Daily Jam - It's No Good

I am very tired this morning.  I suppose a weekend of doing stuff, watching NBA playoff games, and thunderstorms can do that to a person.  Anyway, starting my week off with some Depeche Mode, as the gods intended.  Listen to "It's No Good" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - A Question of Lust

Given time, i always come back around to Depeche Mode.  Here they are with "A Question of Lust," our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Sweetest Perfection

Here's a deep(ish) cut from one of my favorite albums of all time.  Listen to Depeche Mode's "Sweetest Perfection" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Dangerous

It's my most busy time of the year for work, which means this pre-written Daily Jam is coming at you from somewhere in the state of Texas as i work my proverbial butt off.  Listen to Depeche Mode B-side "Dangerous" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Never Let Me Down Again

Remember that one time when noted white supremacist, neo-Nazi shithead Richard Spencer mentioned that Depeche Mode was his favorite band, and that he considered them the “official band of the alt-right” or some such nonsense? That was a nightmare, right? I love Depeche Mode (certainly in my top 10), and I hate to think of something I enjoy being thoroughly corrupted by a bunch of gutless, brainless wretches. Thankfully the band themselves provided some saving grace by rightly telling Spencer to go fuck himself, and also some hero on the internet gave us this video (which I probably watch once a week or so):

Never forget.

Anyway, there are any and all number of Depeche Mode songs that could easily make their way onto the Endless Loop, but I like to try and branch out with theses entries, attempting not to repeat artists too often, a much more difficult endeavor than I would have ever thought…depending on the band. But there was just no way I was going to continue writing this column and not bring up “Never Let Me Down Again,” the opening track from the 1987 masterpiece Music for the Masses.

Depeche Mode were really on a roll from the mid '80s through the early '90s, a string of excellent albums that raked in both critical and commercial applause, and I’d posit that “Never Let Me Down Again” makes a perfect centerpiece for this stretch of music. Every aspect of the single finds the band firing on every cylinder, from Martin Gore’s peak era songwriting skill to Alan Wilder’s pulsing synthesizer work to Andy Fletcher’s grooving bass to Dave Gahan’s haunting and powerful baritone. It really is a singular piece of work, something that sticks in your brain for days, from a band with an uncanny ability to create singular pieces of work. Listen below and let it propel you.

And then we should all watch this again:

Fuck off Nazis.

Daily Jam - Enjoy the Silence

At first I thought I should skip over Depeche Mode’s “Enjoy the Silence” for this column, being that I’ve already written an article about the album it hails from, 1990’s Violator, for another column. But, then I thought…wait!…I have an “Enjoy the Silence” story. Here is my “Enjoy the Silence” story.

Sometime in the winter of 10th grade, we had a nasty, icy day that caused the schools to be cancelled. That afternoon, a friend came over in his new Ford Mustang, a shiny red gift from his grandfather, and the two of us, being the teenage doofusses that we were, decided to take it for a spin around our iced and slick town. We went to Sonic, a record store, and a myriad of other places that two teenage boys in a cherry automobile would visit on a day free from school, all the while jamming my Violator CD. On the way home, going down my block near my house, there was a tight curve as the street turned directions. Somewhere along the way, the brilliant decision was made to take that curve at roughly 60 miles per hour.

The results were pretty much what you would expect them to be.

I don’t know if we hit an ice patch, or if my friend was just an inexperienced teenage driver taking a tight left turn at a ridiculous speed, but we slid and hit the curb hard, breaking the front, passenger side wheel from the car and sending it flying into the air. The whole thing seemed to occur in slow motion. I remember seeing the wheel soaring off into the distance and my friend pointing at it and saying, “Look at that shit!” He eventually corrected and pulled the car into the street, and we came to a stop, both of us dazed, both of us silent…and then on the stereo, Dave Gahan told us to “Enjoy the Silence.” You could see my house about a quarter mile away.

And that’s my “Enjoy the Silence” story.

Listen below, our Daily Jam.

