Reviews (page 8 of 14)
not really my style never let me down again was kinda good
As a big fan of Violator, I was really surprised by how little this album did for me. Some cool sounds, and a surprisingly pop punk energy behind the first half, but yeah, very middle of the road.
I've been meaning to listen to more Depeche Mode since they were unexpectedly one of my highlights at a festival a couple of years ago - it made me realise how many of their singles I like. Over a whole album it gets a little same-y, but I did enjoy it.
3.5
New wave-y in the best way. A gothy, very 80s alt rock album. I will relisten to this one.
Much of the record is so much more epic than it has any right to be. Dark, chunky, and cinematic. This is great anti-hero music. “I Want You Now” makes for a thoroughly uncomfortable listening experience. Standout tracks are “Don’t Let Me Down Again” and “Nothing”. The latter is truly amazing.
Quintessential 80’s new wave album. Sstandouts "Strangelove", "Never Let Me Down Again", and"Behind the Wheel".
This is a very weak Depeche Mode album. I like DM, but after the first song it this album's not that exciting. Liked Songs Added: Never Let Me Down Again
Such atmosphere and presence. This coupled with Violater is such a strong back to back performance. Brooding, tense, and sexual. Peak example of the genre.
Depeche Mode feels undeniable. These guys fuck.
Lijkt een beetje op the the, alleen vind ik het dan minder pit hebbe
Pimpf was good. Some nice synthy bangers. Quite dark and depressing but not bad. Not in a rush to chuck on again
Kinda torn cos Never Let Me Down Again is prob my face Depeche Mode song but rest of the album was a bit mehhhhhh. 2.5-3*
A very decent album. Very ominous. Some absolute bangers at the end. Stand out song - Never let me down again - Aggro mix
Good album, not great.
I had the exact opposite experience listening to this album as I did with Violater - it gets rapidly worse with repeated listens. The pacing on some of these songs is slow as a wake, but not on purpose. Strangelove shouldn't be THIS much better than the rest of the album. And, conversely, I Want You Now should be thrown into the sun. Perfectly balanced. Take my 2.5 rounded up and fuck off
Dull as dish water. Why is this here? Even the synopsis can’t explain why this album is interesting or included.
If there's one thing worse than a bad album, it's a boring one. Never Let Me Down Again is a good opener, but then after that my interest levels dipped gradually, then sharply once I realised help wasn't forthcoming. Such a waste, but then wasted is how you could easily describe Depeche Mode for most of the 1980s. I'm severely tempted to give this a 1, a rating I usually reserve for fulminating hate and utter contempt. Time to open up a new frontier...
Goddamn, this one changed me. This was my first Depeche Mode record. Got a tape of a tape, back in ‘88. Listened to it, pretty much non-stop all through junior high and high school. This turned me into a hardcore, new wave evangelical devotee, and DM super fan. The nerve of this record to still sound so good. It’s been many, many, many years. But it still hits all the right notes. Easily the best in their catalog.
Uusi, kiinnostava tuttavuus. Tulee ehkä kuunneltua toistekin.
I liked this a lot more than I expected. I'm a sucker for moody synths.
Baller, love these sounds
FUCKKKKK 😩
That oozes the 80s more than slimer.
Started off really well but faded towards the end for me. Really like the first couple of songs though.
Hittejä ja huteja itselle.
Ei parasta tältä koska se paras on lähes parasta mitä on
Helppoa kuunneltavaa. Laulajan mystinen ääni ja erilainen ääni jäi mieleen. Kappaleissa kiva taiteellinen viba.
Ihan miellyttävää kuunneltavaa. Tykkäsin eri soundien käytöstä, mukana oli jopa etnisiä sellaisia. Ei kuitenkaan ehkä sitä mitä laittaisin viikonloppuisin soimaan.
5 de 11 canciones me gustan
Odiously dull. I simply do not give a shit.
Upgraded from 2 to 3 and added review which was missing: This music is not a natural fit for me, but it has grown on me. I have listened to it about 10 times with limited fatigue. It has the basis of a very boring monologue but somehow manages to take time to sparkle occasionally. Its dated sound too much of the time but despite that I can hear some elements of uniqueness and quality. In the end I just started to enjoy the weird 80s synth and that culminates to me in a weird cult like chant in "Pimpf" and sounds like it's a film score for some dark sci fi epic. It's un-conventionally strong and while I do tire of some of the vocal fillers in this, I do actually like it I have come to realise. Certainly, the musical part with all its gothic height and oddities it makes it for me. Just.
First ever critical listen of any Depeche Mode. This album felt like an uninteresting slog with a cool 80's vibe. I found the music dull and vocals contrived and pretentious. At its best moments I was reminded of Morrissey but without the humour or the brilliance. Generally found the album very boring and I doubt there will be a repeat listen.
Very 80's feel to it and I mean that in a good way. Great album with a creepy ending track
Not great, Some good songs, some very strange sons
I usually enjoy Depeche Mode, but this was not great. First half was good, the second half was not.
To quote Matt Stone in the movie Orgasmo: "I think Depeche Mode is a sweet band"
This album, Violator, and Songs of Faith and Devotion are the holy trinity for me when it comes to Depeche Mode. There is such a wonderful metamorphosis that happens across those records, from synthpop masters to full on rock stars. Standouts on this album are "Never Let Me Down Again", "Strangelove", "Little 15", and "To Have and To Hold".
Depeche Mode is an important band. They are, as I have called a few bands here and there, "canon" as far as "alternative" 80's music is concerned. They were the go to college radio and nightclub band back in the day and with good reason. They have a signature sound that only by mild argument is "80's" as it is only stuck in that decade by virtue of its known popularity. Many of the songs span the timeframe to still work today. I don't think this is my favorite Depeche Mode album per se, but it is representative of the overall expectation one may get from the band. It is certainly worth listening to, and will give any music fan an accurate taste of what "80's alternative" was really all about.
