For the second half of September, I’m putting my Mental Jukebox into a time machine, featuring the best songs on the best albums from the very best years of music. #70sThrough90sBestAlbum
Prior to Songs of Faith and Devotion, Depeche Mode was on a steady ascent. Black Celebration. Music for the Masses. Violator. With each release they outdid the previous LP. And they did it once again. Violator may be viewed by many as the band’s greatest recording. But I think Songs of Faith and Devotion was stronger from top to bottom. It was, more or less, a concept album, although few refer to it as that. Each song was part of a common thread of spirituality — and they were all strong tracks on their own. The band had become stadium rockers with songs like “Never Let Me Down Again”, “Personal Jesus” and “Stripped”. But “In Your Room” seemed to exist on another level. It was truly epic.
“In Your Room” furthered the Depeche Mode sound into a darker, guitar-driven world with industrial elements. It felt less tainted by sequencers. It was raw and characterized by that good kind of imperfection. It was also Alan Wilder’s last single with the band — a vastly underrated member of the band who helped define and execute Depeche Mode’s unique sound. I saw the guys perform on the Devotional Tour in ‘93, and the tensions within the band were palpable. It was an incredible album, but they were clearly not the same exciting live act. It was the end of an era, but they certainly ended it on a high note.
“Will you let the fire die down soon.”