"EVERYTHING COUNTS" DEPECHE MODE (1983)

For the month of November, I’ll be selecting songs in conjunction with the music Twitter challenge: #WelcomeToTheOccupation.

It wasn’t until 1986’s Black Celebration that Depeche Mode truly cemented their dark, ominous brand of synth pop. It’s the era that I gravitate toward the most – and it’s the start of the band’s imperial phase. The rest of the catalog preceding it was a little spotty in my opinion. But that doesn’t take away the fact that there were some real gems in the early days, including the standout single from Construction Time Again: “Everything Counts”. Aside from “Just Can’t Get Enough”, “Everything Counts” is really the only song that still remains on the band’s setlists. That’s a full 40 years after it was released as a single.

As one of the standouts on the album, “Everything Counts” showcased the iconic persona of Depeche Mode: hook-laden, danceable, infectious, and, often at times, dark. Written by Martin Gore, the song went on the offensive, calling out corporate greed with a somewhat satircal approach. The bass synth part is utterly sinister, lurking with precision from beginning to end. Wilder’s synth hook – sometimes played on a xylophone – sounds like a music toy possessed by an evil spirit, which is flanked by quirky instruments that go beyond DM’s typical keyboard decks, including a melodica. Then there’s Gahan. With his signature bass vocals, Gahan is the narrator and antithesis of Gordon Gekko.

“The handshake seals the contract. From the contract, there’s no turning back.”

"HERE IS THE HOUSE" DEPECHE MODE (1986)

For October, the Mental Jukebox is dialing it way back to the eighties and going deep. Deep cuts have always been an important element of music listening to me because they’re often the songs that resonate with me most. Deep cuts are usually the ones that the true fans appreciate most. I like my singles and hits, but I love my deep cuts.

Black Celebration is the album where the band’s dark, infectious sound really came together. Up until then, I thought of Depeche Mode as a singles band. They had some great one-offs. Black Celebration was different. The songs fit perfectly together and helped differentiate their sound among a sea of synth pop outfits. From now on, DM would do it darker, kinkier, catchier. “Here Is My House” is a perfect microcosm of their approach.

It’s a song that reminds me of my youth. Memories of my first “real” girlfriend singing it to me in her bedroom attic. “Here Is My House” is a fan favorite. A song so melodic, so brooding, so sensual, it’s the magic formula that Depeche Mode has uniquely conjured time and time again. But this deep cut didn’t get the recognition of a “Stripped” or “A Question Of Lust”. Wilder’s synth lines are simply a series of cascading keys. Fletch’s bass lines lurk and slither around. On vocals, Gahan takes lead, Gore with some fantastic backing parts and harmonies. But the best part of the song will always be the melody. Brilliant. I’d love for the band to bring it back on tour.

“Body and soul come together.”

"EVERYTHING COUNTS" DEPECHE MODE (1983)

As an eighties kid, synth pop has been pumping in my blood ever since that first day I turned on my MTV. There’s some debate as to who’s considered a synth pop band and who isn’t. For this September Music Twitter challenge – #SynthPopSeptember – I’m focusing more on what’s considered synth pop, not who. The songs I’m featuring on Mental Jukebox this month aren’t solely composed of synthesizers. There may be drums, bass, and dare I say, electric guitars. But each of these songs were picked because the synthesizer is core to its being.

It wasn’t until 1986’s Black Celebration that Depeche Mode truly cemented their dark, ominous brand of synth pop. It’s the era that I gravitate toward the most – and it’s the start of the band’s imperial phase. The rest of the catalog preceding it was a little spotty in my opinion. But that doesn’t take away the fact that there were some real gems in the early days, including the standout single from Construction Time Again: “Everything Counts”. Aside from “Just Can’t Get Enough”, “Everything Counts” is really the only song that still remains on the band’s setlists. That’s a full 40 years after it was released as a single.

As one of the standouts on the album, “Everything Counts” showcased the iconic persona of Depeche Mode: hook-laden, danceable, infectious, and, often at times, dark. Written by Martin Gore, the song went on the offensive, calling out corporate greed with a somewhat satircal approach. The bass synth part is utterly sinister, lurking with precision from beginning to end. Wilder’s synth hook – sometimes played on a xylophone – sounds like a music toy possessed by an evil spirit, which is flanked by quirky instruments that go beyond DM’s typical keyboard decks, including a melodica. Then there’s Gahan. With his signature bass vocals, Gahan is the narrator and antithesis of Gordon Gekko.

“The grabbing hands, grab all they can.”

"BLACK CELEBRATION" DEPECHE MODE (1986)

A great title track is par for the course when it comes to great albums. If the title track doesn’t cut it, what does that say about the album itself? This month, the Mental Jukebox will be playing some of my favorite title tracks – inspired by @NicolaB_73’s music Twitter challenge, #TopTitleTracks.

