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Depeche Mode - The Singles 81>85 Audio CD

A fair review of the Depeche Mode "The Singles 81>85" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Depeche Mode reviews here, or go back to the Depeche Mode tabs.

Depeche Mode Band: Depeche Mode
Title: The Singles 81>85
Rating:
Release Date: 1999-01-19
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Dreaming of Me 2: New Life 3: Just Can't Get Enough 4: See You 5: Meaning of Love 6: Leave in Silence 7: Get the Balance Right! 8: Everything Counts 9: Love in Itself 10: People Are People 11: Master and Servant 12: Rumours 13: Somebody 14: Shake the Disease 15: It's Called a Heart 16: Photographic [Some Bizarre Version] 17: Just Can't Get Enough [Schizo Mix]

Depending on your Mode
History and Hysteria. Others, most, may have more familiarity with Depeche Mode. I only bought the export EPs when they came out in the early '80's. Depeche Mode at that time were against the grain of emerging hair metal and had a sense of melody that sounded fresh and fun. + true love of something. Depeche Mode were at the basis, a POP band, and as true of their time as Elvis, Beatles, etc. .

This complelation of early singles "gets the balance right". It misses favorites like "Route 66" and extended mixes, but as a bargain toss, "everything counts. . . . ".


i love depeche mode!
i highly recommend it!. i love depeche mode and this cd offers a sample of some of their best remixes/singles.


Horrible sound quality!!
Depeche Mode is one of my favorite bands, and these songs are absolutely awesome. Don't misinterpret this review. However, the mastering on this CD is atrocious. ALL the songs are compressed and clipped, ruining the dynamics of each song. If you take a look at the waveforms of the tracks, you'll see what I mean. It sounds TOO loud and distorted.

Do yourself a favor and find yourself the earlier Singles: 81-85 compilation or Catching Up with Depeche Mode if you live in the States ( although you'll be missing Get the Balance Right, People Are People, and Leave in Silence, but those can be found on the People Are People compilation album ).

This also goes for the mastering on the 86-98 compilation.


"How much does digital enhancement really do to improve the sound of early-'80s synth pop?"
"

I completely disagree! It's not a matter of the music sounding dated. The above editorial review states:
"All the songs are digitally remastered, but how much does digital enhancement really do to improve the sound of early-'80s synth-pop, which is so dated? Not much. It's a matter of the actual sound of the music, which has been improved hugely! I've been doing an A/B comparison between the 2006 'The Best Of - Vol 1' Depeche Mode release and this 1998 'Singles 81>85', and the differences are clear. One would think that the 2006 version would sound better since it was released nearly 8 years after the 1998 version. This, however, is not the case at all. The 1998 disc sounds much better than the 2006 disc. That's not to say that the 2006 disc sounds bad. It just isn't up to the 1998 standards.

The differences are simply the result of the mastering engineers. Simon Heyworth mastered the 2006 best of, whereas Mike Marsh and Roland Brown got it right the first time in 1998 on this compilation. Heyworth's mastering seems to be restrained, sticking closely to the original mastering from the 80s without giving the tracks the extra punch and depth as heard in recent masters. The Marsh/Brown collaboration, on the other hand, gives the tracks bass and fullness, making them sound heavy.

With an excellent digital remastering and a solid tracklisting, 'Singles 81>85' is an essential part of any DM fan collection. .


Depeche Mode's better half
Before they became Americanized, when they were just 4 English lads playing good synth-pop. This is classic Depeche Mode. Before their music deteriorated after "Music For The Masses". Their later stuff pales in comparison to the earlier thought-provoking music. From the chirpy "Dreaming Of Me" to the brooding,deep "Blasphemous Rumours", this cd scores a big hit. New Depeche Mode fans missed out on this era, and they can now experience what it was like. And people who've followed the band from the early 80's can relive the magic. Classic Mode, where have you gone?
.


You can see a complete list of all Depeche Mode discography, or go back to the Depeche Mode tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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