depeche mode

"all i ever wanted, all i ever needed is here in my arms.."
synth based band, started out as pop but shifted later to a more industrial/techno influences.


www.depechemode.com


biography from http://www.artistdirect.com

Originally a product of Britain's New Romantic movement, Depeche Mode went on to become the quintessential electro-pop band of the 1980s; one of the first acts to establish a musical identity based completely around the use of synthesizers, the group began their existence as a bouncy dance-pop outfit but gradually developed a darker, more dramatic sound which ultimately positioned them as one of the most successful alternative bands of their era.

The roots of Depeche Mode dated to 1976, when Basildon, England-based keyboardists Vince Clarke and Andrew Fletcher first teamed to form the group No Romance in China. The band proved short-lived, and by 1979 Clarke had formed French Look, another duo featuring guitarist/keyboardist Martin Gore; Fletcher soon signed on, and the group rechristened itself Composition of Sound. Initially, Clarke handled vocal chores, but in 1980 singer David Gahan was brought in to complete the lineup; after one final name change to Depeche Mode, the quartet jettisoned all instruments excluding their synthesizers, honing a slick, techno-based sound to showcase Clarke's catchy melodies.

After building a following on the London club scene, Depeche Mode debuted in 1980 with "Photographic," a track included on the Some Bizzare Album label compilation. After signing to Mute Records, they issued "Dreaming of Me" in early 1981; while neither the single nor its follow-up "New Life" caused much of a stir, their third effort, "Just Can't Get Enough," became a Top Ten U.K. hit, and their 1981 debut LP Speak and Spell was also a success. Just as Depeche Mode appeared poised for a major commercial breakthrough, however, principal songwriter Clarke abruptly exited to form Yazoo with singer Alison Moyet, leaving the group's future in grave doubt.

As Gore grabbed the band's songwriting reins, the remaining trio recruited keyboardist Alan Wilder to fill the technological void created by Clarke's departure; while 1982's A Broken Frame deviated only slightly from Depeche Mode's earlier work, Gore's ominous songs grew more assured and sophisticated by the time of 1983's Construction Time Again. Some Great Reward, issued the following year, was their artistic and commercial breakthrough, as Gore's dark, kinky preoccupations with spiritual doubt ("Blasphemous Rumours") and psychosexual manipulation ("Master and Servant") came to the fore; the egalitarian single "People Are People" was a major hit on both sides of the Atlantic, and typified the music's turn towards more industrial textures.

1986's atmospheric Black Celebration continued the trend towards grim melancholy, and further established the group as a major commercial force. After the superb single "Strangelove," Depeche Mode issued 1987's Music for the Masses; a subsequent sold-out tour yielded the 1989 double live set 101, as well as a concert film directed by the legendary D.A. Pennebaker. Still, despite an enormous fan base, the group was considered very much an underground cult phenomenon prior to the release of 1990's Violator, a Top Ten smash which spawned the hits "Enjoy the Silence," "Policy of Truth" and "Personal Jesus."

With the alternative music boom of the early 1990s, Depeche Mode emerged as one of the world's most successful acts, and their 1993 LP Songs of Faith and Devotion entered the charts in the number one slot. However, at the peak of their success, the group began to unravel; first Wilder exited in 1995, and then Gahan was the subject of a failed suicide attempt. (He later entered a drug rehabilitation clinic to battle an addiction to heroin.) After a four-year layoff, Depeche Mode -- continuing on as a trio -- released 1997's Ultra, which featured the hits "Barrel of a Gun" and "It's No Good." The release of Singles '86-'98 was celebrated with a major tour. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Music Guide


album reviews from http://www.musicfolio.com

"Throughout their history, Depeche Mode has combined success with innovation, producing records that have mixed moving melodic lines and pop-star preening with completely synthesizer-driven noises, forever altering the sound of modern music. " - www.depeche-mode.com

With more than 35 million albums sold world-wide, Depeche Mode is the most popular Synth act of all time. Their first line-up formed by Vince Clark in 1980, included Martin Gore, Andrew Fletcher and Dave Gahan, a quartet that only lasted for one album "Speak and Spell". In 1982 Vince Clark moved on to form Yazoo with singer Alison Moyet, while Martin Gore inherited Depeche Mode's song writing activity. Alan Wilder joined to fill the synth-expertise void left by Clarke, and from 1982 to 1995 this quartet shaped electronic music taking it from the early New Romantic basis of what was once referred to as New-Wave, to darker heights invading the dance underground Goth scene, and occasionally taking a confident step into the land of commercialism. In 1995, Alan Wilder deserted DM to concentrate on his Recoil formation (and Oh! what a waste of energy Recoil has been), while Dave spent a period of time in a rehabilitation program recovering from a Heroin Over-Dose. 1997 saw a strong come-back of DM with the release of "Ultra" proving that the trio is pretty much as effective as the previous line-up. 19 years already, and so many 'just can't get enough' of Depeche Mode, not because they're still stuck in the 80's, but because DM's music grew and matured just like we did, innovating and always daring to produce 'Songs of Faith and Devotion'. -"Martin, Dave, Andrew and Alan"... Thank you for putting a smile on my face at times when everybody else failed... -- Said Sukkarieh, Musicfolio 8/99

1981: Speak & Spell Primarily the work of Vince Clarke, Speak & Spell is Depeche Mode's most easily accessible, albeit least representative, effort. Under Clarke's influence, the group focuses on bright, catchy dance-pop relatively free of the gloom which characterizes their later records; the highlights -- "Just Can't Get Enough," "New Life" and "Dreaming of Me" -- were also the record's hits, emphasizing the band's stature as a singles act. -- Jason Ankeny, All-Music Guide


1982: A Broken Frame "A Broken Frame" is living proof that Martin Gore is as much of a good composer as Clarke is. On this album Martin didn't venture yet into the darker territory, but succeeded in putting together beautiful songs like Leave in Silence and the instrumental piece Nothing To Fear.


