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Black Celebration

Depeche Mode - Black Celebration Audio CD

A fair review of the Depeche Mode "Black Celebration" 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.

Band: Depeche Mode
Title: Black Celebration
Rating:

Release Date: 2007-03-20
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Black Celebration 2: Fly on the Windscreen - Final 3: Question of Lust 4: Sometimes 5: It Doesn't Matter Two 6: Question of Time 7: Stripped 8: Here in This House 9: World Full of Nothing 10: Dressed in Black 11: New Dress 12: Black Celebration [5.1 and Stereo][Multimedia Track] 13: Fly on the Windscreen - Final [5.1 and Stereo][Multimedia Track] 14: Question of Lust [5.1 and Stereo][Multimedia Track] 15: Sometimes [5.1 and Stereo][Multimedia Track] 16: It Doen't Matter Two [5.1 and Stereo][Multimedia Track] 17: Question of Time [5.1 and Stereo][Multimedia Track] 18: Stripped [5.1 and Stereo][Multimedia Track] 19: Here in This House [5.1 and Stereo][Multimedia Track] 20: World Full of Nothing [5.1 and Stereo][Multimedia Track] 21: Dressed in Black [5.1 and Stereo][Multimedia Track] 22: New Dress [5.1 and Stereo][Multimedia Track] 23: Black Celebration [5.1 and Stereo][Live][Multimedia Track] 24: Question of Time [5.1 and Stereo][Live][Multimedia Track] 25: Stripped [5.1 and Stereo][Live][Multimedia Track] 26: Shake the Disease [DVD][*] 27: Flexible [DVD][*] 28: It's Called a Heart [DVD][*] 29: Fly on the Windscreen [DVD][*] 30: But Not Tonight [DVD][*] 31: Breathing in Fumes [DVD][*] 32: Balck Day [DVD][*] 33: Christmas Island [DVD][*] 34: Bonus Material [DVD][*]

CAN'T PLAY BONUS SONGS ON A NORMAL CD PLAYER
Can't play bonus songs in a regular CD player? What a rip off!. Got as a Christmas Present.

A Classic from Depeche Mode
What a revelation. My new favorite album in the world. I missed this one completely in the 80s, maybe because of the lack of big "hits", but I finally picked it up in 2007. Since then it's been the most-played CD by far in my rotation. The tracks delight every time with a variety of energies and moods, atmospheric, danceable and mature, with gorgeous vocals from Gahan and Gore, and sophisticated blends of synthesizers and other sonic surprises, like the rockets on the title track. The sweet spot for me is "A Matter of Time" + "Stripped". The DVD is a mildly interesting account of their touring and the making of the album. The album is simply terrific, perfect for aging new-wavers.

Cause for Celebration
"Black Celebration" is almost unmatched in its relentless gloom-mongering and only on the closing "But Not Tonight" does the tone turn even vaguely optimistic. "Black Celebration" was the album thousands of dyed hair and make-up kids in the late 80's poured their alienated hearts out over. (Interestingly, the lyrics are reinstated on this booklet after being omitted from the original CD. ) Not that the music wasn't outstanding. That was the main attraction about the richer sounding "Black Celebration. " The state of the synthesizer had risen considerably since "Some Great Reward," and the breakthrough of Compact Discs had just begun. It brought a fuller sound out of Depeche Mode and gave them more room to deepen -- or maybe darken -- their sound. They had also stumbled into areas when less meant more, as the haunting "Stripped" exemplifies.

Just because the mood was dark also did not mean "Black Celebration" stayed mired in dirges. The frantic tempo of "A Question of Time" continued DM's ongoing string of modern rock dance singles, keeping them astride the likes of New Order and positioning them as the anti-Duran Duran. (Even though all three of these bands were at their creative peaks in this period. ) The DM videos were getting better and it was just one more year or so before all three bands were world wide massive stars at the same time!!! (Duran Duran with "Big Thing," New Order with "Substance" and DM with "Violator. ") It was certainly heady times for lovers of synth-rock, and "Black Celebration" remains one of my favorite CDs from that period.

The remaster is superb, filling the room with sound WITHOUT just making the CD louder. The nearly hour-long historical film is interesting, watching the band work out issues and seeing mid-twenties DM dealing with the earnestness of being young and creative.

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Great Album - without the great vibes in this remaster
Oh, wait. What an incredible album, recorded and mixed at the legendary Hansa Studios in Berlin, where Bowie's Heroes was recorded. This version was mixed recently, using pro-tools, without the wonderful ambience of Hansa. . . without Gareth Jones and Alan Wilder at the helm.
Unfortunately, it shows.
However, the extras are worth getting, and I dare say it's worth buying just for an A/B comparison with the original issue just to show how real acoustics beat out convoluted (their word, not mine) reverb algorithms EVERY TIME.
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I gave it a second chance, and it was worth it.
Why do I say that? Because in the early `90s when I bought it for the first time -- on cassette mind you -- I actually *exchanged* it for something else because I didn't like it at all! And the funny thing is, this was coming from a group that I did like at the time, ever since I fell in love with their brand of electronic synth pop upon listening to the "Catching Up" compilation (and the fact that I'm a keyboard player doesn't hurt either). I can't believe how good this album is. I guess I can only conclude that my musical appreciation skills must be getting sharper.

I admit I only have a small portion of the entire Depeche Mode discography. I'm not even sure if this is their absolute best album -- maybe that's why I didn't fall in love with it at first (Violator, Playing the Angel, and Music for the Masses are their finest masterpieces in my opinion). Still, I think anyone who likes the dark tones and somber imagery of Depeche Mode will truly appreciate this CD. You obviously have to listen to it carefully -- and, of course, probably more than once -- but it will definitely strike a chord with you if you give it a chance. The songs really flow well from one to the next, and there is no escaping the blasphemous melancholy that is clearly evident in the music and the lyrics.

I have to admit, I sometimes don't like their slower ballads, but if you use them as a means of transition between the more energetic tracks, then it's certainly possible to enjoy them ("A Question of Lust" and "Dressed in Black" are perfect examples of songs that serve this purpose). And that's what's so great about this album -- there's a near perfect balance between soft beauty and gritty intensity that really takes you on an incredible artistic journey. It ranges all the way from the extremely appropriate opening title track, to the abrasive and soul-pounding "Fly on the Windscreen," further on to the peaceful "Sometimes," and then all the way back to the semi-industrial motif with the deceptively titled "New Dress. " "A Question of Time" functions as the obligatory hectic dance tune, "Stripped" sucks you into an exotic chasm, and you'll even be treated with a slight diversion from the predominantly black mood of the rest of the album with the track "Here is the House," which is a lovely, upbeat song that has a very catchy melody and an almost happy, optimistic feel to it.

To sum up, "Black Celebration" is a terrific piece of work by an ingenious band. It is well worth purchasing and listening to.
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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.