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I have two versions of this disc. The first is the standard CD and the second is the Collectors edition that includes the original CD plus a DVD with additional content. "Some Great Reward" is the 4th album by Depeche Mode. I had the cassette for years, but I didn't buy the CD until the last month of my time in Europe. I bought the CD in a small pawn shop of sorts in a little Austrian town called Dornbirn. My copy is the European release of the CD. I've actually decided to donate it to a friend in Europe who likes Depeche Mode but can't afford a lot of CDs right now. I think I'll ship it over so he can enjoy it.
When you consider Depeche Mode and their history, this is the album where the band settled into its 80's sound. The first record was a Vince Clarke effort and it sounds totally different from all subsequent records. "A Broken Frame" was the album Martin Gore cut his teeth on as lead songwriter and "Construction Time Again" still feels like it has some rough edges with moments of brilliance. "Some Great Reward" is a solid piece of work and releases around this period all sound similar to it. Even though their style continued to evolve over each additional record, this disc is the template of how future recordings would be composed and engineered.
Martin Gore's fascination with German industrial sounds and music seemed to create a working man's New Wave. If bands like Duran Duran and The Human League were the British equivalent to posh music; Depeche Mode were the blue collar working class. With sounds engineered from striking metal or steel barrels... Or any number of industrial products struck to produce a percussive noise; Depeche Mode made a name for itself by producing music based on sounds no one else was using. They became an entity unto themselves.
The first song on this disc is iconic to fans of the band. 'Something To Do' was an anthem of sorts. As a teen in the 80's, (or any generation for that matter), one of the most difficult and annoying aspects of life is monotony and boredom. Not only did the song champion the plight of the working class who "work too hard for so little"... It also focuses on the seeming futility of life. There's nothing to do but work to survive. This bleak observation resonated with fans especially with middle class and working class youth. You can also hear the unique percussion elements throughout this song that the band created through their extensive sound engineering.
The second track is a more melodic number that doesn't rely heavily on metallic percussion. 'Lie To Me' is also the song that gives the album its title. The lyric goes:
"Lie to me
Like they do it in the factory
Make me think that at the end of the day
Some great reward will be coming my way"
Once again, the futility of life is a theme explored. You can also see this song in the cover artwork. A young married couple are standing outside what appears to be a factory or warehouse. The implication is social unions such as weddings or buying a house are the rewards for a lifetime of hard work and slave labor. I quite love the mellow groove and softer feel of this song. In fact, it's one of my favorites.
'People Are People' is up next and this is without a doubt one of the band's biggest hits from the 80's! It was huge! It takes a somewhat naive poke at racism and bigotry; but is still an important statement. I think this song was uniquely positioned for a number of reasons... The 80's would prove to be the first generation who simultaneously had different races and genders as its pop superstars equally. Most kids growing up in the 80's weren't familiar with racism as a reality, but rather a concept. And that's why this song wasn't so much a rallying call to arms, but a reminder not to follow the path of those before us and embrace a concept we didn't understand. Once again, 'People Are People' uses the famous industrial percussion.
The first ballad of the album appears next in the form of 'It Doesn't Matter'. Martin Gore takes over on lead vocals and delivers a sentimental, though strange observation on infidelity and the nature of love. There are some engineered sound patches used in this song, but they're more melodic than percussive. 'Stories Of Old' is the fifth track and once again, there's a heavier focus on melody. The tune deals with an unwillingness to follow the established story book format of life that supposes finding the perfect bride is the ultimate goal of life. Martin and the boys refuse to sacrifice their success and pleasures for the simple possibility of love.
On 'Somebody', Martin returns to lead vocals on what became one of the band's most famous and popular ballads. This sweetly sincere and somewhat naive song pokes fun at its own fragility. It's both something to revile and love all rolled up into one sappy, sentimental expression of devotion. Played almost entirely as an acoustic piano piece, you can hear some distant sounds playing like background noise. Is that the whistle of a train?
'Master And Servant' returns the heavy percussion and delves into the casual nature of sexual intercourse that seemed prevalent during the 80's. Morality had shifted somewhat and Depeche Mode wanted to draw attention to it while comparing it to a flawed system of political and economic wealth disparity.
