Depeche Mode – Music For The Masses

The last real 1980s Depeche Mode album. No doubt some would argue with me, but for me, the last record of Depeche Mode as a cool "alternative" band. Violator is the album that takes them into the mainstream (along with many other indie bands at the time). So for me, this represents the last precious moment of Depeche Mode as an cutting edge avant-synth-pop phenomenon. It was an exciting time. But all things must pass. Sigh.

Lovely sounding pressing.
I used to listen to this album from side B , Behind The Wheel makes you wanna dance instantly.
Clarity, the amount of details and different arrangements - brilliant.
Second best DM work after Violator. Really a joy to listen !

Probably preaching to the masses, but I decided to say a word about the different lengths of the song "Pimpf". There are three base versions: 7" version, 12" version (entitled Fpmip) and Lp version. The Lp version is the shortest, at 3:56. On the cd pressings, there is a short instrumental coda added to the end, bringing the length up to 4:56. And finally, the 1987 cd pressings (and repressing of these versions) contain a version that lists at 5:25, but actually ends with a half minute of silence (which, presumably, we are to enjoy…)

I absolutely love this album and this pressing. My copy is immaculate, worth every penny. It's so dynamic, sonic and you get lost in each song.

Whether this is Depeche Mode's side to 'Songs From the Big Chair' or not, 'Music for the Masses' finally cemented their status as one of electro-pop's finest craftsmen.

As much as it dared tackling Tears For Fears' musical genius, 'Music For the Masses' can also be observed as an album Ultravox wanted to make. Here Depeche Mode aim at the grandiose, adding neo-classical elements to great effect (another perverse beauty called 'Little 15', followed by a string of equally impressive b-side instrumentals - 'St. Jarna' and Wilder's solo-interpretation of 'Moonlight Sonata'). Once again, the group offers convincing pop-chart successes; the aggressive 'Never Let Me Down Again', 'Strangelove' (I prefer the single over the album's version) and 'Behind the Wheel'. These three also helped Depeche Mode's sonic image turn more subversive in the video-context.

Although these videos still struggled with the group's lousy acting, in choosing to work with Anton Corbijn (previously on 'Black Celebration'), they finally stepped out of the mediocre public pose as a teenage poster-group. Corbijn gave them deserved monochromatic security - although the group's LP sleeves are still delivered by the impressive T&CP Associates team, Corbijn's inclusion started slowly to affect their image - so blame it on the megaphone.

While carrying its strengths on the back of three aforementioned singles, 'Music For the Masses' contains far stronger pieces on the very album - particularly 'Sacred', featuring a menacing choir intro and the fierce, closing piano-soundtrack - 'Pimpf', both flirting with 'The Omen' and 'Carmina Burana' respectively (the hidden outro to 'Pimpf' contains an equally frightening rendition of 'Strangelove') .

Not to forget 'I Want You Now', one of Gore's beautiful a capella episodes - once again questioning both, time and lust, built on a simplified male-female sigh-snippet - sliding into a spy-like theme, 'To Have And To Hold'; indecipherable radio message giving the impression of voices echoing in one's head, all paranoia with morally induced lyrics. 'Nothing' is another impressive standard which sadly wasn't given a chance as a single - its an effectively negative statement, which indirectly (in terms of lyrics) echoes Gore's spiritual and materialistic doubts, once expressed in 'Everything Counts' and 'Blasphemous Rumours'.

This album turned another big page in the group's history - the world tour culminating in Pasadena Rose Bowl's concert where reportedly around 70.000 people witnessed one of the finest live appearances ever.