With Black Celebration Depeche Mode had completed their "Industrial Trilogy". Three albums, who lived mainly by metallic sounds and the liberal use of sampling. These were the years in which the pale boys of yore ("Speak & Spell", "A Broken Frame") had turned into, leather-clad men. 1986 was also the last year in Berlin's Hansa Studios, where the band contributed a lot to the album. In addition to the "foster father" Daniel Miller (Mute boss) and producer Gareth Jones, was also Alan Wilder, since 1982, more and more integrated into the band in the studio work.
MUSIC FOR THE MASSES:
Depeche Mode recorded their next album in Paris and mixed it into the Danish PUK Studios. Far away in the countryside, created some of their greatest anthems until today. Supported by producer Dave Bascombe (Tears For Fears), 1987 more attention was paid to minimalism, though diverse Schepper sounds were still hear on their sixth studio album.
In the 80s the pure guitar tone when DM was very frowned upon: so you hunted Gores guitar parts through various effectors and finally had the famous intro to "Never Let Me Down Again". A song that probably more than any other brings together the strengths of the band. The drum sound was inspired by the way of Led Zeppelin's "When The Levee Breakes". After the grand finale of the opener followed by a sad ballad. "The Things You Said" brings a return to the ground, while Martin Gore's fragile voice takes a prisoner. For me, one of his most beautiful songs. "Strange Love" is a real dance song, while exciting and cool at the same time. Especially for the album the song was however still being revised, as the band with the weak position of the first single was dissatisfied.
"Little 15", along with "Behind The Wheel" and "Nothing" is a good example of the change in the band. These songs have an almost rigid monotony. Everything sounds very mechanical, almost sterile and right to the point. Singer Dave Gahan acts vocally mature on this album and sings his verses hypnotically while rigid beats and cool power plant aesthetics form the framework. In addition, lovely melodies ("Sacred") series, eerie sounds ("I Want You Now", "To Have and To Hold"), and last but not least, a purely Instrumental sound storm ("Pimpf"). Precisely this conclusion convinced me still with his eerie choir and also incurred the synth orchestral sounds - DM goes Wagner!
CONCLUSION:
With "Music For The Masses" DM had become finally grown up and enchanted with a mix of sadness, minimalism and catchiness. Together with the successor provided the band with this work as the soundtrack of an emerging generation of DJs, especially in the US. What DM is always something different from the other synth poppers 80, were on the one hand the texts of Martin Gore and the somber tone of her songs. Something like The Cure in the field: electronic music.
Why only four stars? Well, the "Masses" has its qualities is not assigned by the hand. Still, it's more like a kind of transitional album in my opinion. Where the predecessor perfected everything that had begun with "Construction Time Again" and "Some Great Reward", so it was again "Violator" (1990) which, consistently completed the new way, the option has been applied "Masses". The great art of this band it was from the mid-80s, they generated a voltage with their works. I hear Depeche Mode albums just because of the whole and not for individual sellers. This voltage is generated while on "Masses", but now and then I miss the "hot" on this record. Even their darkest work "Black Celebration" has with its bittersweet minor harmonies and seamless transitions more warmth and unity as the successor. "Masses" on the other hand stands for bombast, change and a certain dance Appeal (which stand for a word :) All the songs are worth listening to, but where on the one hand great hymns and charming outliers ("Never Let Me Down Again", "Little 15") , so it lacks other songs ("Strangelove", "Sacred", "Nothing") a bit of soul. Nevertheless, for beginners to the DM back catalog is music for the masses a must buy.
