This coming week...

Evening all, no real post as such today because this week promises to be an utterly chaotic one with the slew of releases heading my way. I've got three Pet Shop Boys singles, Madonna's MDNA Tour Bluray/CD and of course The Clash Hits Back and Sound System. That's lots of first impressions posts I'll be making this week, and also arrival posts of course. Pet Shop Boys singles and Madonna MDNA items have already dispatched. I don't think the MDNA Tour Bluray/CD will arrive tomorrow. The Pet Shop Boys singles I ordered however I think may just. As for The Clash stuff, I'm expecting it will dispatch first thing tomorrow morning (at nearly 9PM here I can't see it happening tonight). I'm expecting that it will get here on Wednesday, Thursday or Friday. I can't think of a bigger week than this upcoming one for my music collection - needless to say I simply cannot wait for it all to arrive. I've also got to try and track down a copy of the Depeche Mode Ultimate Music Guide too. I've got some posts floating around that I'm drafting too, hopefully I'll be able to publish one or two of them in the midst of it all too. See you all tomorrow for day one!

Albums of the year (so far)

Well, June is now ending (scary) which means it's officially halfway through the year. This year I have absolutely loved for music so far. I think it's been one of the strongest years for music in a while actually. This year we've had great comebacks and great new talent. I've already found more albums I've loved this year than I did in the whole of 2012. The best part? Not only is there a half a year still to go - I haven't even heard all the albums already released that I want too! But - my albums of the year so far are:

• Jagwar Ma - Howlin (best)
• David Bowie - The Next Day
• Fitz & The Tantrums - More Than Just A Dream
• Disclosure - Settle
• Depeche Mode - Delta Machine
• Capital Cities - In A Tidal Wave Of Mystery
• Yeah Yeah Yeahs - Mosquito
• Vampire Weekend - Modern Vampires of The City
• Hurts - Exile
• Little Boots - Nocturnes

At 10 albums, I've been left suitably impressed with this year. In fact, only three albums this year didn't make the list: Palma Violets, Phoenix and Daft Punk's latest offerings. And that's not counting the albums that have been released that I haven't heard yet: OMD, Johnny Marr and Primal Scream for instance. And there's still plenty of new albums to come this year that I can't wait for: Alunageorge, Pet Shop Boys, MIA, Foster The People, Goldfrapp and Nine Inch Nails. I'm still holding out hopes for Friendly Fires too. Not to mention other various musical releases like New Order's live album and Sound System boxset for The Clash. Cannot wait to see how the year progresses musically!

Depeche Mode Milestone

Today's a pretty big anniversary for a pivotal moment in Depeche Mode's history: it's 25 years today since their seminal sell out show at Pasadena's Rose Bowl. It was the final date of the band's Music For The Masses tour which was in support of the album of the same name. Music For The Masses is my favourite Depeche Mode album (probably in my top twenty ever), which I don't think is an all that common view. What is a much more common view though is that selling out the Rose Bowl is one of (if not the) crowning achievements of their career. The show was documented (partially) on the 101 DVD yet in full on the 101 live album. I must admit - the 101 show was instrumental in making me a fan as their performance is simply that good in it. Behind The Wheel especially which is one of my favourite singular performances from any concert, period. Honestly, this is one show I would love to have been able to see, along with Simon & Garfunkel's Central Park reunion concert. Sadly, I don't own either the DVD or CD of 101 but they're items I want sooner rather than later. Later on I think I'll listen to Music For The Masses though as means of a little celebration. In the meantime, happy 25th anniversary!

The Singles 81>85

I'd been thinking of getting this compilation for a while seeing as it could be a while before my collection of Depeche Mode remasters grows. Also it has two exclusive tracks - one of which I really wanted - so I would have got it eventually anyway. Anyhow, this compilation was actually originally released in 1985, but was reissue and remastered in 1998 to coincide with the release of the compilation The Singles 86>98. The two bonus tracks on this CD weren't on the original 1985 release and one of them was never on an official CD before at all. One is the Schizo mix of Just Can't Get Enough but the real gem for me here is the original Some Bizarre version of Photographic. I love the Speak & Spell version of Photographic but I think I prefer the frantic energy of the original Some Bizzare version just a tad more if I'm honest! As an extra bonus (well for me at least) the booklet contains a review of each single from the time of it's original release, and the one for Blasphemous Rumors/Somebody was written by one Neil Tennant, prior to finding fame as lead singer of Pet Shop Boys! Definitely a worthwhile purchase for me, I just hope its not long before I get another Depeche Mode album!

