They certainly have a sound. Not very dynamic though. Its fine.
Tem coisas interessantes. Mas provavelmente não ouviria de novo.
Depeche Mode are a band I should like. They are of my time. They criss genres i like. But i think i like the a-side of the best of rather than liking Depeche Mode. Their clean minimalist electronica bores me and Martin Gore has a voice i want to punch for aome inexplicable reason. In fact people bang on about the contradt between him and the other singer but there is little difference to me - probaly the production doing a lot of work in this respect (make them sound like they are singing in an empty gothic church, make the backing track punchy, but the vocals floaty). The Dave guy vocalist does have a signature vibrato, but thats just annoying. And what’s with the laying of a beat and just leaving heaps of the bar empty apart from that? Don’t have enough melody to go around, you got to use it sparingly? Honestly, bored the shit out of me.
Not really into this. A few of the songs are okay -- notably "Never Let Me Down" and "Sacred" -- but overall, I don't really like the sound of this band, which I feel is mostly just corny synth sounds and a drum machine. 2.5 stars.
I dunno about this one apart from it being very deeply mediocre, ploddy, ghoulish n dour synthplop. Strangelove was OK because the sound of it made me want to play Goldeneye 64. Few other highlights though and last song was actually kinda ghastly. This album should be called Music For The Long Grasses because in terms of essentialness I’d kick this album off the list and into the long grass.
One amazing song on this record, maybe two really good ones. Not my favorite record of theirs. Can't give more than three because there are better Depeche Mode records in my opinion. This one is just ok.
A few good songs didn’t catch on
I'm not a fan of anything too drenched in 80's production and culture. Its probably because i came of age musically in the 90's and this was other peoples music. Im sure there is merit in there and i can see style and melody, but it left me entirely numb.
skipped a lot
Weird even by the standards of the time. I don’t like the weird breathing and mumbling- creepy.
Sounds like my dad’s car. I don’t hate it but I can’t say I love it either. Not a huge synth fan.
I have a soft spot for the synth heavy sounds of mid-late 80s new wave, but I don't feel this album has aged very well. It really feels like a middle of the road synthpop album that doesn't really do much to stand out to me. The slower songs like "The things you said" reaaaally drag for me especially with the weird proclivity for repeating the same lines back to back. That's not to say there's nothing on here I don't like, I think Strangelove 88 is pretty great. On the other hand... Little 15 is a song that clearly is meant to be unsettling but just comes across as unenjoyably gross seemingly being about a relationship between a 15 year old and someone significantly older which, ew. Idk by the end of this one I was happy it was over, but its certainly not without any merit.
I didn't like this as much as I thought I would. Just didn't jump out at me with any memorable tracks. It's not bad at all. Just not to my taste.
It’s just too weird, even for me.
No. 1.5
não me agrada
Close your eyes, it's 1987. Regan is president, the wall still stands and you're in the mall sipping an orange julius...this is what is on your walkman.
A little weird for my taste but I managed to listen to it. An OK album.
Not Adam of synth pop.
I can't
Very strange music. Honestly, I can't tell what genre this is, but I don't like it.
Depeche Mode for me is all about the singles I have no patience for the millions of remix collections or inferior-audio live performance albums I was hoping for some gems hidden on this album, but I found nothing that came close to the very high bar set by the single releases This is certainly not the DM album I would have chosen for this list!
Parece que nunca entenderé a Depeche Mode, está "bien" pero no me parece que haya algo demasiado extraordinario, o memorable, ni en el puro nivel de entretenimiento. Quizá tenga que darle más escuchas pero por ahora es un 2.5
Better than I thought it would be but still not my taste. The lyrics can good at times, but I don't like the music. The music is good sometimes, and the lyrics are less than stellar. The music & lyrics never match up at the same time to my taste. 2.5
Very dark, I see where they have influenced other bands like Nine Inch Nails, but it's not my cup of tea. There are some good moments...but its an acquireddd taste. 2/5
Started interesting and then got sick of it pretty quickly