91Èȱ¬

Peace is one of the stand out tracks in Depeche Mode's number 2 album Sounds of the universe.
It has a hypnotic quality and the chorus hangs around like an echoing refrain long after the song has ended.
If I had to be picky about such a great band , it would be to say that with a bit more sonic imagination over the last three albums, more rhythmic prowess and stronger commercial appeal in their singles, Depeche Mode would be even more immense and successful.
For example , none of their last 8 singles have been 'A' listed at Radio 1.
They obviously chose a different route that they are happy with, and fair play to them, they are a class act .

It is not necessary to pick between Depeche Mode and the Pet shop boys.. they are both great bands, with great songs in their catologue.
No discussion needed.

No discussion needed, spiritwarrior? Not something I would ever have thought YOU'd say!

I am speechless! ;)

Ha ha... love it Rachel S.
Now you got me laughing. ;)

Tell us which acts and songs you are lovin at the moment.... do share !

I really dont think DEPECHE MODE and the pet shop boys can be compared, DEPECHE ARE ONE OF THE BIGGEST CULT BANDS THAT THERE HAS EVER BEEN,and i feel the pets aproach the music industry in a completey commercial way.I have allways found that niel tennant(a former smash hits editor)was some how taking the mickey out of the music buisness. So much of what the pets have produced sounds exactly the same and the latest couple of albums are just throw away nonsense. DEPECHE MODE and the radio 1 playing there music issue is really frustrating for the fans because as much as i think that radio 1 is a really rubbish radio station thats trying so hard to be seen as trendy,we as fans know that for depeche to aquire new fans there singles need to be played on 1 or xfm. DEPECHE,S latest album is an absolute masterpiece it takes a good few listens to get your head round but is well worth it, the bonus tracks on the box set are really worth a listen too. Looking so forward to seeing the MODE at the o2,and with dave,s illness its just going to be so emotional.

Hello there Depeche Boy , it is great to have a fan of the Mode on the blog to speak majestically about them.
Unfortunately , you have fallen for Fraser's clever reviewing technique.
What he does with some of his reviews is to ramble sideways for the first two paragraphs rambling about something which has limited bearing on the song that he is about to review.
Then as an added trick , like he has done for this one, put in a hint of controversy. For this one he has cleverly written it in such a way that he will spark a debate about who is the better band, Depeche Mode or the Pet shop boys ?
He will then sit back and watch the avid bloggers joust musically about who is the better band.
Just before the carnage begins, he will come on and tell the main passionate music lover , that they may have read his review wrong, or that the they may have misunderstood .
I have fallen for this before, as have some others.
Now we can all love straight reviews that are informative and passionate and focus on the song, but sometimes there is a place for Fraser's style of review, that sometimes may omit to review the song , but instead talk about the video or the song title instead !
I say there is a place for this, as sometimes it is good to debate and add controversy, and after all ,this is a blog sometimes designed to prompt the reader into replying passionately. Aren't blogs meant to be like this ?
(And maybe the blog is so successful and well loved because of this .)
Fraser is a clever guy with a vast knowledge of music, who is doing well in enabling us to all blog about the music we love.
Keep up the good work.

Depeche boy, I feel I must reply about your comment about Radio 1 being a rubbish radio station and trying to be trendy.
(Did you go to the Fraser Mcalpine school of controversial sentences, designed to prompt heated responses ? )
Now I don't work fo Radio 1, (cleaning Fraser's moat in Kent doesn't count ) Yeah I do pedantic !
I am also a huge Mode fan so it sort of qualifies me to say this.
Radio 1 , mostly get their play list absolutely right . I have a huge experience of music and you can almost be assured that the hottest , happening songs , that court sonic and melodic invention with a commercial edge, will find itself either "a" or "b" listed at Radio 1. (In NEW MUSIC WE TRUST )
However much I love the Mode, the last single of theirs, that I would have playlisted at the station either a or b, would be " It's no good " back in 1997, from their last number 1 album " Ultra "
The last ten singles, I am afraid ,( however good ! ) , especially 91Èȱ¬ and Precious, have failed in my opinion to reach the criteria needed to make the exclusive playlists.
Radio 1 is without doubt ,one of the best Radio stations in the world, for a huge number of reasons, too long and involved to do here. I could go on and on....