I enjoyed the first 9 songs, but after that I was pretty keen for it to be over. I don't enjoy instrumentals too much and they also got a bit too intense and moody.
I liked it but I couldn’t explain why
I've never seen phantom of the opera but this is what I imagine their soundtrack to look like. Listening to this gave me mental illness. Maybe that's why I kinda liked it??? 3.5 rounded up
Electronic 80s is so hard for me to rate... I think it was good
I do like their vibe.
Really like the first half of this album, but for me it falls away badly after Little 15. I Want You Now is just awful.
It's very much of It's time. The synth sounds and the electronic drums. It was an interesting listen but I was never a big fan and this hasn't really changed my mind.
Few songs that feel fillerish otherwise its the Depeche Mode I remember and love
Fantastic album!
Good album but it started to sound the same a couple songs in. The last song was a nice change
So much 80s and so much a part of my college music experience. Loved it then and still appreciate it today.
Occupying the space between their 80s synth Some Great Reward and Black Celebration days and their 90s dirty gothy alt rock Violator and Songs of Faith and Devotion days, not quite a smooth segue but you can tell the shift is happening. Dave Gahan stalks broodily over each song, just a menacing figure in the shadows...
I liked this much more than I thought I would.
Classic. I love the first half more than the second.
some good, some random, very disoriented album imo, too much random stuff going on
This album is very dour and downright depressing if you listen to the whole thing. They sound great and are influential to a number of bands I love, but few of the songs on this album were memorable, and yeah I really felt drained by the end of it.
Very fun album, enjoyable listen.
I really liked this, it had a really different style and it was overall just a fun album to listen to.
Not awful, but I didn't like it and I didn't engage with it. It gets an "all right if you like that sort of thing, I don't" 2/5.
Liked a few songs but not the majority
This album seemed pretty forgettable by the end. I enjoyed well enough while listening but can’t think of my favorite track after the fact… 3/5 not bad but not great
This whole album gives me creepy groomer vibes and an unsettling sound throughout “ There'll be times When my crimes Will seem almost unforgivable I give in to sin” “Will you give it to me Will you take the pain I will give to you Again and again” All of Behind the Wheel onwards. Ick.
Tämä on ollut mun aktiivikuuntelussa pitkään sen jälkeen kun hurahdin DM:een. Nimi on mainio levylle joka nosti yhtyeen jo osin koko maailman tietoisuuteen juuri ennen todellista pommia, Violatoria. Miks tykkään tästä niin paljon? Ennen tätä levyy bändi oli muodostanut jo omintakeisen soundin joka ol jotain gootihtavaa rokkia mutta synalla -tyyppistä, mutta tämän levyn kohdalla mukaan tuli viimeistäänkin valtavat pop-koukut jotka yhdistettynä upeaan nimeen muodostivat aika hiton hyvän synapoprocklevyn. Sika kovia hittejä ja väliinkin jäävät biisit ovat nousseet itselle kiinnostaviksi. Tämä kaikki tulee nyt toki aika kovan DM-fanin suusta. 5/5
Vähän laahaa loppua kohden, mutta kyllä tämä nousee silti neloseen. Tunnelmallinen ja täydellisen kasari.
genuinely did not enjoy this album. very dated and i was looking forward to getting to the last song
Sounds like more Depeche Mode. It's good.
probably a lot better on headphones and never let me down again is such a hit
it was okay, i'm not quite deep with depeche mode but I am aware of how new wave and synthpop during the 80s
Squeaky clean pop goth. Cool stuff, good music. Not entirely for me. Some bands ABUSED the gated snare and shitty synth effects of their day and Depeche Mode is amongst the list of those. It sounds so robotic, loses alot of the charm.
This is a classic and was from the day it was released. Depeche Mode has been making consistently great music for 4 decades now. This falls between Black Celebration (which deserves a spot on the list. Let’s throw the Associates off right now). I’m pretty sure if you disliked this album you need to get back to the safety of your auto tuned nonsense and overproduced numetal.
I found this album surprisingly annoying. The flat vocals and the goofy electronic music created a combination that was decidedly not for me.
Depeche Mode is such a good band wow. Don't like this one quite as much as Violator but it is real good.
I’m not a huge Depeche Mode fan. I didn’t like their early synthpop, Top of the Pops stuff. I do like Violator, or at least some of the songs, very much. This is somewhere in between. There is a darkness to some of the numbers but the instrumentation on others is a little weak.
Maybe it is just me, but I find this terribly boring. 2 stars or D.
starts strong, ends stron, middle is weak
Cool but absolutely not my speed
Always a great listen from the Basildon boys!
Perhaps in the right mood, this might click for me. I don’t hate the sound but it didn’t blow me away, either. 2 stars, I think; on a different day, though, maybe 3?
I have liked the idea of Depeche Mode for a long time, but hesitated to say I like-like them because I've only scratched the surface of their songs via the radio so far. So I was excited to have a first date as it were. Well it didn't go quite as expected. I like the song I knew going in "Strangelove" but the rest were kinda meh for me. I was hoping the deeper tracks would be more dark and synthy, but a lot of these seemed "normal" With a title like Music for the Masses, maybe it was intentionally toned back to try and get wider appeal, so we could have been both trying to be fronting a bit on the first date to try and appeal more normal, when deep down we are really just black shirt sad kids. So I'll be willing to give it a second shot, and hopefully (by looking at the tracks I also know) Violator will be on here later on. Favorite track "Strangelove" 3/5
I really wanted to like this more than I did. I enjoyed some of it but a lot of it really droned on.
Interesting but seems rather locked into a specific range of sound. Lyrics were hit or miss.
