One of the most powerful things about music is that it is the soundtrack of our lives. Fellow music fanatic Sharon Hepworth started a music challenge on Twitter for the month of July. Each day, fans around the world will select a song from their life and describe what it means to us. These are my songs. #SoundtrackToYourLife
Day 14
One day during my freshman year at Boston College, I went with a buddy to the review section meeting for the college newspaper, The Heights. That day was the moment where I first combined my love of two things: music and writing. I quickly started to enjoy the process of album reviews: picking up the CDs on release day (Tuesdays), listening to them over and over again, and then offering up my assessment of the recordings. Those years writing for The Heights were the early inspiration behind Mental Jukebox. And one of the first albums I reviewed was Depeche Mode’s Songs Of Faith and Devotion – and “Walking In My Shoes” was one of my favorites from the LP.
Did DM turn into a rock band overnight? The instrumentation showed a rougher edge to the band with live drums, muscular guitar riffs and large doses of feedback. But the songwriting was still Martin Gore at the core. The exceptionally crafted lyrics straddled that delicate balance of vulnerability and brashness as told through the voice of a convict inside a courtroom. I got to see the band perform this song live on the Devotional Tour. There was no question that the infighting happening with the band affected their energy. For a few years, Depeche Mode had earned a reputation for being great live performers. While the showmanship just wasn’t there, it was clear that DM turned a corner. By expanding their sound to include more rock elements, somehow they found their sweet spot musically.
“Now I'm not looking for absolution. Forgiveness for the things I do. But before you come to any conclusions, try walking in my shoes.”