Albums of 1986 - Part 1

Black Celebration by Depeche Mode


Released on March 17th, 1986 this album showed not just a darker direction for Depeche Mode but a new found confidence in the song writing of Martin Gore. Add to that the power of Dave Gahan's vocals and the exciting sampling of Alan Wilder and this was a masterpiece of music for the mid 1980's. It also opened up the floodgates that would be 1987's blockbuster Music For The Masses and its follow up, Violator. So the road was being paved.

Lets take a look at the tracks:

Black Celebration - Dark and atmospheric, a song about how the fringe kids, the loners, the "wierdos" are still connected to happy times and being with the one that makes the blackness go away. I'll drink to that.

Fly On The Windscreen - Talk about dark. Its bleak, its haunting but lie on the floor with headphones on (trust me) and be transported to Martin Gore's view of love during the apocalypse.

A Question Of Lust - Martin Gore lays all his cards on the table in the game of love and lust.

Sometimes - We found our depression and we want to share it...

It Doesn't Matter Two - This is what young lust fulfilled sounds like.....with its awkward ending and all.

A Question Of Time - Disturbingly creepy but very danceable (and that makes for much confusion). He's protecting the 15 year old by taking them "under his wing"?

Stripped - Very atmospheric. But here's an electronic band talking about shedding all modern things and escaping back to nature if even just for one day as the keyboard swells and entices. What a statement!

       

Here Is The House - A look at domestic bliss...but I suspect not everything is all sunshine and roses...it is Depeche Mode, after all.

World Full Of Nothing - Well, here it is...the thoughts that go through every young couples head when they finally pass that first, big barrier and experience lust. Oddly we usually look back on this moment with less fond memories.

Dressed In Black - What do you do when you fall in love with your bondage master?

New Dress - An indictment of the British press in the mid 80's. The world is going to hell in a handcart and the press reports on the trivial, The power of the press should never be underestimated.

......Wow!!

All of those are great songs. And listening to them 30 years later, there is no drop in quality and the use of all of the range of the stereo effect is amazing. Alan Wilder used the whole spectrum of effects to paint a huge landscape of sound.

The band also released a few singles before the album was ready for market.

It's Called A Heart - Probably the most straight forward love song Martin Gore ever wrote.

But Not Tonight - The band handed this over to a movie company that used it as their theme...the song is much better than the movie. Even someone as pessimistic as Martin Gore can smile when he sees the stars.

Flexible - Someone sounds like he questioning his commitment to his views now that he's becoming a rich rock star.....probably not.

Shake The Disease - My favorite DM song of all time. In fact, lets watch the video now...