This is an awesome album. I liked it a lot more than expected
Итс окэй. Очень интересно, как же так вышло, что это группа стала таким феноменом в совке и на его руинах. Лучшая песня - Strangelove.
Best Song: Behind The Wheel. I liked the driving energy of the track, aligning with the lyrical themes. Worst Song: Little 15. Call me puritanical, but I immediately balk at any pop/rock songs sung by middle aged men about under-aged girls. Whatchu singing about them girls for? Overall: Music from this era of synth-pop must have the greatest gulf between how sexy it is desperately trying to be and how sexy is actually is. Combine that with how Super-Serious everything is presented, it's hard not to find the whole album unintentionally goofy.
It's fine, but Violator is better.
Not bad
On this album, Depeche Mode go even further into the darkwave and post-industrial sounds they had taken on their previous album. Despite the more experimental nature of these genres, the band manages to keep these songs tight and accessible, whilst still creating a moody atmosphere. I don't really know if any of these tracks became big hits, since they are not heard around as much as many of the band's other single, but this sure is a cohesive and very enjoyable album. Key tracks: Never Let Me Down Again Strangelove Behind the Wheel
Fantastic album with classic DM songs.
I generally like this style of music.
Depeche Mode is cool! The songs didn't pack as much of a punch for me as the ones from Violator, but man this band makes great music. 4 stars.
Comparable in quality to Violator
# Album Name: Music to the Masses # Artist: Depeche Mode # Rating: 5/5 # Comments: Absolute banger of an album. Took a few listens but i got there in the end. Some great tracks on this thing. I really enjoyed it. The vocals, the tunes, the beats. All top draw. # Top Tunes: Tracks 1 - 9 # Would I listen to it again? Yes
All the songs sound the same
Classic DM
This is a great album, I do find the quality dips a bit in the second half though. The first three songs are absolute bangers. Overall, not as good as Violator, which is near perfect in my opinion.
Haven't listened to this album in close to 40 years. Liked it but not as much as I did 40 years ago.
Favourite song: The Things You Said
A ono, šta ja znam. Ima dobrih stvari na ovom albumu, ali ima i nekih koje su mi wtf. Općenito nisam njihov preveliki fan, ali imaju par kultnih pjesama koje rado poslušam. Ne znam kako bih rejtala ovo, ali vuče me više na 2 nego 3 nekako, pa eto, moram slijediti filing. 2/5, 4/10.
Really solid
Migraine inducing. Not a single redeemable song.
Perfect train music
Fine. Depeche Mode improves through albums and while the first couple songs on this first record are strong, the latter half loses me
now i love me some depeche mode, but i KNOW they can hit harder than this. what was this y’all. every song just kept falling farther and farther off. gotta be either a high 2 or low 3. imma do low 3. low though. low.
Pre-listening thoughts: 😭 we just got Violator like a little over a week ago. I’m sort of sad bc that means Depeche Mode is over so soon! I mean I can always revisit these albums but ya know. Also second album in a row from 1987! Freaky Post/during listening thoughts: oh dude Depeche Mode goes crazyyyy. I’m a fan now between this and Violator. This wasn’t quite as strong as Violator - there were a couple tracks that sank it a little bit. This is the “This is Hardcore” to Violator’s “Different Class”. Just like with This is Hardcore, I will be thinking about whether to give this a 4 or a 5 for eternity. 8.5/10 DID I NEED TO HEAR THIS BEFORE I DIE: nope Fav tracks: All of it except (see below) Least fav tracks: I Want You Now (did we need the 30 seconds of heavy breathing at the beginning + end?), Pimpf (what is happening)
i do not like 80s music, this was a very hard listen
More listenable than I expected but still not really my thing.
Good trance dance music didn’t grab me for a sit and listen
Immediate hell yes from me. My favourite Crizzo coded electronic group. Imagine the vibes of hearing this blasted through a big ass cathedral. Shout out to Pimpf for being Final Fantasy villain music in the middle of all this. Piano building up throughout until it’s just the final flash keys at the end rules.
I'd rather enjoy the silence 😂 😂 😂 It's alright to be fair. Agent Orange - my favourite of the bunch - sounds like the opener to a gritty 80s thriller; not unsurprising with a title like that. It was also pointed out to me that Pimpf sounds like a Final Fantasy dungeon track... Some enjoyable bits here and there, but outside Agent Orange, nothing I'll relisten to. Highlight: Agent Orange
Pre: My knowledge of Depeche Mode consists solely of Enjoy The Silence, Just Can't Get Enough, and Personal Jesus. Now we're in new territory though. Post: Wasn't feeling it in the first half but by the second it rips. I'll come back to this album. It feels like the genesis of many Synth artists now like Makeup and Vanity or Scattle, surprisingly more than Carpenter. The weird ones here are the highlights though, it reminds me of Angel Dust by Faith No More, especially Pimpf, as an album that's truly not afraid to be weird. The album as a whole is a pleasant surprise to me that I'm gonna come back to this a few times I think. Side note: The Smashing Pumpkins cover of Never Let Me Down Again also rips. Highlight: Never Let Me Go (Aggro Mix) (Yeah it's technically a bonus song but that's some good stuff).
It's okay I guess. Never been a big Depeche Mode fan, so it was kind of a bland listen for me.
