Music Review: Depeche Mode - Violator

Violator is a somewhat famous album released in 1990 by synth-pop band Depeche Mode. It is fairly unique for an album that has enjoyed so much mainstream success. Even eighteen years after its release, it still sounds fresh. This is part of what makes the album so memorable. Good music lasts.

But more than its longevity, Violator is also very groovy and fun. From the first notes of “World in My Eyes,” I was hooked by the Depeche Mode's catchy synth-pop beats. The song didn’t really stick out to me at first, but with more rotations, I couldn’t get enough of it. Depeche Mode’s sound is amazingly unique for a band so mainstream. It is bands like them which make me believe that people once had better taste in music.

But mainstream is a relative term. Many don’t know this wonderful band and the footprint they’ve made on the musical world. After listening to this album, I could see where Muse got their inspiration for Black Holes and Revelations, an album not even a tenth as good as Violator. The music video for Coldplay’s recently released “Viva la Vida” actually mimics the music video of "Enjoy the Silence" off this ablum. Without a doubt, Depeche Mode were pioneers in the synth-pop sound that influenced many artists.

Depeche Mode’s strength lies in their mastery of crafting a catchy yet unique song. This almost seems like a contradiction in terms. But an example of Violator’s duality of catchiness and uniqueness can be heard in track two, “Sweetest Perfection.” The song is dark, brooding, and passionate, and yet, strangely captivating. The twelve-eight time signature gives it a swing feel, and the accompanying strings, which can sometimes be cheesy and misplaced in other music, work well in this song.

The most rocking and famous song off Violator is track three, “Personal Jesus. ”Surprisingly, I find this song to be one of the weaker ones. Yet I still like it — perhaps I've listened to it too much to appreciate it much anymore. But people who have never heard it will instantly fall in love with its driving simplicity.

Track five, “Waiting for the Night,” displays Depeche Mode’s softer side. The song has an almost childlike simplicity. I don’t cry often listening to music, and this holds true for this song as well, but I can see this song as being one people would cry to. Well, maybe that is a bit of an exaggeration, but it is soft and tender.

Article Author: Kyle West

Kyle West is a Professional Writing/History major and a Spanish minor attending the University of Oklahoma. He likes reading, writing, and discovering new music.

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