1983: Construction Time Again Even in the days before Depeche Mode's transformation into goth-synth, this album signified a darker side to synth-pop than most bands of the genre. The music is akin to New Order, pulsing with danceable beats, but with somewhat dark melodies and subjects. No track really stands out, but the entire album is enjoyable and gets the blood flowing. Worth listening. -- oyucel@annapolis.net , DM fan review on amazon.com


1984: Some Great Reward Some Great Reward is Depeche Mode's best record, containing everything from the bitter religious doubt of "Blasphemous Rumours" to the socio-sexual role playing of "Master and Servant" and the egalitarian "People Are People." Seamlessly blending unsettling concrte sounds--like synthesized factory din and clanking chains--into the music, the group achieves a masterful music/life mix few of the same mind have approached. -- www.trouserpress.com


1985: Catching Up with Depeche Mode A compilation of some of DM's best hits covering the 1981-1985 period, including the tracks Shake The Disease, It's Called a Heart and Fly on the Windscreen, which were only released as singles prior to this album. Fly on The Windscreen will end up appearing on the upcoming "Black Celebration" album, where it perfectly fits the gloomy atmosphere.


1986: Black Celebration "Black Celebration is arguably Depeche Mode's darkest effort yet, where Gore's lyrics reflect pain, agony and nihilism. "Death is everywhere, there are flies on the windscreen... there are lambs for the slaughter, waiting to die". But as DM look at a 'World Full of Nothing', they deliver one of their most powerful releases with hits like Stripped, A Question of Time and A Question of Lust. If I had to recommend only one DM album, I'd make it a Black Celebration!" -- Said Sukkarieh, musicfolio.com, 8/99


1987: Music For the Masses ...has its dark, gloomy secrets and layered soundtrack grooves to support some of the groups' most self-conscious and self-questioning storylines....Most of the songs....are real diamonds in the darkness....this was the point at which Depeche Mode were first taken seriously. -- Q Magazine (6/95, p.135)


1989: 101 " A live album and a greatest-hits album all in one, 101 proves that Depeche Mode are just as capable of performing onstage as they are working in a studio. The listener is easily swept up in the hysteria of the fans screaming in the audience" -- Beth Bessmer, amazon.com


1989: Violator " (...) Creative but disciplined and always interesting, the dance rhythms work neatly while the arrangements rise, fall and build to good effect, often carrying much of the melody rather than the vocals and given added other-worldly effectiveness by the occasional edge of harshness or arty film soundtrack noises. It may lack traditional notions of glamour and drama but it works well and certainly makes for all round satisfying listening." -- Ian Cranna, Emap Consumer Magazines Limited


1993: Songs of Faith and Devotion " Depeche Mode most definitely falls into the love/hate category: `Love' them for their artful, synth-pop arrangements, a style it helped pioneer; `hate' them for their occasional pretentiousness and pomposity. So on this, its tenth album, one wouldn't think Depeche Mode would have much left to prove, yet on Songs Of Faith And Devotion the quartet has re-examined its music and approach to come up with a challenging overhaul..." -- College Media, Inc.


1997: Ultra That Gore writes this "morality play" without being condemming or preachy shows how he's grown as a subtle lyricist since his "People are People" days. There's a bit of wasted space and filler - two listed instrumental tracks as well as one hidden instrumental. But overall the band's fans - more importantly, nonfans - will find an album that shows growth through adversity. (4 out of 5). -- Orange County Register, CA (April 1997)


1998: The Singles 1986-1998 ... featuring only one previously unreleased song ("Only When I Lose Myself") in anticipation of a major tour. Sound suspiciously like a shameless cash-in? Sure. But The Singles, 86-98 needed to be made. This is a worthwhile purchase for casual admirers and completists alike. The two-disc set contains revamped versions of the major singles from 1986 to 1998 and a version of "Little 15" that was first released only in France. The set's "grand finale" is the live recording of "Everything Counts," from the 101 album. -- Beth Bessmer, amazon.com


1998: The Singles 1981-1985 ... another "Catching up with Depeche Mode".


2001: Exciter Since the departure of their multi-instrumentalist Alan Wilder, DM have opted for the route of simplifying sound effects. Ultra was surely calmer than Songs of Faith & Devotion, and Exciter continues the trend. While keeping the same dark and slow tempo mood of their preceding album, DM have chosen a more minimalist approach on Exciter where many layers of sound were stripped down in comparison to other DM releases, resulting in songs that emphasize on tunes and vocals. Real drums, base, electric guitars, piano and other instruments, that were very much present on the last two albums, are almost entirely nonexistent. In short, the absence of Wilder and a good producer is strongly felt. However lyrics, tunes and vocals are very much entwined, forming a very strong and coherent package of songs that still maintains the level that DM have always made us anticipate. The melodies are as delightful as ever and David Gahan shines once again in a world-class vocal effort, where he displays a whole spectrum of tonalities. At times, he can barely be heard whispering the words like on the two moving lullabies "Goodnight Lovers" and "When the Body Speaks". After all, it's hard to ask for more from a band that has exceeded everyone's expectations over so many years. Exciter would surely not deceive any DM fan; if anything it's another justification for the huge loyal fan base that this band has built and kept over the years. -- Sami Alajaji, for musicfolio.com, 3/01