Depeche mode is better then most music, it is unfair to compare. Strangelove ftw
🎧I had no idea Depeche Mode was capable of such darkness and brooding. Favorite track: Nothing
I am familiar with some of Depeche Mode's other projects. Good stuff, but nothing too mindblowing. Excited about this one! Synths SYNTHS! Extremely catchy first track, amazing last minute. 5/5 Little bit janky transition (Spotify) Holy layers! 50 sec ish transcendant synth-line, reminds me of Kraftwerk Mantra-like lyrics fit well with the cold spooky atmosphere of the track. 4.5/5 Janky transition again. Opening sets an eerie atmosphere Fun synth riff. Certain effects seem a bit dated (lasers). The synth drum fills are too much at times. Catchy chorus. Hypnotic ending. 4/5 Great transition. Religious vibes freaky contrast to earlier songs. Unexpected. Some awkwardly written vocal lines. Meh chorus, cool synth breakdown post chorus. Vocals a bit too far back in the mix at times. Interesting perspective. Ends excellently. 3.8/5 I hate gnawing synths here. Jarring to the ears. Is this a serial killer song? Uncomfortable. Cool instrumentation at around 3 minutes. Needs revisiting. 3/5 Bassy! Panflute-like sound? Fun instrumentation. Sounds like falling down a neon staircase. Would be a great driving song. (duh) Weird lyrics but ok. Extemely catchy, dark and almost gothic. Fun track 4.8/5 My ears, stop sucking them. Acapella-like start is truly fucked. I respect the placement in the tracklist for this. Experimental, cold, almost industrial at some points. Outro is large and powerful. The sucking must stop friend. 4/5 Old russian radio is spooky at 4am. Intriguing, gothic, grainy, vocals a bit unclear. Drumline and background synth reminds me a bit of The Cure. Spooky. 3.5/5 Awkward, sudden transition. Bassy. Metallic. The bassline carries this song. The pessimistic/apathetic nature of the lyrics fits with the robotic uniformity of the music. 3.5/5 infinite-staircase-ca-mario64-core.wav Who summoned the end game boss? Ok boss is in phase 2 oh shit Layeeeeers baby. Don't drop those keys... Epic 5/5 Spooky helicopter-bug going crazy Instrumental dark gothic synth is fun! The little guitar riff is a nice addition to that particular part. So dark and electric. Jumpscare! Really atmospheric. I enjoyed this a lot. Fav track: Pimpf Least fav track: Little 15
Dark and hypnotic
Meh
Okay, didnt really get through it as much as i wanted.
1. douun - 1.5 2. thingz - 2 3. ztrange - 2.5 4. zacred - 1.5 5. little - 1 6. uuheel - 1.5 7. nouu - 1.5 8. hold - 1 9. nothing - 1 10. pimpf - 0 11. orange - 1.5 12. again - 1.5 13. have - 1 14. treazure - 1.5
It's a great sounding album with some solid songs on here. However, if it would be up to me, I'd either put Black Celebration or Some Great Reward on this list instead. It is a classic album tho
Decent album, still prefer Violator.
The songwriting keeps the interest here. Less catchy that some of their other work. As a collection it works pretty well.
Fantastic album! I loved both the instrumental tracks (Pimpf and Agent Orange). I also particularly enjoyed Never Let me Down Again, Little 15 and Strangelove.
Enjoyable!
Classic
Half way through, not really into it
I thought this would be more pop bc of the title, but I don't think it was. Another 80s album imo.
Started out horribly, but grew on me as it progressed.
So the opposite of the prior metal album and made me appreciate that one just a touch more. Depeche Camode was never my bag, I was a Dead Milkmen kind of guy when this was current. The hits did bring me back in time. And overall I enjoyed it more than I was expecting to. Still not in the hallowed ranks of The Smiths and The Cure from the era, but it has it's place on this list. As I type and listen, my rating creeps higher.
3/10 La canzone che mi è piaciuta di più è Pimpf, una delle due instrumental Il principale pregio del gruppo è l'iconicità, appena senti una canzone sai che è la loro, ma per i miei gusti spesso non è una bellissima notizia Li trovo noiosi, sia musicalmente che nel cantato
Rinos fave, really enjoyed Depeche. Reminds me of Duran Duran. Going to be in the rotation going forward.
Strong 4. Some quality tunes - strong 80's vibes (sometimes to the detriment of the songs) - a couple of bum tracks (Pimpf?) mean its not a 5.
Music for the Masses Quite partial to a bit of Depeche Mode even if I’m not that familiar with them outside Violator and the singles/greatest hits. This does feel like a bit of a mix of their more overtly pop stuff and their more gothic whips and semi-knocking tinged electro stuff, it has some echoes of People are People, Everything Counts and New Life and Just Can’t Get Enough but also echoes of Master and Servant, Personal Jesus and Enjoy the Silence. They are really great at catchy synth hooks, seemingly done with one finger. There’s a couple of great ones in Strangelove, but they are scattered throughout on some of the excellent tracks on here; Never Let Me Down Again, Things You Said (hello Kraftwerk), Sacred, Behind the Wheel, Nothing. The combination of those poppy hooks and the drum sound with the dark lyrics and gloomy, brooding atmosphere is great. Aside from the obvious Kraftwerk reference you can also get a sense of Bowie and mostly Joy Division if Ian Curts hadn’t died, kind of meshing the music New Order make with the lyrical and atmospheric approach of Joy Division. It doesn’t always work though, Little 15 is way too musical theatre cabaret and is pretty annoying as a result, I Want You Now’s sex breathing and horizontal melody feels pretty flat. I half like and half dislike Pimpf, the repeating motif is nice, but that circularity does make it feel it never really goes anyway. I enjoyed this a lot, the great songs are great, but it doesn’t quite sustain the highs of Never Let Me Down, Strangelove and Nothing. But it’s still a very good album. 4. 💅💅💅💅 Playlist submission: Strangelove
I have a liking for the dystopian feel of Depeche Mode's dark-brand of 80s electronica, without being a fully-fledged fan. Behind the Wheel - it's the Crystal Maze! I actually can't listen to this without hearing "start the fans please!" and thinking of over-excited contestants running in shell suits to the Aztec Zone. This one in particular feels like a warm up for Enjoy the Silence. It's a very solid album, and the first half evocatively foreboding with catchy melodies. 'Things You Said' is superb. That is some Smiths level of greatness. But the second half tails off into little of note. It can smell a four. But I think it remains a strong three.
