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DEPECHE MODE
ULTRA |
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| | Reviews: 111 |
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| Average Rating: 8.70 |
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Europop gets a life
by
Reviewed on May 12th, 2000
Though originally in the same mould as Duran Duran and a-ha, Depeche Mode has increasingly become more of the thinking person's Europop group. With _Ultra_, the group comes close to perfecting their studio-bound craft. If you own no other bit of Europop, make this the one.This album takes everything that is maligned about Europop (too-clever studio manipulations, annoyingly bland loops, aural cacophony, lyrics that rhyme more than inform) and finds virtue rather than vice. _Ultra_ shows the vast, textural potential of the genre. These heavily produced tracks could never satisfactorily be performed live, but then we don't want them to be. Studio techniques used here evoke the songs' dark lyrical moods, leaving us to actually enjoy the music for its (gasp!) own merit. The lyrics have clearly been arrived at through life experience, and the genre through which they're told powerfully enhances their meaning. Consequently, _Ultra_ may be one of the few albums able to make Europop rise above itself.
More "Ultra" reviews:
[2005-01-19] a schizophrenic album (6)
[2004-12-27] review number 110 (10)
[2004-12-25] Loving it (10)
[2004-12-06] Best (10)
[2004-08-31] notturnissimo (10)
[2004-07-04] The album that gave me Depeche Mode back! (10)
[2004-06-30] cool (10)
[2004-05-20] Been staring down the Barrel of a Gun (8)
[2004-05-15] Great newer depeche album... (10)
[2004-04-14] Absolute perfection (10)
[2004-03-22] Smoooooooooooth (10)
[2004-03-18] the record comany made me do it...part 1 (2)
[2004-03-09] An emotional, powerful album... (10)
[2004-02-04] Like A Cat Dragged in from the Rain (8)
[2004-02-03] Home Again (8)
[2003-11-11] loved it! (10)
[2003-10-10] Good, But Not One of My Favorites (8)
[2003-08-29] The Fire Still Burns ... (10)
[2003-08-05] One of Depeche Mode's best albums to date (10)
[2003-07-10] Back from almost certain destruction, DM produce a classic! (10)
[2003-07-09] Not bad for such a long shot (8)
[2003-05-26] It's No Good No bad (6)
[2003-05-22] dark, sexy, elegant...let the brooding begin! (10)
[2003-04-26] Despite whatever flaws we ( U or I ) might find. (10)
[2003-04-14] great! (10)
[2003-03-18] An Ultra-masterpiece (10)
[2003-02-10] Not bad, but it's no "Black Celebration" (6)
[2002-12-08] man in all his darkness and potential (10)
[2002-11-08] Best by DM (10)
[2002-09-02] The Mode Bounces Back. (8)
[2002-07-07] Depeche Mode is here again! (8)
[2002-06-15] Ohmy (10)
[2002-04-13] Their worst. (4)
[2002-03-30] A motley of styles and modernized sounds...pre "Exciter" (8)
[2002-03-25] Dark, sad and soft side of DM (8)
[2002-02-08] well written (10)
[2002-01-18] Ultra Quality Music. (8)
[2001-11-11] Ultra - the follow up (10)
[2001-09-29] A new maturity, yet still very much classic DM (8)
[2001-08-10] Underrated but essential... (8)
[2001-07-31] Dark and elegant. (8)
[2001-06-26] This is not your 1980's Depeche Mode (10)
[2001-06-07] amazing (10)
[2001-05-24] Poor... (4)
[2001-05-14] Excellent Album (8)
[2001-03-20] Worthy Comeback (10)
[2001-03-12] good, but not their best (6)
[2001-03-11] Possibly one of the best... (10)
[2001-03-09] For a first time "Depeche Mode" listener... (10)
[2001-03-09] In the Crosshairs (10)
[2001-02-07] Useless (4)
[2001-01-13] <HOME> (8)
[2001-01-08] THE CD THAT CHANGE MY LIFE !!! (10)
[2001-01-05] Not Bad, But A Bit Dissapointing (8)
[2000-10-04] Stripped (8)
[2000-09-20] Home (10)
[2000-08-18] DEPECHE MODE'S BEST ALBUM (10)
[2000-07-25] Great Range (10)
[2000-06-17] Top five best CDs of all time (10)
[2000-06-09] Their best and most musically mature album yet... (10)
[2000-05-21] Their most profound album so far! (10)
[2000-05-14] The latest and the best! (10)
[2000-05-12] Europop gets a life (10)
[2000-04-06] Obvious That The Guys In The Studio Really Write This Stuff (4)
[2000-03-24] Moving and subtle yet extreme (10)
[2000-03-17] they are still the best. (10)
[2000-03-14] Excellent late '90's euro-pop (8)
[1999-12-25] ULTRA comes in as strong second to VIOLATOR (10)
[1999-11-21] Martin at his best... DM's greatest album ever. (10)
[1999-11-17] Their most mature work yet! (10)
[1999-11-07] a work of pain and pleasure (10)
[1999-10-29] BACK FROM THE DEAD (10)
[1999-10-25] It used to be better (4)
[1999-10-24] THE ALBUM THAT CHANGED MY LIFE!!! (10)
[1999-10-04] THREE IS GOOD COMPANY (10)
[1999-09-16] Vintage DM! (10)
[1999-09-10] Take this one HOME (10)
[1999-09-06] not perfect but dam good (8)
[1999-09-06] Its NO Great (6)
[1999-08-16] THE OLDER , THE BETTER (10)
[1999-08-05] Could have been better (6)
[1999-08-02] Matured Mode (8)
[1999-08-02] The title sez it all..............."ULTRA"! (10)
[1999-08-02] Gold in disk form (10)
[1999-07-19] The best thing I've ever spent money on (10)
[1999-07-12] They Just Keep Getting Better (10)
[1999-07-04] brilliant, excellent, stunning, modern (10)
[1999-07-02] Ultra useless! (2)
[1999-06-06] I have listined to this cd for two year's stright. (10)
[1999-05-06] A more thoughtful and mature sound (10)
[1999-04-19] My personal favourite (10)
[1999-03-25] a surprisingly-good album that grows on you with each listen (10)
[1999-03-09] Darkly ingenious and mesmerizingly damn good. (10)
[1999-03-09] Another Triumphant Album By DM (10)
[1999-03-03] Fabulous (10)
[1999-02-10] Nothing Exciting here, but still worthy (6)
[1999-01-04] DM still is the best!!! (10)
[1998-12-09] Depeche Mode Keeps Up With the Times (10)
[1998-12-04] Just Short of Being Great (6)
[1998-10-25] SOMETHING IS MISSING?? BUT STILL SOUNDS GOOD!!! (8)
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