Catching Up With Depeche Mode

Depeche Mode | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Original Release Date: 1985
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Reprise / Wea
• ASIN: B000002L8L
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette  |  Vinyl  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (31 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #34,466 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

No Description Available
No Track Information Available
Media Type: CD
Artist: DEPECHE MODE
Title: CATCHING UP WITH DEPECHE MODE
Street Release Date: 07/07/1987
Domestic
Genre: ROCK/POP

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A nice but lacking collection, November 19, 2002

By 

Distant Voyageur "Nicholas Computer" (Io) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Catching Up With Depeche Mode (Audio CD)

This CD was released in 1985 and DM had only been around for only 5 years at this point and grabs selected tracks off their first five albums from 1981s Speak & Spell to 1984s Some Great Reward. Keep in mind that this is not a 'Best of' CD. It's just a sampler of their earlier tracks and most of them are not even hits. This CD does have some 'New' tracks on here such The ever-so-creepy Shake The Disease and the quirky Flexible. There is also the 1985 version of the disturbing track Fly On The Windscreen which was reworked and improved on the masterpiece Black Celebration.

The first three songs are from Depeche Modes cheesier days with charming and brainless fun tracks like Dreaming Of Me, New Life, and Just Can't Get Enough. As the album progresses though, their music got much darker and better with the gloomier tracks like the suicidal Blasphemous Rumors, the BDSM theme Master & Servant, and the eerie Shake The Disease. Then there's the tearful piano ballad Somebody. The version on Some Great Reward is mostly a simple piano ballad. The one on here has some added drum and sound effects that make the song dreamier, and more airy. Shake The Disease is the highlight with it's disturbing intro and alienated atmosphere.

This is a decent collection of DMs early material but it's almost unnecessary for most fans anymore as almost all the tracks on here except Flexible, are on the 1999 release, the singles: 81-85. For completists though who are dissapointed at Flexible not being included on the 1999 release, Catching Up With Depeche Mode is a good buy. I'll repeat once more, this is only a sampler, not a 'Best of' CD!

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars good collection of early Mode, September 23, 2000

By 

Zane (Tempe, AZ) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Catching Up With Depeche Mode (Audio CD)

This has a wide variety of early to mid-80's Depeche Mode tunes. I'm glad they included "Love in Itself"; the keyboard sequence in that song is intoxicating. And I like this version of "Fly on the Windscreen" better than the other one. Check out 101--Live at the Rose Bowl; it's awesome too.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Worth a listen..., June 28, 2000

By 

Dave - See all my reviews

This review is from: Catching Up With Depeche Mode (Audio CD)

I don't see why everyone goes and critisizes Depeche Mode for their early 80's songs.

Yes, they are somewhat raw, and almost cheesy at times... but let me ask you, what did *you* look like in the early 80's? :) If you were alive in the early 80's, your guilty!

But seriously speaking, this compilation has a nice collection of Depeche Mode singles from 81-85. Most Depeche Mode fans (who favour their 1986 (and on) singles) will not find this album of any interest. Although Shake the Disease and Blaspehmous Rumors are great songs that showed thier potential as more than just a pop band. The songs earlier on aren't as deep as anything you'll find on thier later albums, but still showed some origionality (well it was origional for the early 80's)...

Although, I can't imagine why on earth they would have neglected other hits like Everything counts (1983), People are People (1984) and others. I figure its because they released another post-Clarke singles complation entitled "People are People" that contains these songs... So you bascially have to buy both compilations for all those songs.

Well thats what I did, then they released "The Singles 81-85" (1998) with two other mixes and completely remastered.

With the new compilation out, I can't think of a good reason to buy this one. Its not remastered and its missing some key songs in Depeche Mode's early career.

The main reason why I'd buy this if I didn't already own it would be for the "Fly on the Windscreen" song. Although, the "final" mix on Black Celebration (1986) is a bit darker and definately worth listening to.

All things considered, this compilation is really not worth purchasing since the release of their 81>85 Singles collection.