[blip]

Is it just me or is this album a superb piece of recording/mastering. Never really noticed it before, but I can think of few albums that are so complex but are totally comprehensible. (What I mean is that even when there a ton of sounds and instruments occuring at the same time, they all seem totally real and solid... Instead of allowing the backing or minor tracks to disappear into muddy, indistinct sounds, they are preserved as sharp, detailed pieces of sound)

Though I like the recording work done on most Depeche Mode albums, I think that in terms of raw recording/mastering quality this one is my favorite.

Too bad it isn't my favorite one musically!

 

[EyeAmEye]

Quote:

Originally Posted by blip Is it just me or is this album a superb piece of recording/mastering. Never really noticed it before, but I can think of few albums that are so complex but are totally comprehensible. (What I mean is that even when there a ton of sounds and instruments occuring at the same time, they all seem totally real and solid... Instead of allowing the backing or minor tracks to disappear into muddy, indistinct sounds, they are preserved as sharp, detailed pieces of sound) Though I like the recording work done on most Depeche Mode albums, I think that in terms of raw recording/mastering quality this one is my favorite. Too bad it isn't my favorite one musically!

I was going to post something very similar to your last line when I clicked on your thread title. You beat me to it

Yes, it is a superb recording, wasted on DM's worst album

 

[bong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EyeAmEye I was going to post something very similar to your last line when I clicked on your thread title. You beat me to it Yes, it is a superb recording, wasted on DM's worst album

really? i didn't think Exciter was that bad of an album. well... i'm one of the few DM fans who think Music For the Masses is highly overrated. anyway, Exciter has some great moments. the singles are fab (Dream On, I Feel Loved, Free Love), and the band learns the value of subtlety on a lot of the more breezier, mellow tracks. The Dead of Night and The Sweetest Condition are great, and When The Body Speaks has to be one of DM's top ten best songs of all time.

as for the recording, yeah... it sounds wonderful.

 

[Twombly]

I liked Freelove best, for some reason. My favorite DM album out of the ones I have is Songs of Faith and Devotion.
EDIT: I'm listening to my new copy of Violator, and I have to say this could take top honors.

 

[blip]

Don't get me wrong... I like a lot of individual tracks on Exciter... The singles are great... and a few others (Comatose etc.) are strong to exceptional. Some of them are definitely high points in their catalog.

It just isn't my favorite DM album because it doesn't work as a cohesive unit. The album always feels like a collection of VERY good B-Sides to me.

My pick for best is either Violator or Ultra.

 

[EyeAmEye]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bong really? i didn't think Exciter was that bad of an album. well... i'm one of the few DM fans who think Music For the Masses is highly overrated. anyway, Exciter has some great moments. the singles are fab (Dream On, I Feel Loved, Free Love), and the band learns the value of subtlety on a lot of the more breezier, mellow tracks. The Dead of Night and The Sweetest Condition are great, and When The Body Speaks has to be one of DM's top ten best songs of all time. as for the recording, yeah... it sounds wonderful.

It's not a terrible album, just what I think is their worst. DM's worst offerings are still alot better than what most can do on their best day. Never liked "Dream On'", but I do like "The Sweetest Condition" alot, especially on their live "One Night In Paris" DVD. The other songs are inoffensive and nice, just nothing to get excited about, atleast for me.

 

[EdipisReks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bong i'm one of the few DM fans who think Music For the Masses is highly overrated

wha..who...hey...wa...whoo..whay...wher...whap....

i like Exciter well enough, but it's not one of my favorites. well recorded and mastered, though, i agree!

 

[EdipisReks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by blip It just isn't my favorite DM album because it doesn't work as a cohesive unit. The album always feels like a collection of VERY good B-Sides to me.

did you steal my brain, or something? that is exactly how i feel.

 

[bong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EdipisReks wha..who...hey...wa...whoo..whay...wher...whap.... i like Exciter well enough, but it's not one of my favorites. well recorded and mastered, though, i agree!

LOL... yeah, i get quite a bit of flack from my DM friends of mine for saying that, but that's how i feel.

i'd take Black Celebration over Music For the Masses anyday.

well... i'll mind as well come out and say that i feel Some Great Reward is overrated as well.

gimme Construction Time Again instead.

anyway... i like Exciter, i think its better than the first two albums, and Music For the Masses; though still nowhere near Violator, Black Celebration, or Songs of Faith and Devotion. i'd say Ultra is a smidgen better than Exciter.

 

[DarkAngel]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bong LOL... yeah, i get quite a bit of flack from my DM friends of mine for saying that, but that's how i feel. i'd take Black Celebration over Music For the Masses anyday. well... i'll mind as well come out and say that i feel Some Great Reward is overrated as well. gimme Construction Time Again instead. anyway... i like Exciter, i think its better than the first two albums, and Music For the Masses; though still nowhere near Violator, Black Celebration, or Songs of Faith and Devotion. i'd say Ultra is a smidgen better than Exciter.

To address original comment......
Didn't really notice that "exciter" was that much better sounding than other DM albums which are all very good sounding as are most electronically based groups.

Bong has some worthy points however.......
Best three DM albums for me musically and thematically are the dark trilogy:
-black celebration
-music for the masses
-violator

Agree that the dark overlooked "ultra" is better than "exciter", it could actually be a 4th member of a dark quadrillogy if we remove the gospel inspired "faith and devotion" from catalog.....never liked F&D all that much myself. I think DM basically ran out of good ideas after "ultra" and are just recycling material now, thier muse has taken flight.

It is baffling that Bong would say "exciter" is superior to "MFTM" perhaps he has mistakenly put the two Cds in each others jewel case????

 

[Masonjar]

HUH?

DM had albums after VIOLATOR?


well, what do you know..

-jar

 

[bong]

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkAngel To address original comment...... Didn't really notice that "exciter" was that much better sounding than other DM albums which are all very good sounding as are most electronically based groups. It is baffling that Bong would say "exciter" is superior to "MFTM" perhaps he has mistakenly put the two Cds in each others jewel case????

speaking for myself, i think the reason why Exciter sounds great is maybe the way it's recorded (or perhaps mixed)... there's a lot of breathing room with the recording, a bigger sense of space compared to other DM albums. perhaps it's because the album is more subtle than others, perhaps it's because this is the closest "live" recording they've done for a studio album.

yeah... i think i do like Exciter better than Music for the Masses. half of MFTM is good (Never Let Me Down Again, Behind the Wheel, Nothing, The Things You Said, Pimpf), the other half is boring... (Little 15, To Have and to Hold, I Want You Now), and features IMHO two of the most wretched lyrics M.L. Gore has ever written, Sacred and the highly overrated Strangelove (aaargh... this single makes me cringe!). the two worst songs DM has ever recorded since What's Your Name? and Boys Say Go!

for me Music For The Masses tries so hard to be accessible and far reaching, trying to gain that extra commercial push. it reminds me of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark's The Pacific Age; OMD was the opening band (or were they co-headliners, i forget) for DM's Concert for the Masses tour. both albums came out roughly about the same time, both were overly ambitious to be commercial, it's just one was praised by the public and critics while the other fell flat on its face... heh, you decide which one is which.

 

[EdipisReks]

Quote:

Originally Posted by bong well... i'll mind as well come out and say that i feel Some Great Reward is overrated as well. gimme Construction Time Again instead.

i'll give you that one, though i do like Some Great Reward.

 

[markl]

A lot that Depeche Mode stuff is very well done.

 

[blip]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EdipisReks did you steal my brain, or something? that is exactly how i feel.

"We don't ask for the mind... we take it... Therefore we are... MINDTAKERS!"

Well great minds think a like.