The start of Depeche Mode’s imperial phase began w/this title track opener. DM has a treasure trove of phenomenal opening tracks – and many fans still cite Black Celebration as the band’s greatest album from beginning to end. It is one of my favorites for many reasons. First, it’s an album with no weak tracks. Every song is strong on its own, and collectively they’re that much stronger. Second, this is the album where DM solidified and defined their darker brand of electro pop. No other band sounded like them – and perhaps there’s no better example of this than the aforementioned album’s title track.

“Black Celebration” is a rite of passage into an illustrious album of pop songs (“But Not Tonight”, “Fly On The Windscreen - Final”, socio-political commentary (“New Dress”), enveloping intimacy (“Here Is The House”, “Sometimes”, “A Question of Lust”) and epic rock (“Stripped”, “A Question Of Time”). It may seem like a collection of disparate parts, but the menacing synth lines from Alan Wilder and Dave’s ominous vocals on “Black Celebration” are the glue that brings all these great songs together.

“Your optimistic eyes seem like paradise to someone like me.”

"ROUTE 66" DEPECHE MODE (1987)

This month, I’m jumping into the #APlaceInTheSong challenge from @JukeboxJohnny2. Great songs have that special ability to describe places in a way that makes us feel like we’re right there. Each day, I’ll pick a track that I think accomplishes that feat.

This cover is absolute perfection. It was the right cover song at the time and for the right place. Thematically, it coincided perfectly with Depeche Mode’s North American tour which culminated in L.A. and was chronicled famously in the documentary 101. It also worked perfectly as the b-side to the single, “Behind The Wheel”, incorporating a driving theme and instrumental elements from “Behind The Wheel” in between verses that made the b-side in lock step with the a-side.

I still remember the day I first heard “Route 66”. It was on the radio – and, for me, the preeminent station was WDRE/WLIR in Long Island. I was struck by how Depeche Mode it sounded. The band took an Americana original and truly made it their own. The synth hooks, drum machine, and guitar riff are all unmistakably DM. It made a resolutely American-as-American-as-it-gets song feel like it came from a band from Essex. Because it did.

“Well if you ever plan to motor west, Travel my way. take the highway that's the best. Get your kicks on Route 66.”

"ROUTE 66" DEPECHE MODE (1987)

For the next 30 days, I’ll be taking the #AprilAcrossAmerica challenge, picking one song a day as I make my way across the country and across genres at the same time.

Day 24: Flagstaff, Arizona

This cover is absolute perfection. It was the right cover song at the time and for the right place. Thematically, it coincided perfectly with Depeche Mode’s North American tour which culminated in L.A. and was chronicled famously in the documentary 101. It also worked perfectly as the b-side to the single, “Behind The Wheel”, incorporating a driving theme and instrumental elements from “Behind The Wheel” in between verses that made the b-side in lock step with the a-side.

I still remember the day I first heard “Route 66”. It was on the radio – and, for me, the preeminent station was WDRE/WLIR in Long Island. I was struck by how Depeche Mode it sounded. The band took an Americana original and truly made it their own. The synth hooks, drum machine, and guitar riff are all unmistakably DM. It made a resolutely American-as-American-as-it-gets song feel like it came from a band from Essex. Because it did.

“Well it goes to St. Louis, down to Missouri. Oklahoma City looks so, so pretty. You'll see Amarillo, Gallup, New Mexico, Flagstaff, Arizona, don't forget Wynonna, Kingman, Barstow, San Bernardino.”

"AGENT ORANGE" DEPECHE MODE (1987)

I started Mental Jukebox nearly three years ago at the beginning of the pandemic. During this time, I’ve discovered new music, rediscovered old favorites and I’ve met passionate music fans around the world. And when things opened up, I kept on blogging. This month, the jukebox goes deeper. The term “deep cut” has multiple meanings. It can refer to lesser known album tracks from well-known artists. It can also refer to tracks from lesser known artists. This month, I’ll be featuring both types. #DeepCutsFeb

Music For The Masses isn’t just my favorite Depeche Mode album, it’s the record in which the band took a giant leap forward – not just commercially, but artistically. The dark, ominous electro pop of Black Celebration was followed up by an album brimming with exceptional cohesion and confidence. Alt hit singles aside, every song was perfectly sequenced within the track order to serve the greater purpose of the album. It’s why I consider every track so vital, including bonus tracks like “Agent Orange”.

Some of the greatest deep cuts in music history are instrumentals. “Agent Orange” lacks nothing, even with no vocals. It’s a mood piece that capitalizes on the dark soundscapes that the band is known for. Without uttering a single word, it tells a story and paints a picture. The musicality isn’t incredibly complex, but it’s perfectly orchestrated, an underrated gem from the Alan Wilder years that proves synthesizers are far from souless.

