Some Great Reward [LP]

by Depeche Mode

Overview

The peak of the band's industrial-gone-mainstream fusion, and still one of the best electronic music albums yet recorded, Some Great Reward still sounds great, with the band's ever-evolving musical and production skills matching even more ambitious songwriting from Martin Gore. "People Are People" appears here, but finds itself outclassed by some of Depeche Mode's undisputed classics, most especially the moody, beautiful "Somebody," a Gore-sung piano ballad that mixes its wit and emotion skillfully; "Master and Servant," an amped-up, slamming dance track that conflates sexual and economic politics to sharp effect; and the closing "Blasphemous Rumors," a slow-building anthemic number supporting one of Gore's most cynical lyrics, addressing a suicidal teen who finds God only to die soon afterward. Even lesser-known tracks like the low-key pulse of "Lie to Me" and the weirdly dreamy "It Doesn't Matter" showcase an increasingly confident band. Alan Wilder's arrangements veer from the big to the stripped down, but always with just the right touch, such as the crowd samples bubbling beneath "Somebody" or the call/response a cappella start to "Master and Servant." With Reward, David Gahan's singing style found the metier it was going to stick with for the next ten years, and while it's never gone down well with some ears, it still has a compelling edge to it that suits the material well. ~ Ned Raggett

Product Details

Release Date:	02/04/2014
Label:	Rhino / Warner Bros.
UPC:	0081227960841
Rank:	4745

Tracks

1. Something to Do
2. Lie to Me
3. People Are People
4. It Doesn't Matter
5. Stories Of Old
6. Somebody
7. Master and Servant
8. If You Want
9. Blasphemous Rumours

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Depeche Mode   Primary Artist,Vocals
Andy Fletcher   Keyboards
Martin Gore   Keyboards
Alan Wilder   Keyboards
Dave Gahan   Vocals

Technical Credits

Gareth Jones   Engineer,Producer
Andy Fletcher   Producer
Depeche Mode   Producer
Martin Gore   Composer,Lyricist,Producer
Ben Ward   Engineer,Assistant Engineer
Alan Wilder   Composer,Producer
Daniel Miller   Producer
Dave Gahan   Producer
Brian Griffin   Photography
Marcx Town   Design
D.A. Jones   Design
Stefi Marcus   Engineer,Assistant Engineer
Stuart Graham   Photography
Colin McMahon   Engineer,Assistant Engineer