I've finally gotten around to checking out the mp3 files of the new Depeche Mode album at http://www.depechemode.com/news/releases.html and I'm not really blown away despite Mark Bell's input. There are four or five tracks that sound good, but they are the ones that remind me most of their older material (think: Music For the Masses or Violator instrumental moments). Some of the stuff that sounds new makes David Gahn's voice sound out of place IMO. Even the remixes struggle to fit his voice in a newer cotext.
For me this raises the question: where did synth pop go wrong? I haven't really been happy with any of the output of the one-time kings of the genre like New Order (I know they aren't exclusively synth pop), DM, Pet Shop Boys or Erasure since maybe '92-'93. Even the efforts from that era sound today like they were struggling to keep up with the times. There have been obvious exceptions to this, like some really good remixes of the Pet Shop Boys, particularly from Mark Kinchen, Deep Dish and DJ Pierre, or Thomas Fehlmann remixes of Erasure. But why is it these talented musicians can't seem to adapt on their own, or in the case of the Pet Shop Boys and Erasure, have moved towards trance? Perhaps trance is today's synth pop, but in the 80s they weren't as formulaic about it? The thing that makes this most confusing to me, is that there is a renaissance of sorts for 80s music, particularly in Germany. But you also get Ersatz Audio putting out some strongly 80s influenced music in Detroit. There is clearly still an interest in this music. Hell, look at Carlos Souffront's set @ DEMF. Did any track go over better than the New Order he played? I think Derrick Plasaiko about jumped through the ceiling when he mixed it in. :) I know it's good that the synth pop musicians of the 80s haven't continued to repeat their earlier efforts. I'm just wondering why they've adapted in the directions they've gone. I suppose the Pet Shop Boys and Erasure are still making music for their audience. What they're doing is pretty in line with gay club music. Was there not a time when gay club music was not all candy though??? I think Depeche Mode may be struggling to adapt more than them. I just wish I could really like this music, and it isn't clicking for me. A lot of the elements don't seem to work together. Notably, the instrumentals sounded quite good. Before the flames come: I think it's generally accepted on this list that this music was crucial to the development of techno. Maybe this is something that happens with all music? Some of the key players eventually "fall off". Maybe you could extend this question to industrial music too? Tristan ---------- http://www.mp3.com/stations/313 <- Great music from around the globe http://www.mp3.com/Frogbot <- My music http://ampcast.com/phonopsia <- My newest music http://phonopsia.tripod.com <- Mixes, pics, travelogue & info [EMAIL PROTECTED] <- email <FrogboyMCI> <- AOL Instant Messenger _________________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Get your free @yahoo.com address at http://mail.yahoo.com
