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'Strangelove' was the first single, but I'm at a loss as to explain why. It shares a similar feel to 'Blue Dress' from DM's masterpiece, Violator. 'The Things You Said' is very light and floaty indeed, almost ethereal, yet put it next to an Air track and it would seem oh-so-ominous. From one extreme to the other, Gore gives us one of his lighter numbers. And I suppose that, if I were to describe the rest of the album as a huge comedown after that ultra-dark high, some would think I meant it in a bad way. Then you start to imagine how it would sound live in an arena. When the song finishes to those horrible, creepy choral sounds that make you think that the world as we know it is about to end, you suddenly get the message that this is all about one crazy, euphoric drug trip. It starts with a chugging guitar riff, enters into some softened metallic sounds backed by MASSIVE drums, before a jazzy piano effect brings it into the first verse. You should really hear this song live before you die. In fact, the first song is the perfect way to open the album, not least because it is quite astonishing and destined to go down in the Mode's history as one of the legendary DM tracks.'Never Let Me Down Again'. For the first time, these were songs that were designed to be far more effective live than on a stereo system.īut that isn't to say that the album isn't an impressive listen from start to finish. But the integration of more organic elements and heavier use of guitars gave the band a more stadium-friendly sound. The darkness was still there, as were the portentious vocals and nihilistic lyrics. Part of the reason for this literally massive success was another change in musical direction. Not bad for a British electronic four-piece armed only with synths, a tape recorder and leather jackets galore. This was the period when Depeche went truly global, embarking on a huge world tour that culminated in the 101st concert, performed at the Pasadena Rose Bowl to around 70,000 people. However, on the continent (especially Germany and eastern Europe) and an ever-growing part of America, Depeche Mode's craft really was music for the masses. It's an album that probably wouldn't ring any bells with the British record-buying public unless they were Depeche Mode fans. Music For The Masses - an ironic tongue-in-cheek title given purely because the band had become rather alternative. The result is the start of the DM golden age Review Summary: Depeche suddenly learn to blend dark, alluring songscapes with an arena-friendly sound.