I think that SOFAD was the apogee of Depeche Mode, but everything after without Alan wasn't

 

"Black Celebration" is very special, indeed. I so love it, too! It changed my life, literally. They kept changing in interesting ways, but I also cannot help thinking they are still messed up a bit since Alan left. Now they have their own style that doesn't change much, really. Alan was the "inventor".

Seems like "the peak of DM" is a bit different for different people. For me it's "Violator", but it's not that much better than BC, or SOFAD, or MFTM. "Violator" just had the most public success? Can that be considered as their peak? I don't believe in "public success"* anyway... but I did like the Violator the same as BC and MFTM and SOFAD.

Nowadays, though, every DM album is good, but not as great as those old ones for me... I like it that they tackled the politics again, like on "Construction Time Again", though. Gotta love "More Than a Party" and "Pipeline" . Nice and dark. Darkly nice.

@electriclash We'd have a really great fun time discussing this stuff over a pint, I guess.

* speaking of "public success" [and Black Celebration] one of my favourite albums ever is Click Click's "Rorschach Testing". Haunting lyrics and music. Damn good and dark. Still listening to it from time to time. What a singer... argh Check it out if you like. I can send RARs to whomever is interested... It's one of those hugely underappreciated bands IMO.

 

Last edited: May 31, 2018

What? Are you serious? What made you think that I would be willing to disclose trade secrets? Just kidding!
In order to explain how I do it, I would have to make a video or repeat the User's Guide for Audionamix ADX Trax Pro 3.That is the program that I use for separation and nothing currently available out there comes even closer to its ability to separate melodic content from mono or stereo audio files. Sometimes, if there is any need for it, I use Melody Editor to edit and/or to correct any imperfections in the file that has been separated by Trax Pro. The final touches come from the analogue 1084 EQ on the Genesis Black Console or the API 550M.

Here is the link to ADX User Guide https://trax.audionamix.com/doc/ADX-TRAX-Pro/3.0.0/

 

absolutely brother! I believe you're across the drink; shame I nearly just came over for The The in Leeds 5/27- thankfully they added 2 shows locally!! Will check the Click Click record

 

Thanks TonyG! I think I have not the knowledge for it (and probably also the wrong OS).

Listen to Click Click now. Never heard before, but I think I hear some sounds I've heard before It reminds me a bit of Front 242 and The Cure.

I like DM since 1984 (Some great Reward). Black Celebration (album) was very special to me. What an album opener! What a concert opener (Christmas Island). Never had such an experience afterwards. But 'Songs of Faith and Devotion' is for me THE DM album, if I have to choose one. Funny, when I heard the album in the record store for the first time, I was wondering if I should buy it. Didn't like the guitars, the drums, Dave's look...when I saw the 'I feel you' video on MTV, I didn't recognize it was DM, but I knew the voice..I was a moment in shock. I better stop now ;-)