An eerie, atmospheric, and well-crafted album. Embraces the computerized, almost alien sound of synthpop to good effect. I don’t think I loved it, but I would give it another listen or two. Best song: The Things You Said
BaustellenPop, 1987 -> 3
Yes
Melodramatic and Atmospheric, the world of the album it created is dark greys and blacks if that makes sense. I liked how they had a consistent tone throughout and the instrumentation was kept interesting throughout the runtime
Reminds me of the Smiths, albeit more instrumentally diverse. Good use of keyboards and piano in songs like The Things You Said, To Have And To Hold, and Little 15, creating a foreboding, melancholic atmosphere that post-punk, proto-Britpop often struggle with. I really enjoy it. At times, Music for the Masses approaches almost a "medieval gaming" genre – think Dragon Age, The Elder Scrolls, and so on. This is most obvious in the instrumental track Pimpf, with its deeply harmonised choir and a dramatic, percussion-heavy orchestral backing, but hints of it are seen throughout the entire album. The audience is exposed to a grand, tense atmosphere not only in this song but also in Strangelove, I Want You Now, and several others. Points for consistency while still varying the mood enough to create an engaging album experience. I do have to bash the drums here (heh). They sound exactly the same in every track, and in a bad way. The airy downbeats being emphasised for an hour straight really gets to you, and it's the main detractor from an otherwise rock-solid 80s sound. Even the vocals are pretty darn good compared to 95% of British post-punk from the same period. 4/5 Key tracks: Never Let Me Down Again, Strangelove, I Want You Now
Generally okay; "Pimpf" was quite fun. 3/5
its the same disco music for me its kind of lame
I think it's really quite good, if you like Depeche Mode. I happen to like Depeche Mode, so it's very good. Is it 4-star good? Who knows? If we're grading on a curve, and there was never any music after 1989, it's a 5-star banger. Alas, music was produced in the 90s onward, and so this is probably a 3.5 at best. Look, I'm going to give it a 4. I'm not absolutely sure I think it's earned it, but for 80s music, it's pretty awesome. It's unique, it's influential, and it holds up.
Electronic music, droning vocals, not much appeal for me at all....
1) Never let me down again 2) Pleasure, little treasure 3) The things you said 24/01/2025
Decent album
Built their gig core
Good rainy day music. Good band
What to say. Classic 80's synths, classic 80's darkness. A genuinely good album.
Jeg kommer nok stadig til at synes, at denne liste har for meget Depeche Mode, men indtil videre har begge albums været positive overraskelser. Et par af numrene lyder sangeren som Maynard fra Tool
Rigtig fed synthlyd!
Really liked the sound of this. 3+
Some good song writing and creative 90’s rhythms.
More 1980s stuff.
I like it but felt like it got kind of boring by the end of the album
The singles are solid but most of the album sounds like a bad soundtrack to a mid movie
Not particularly memorable. Decidedly not music for the masses (ba dum tss) Giving this a 3 instead of a 2 because I like “Never Let Me Down Again” and the funky music theory of “Pimpf”
Notes as I listen: Songs 1-5: This is so boring I’m considering switching over to Megadeth Song 6: Is the concept "gregorian chants over 80s techno"? Song 8: Put in my other earbud to see if that helped at all. Song 8: It didn't. Song 8: This is like when the most boring person you know starts telling a story about the children of people you don't know. Song 10: wtf is this Song 10: very upset that this is 14 songs long. Song 11: Was this album meant to be the background scoring for a movie? Summary: This is a fucking slog. Started as a gentleman's 3, but the more I listened the more I hated it.
Not my favorite flavor of new wave
Like for the general soundscape they cultivated here, don’t love bc the songwriting is a bit too same-y for me
wasn’t really a song that stood out to me. a bit too goth and brooding for my tastes but i respect it
So good!
Didn't make me want to fall asleep, or tear my ears out. But still, boring.
Some classic bangs but the rest of the album started to sound the same as I kept listening.
A couple great songs here. Production is wild, some of it feels ahead of its time, experimental. Very horny, religious undertones.
Didn’t like it. Got about 3/4 of the way through and gave up.
It was fine. I will never choose to listen to this again, I wouldn't complain if someone else put it on. Classic 3 on the John scale
I have never been able to get into Depeche Mode. I don’t know if it’s too much synth or if it’s the vocals or the overall style, but they just don’t do much to move me. I like some of their songs okay when I’ve heard them covered by others, but that is not much of an endorsement.
It’s exactly what you expect from Depeche Mode
This is my favourite pop album of all time. Depeche Mode is one of my favourite bands of all time. I adore this album.
Pretty cool experience.
In a certain context I could see myself enjoying this more, but too moody for first thing in the morning.
Un peu mieux que le sketch des Inconnus sur Indochine, mais pas de beaucoup.
Never Let Me Down Again is one of my favourite songs of all time, so it will be hard not to rate this album a 5/5.
Great listen. Never heard it in it's entirety before but I loved it. Can see why it's considered so influential.
A bit repetitive
Not sure why there needed to be two Depeche Mode albums on the list. They are very similar. Not meant to be a criticism of the band, I enjoy their mood at times and certainly danced to them plenty. There is just so much variety out there to explore, and Depeche Mode is a very specific sound that doesn’t ever seem to stray far.
Great soundtrack for a 1980s vampire
Didn’t finish, didn’t really like.
Man I love the electronic sounds of the 80s but I cannot get over this droning singing, am I missing something? all these albums would be so much as instrumentals.