Depeche Mode - Photographic (Live Something Else)

I do love  Depeche Mode's work with Alan Wilder naturally (who appeared on Construction Time Again through to Songs of Faith & Devotion). In spite of this though,  I'm actually a really big fan of their debut album, Speak & Spell, I think its prone to some unfair criticism really, and Photographic just so happens to be one of my favorite songs from the album. Having said that, I think this particular live version of the song is even better than the version that is on the album! It's a lot faster than the album version and there's much more synths in this which makes it a much more exciting track to listen to I think. The synths in this live arrangement give the track a slightly more dark flavor which is a great counterbalance to the more fluffy synthpop found on their first album. This particular performance is from the BBC show Something Else, which ran from 1978-1982 and was very much aimed at young people and featured more alternative artists (the show is perhaps best remembered for featuring Joy Division in their last TV appearance in 1979). I don't think Depeche Mode performed any other songs on Something Else although I could be wrong there. It's also one of the last Depeche Mode performances that feature founding member Vince Clarke before his departure as far as I know. The arrangement here is very similar (more or less identical really) to the original version of Photographic that appeared on the Some Bizarre album, which was actually the first ever recording of Depeche Mode to be released. You can find the original version on the very well known Some Bizarre compilation album (originally released in 1981 but reissued on CD in 2008). The compilation also contains early recordings by other groups that would become very well known such as The The, Blancmange and Soft Cell. If that doesn't sound like your cup of tea though you can also find it on the Depeche Mode compilation Singles 81-85. Sadly, this particular live performance of Photographic hasn't been released officially I think. It's a pity because it's a great performance!

Depeche Mode - Behind The Wheel

I love this song, easily one of my favourite songs from the 80's and probably of all time! Behind The Wheel is the third single from their album Music For The Masses. Before I heard this song, I have to admit I was struggling to get really into Depeche Mode. I had loved some of their songs but most of them took some time to grow on me. I heard Behind The Wheel on their well known 101 documentary (which was also seminal in finally making me a fan). The song was remixed for single release by Daniel Miller. In all honestly, I do prefer the album version by a substantial margin to the single version. I just think the single version has nearly too much going on in its arrangement, I think the extra synths are just a bit surplus to requirements really. What I really love about the album version is the musical symbolism that's very prevalent. The arrangement of the song is very simplistic and doesn't alter very much at all during the course of the track. Very appropriately, the beat merely keeps driving on, conjuring up images of driving down a highway for me at least. It goes perfectly with the driving metaphor that is the focal point of the lyrics. The lyrics of the song tell the story of  someone completing submitting themselves to their partner. In terms of theme, it implicitly reminds me of another well known Depeche Mode song, Never Let Me Down Again (also from Music For The Masses), as Never Let Me Down Again is again about submission, but in that song its about submission to drugs. I also love the B-side for Behind The Wheel, a cover version of the well known Bobby Troup composition Route 66. Usually I don't mention a B-side in a post that covers the A-side but for Behind The Wheel/Route 66 I make a special exception. It was the perfect B-side choice for Behind The Wheel I think as it maintains the driving theme of it's A-side counterpart. Route 66 even incorporates some of Behind The Wheel in its arrangement which ties the two even further. In any case, great song by a great band!

Interesting little download.

I have an odd fascination developing in recent months for record labels (particularly interested in ZTT, Factory and Creation), In recent times though I'm also particularly interested in Some Bizzare too. Their compilation album of the same name was their first release, and was designed to give an indication of the musical sound the label were interested in. I downloaded this last night after figuring it would be a good place to start. What I find fascinating is that the release contains early recordings by some acts that would go on to have much success like Depeche Mode (the version of Photographic here is actually the first released recording of Depeche Mode's) and also Blancmange and Soft Cell (who would then be signed to Some Bizzare) I've only heard a few of the other tracks of it so far and it sounds like a very experimental piece of work, definitely an interesting listen indeed!

Christmas goodies.

I hope everyone had a brilliant Christmas and got all they wanted. I certainly got spoilt rotten this year with plenty of new musical goodies. So without further adieu.. 

CDs:

• Erasure - The Innocents (CD+DVD Hardback Book edition)
• The Jackson 5 boxset containing first four studio albums
• Factory Records Boxset
• Pet Shop Boys - Christmas EP
• Depeche Mode - Sounds of the Universe (Boxset)
• Queen - Greatest Hits (3CD)

DVD'S/Bluray's:

• Erasure - Hits!
• Talking Heads - Stop Making Sense
• Michael Jackson - Life of an Icon
• Kylie Minogue - Ahprodite Tour 

Books:

•  Shaun Ryder - You're Twisting my Melon Man (Autobiography)
• Queen - 40 Years of Queen
• The Creative Life and Work of Michael Jackson
• Michael Jackson - Stories You Were Never Meant to Read.

I'll post about some of them individually in the coming days, I think the first one will be on the Depeche Mode boxset, enjoy the rest of the holidays everyone!

Ok Depeche Mode, you win!

 A few months ago I listened to Depeche Mode properly and was rather disappointed for once. I just didn't same to get the hype with them at all and thought they were actually overrated. Not wanting to consign them to the shelf of bands that hadn't clicked with me so soon however I decided to persevere and give a few of their albums several listens. Slowly but surely they grew on me and I've just been listening to their album Some Great Reward and I've really enjoyed it! Yes, I think I am definitely becoming a fan of these guys!