However Depeche Mode are a great band !
Do share your other likes, it's good to share....

I completely disagree that certain past mode singles are not "worthy"or "commercial" enough for the sacred A+B LIST. Radio one play some really obscure music not just poppy commercial music. DEPECHE MODE have got a really strong global fanbase, that buy all the singles/albums/dvd,s and downloads upon release, But I still feel very strongly that they deserve some air play in the country that they come from. The amount of friends and family that have become fans just through me playing them there music is incredible. The only time you here mode on the radio is when heart play "just cant get enough" on the "time tunnel" ,I would dearly love to here "walking in my shoes" or "world in my eyes" played ,past songs that could bring new fans on board. WRONG as a first single was a great choice to release to promote "SOUNDS" and i dont have a single doubt in my mind that it could have been an enormous hit with some bloody air play. Even with there large fan base a lot of people still dont know there still around because of the lack of media intrest,and i feel this is a really sad situation with all the current rubish music ouy there.

If 91Èȱ¬ wasn't good enough to be playlisted on Radio One, then Radio One need new ears and a new standard of "goodness". If what is on that playlist dictates what is in the charts, as I think we seem to be saying, then that is a terrible state of affairs.

"The last ten singles, I am afraid ,( however good ! ) , especially 91Èȱ¬ and Precious, have failed in my opinion to reach the criteria needed to make the exclusive playlists."

Does this mean that "good" isn't a criteria required to be on the radio one playlist? Then what is? If "good" is not a criteria then frankly I have no interest in their recommendations.

Anyway, I need to reboot the Alexander Rybak thread back in a mo.

I know what you mean... there are hundreds of "good " songs out there that don't get on the "a" and " b " playlists.
For me, and it pains me to say it, , since Ultra the Mode have lost their cutting edge, to sound modern , fresh and connecting to the younger generation.
A lot of people in the know tell me they have lost their rhythmic edge and are not as sonically adventerous as they were, and hence miss the Radio 1 playlists.

I like the new single Peace but it doesn't fit the criteria to be a listed at radio 1.

As a result they are played a lot more on Radio 2, which is no bad thing as sometimes there is a higher listening percentage there.

get on your boots played every 30 seconds by radio trendy upon release!, An appalling and utterly pathetic effort, hyped beyond belief. radio 1 would play anything u2 make without even listening to it first.

True, Radio 1 " A " listed both " Get on your Boots " and " Magnificent " , their two last singles , but U2 are in terms of record sales and receipts at live performances, the most successful band of the last 20 years , so that would easily explain the "a" listing.
Magnificent is currently number 1 in Spain.

However , having said all that , in this country, Boots never made the top 10 despite heavy hype and promotion and Magnificent never made the top 40, their worst performing single in the u.k since 1982.

Make of that what you will.

If you read back to previous reviews, Fraser does an insightful review of U2'S Magnificent and Get on your Boots, where there are many intelligent observations by your fellow bloggers.

It might be worth a look,

Spirit.

U2,s tours will always sell out on word of mouth alone even if they didnt have a new record to promote. And the fans that attend the 360 tour will witness a great show im sure,but there not there to here the new material,its a kind of lets get them out of the way and bring on the classics situation. Im not a fan of u2 personally i find bonos ego puts me right off the band, I dislike the whole lets change the world by me preaching aproach, music to me is something to lose myself in and forget about any presures of life ,its not political for me,and i dont want to be told that by attending a live aid type gig im changing something for the better,music does not change govements.

Depeche Mode are much better than U2 at the moment and in my opinion.

Seen that Sunday paper advert about Bono? Good grief no wonder he is so big headed.

He has raised over 80 million pounds for charity, he has the Pope on speed dial, he is currently Number 1 in Spain........

What more do you want from your rock stars ?

Not having the Pope on speed dial would be fairly high on the list...

This song has only reached number 57 !

I wonder why......