Strongest song opens the album, never reaches that height again but the rest is still quite solid!
I am an absolute sucker for those 80s synths that sound like melodic droning (idk how else to describe it).
Actually like this album! Nice groovy music - Perfect for work actually... Yea enjoyed it and would listen again and recommend
Not a fan, This music isn't very bearable for long amounts of time.
Meh not great. I like Depeche mode in general but this was a bit too much for me.
Classic
If Edward Cullen made a synth-pop album
Despite seeing them in concert a couple of times, every time I listen to depeche mode it makes me want to listen to a lot more depeche mode.
Great synthpop album. I'd already listened to some great reward awhile ago and liked that. This is like a darker and more developed version of that album. Little 15 and agent orange were standouts. Great vocals throughout
new wave is more boring than post punk 3/5 edit: what was i thinking when i first listened to this? Never Let Me Down Again and Strangelove are now both tracks in my usual rotation. why would i hate this album? 4.5/5
It is pretty funny that they decided to name it ironically, but without looking it up I wouldn't have known because it did actually become that popular. Definitely for good reason tho. I actually liked the songs towards the end the most
Me gusta. Son más explicaciones
Overall: 7/10 I only know three Depeche Mode songs and they all came out after this album so I found this very interesting! It's pretty much what I expected them to sound like. It's like synthpop made in the lower depths of hell. It's danceable music but there's something sinister behind it, and I think a lot of that comes from the haunting vocals and ambient soundscapes added into the back of some of these songs. I'm honestly shocked that I'd never heard any of these songs before but I can't wait to hear more from these guys! Fav Song: Behind the Wheel Least Fav Song: Little 15
Its ok
Great album, reminded me of Foals a bit.
It was a decent album, 3/5. I like a few songs by Depeche Mode but none of them are from this album.
As a 14yo in in 1987, I didn't have a tremendous exposure to music. I played this album a lot back then. It was the edgiest thing I had acquired at that point. Relistening now, I'm just not in this space anymore and I like a couple of tracks, but this is sounding bland to me now. I do enjoy some of Depeche Mode's later albums though.
Great album, so many high school memories with this one
I've hit a bad run of time wasting albums...
Dark 80s synth music, not as catchy as I expected but quite atmospheric. Overall an enjoyable listen, possibly one that rewards repeat listening.
Peak Depeche Mode
LP
Music for the Masses is fine... The production is polished and the mood is cohesive, there aren’t many songs that truly stand out or grab you. It’s decent background music, but not their most memorable work.
i liked. all the songs kinda started to morph together tho
Album was alright. Had a few highs. Kinda dissociated for most of it - feels like an album to so sleep to.
The last time I listened to a Depeche Mode album I really enjoyed this, however Music for the Masses felt underwhelming. I liked Pimpf mostly because it gave me something to chew on. The mixes were pretty fun too but the core of this album just wasn't for me.
I went to their concert too... except it was the Singles tour. I like this cd... I especially like the My Secret Garden remix. I don't know that I'll make time to listen to it today. Maybe. :) It has been awhile since I listened to Depeche Mode.
Annoying 80s pop
Solid
I've wanted to like Depeche Mode for forty years. I respect the songwriting. I just don't like the sound.
Great start and a sputtering finish.
Some really good songs that I can never remember are by Depeche Mode, mixed with a lot of others I don't care for and easily forgot.
I listen to this album once a week..love it.
Depeche Mode is one of those bands that I wish I'd gotten more into. I really enjoy their music, but for some reason it's never quite made it into my regular rotation. Sounds very 80s British music and I'm here for it. I had to actually make sure I wasn't actually listening to Morrissey by accident though he would probably be quite upset with me for thinking this given the scathing review he wrote of Depeche Mode. I'd quite happily sit here and listen to the entire album again.
Didn't hate it, but not sure I loved it, either. Seems frozen in its late-80s context, so it's hard to get past the production and arrangement choices to connect with the songs. So it's all about the sounds. Some are captivating, some annoying and opaque because of the overwhelming coldness of the synths. Learned to truly respect David Gahan as a singer and the way his voice weaves with the synthetic production. A solid, middle of the road 3 for me.
Bueno
For me, this is where Depeche Mode really hit their stride. Some Great Reward and Black Celebration before are great too, but Music For The Masses is where they really figured out their sound. I love the variety in sound, between catchy, straightforward pop tunes like Strangelove to more downbeat and morose tracks like The Things You Said. Never Let Me Down Again is pretty much perfect, I can't think of a better driving song and it's a little glimpse into where the band would go next. The album eventually leads into some quite eery tracks in the second half, like To Have And To Hold. I can see where Nine Inch Nails took influence from Depeche Mode here Excellent stuff. 4.5 Highlights: Never Let Me Down Again, Sacred, Strangelove, Behind The Wheel
As someone who isn't already a fan, this was hard to get through. I like a lot of the soundscapes but there isn't enough meat to sink my teeth into. And the back chunk gets really drone like in a way that grated my nerves. The last track was kind of a fun track in the sense that it felt like the closing credits to a film. But by then, I was a little meh about the whole thing.
Never Let Me Down Again // Strangelove // Sacred // Nothing //
Wow, this is up there with Violator (spoilers, also a five).
Another super solid album by Depeche Mode. I honestly feel that this is the only band that can pull off this electronic beat style so popular in the 80s. This sound is almost timeless, even though it is slightly monotone before the end of the album. No hits on the record, but plenty of solid tracks.
I love Depeche Mode. I love that they are a band that has existed for so long that people can have different experiences with them based on when they come to them. For me, Violator was such an important album I can lose sight of the fact that they were huge before it came out. This album is good evidence of why.
