Depeche Mode were on a roll; Alan Wilder had been in the band for five years now. His love of the studio and Martin Gore confident in his songwriting so after the success of Black Celebration Depeche Mode were a seriously successful act, so expectations were high.
They certainly didn’t disappoint.
We all know Depeche Mode synths and nice tunes. How about guitars, thumping drums, a singular piano and Dave Gahan sliding in. Never Let Me Down Again is an anthem that builds in intensity, still thrilling.
The Things You Said is restrained and Martin Gore handles the vocal well, it’s a nice pace after the dominance of the opening track. Strangelove, I like, I wouldn’t have chosen it as the opening single that would have been Never Let Me Down but then I write reviews read by a couple of people and Depeche Mode have sold millions, so they may know what they are doing, I’ll shut up.
Sacred has Gore looking at religion and Gahan shows he is now a commanding lead singer and shows his confidence on the bizarre and magnificent Little 15 all orchestral and piano based, its powerful and just on the right side of sinister.
Behind the Wheel starts like Tiffany’s I Think We Are Alone Now (only the drums for a few seconds, honest…come back) and we are well into the song before Gahan arrives, it’s a slow burner but it’s the background that hooks me in.
I Want You Now starts with sexual breathing as Gore is basically up for it, he’s moved on from See You as they prove again with To Have and to Hold, dark and sinister are what they are aiming for, and they are succeeding.
Nothing is not quite so intense, but we head out on Pimpf all chanting, orchestral and eerie, a fitting end to an excellent record.
Maybe not across the rest of the world but I’ve always felt that Depeche Mode are very underrated in the UK and for that we should have a long hard look at ourselves.
8.5/10
GIVE IT A STREAM: Never Let me Down Again