Late Era Talking Heads and Depeche Mode C/D

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So, I'm listening to Exciter and Little Creatures this morning. I'm not real sure what to make of either of them.

At what point, if any, did these bands lose the plot?

― ben welsh (benwelsh), Wednesday, 11 February 2004 17:44 (twenty-two years ago)

I personally think DM went downhill quick after Violator. A few good songs here and there at best. *ducks under table*

― Rob Bolton (Rob Bolton), Wednesday, 11 February 2004 17:47 (twenty-two years ago)

heads high point: remain in light (speaking in tongues/stop making sense if you're going to be generous). dm high point: violator. everything after I could live without.

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Wednesday, 11 February 2004 17:49 (twenty-two years ago)

I remember buying "No Talking Just Head" and telling myself I was only doing it because I was a big music dork. You could tell from the actual weight of the packaging that it was going to be one of the worst records you could possibly make. But which James, living with his parents above the vacuum shop and writing for the Creatine College Weekly (ARTS AND MUSIC SECTION B) could pass up a chance to hear Andy Partridge could do after a very awkward 2-hour studio session with his also also-ran brothers and sisters?

― caspar (caspar), Wednesday, 11 February 2004 18:00 (twenty-two years ago)

DM highpoint is certainly "Violator", but everything after it is still really good. "Ultra" is one of the top three records they ever made. "Exciter" has some weak spots but is strong overall. Getting Tim Simenon and Mark Bell to produce them helped to modernize their sound a lot (particularly once Alan Wilder wasn't around to do it).

Talking Heads I never particularly cared for. I'd say "Stop Making Sense" was the peak for them. There's a reason nobody remembers anything they did afterward.

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 11 February 2004 18:01 (twenty-two years ago)

actually "sax and violins" was a really good return to form for talking heads, too bad it didn't come out until after they'd broken up.

― anthony kyle monday (akmonday), Wednesday, 11 February 2004 18:04 (twenty-two years ago)

Naked is a really friggin good album! Little Creatures and True Stories had their moments too, but yeah there was definitely some what-the-fuck-are-we-gonna-do-now? momentum loss after Stop Making Sense.

― nickalicious (nickalicious), Wednesday, 11 February 2004 18:26 (twenty-two years ago)

DM highpoint is certainly "Violator", but everything after it is still really good. "Ultra" is one of the top three records they ever made. "Exciter" has some
weak spots but is strong overall. Getting Tim Simenon and Mark Bell to produce them helped to modernize their sound a lot (particularly once Alan
Wilder wasn't around to do it).

What he said (not that Alan's bad or anything).

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 11 February 2004 19:22 (twenty-two years ago)

Yeah, that wasn't meant to cast negative light on Alan.

After all, Alan's first Recoil album remains the best solo record by a DM'er.

― Barry Bruner (Barry Bruner), Wednesday, 11 February 2004 20:39 (twenty-two years ago)

At the time of "Ultra" I bought it and almost ignored it, having partly lost the enthusiasm after "Songs Of Faith And Devotion". Listening to it later on made me realise it was really great. As was "Exciter" too.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Wednesday, 11 February 2004 22:09 (twenty-two years ago)

DM high point was "Music for the Masses", but totally search "Dead of Night" from Exciter.

― anode (anode), Wednesday, 11 February 2004 22:21 (twenty-two years ago)

DM's low point was "Music For The Masses". Their golden era was from "Contruction Time Again" through "Black Celebration".

"Violator", "Ultra" and "Exciter" are all up there with their best output though.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Thursday, 12 February 2004 02:06 (twenty-two years ago)

Haven't heard all of "Music for the Masses" but agree with the rest of what Geir writes. I was just listening to "Exciter" yesterday.

― daria g (daria g), Thursday, 12 February 2004 04:14 (twenty-two years ago)

hmm, i really liked little creatures and i still do ... after that, they turned to crap REAL fast.

and i date depeche mode's decline from black celebration onwards (with the exception of violator, which is kinda like a verdant island in the middle of a sea of OK-not-great DM records). DM was always kinda inconsistent album-wise IMHO.

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Thursday, 12 February 2004 05:36 (twenty-two years ago)

oddly, i kinda agree with Geir re DM's golden era, though i'd start w/ speak and spell and end w/ some great reward (a broken frame is one of my guilty pleasures)

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Thursday, 12 February 2004 05:39 (twenty-two years ago)

Bah, "Music for the Masses" doesn't have one weak track. You're all phillistines.

― anode (anode), Thursday, 12 February 2004 07:15 (twenty-two years ago)

too much Mode, let's talk Heads-

I'd like to stand up for Naked, it's a great album for goddammit! Admittedly it's no Remain in Light or Songs about... or Fear of Music but with "Blind", "Mr. Jones" and "Cool Water" it contains a few splendid songs.

― willem (willem), Thursday, 12 February 2004 08:28 (twenty-two years ago)

it's a great album for goddammit
not sure what that means...

― willem (willem), Thursday, 12 February 2004 08:29 (twenty-two years ago)

too much Mode

A strange concept.

― Ned Raggett (Ned), Thursday, 12 February 2004 17:36 (twenty-two years ago)

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