-ouUU MY god another favorite… forgot how good this was.. I was obsessed with this album in Summer 2023, I remember listening to it on the beach during my Senior Week trip -some of Depeche Mode’s best work. not a single boring song on here. the deluxe tracks are really cool and underrated too -Favorites are The Things You Said, Strangelove, Behind The Wheel, and Nothing
No thank you, dark night of the musical soul.
Meh. I feel like I've heard this before. So 80s, it's bleeding synthesizer.
Really enjoyed this, great synths, definitely 80's sound but also ahead of it's time in ways
DM is another one of those 80’s bands that I was not following / actively listening to that genre at the time, but their hits were in regular mainstream rotation. As time went on I came to appreciate the hits more, but never felt the need to do a deep dive on the band with full albums and this album didn’t do anything to change that. Rounding up because they were big at the time and influenced things and bands to come. 2.5/5
As a much bigger fan of their earlier work, I had already moved away from DM by the time this album came out. Revisiting this surprisingly did not reveal any surprises. Outside of the really good “Strangelove”, the rest of it was pretty forgettable. And the end tracks were simply annoying filler. Ranking in the middle on the strength of Strangelove alone. 2.5/5
A spooky vibe that I can dig for a while, but ultimately this got pretty boring
Sounds like the 80s. 2.75
This is fine but ultimately totally forgettable. I nearly rounded down to a 2 based on the last song. 2.75/5
I feel kinda bad, but aside the hits this one is pretty boring.
Great bass
Favorite track: never let me down again other picks: the things you said, strangelove, behind the wheel
Low 3 or high 2, doesn't really matter as I'm not com8ng back. Odd band. In Britain they had one mega hit, were a consistent chart presence in the 80s (but no more than that) and had a very mini revival in 1990. In Central Europe and the US, the seemed to be defined by that revival and more appreciated than in the UK. I'm in the British camp and this album seems to be a bridge to the 90s offerings. Singles are okay but no better than that. The rest I don't really get. The album title is clearly some sort of joke that doesn't land
It’s cool and all, but something about the sound bugs me
Good, not great
This was the album before they got insanely good. Not too many serious bangers or specific moments in here - at least not on a first listen thru
Decent, but didn't feel as ground breaking as their last album I got on this list.
The album contains the four hits "Never Let Me Down Again", "Straingelove", "Little 15" and "Behind The Wheels" and thats it basicly. 🤷♂️ 3,5
Got quite excited when this popped up because I like the new romantic music genre which was popular during the early 80's. However although I didn't mind this album I found it a bit repetitive. It retained the distinctive sound of Depeche Mode agreed but I have heard better from them
I like this band, but this album, not so much.
never let me down again- 5 the things you said- 3 or 4 strangelove- 4 sacred- 5 little 15- 3 behind the wheel- 4 i want you now- 4 to have and to hold- 5 nothing- 5 pimpf- 5 agent orange- 5 incredibly boring
Pretty vibey, nice and relaxing with good energy. Nothing too outstanding though
It's dark. It's interesting. There's not a massive breadth of variety here, but somehow, I enjoyed it. I thought this was going to be a slog. I'm acquainted with Depeche Mode and can recognize their sound easily, but a look at the track listing revealed no songs I knew. I'm surprised how cohesive this album feels. Very cool.
Meh
(actual rating is 4.5/5) I was pleasantly surprised by how much i enjoyed this record, excellent song writing and production fav tracks:never let me down again, the things you said, strangelove, i want you now
Amazing
Cult
love this!
Didn't mind that
Good stuff, some of my happy place.
Of course I know Depeche Mode (mostly the hits) and I quite liked them, but not enough to buy an album, it's always been more "radio music" to me. But listening to this album I must say - I really enjoyed it. No hits but a steady flow of good music, great to listen to in one sitting. Yes it has the typical electronic Depeche Mode sound but it's chilled and atmospheric, reminiscent of Talk Talk sometimes (and that's a huge complement).
Catchy and great. Keyboard hooks with more of a dark wave atmosphere than stuff that came before. I treated them more like a hits band than an album band (honestly speak and spell and violator were listened to a lot in my youth though), and this one shows that I should have dived into the fuller material much earlier. I should repeat listen to this more.
Even if keep all their material in rotation, there always a handful of Depeche Mode songs every album I most definitely will
I don’t really have intelligent thoughts about this one. Really neat album. I enjoyed listening to it, it felt weird and fresh in 2024 so I can’t imagine what it was like in its time. Reminds me of MGMT. It rocked. Would recommend
This was pretty good. It starts off that same British electronic that gives off Thompson Twins vibes. Repetitive instrumentals and a dry vocal line. If you like that of thing you’ll definitely like this. I can’t say it’s my favorite, but it did hold my interest long enough to make it to make it to when this album takes a darker turn. This album would possibly be 5 stars if the whole thing had that moodiness of Behind the Wheel, I Want You Now, and To Have and To Hold Pimpf in particular has no place on this album but boy were they cooking. Best - Pimpf Worst - Sacred
Pretty boring!
I like that opera sort of meets pop, its feels tetric at times, makes me feel like im watching a villians scene, or in goth style curch. It would feel cool to listen there imo. Feels like whole orchestra would be dressed in robes or some shit like that, could easily bee a really good movie soudtrack. I quite liked it, never really listened to this type of music.
My wife loves these guys - I know a couple of the hits. I liked this. Dark moody. I’d like to see them live.
Very much love this sound, reminds me of the pet shop boys but more angsty
This is a good album, Great tunes and a great sound that is very unique to the band. I am a Depeche Mode fan, but this one has gone under the radar with me before now. I will listen to this again. Favourite song: Nothing and Strange love Least favourite: All good tunes Album artwork: Cool cover
Very different to what we expected at points with a strange operatic section in the middle but overall solid 80s sound.
