Violator (1990)
The only Depeche Mode non-compilation that I own, and for my purposes the only one that warrants any sort of individual consideration. I discovered this band by virtue of this album when I was but a wee one, and I should have stopped there, “Master and Servant” notwithstanding.
(“Enjoy The Silence”)
Grade: B-
The Singles 81-85 (1998)
I’ve never really liked too many mopey bands. That is to say, bands that are (or pretend to be) perpetually depressed instead of the far preferable perpetually angry. “Anger is an energy”, a wise man once said, and I agree. Anger fuels some of the best songs I’ve ever heard. Perpetually depressed I can like, but usually only when I understand what exactly they’re depressed about, or when they smother my objections with depressing vocal/musical hooks galore. Perpetually depressed WITHOUT hooks, without power chords, full of “feeling” but short on memorable tunes does very little for me. The Cure is my odious example of the kind of music I love to hate. How then can I like the Cowboy Junkies, you may ask? Well, their vocals are a lot better, and they’re more layered and gentle in the proper places. So after all is said and done, why do I rate this album so relatively high? Because there’s a little BDSM devil on every shoulder, myself included.
(“Master And Servant”)
Grade: C
The Singles 86-98 (1998)
Their last best-of, or should I say the companion piece to this one, spanned five years. This one spans thirteen. You’d like to think there would be more good music on this one. Early warning sign – a live version of one of “81-85″‘s songs in this songlist.
Grade: C-