Depeche Mode

Tigerlily

Tigerlily

An Insider said:
Oh, I didn’t know they had a proper base here. I bought their singles collection a few years ago and was floored not only by the quality on display but also how much they’ve influenced pop music as we know it today. Which albums are worth getting into in full?
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I’ll echo everyone in here by saying 1983 to 1993 is full on bulletproof, no filler all killer. But i feel like Some Great Reward is a good way to start since it’s the best introduction to their sound and the evolution from there is INSANE. Keep listening until you reach Violator and then come back for Construction Time Again AND THEN their other albums (don’t bother with any of them past Ultra...at least for now).
 
Humanracin

Humanracin

Depeche Mode were never very big here in Australia.
I discovered them around 86 I think and started with Some Great Reward, that album is still one of my favourites.
As a teenager I found them very exotic and they fit my tastes at the time which was switching from chart pop to bands like Siouxsie and the Banshees and Joy Division.
Music For The Masses came next and my full blown obsession commenced.
 
AshtrayHeart

AshtrayHeart

Some Great Reward is slowly creeping up to be a favourite of mine, it's taken a while, I think it's because I love Black Celebration so much, and the essence of that album is in Some Great Reward, but darker and moodier, Shake the Disease is the perfect bridge between the 2 albums.
I feel Ultra doesn't get enough love, if you like Songs of Faith and Devotion (which is top 3 for me), then Ultra is the natural follow up and perfectly captures that mid-late 90s electronic production.
 
Eric Generic

Eric Generic

It's quite strange how Some Great Reward's profile has dipped so much, given it's home to two massive hit singles, and another well-known AA-side. So that's almost half the album that's top drawer Mode. Plus great album cuts Lie To Me and Something To Do. I also have a love for If You Want. It was my first DM album purchase, and even I tend to underrate it for some reason.
 
Angeleyes

Angeleyes

Eric Generic said:
It's quite strange how Some Great Reward's profile has dipped so much, given it's home to two massive hit singles, and another well-known AA-side. So that's almost half the album that's top drawer Mode. Plus great album cuts Lie To Me and Something To Do. I also have a love for If You Want. It was my first DM album purchase, and even I tend to underrate it for some reason.
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I underrate it too. I feel like when I got into Depeche Mode, I turned to The Singles 81-85 for their early stuff, as the first few albums were a little fluffy. Some Great Reward is the start of great albums, but because the singles were on that compilation, I would usually just play that instead. I don't use The Singles 86-98 as much because the albums for those are all so good.

Somebody is also one of the few pre-Ultra singles I don't like, so that might bring the album down just a tad.
 
AshtrayHeart

AshtrayHeart

I love the idea of Killing Joke walking into the recording of Blasphemous Rumours and arguing you can’t have such a dark song sound so upbeat and poppy in the chorus.

In Your Memory is a great b-side from the Some Great Reward era.

Construction Time Again also has some great album tracks, More Than a Party is in the same vein as Something to Do, Two Minute Warning, Then Landscape is Changing, And Then, all great. I’ve just never been able to enjoy Pipeline and Told You So but other than that, great album.
 
Eric Generic

Eric Generic

Yes, I loved the B-sides for the Some Great Reward era. As for Construction..., And Then is my favourite album track on that. Pipeline is a bit of a slog, I agree. It labours (excuse the pun) the point a bit too much.
 
Blaahh

Blaahh

Not sure I will add anything but agree Construction Time Again is the start of the descent of ver Mode into pop greatness, that and Some Great Reward are under-rated but 86-93 is total halcyon period. Thank you Alan Wilder! The only blot is It's Called A Heart, but I try to forget that one..
 
Blaahh

Blaahh

So.... If 'The Singles 86-93' existed, would all judge that as a better album than 'The Singles 81-85' as we generally seem to prefer that era?

Or, as in my take that I prefer the albums from 86-93 over 81-85 BUT The Singles 81-85 would still be my preferred compilation as I prefer that era singles?
 
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Hairycub1969

Hairycub1969

Blaahh said:
So.... If 'The Singles 86-93' existed, would all judge that as a better album than 'The Singles 81-85' as we generally that era?

Or, as in my take that I prefer the albums from 86-93 over 81-85 BUT The Singles 81-85 would still be my preferred compilation as I prefer that era singles?
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For me - I love all the singles so:
The singles 1981 to 2006 would be ideal!
 
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