Coceteau Twins and Depeche Mode, any recommendations?

Started by the thread of a dream, June 18, 2019, 22:25:58

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piggymirror

-The Things You Said. 1987. From Music For The Masses.
To me, and to many, the best Depeche Mode song ever.
Simple, stark, elegant. This is a schoolbook example of what an extraordinary song is.
It is astounding that it wasn't a single. It still does get played on the radio because people ask it to be played.
It hadn't been played live since 1988.
When Martin sang it again live in 2018, people went absolutely crazy, crying, screaming, fainting...


piggymirror

-Pimpf. 1987. From Music For The Masses.
Their best instrumental (and a quite good classical piece if you ask me). This is a Martin Gore song.
And yes Anton Corbijn (Depeche Mode's Tim Pope) made a videoclip for it.


piggymirror

-Personal Jesus. 1989. A-side of the single of the same name. Later released on Violator (1990).
This is one of their five best songs. Famously covered by Johnny Cash and Marilyn Manson.


piggymirror

-Violator. 1990.
Their best album, and simply one of the five best albums of all time, and you pick the other four.
Yes, it is that good, every single song on it could/would/should have been a hit.
Only albums like Revolver, Ziggy Stardust, The Velvet Underground & Nico... and only a fistful more can compare.
This is Depeche Mode being touched by the Hand Of God.
So instead of one song, I'll put three.
That said, like other extraordinary albums (dunno, Disintegration or Pornography, perhaps?), it's best played from start to finish in one go.

a) Sweetest Perfection.




b) Waiting For The Night.




c) Clean.


piggymirror

-Death's Door. 1991. From Wim Wenders's "Until The End Of The World" movie soundtrack, later b-side of Condemnation.
This is perhaps an indicator of what was to come after Songs Of Faith And Devotion (certainly not on that album!).
Songs Of Faith And Devotion is not my favourite album. It is the last with Alan Wilder though.
I guess that Martin wanted Songs Of Faith And Devotion to sound more like this song, but Alan didn't want to.


piggymirror

-Ultra. 1997.
This is not the best Depeche Mode album, that's Violator. But it's my favourite Depeche Mode album.
If Disintegration has Pornography, then Violator has Ultra.
Robert Smith said that Pornography almost killed him.
Dave Gahan was clinically dead for a few minutes while recording Ultra.
For some strange reason, this album and David Bowie's Low are the only records I can listen to when I'm ill in bed.
So, like with Violator, I'll put three songs.
Although it's best listened from start to finish.

a) Useless.




b) Sister Of Night.
This is the song they were recording when Dave Gahan "died".




c) Freestate.


piggymirror

-When The Body Speaks. 2001. From the Exciter album.
This is Depeche Mode winking an eye to The Velvet Underground.


piggymirror

-Damaged People. 2005. From the Playing The Angel album.
Martin usually keeps the best songs for himself lately.
As time's gone by, he's musically less innovative, but at the same time, he has honed his songwriting.
His lyrics now are better than ever.


piggymirror

-The Darkest Star. 2005. From the Playing The Angel album.
...I said "Martin usually keeps his best songs for himself". Not the case here.


piggymirror

-Jezebel. 2009. From Sounds Of The Universe.
Many hardcore fans hate this song. I say they hate it because it's Depeche Mode.
Were this Nick Cave, they'd adore it. Sometimes people can't see the greatness.
But this is one of the songs Martin will be remembered for.
The first time I listened to this I was so impressed that almost fell from my chair. What a genius!!


piggymirror

-Ghost. 2009. Bonus track on the extended version of the Sounds Of The Universe album.
Most fans still don't understand why the hell this song didn't make it into the album... It could have been a single!!
Easily one of the very best of their latest songs.


piggymirror

-Slow. 2013. From the Delta Machine album.
This song was originally written for Songs Of Faith And Devotion, but it was rejected by Alan Wilder.
Sex drips from every crack of it.


piggymirror

-Always. 2013. Bonus track on the extended version of the Delta Machine album.
This reminds me of... I don't know. Brian Eno? Sparks? Peter Gabriel? Syd Barrett? Dunno, I just love it.


piggymirror

-The Child Inside. 2013. From the Delta Machine album.
Another one of Martin's great recent lyrics. And one hell of a blues too.


piggymirror

-Poison Heart. 2017. From the Spirit album.
This is a Dave Gahan lyric (music by Christian Eigner and Peter Gordeno). He keeps on improving his writing skills.
For now, this is his best.