'If You Want' continues with the high energy of both melodic elements and percussive elements. This song has all the energy of a circus! The music is spinning and at times, carnival-like. It's followed by the final track, 'Blasphemous Rumours'. This is another popular tune among fans and deal mainly with irony and how in the end it must all be a huge cosmic joke by God.
If I were to say this album had an overall theme, I'd say it was a celebration of mundane live and the futility of wanting something more. In the end, you only have what you have. And following the plan of the system won't lead you to ultimate happiness.
It's a complicated look at reality and for young people, it espoused many fears of growing up and what they saw ahead of themselves. Either in the lives of their parents or in the world around them. This is an album that deeply resonates with its listeners but offers little hope. The only true hope was in the music itself. The only real peace of mind is found in the escapism of listening.
I loved this album as a kid and years later, when I listen to it as an adult, I still love it and find it compelling and intricate. As young people, Depeche Mode were a deeply thoughtful group with a view of the world very people could share. My final words: AN EPIC COMING OF AGE ALBUM BY A BAND THAT WAS ALREADY LEGENDARY.
DEPECHE MODE - SOME GREAT REWARD
01. Something To Do
02. Lie To Me
03. People Are People
04. It Doesn't Matter
05. Stories Of Old
06. Somebody
07. Master And Servant
08. If You Want
09. Blasphemous Rumours
DVD CONTENT
01. A Short Film: Depeche Mode - 1984
02. Something To Do
03. Lie To Me
04. People Are People
05. It Doesn't Matter
06. Stories Of Old
07. Somebody
08. Master And Servant
09. If You Want
10. Blasphemous Rumours
11. If You Want (Live In Basel)
12. People Are People (Live In Basel)
13. Somebody (Live In Liverpool)
14. Blasphemous Rumours (Live In Basel)
15. Master And Servant (Live In Basel)
16. In Your Memory
17. (Set Me Free) Remotivate Me
18. Somebody (Remix)
Although I've heard this disc many times before, it's only recently that I got it for myself. My sister, Rachel gave it to me for my birthday! This particular album is the beginning of the android saga of Cindi Mayweather, Monae's alter-ego.
Cindi falls in love with a human, Anthony Greendown and is therefore scheduled for recycle. There are laws forbidding androids to feel. And the opening sequence; which is more of a segue than an actual track is a Public Service Announcement letting bounty hunters know Cindi is a legit target with a bounty on her head. 'The March Of The Wolfmasters' is this disc's equivalent of a starting pistol in a race.
'Violet Stars Happy Hunting!!!' is where the album actually takes off and you get your first exposure to Monae. The drum beat kicks in and it reminds me heavily of Outkast. It's got a classic 50's feel and a live quality that stands out dramatically. It's a great song and sets an outstanding pace for the disc. It's followed by another song that maintains that retro beat and sound. 'Many Moons' continues to showcase Monae's lovely voice and the music on this one is edgy and tense. There's a lot of static pauses and delayed beats that create a sense of urgency and keeps you on the edge of your seat as you groove along with it.
'Cybertronic Purgatory' starts as a quieter experience. You hear a voice vocalizing in the distance and the title makes one think of Romeo fleeing Verona. An exile for love, living in purgatory. It's a soft but lovely number. 'Sincerely, Jane.' starts off sounding like a big band production from a fargone age. The silver screen. But suddenly, the drums kick in and Monae takes the song and turns it into a blockbuster motion picture epic theme song. She's dynamic, flamboyant and expressive all at the same time. The strings and horn builds in this tune are stunning and you can't help but feel a great sense of respect for what this new artist is attempting to create with this sound. It's amazing!
Comparatively speaking, 'Mr. President' by all intents and purposes is dramatically different from the rest of the album. That Motown Soul sound still radiates from the track, but it's got a more pop sensible structure and arrangement. By far, this is the most accessible of all the tracks on the album and it's also my favorite. I think it's wonderful and I love Monae's vocalizing. She proves with this one track she's a voice and a force to be reckoned with. The final track on the disc is 'Smile' and it's a cover of the classic tune written by Charlie Chaplin. I don't recall if he actually recorded and released it. But there you go. Like some long forgotten screen goddess, Monae ends the disc on a lonely, distant sad note bravely facing an uncertain but hopeful future. She couldn't have planned it better. It works out flawlessly.