Jesus this album goes on
Loved the goth vibe.Reminds me of halloween but vintage ❤️
Joar, ist okay gewesen.
Haven’t heard this one before. Didn’t get all the way through but liking it quite a bit so far.
Pretty "meh" for a Depeche Mode album
Loved depeche mode in the early 80’s but not listened to much else. Pleasantly surprised by this album.
depeche mode, one of the biggest names when it comes to new wave music as a whole comes here and blows me away with their dramatic synthesized symphonies. their sound programming skills were like no other back then, and it remains the same today, with otherworldly, divine sounds that knocked the amateurs out with their corny fm patches. it's absolutely, beautifully mortifying listening to some of these tracks.
Sounds like every other Depeche Mode album
It's okay, never listened to Depeche mode before today. Solid finds but I'm not really in a moody mood so I didn't vibe with it too much. Some tracks are bangers and I will be re-listening. This is music i would listen to while breaking down at like 4am while watching a black and white movie idk. Idk why some tracks reminded me of the movie Ernest scared stupid and the OG tmnt soundtrack. So brownie points for that lmao.
Never listened to a Depeche Mode album (to my recollection) which appears to have been a bad call on my part.
Mmmm, it’s ok
I think this probably needs the right mood, and getting stuff done on a Monday morning wasn’t it, as it felt a bit too dreary for that. Quite enjoyed the drama of Pimpf (minus the unnecessary extra bit after a short pause).
I prefer their upbeat (as much as Depeche Mode can be upbeat) stuff so this album was a bit hit and miss for me
Another act where I've enjoyed the singles but never done a deep dive. A (very busy) day probably isn't enough to get a decent impression of this. Maybe a bit too gloomy and downbeat for me though, with pretty uninteresting lyrics. I prefer the power of synths to get me on the dancefloor.
Very good! Kinda got NIN vibes.
I have a very strange relationship with the music of Depeche Mode, I find their earlier material a little tinny and very familiar of 80's dare I call it modern romantic commercial syth pop. As they have matured and certainly "lived" a bit their music has evolved, gained a lot of depth and many of their tracks from the 90's and onwards has been a part of my musical "go to" particularly some of their stuff that has been remixed. Music for the Masses certainly is from that early era where commercially they were smashin it....staggered to read that this was already their 6th album and it was only 1987! But sadly I'm never going to invest the time to listen in its entirety, Very sad to hear of the death of Fletch at only 60 in 22' RIP
Released in my year of birth This album gave me mirth Music for the masses These intrepid molasses Synth beats all around Drum computer can be found Promises me I'm safe as houses As long as I remember who wears the trousers
A perfect 2.5
Very enjoyable quintessential 80’s sound 4/5
Primeras impresiones: Never Let Me Down Again: 90 The Things You Said: 65 Strangelove: 80 Sacred: 75 Little 15: 60 Behind the Wheel: 75 I Want You Now: 60 To Have and to Hold: 50 Nothing: 80 Pimpf: 70 Total del album: 70
En vrai, niveau New Wave, c’est quand même du lourd que nous propose Depeche Mode. Pas au point de me faire rouler par terre en déversant tout mes fluides corporels en simultané, malheureusement.
Big Depeche fan, great album
4.25 DM finally clicking for me behind their hits.
I thought that a list of 1001 albums to hear before I die would be more than pop albums, especially Brit Pop. I certainly have nothing against Brit Po and feel it should be represented, but not this one.
First three are real good, album drops off and gets wafty and gothy after that
Potent!
Ufffff. Se queda muy cerca de Violator, me gusta mucho la parte final del álbum con los instrumentales, pero Violator me pareció más redondo... No me parecen al mismo nivel. Otro 4 alto.
A pleasant surprise! I didn't think that Depeche Mode would be my cup of tea necessarily but I was enjoying myself quite a lot during the first half of the album. Never Let Me Down Again and Strangelove were especially strong. Loved the spacy and lush sound of the record, it made for a great atmosphere. It was also very reminiscent of The Colour of Spring by Talk Talk, which is a positive. Overall a solid record but it loses momentum in the second half and save for a couple of songs, the songwriting was not that captivating. Still a positive impression given that I thought I would dislike Depeche Mode entirely.
Je connaissais seulement quelques tubes de DM, dont "Behind the Wheel" (dans cet album) très intéressant (ambiance/harmonie essentiellement). L'album commence bien, mais je trouve la plupart des morceaux, en particulier les derniers moins intéressants (après Behind the Wheel et avant le morceau final Pimpf très original). =>2/5
Many unique songs and a couple hits. I remember being slightly let down compared to other DM albums.
There’s a few reviews here giving this album a bad wrap but I found it quite enjoyable. 3.5 stars.
Fine but not my thing.
I despise synthy 80s music and I despise Depeche mode. Music is subjective, but I genuinely cannot find anything to like in this. Utter crap
Not for me
Inégal
Not a favourite band but one I am aware of but never bought any of their music. Certainly back in the 80’s their music was everywhere so when I listened to this quite a few tracks were familiar. This is music of its time so from a nostalgia point of view nice to reminisce again. Trouble is after a few tracks they all seemed to merge into each other and began to sound the same. A problem music of this type seems to share. I blame electronic drums and the constant beat uninterrupted by a human putting his/ her style upon it. That said this album is a good example of what was happening in the late 80’s and better presented than a lot of other bands around at the same time churning out similar stuff. 3/5 11/11/24
Thought I’d like this a lot more
Much ado about synthesizers, and some samples in the songs that had me almost looking around to see if there were people very close all of a sudden. Interesting, if nothing else.
Never got to like the sound of Depeche Mode. It's just not speaking to me.
A somewhat morose outing and with vague Wagnerian overtones toward the end. It’s a long way from their early work with Vince Clarke, but this is what they’ve been for a very long time.