Perturbator & Kabbel Cover Depeche Mode

I was unaware that an "American Psycho" comic book was something that existed.  Or that said comic book had a soundtrack.  Or that said soundtrack included French synthwave artist Perturbator covering a Depeche Mode B-side with a little help from Swedish artist Kabbel.  But all those things are true.  Big thanks to Shawn Baker for clueing me on to this.  Check out the track below.

Daily Jam - Little 15

I finally got to see Depeche Mode live a few weeks back, something that really should have happened years and years ago, but something i was super stoked for nonetheless.  It ruled.  Anyway, here they are with "Little 15," our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Bloodline

During the band's heyday of the late '80s and early '90s, former Depeche Mode member Alan Wilder released some cool experimental, ambient, and electronic music as Recoil.  I'm partial to 1991's "Bloodline" myself.  Check out the title track below, featuring Curve's Toni Halliday on vocals, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Fly on the Windscreen (Final)

Starting my Friday off with some Depeche Mode, so here's "Fly on the Windscreen (Final)," our Daily Jam.  Come here (touch me).  Kiss me (touch me).  Now.

Depeche Mode

Depeche Mode has long been one of my favorite bands, and it's a damn shame i've never been able to see them live before.  Hopefully that will change this year when they come to Austin in September.  Anyway, while i'm a big fan, i haven't really been able to connect with much of their output over the last 20 years.  Sure, a song here or there might make its mark, but with new album "Memento Mori," it feels like they're making the best music they've made since 1996's "Ultra."  Essentially a duo now since the passing of Andy Fletcher last year, his presence can still be felt in tribute.  It gives the whole thing a mix of sorrow and joy.  Listen to "My Cosmos Is Mine" below, download the album here (the band is now on Bandcamp), and look for physical copies wherever you buy physical media.

Hante. Covers Depeche Mode

The good folks at Cleopatra Records just released a Depeche Mode tribute album featuring a whole slew of artists i've never heard of and a few that i have like The KVB, Lebanon Hanover, and Xiu Xiu.  It's also got French synth artist Hante. doing a very ghostly version of "Somebody."  It's cool.  Check it out below and get the "All I Ever Wanted" album here.

Daily Jam - Somebody

Paige and i have been married 13 years today, so here's a love song from Depeche Mode.  Listen to "Somebody" below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - People Are People

I have had many a Depeche Mode phase over the last 30+ years, and i think i'm probably a little overdue for the latest one.  Let's get on that shall we?  Here's "People Are People," our Daily Jam.

Weathering Covers Depeche Mode

Next month, Sacramento alt-rock duo Weathering are releasing their new "Chimera" 7", the B-side of which is a cover of Depeche Mode's "Blue Dress."  It's lovely.  Take a listen below and order the record here via Sunday Drive Records.

Daily Jam - Waiting for the Night

I always come back around again to Depeche Mode.  Here's the soothing, yet slightly foreboding "Waiting for the Night," our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - I Feel You

I always seem to come back around to Depeche Mode.  It's just one of those things.  Here's "I Feel You," our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Stripped

It's about time for some Depeche Mode, so here's "Stripped," our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam (Covers Week 2) - Shake the Disease

I feel like you don't really see them anymore, but way back in this time called "the '90s," we'd get these tribute albums with a plethora of different artists all taking on a classic or fan favorite of some beloved act, be it Led Zeppelin, The Carpenters, Joy Division, or in today's case Depeche Mode.  1998's "For The Masses" featured everyone from Failure to The Cure to Deftones to Monster Magnet covering the long running British synth pop band, and for the most part it's pretty good.  One of the highlights was trip-hop band Hooverphonic's sleek and sexy take on "Shake the Disease."  Check it out below, our Daily Jam.

Daily Jam - Behind the Wheel

The first of what i can only assume will be several Depeche Mode songs to pop up on this Daily Jam thing over the next year, "Behind the Wheel" from 1987's "Music for the Masses."