"CLEAN" DEPECHE MODE (1990)

You can get off to a fast start. You can sustain your opener with the main course, not filler. But can you end on a high note? Sometimes I wonder if recording a strong closer is the most difficult thing to pull off when it comes to album rock. When it comes to the cream of the crop in music, I can think of more strong openers than strong closers. Nonetheless, I still have my favorites which I’ll be featuring on Mental Jukebox all month.

Violator is considered by many fans to be Depeche Mode’s greatest album – and it’s hard to argue with that. While there are at least three other albums that deserve this accolade – Black Celebration, Music For The Masses and Songs Of Faith And Devotion – Violator chronicles a band at the height of their powers. DM achieved massive commercial success in the U.S. with three of the album’s singles – “Personal Jesus”, “Enjoy The Silence” and “Policy Of Truth”. But they also stayed true to their dark, ominous persona throughout Violator, which is celebrated best in the final track on the U.S. release: “Clean”.

“Clean” is a huge fan favorite. A song that sounds equally great on headphones and big speakers, but truly comes alive in concert. The synth bass prowls. The drone sounds swarm. The drum machine mimics relentless nails in a coffin. The synth notes are estranged in one part and symphonic in another. As for the lyrics, this is Gore to the core. And then there’s Gahan’s vocals. His low, baritone range fits perfectly within the zone of “Clean”. What a way to end an album. And what a way to leave fans wanting more.

“I've broken my fall, put an end to it all. I've changed my routine. now I'm clean.”

"STRIPPED" DEPECHE MODE (1986)

Electronic albums play a huge role in my fascination with music. For me, synthesizers and drum machines aren’t better or worse than live drums and guitars. They’re just different. They make music much more imaginative for me. I think Nick Rhodes’ synth parts on those early Duran Duran albums were some of my first loves. Shimmery one moment, jarring the next. Rhodes’ keyboard flourishes changed the complexion of every song. This month, I’m featuring my Top 15 electronic albums along with one featured track.

Album: Black Celebration (1986)

Some Great Reward was the album that introduced me to Depeche Mode. But the next record, Black Celebration, is the one that made me a fan for life. This is the album that solidified DM’s brand of dark, ominous electro-pop. The band took a major leap forward on this record. It oozes with confidence and swagger. Gore’s songwriting was in the zone. Gahan sang songs that allowed his baritone voice to elevate and dominate. Wilder created some of the band’s most memorable synth compositions. And Fletch’s behind-the-scenes, unfettered command of bass, drones and support keyboard parts can’t be denied. Want proof? Listen to “Stripped”.

One of the band’s all-time best tracks, “Stripped” is Depeche Mode. And Depeche Mode is “Stripped”. It’s far more characteristic of the band’s defining sound than “Just Can’t Get Enough”, “People Are People”, “Personal Jesus” and “Enjoy The Silence” combined. “Stripped” gets under your skin, inside your bones and messes with your head. The opening sound effect is reminiscent of a car driving incessantly on a flat tire. If that doesn’t rope you in, Gahan’s lead vocals with Gore on back-up will. The insistent darkness is compounded by multiple synth riffs – a darting arpeggio in the lower registers and the ominous treble notes that soar over us. “Stripped” is a song that I can listen to again and again and again.

“Metropolis has nothing on this.”

"CONDEMNATION" DEPECHE MODE (1993)

For the last five days of October, I’m remembering music artists that died in 2022 by celebrating the music and legacy that continues to live on.

Andrew John Fletcher: Jul 8, 1961 – May 26, 2022

The news of Andy Fletcher’s passing hit me like a ton of bricks. Depeche Mode was an important band for me growing up, taking traditional melodic song structures and bringing them to life with synthesizers instead of traditional elements. Andy famously said that Martin was the songwriter, David was the singer, Alan was the real musician, and he just bummed around. But those who know the band well know that Andy did far more than just bum around. Andy was the business guy that was just as critical to the band’s success as the music itself. Plus, he helped create defining elements of the trademark DM sound, including the drone sounds and, of course, the bass (think “Behind the Wheel”, “Everything Counts”, “Personal Jesus”). Andy rarely sang, but he did contribute backing vocals as part of the chorus in one of my favorite DM anthems: “Condemnation”.

Martin Gore explored religious themes in his lyrics throughout Depeche Mode’s career. An honest, if not conflicted spirituality. “Condemnation” takes things to another level with its gospel choir approach. The song is flanked by two bangers on the Songs of Faith and Devotion album. The grungy disposition of “Walking in My Shoes” and “Mercy in You” only expose the simple cleanness of “Condemnation” even more. The song feels like a palette cleansing. A baptism for the ears.

“If you see purity as immaturity, well, it's no surprise. If for kindness you substitute blindness, please open your eyes.”