She has a unique and different vision of music. It's the strength of her lyrics, the power of her music and the expanse of her vocals that promise something different and far-reaching. I personally think Monae is an artist we should all watch carefully in days to come. She's just too darn talented not to.
My final words: THE BEST FRESHMAN EFFORT FROM A NEW ARTIST I'VE HEARD IN YEARS. WITHOUT A DOUBT, BRILLIANT.
JANELLE MONAE - METROPOLIS: THE CHASE SUITE (SPECIAL EDITION)
01. The March Of The Wolfmasters
02. Violet Stars Happy Hunting!!!
03. Many Moons
04. Cybertronic Purgatory
05. Sincerely, Jane.
06. Mr. President
07. Smile
This interesting import single is actually the product of a film soundtrack rather than a Marilyn Manson album which explains the addition of tracks by other bands. Both Mest and Stabbing Westward get a chance to deliver some goods with a track each.
Marilyn Manson starts off the single with a cover of 'Tainted Love' the song made a household name by 80's New Wave band, Soft Cell. Although Manson's version is a lot heavier in the beat and slower in tempo, it's a fairly straightforward rendition. It stays faithful to the arrangement created by Soft Cell and Manson's spooky vocal delivery takes a song that already borders on soft core s&m and turns it into sinister snuff porn. You'll be hiding under the bed after this one. And that's exactly what I think he wanted to accomplish! Well done!
Mest appears next and I know absolutely nothing about this group other than their appearance on this disc. They cover Modern English's 'I Melt With You'. There seems to be a trend in recent films to have newer bands cover 80's hits. That's cool most of the time. Sometimes it isn't. I'm not a huge fan of Mest and what they do here. Whereas the goal would be to make a better version of the older track, they just bang it out in a rather aggressive manner that doesn't recall the original track in a way that will make you remember it fondly. Obviously the original is better.
Marilyn appears again on track number three performing 'Suicide Is Painless'. This is a song that was actually the theme song for M*A*S*H*. Unlike the other tracks on this disc, this song dates all the way back to the early 70's. And Manson delivers what could possibly be the creepiest version of this track ever recorded. Again, they score with an amazing sound. If you like Manson at all, this is one track you need to get your hands on.
The final track is by Stabbing Westward. I saw them open for Depeche Mode once. They did a good job. On track number four they offer up a hit by New Order, 'Bizarre Love Triangle'. New Order is a complicated band with so many musical directions it's often hard to interpret their music. But Stabbing Westward are up to the challenge. They don't stay faithful to the original, but they offer up a grunge tinged version more appropriate for the time and it's actually enjoyable to listen to.
The fact is, even the Mest track isn't bad. It's still fun to listen to. That being what it is, this is a great single to own and if you like any of these bands, I don't know why you wouldn't own it. Of course there's always the chance the songs all show up on other releases but I don't own any.
My final words: MANSON DELIVERS SOME CREEPY COVERS FOR ALL THE GOOD LITTLE BOYS AND GIRLS TO ENJOY!!!!
MARILYN MANSON - TAINTED LOVE
01. Marilyn Manson - Tainted Love
02. Mest - I Melt With You
03. Marilyn Manson - Suicide Is Painless
04. Stabbing Westward - Bizarre Love Triangle
Juno Reactor is a band I discovered on a compilation CD. I can't remember the name of the disc off the top of my head, but the JR song was my favorite on the disc and this was the first CD I bought from them. I found it at a Music Store in Vegas. I recognized the group's name and I decided to buy the single and check out more of their music. Needless to say, I wasn't disappointed. These songs started my fascination with JR and I followed them for years afterward.
This is a simple four track single. There are two actual songs and each one gets two mixes. I'm not going to get heavily into the mixes because they're all fairly straightforward and enjoyable. I will say this much, the mixes for 'The Heavens' are much more dynamic than the album version. This is a subtle song to begin with. It's one of JR's soundscape numbers. You feel this song more than listen to it.
Since both tracks appear on their first album, I'll discuss them in more detail there and just say this is a pretty cool single with great mixes. My final words: NICE SINGLE AND A GREAT ADDITION TO A COLLECTION!
JUNO REACTOR - HIGH ENERGY PROTONS
01. High Energy Protons (Orion Mix)
02. High Energy Protons (Voodoo People Mix)
03. The Heavens (Monolith Mix)
04. The Heavens (Vapour Mix)
