Music For The Masses (Collectors Edition CD + DVD) (1988)

"The opening cut, "Never Let Me Down Again," started things off wonderfully with it's huge-sounding percussion/keyboard/piano combination, anchored to a constantly repeated melodic hook and one of David Gahan's best vocals. It feels huge throughout, like a large arena show recording. "Strangelove" and the driving "Behind the Wheel" maintained the same blend of power and song skill, while some of the quieter numbers such as "The Things You Said" and "I Want You Now" showed that musical and lyrical intimacy could easily co-exist with them. Add to that "To Have and to Hold," with its Russian radio broadcast start and dramatic, downward spiral of music accompanied by Gahan's subtly powerful take on a desperate Gore love lyric, and the weird, wonderful choral closer, "Pimpf," and Depeche's massive success becomes clear. The first disc of this 2006 reissue contains the album in remastered form; the second disc provides the album in 5.1 sound, some remixes, a short film, and 5 bonus tracks." (Ned Raggett, Allmusic)

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