Depeche Mode 'I Feel You'

Chart Peak: 8
YouTube

Consistent hitmakers since 1981, Depeche Mode have now had 20 Top 20 hits in Britain following the success of 'I Feel You' (no. 8 in February '93)... The group are also one of the biggest live acts in the world.

Second of only three Now appearances from DM, and whilst the three songs that made the grade aren't necessarily their best-known work they do give quite a flattering account of the band's work. 'I Feel You' was the first single from their first Number One album Songs Of Faith And Devotion, and showcases their new rock-oriented direction. Even more so than I thought, actually - I'd always assumed that Alan Wilder playing drums in the video was an affectation, but it turns out he really did play live drums, albeit that they were subsequently re-edited to produce a slightly unrealistic sound. Indeed, it's because Depeche Mode were synth-poppers playing at making rock music that this track sounds so odd and dramatic - I almost wish they'd stripped (no pun intended) the track even further down to concentrate on the riff and Dave Gahan's impassioned if not very melodic vocal. Still it's distinctive and I'd probably listen to it more often if they'd included the radio edit without that screechy feedback at the start.

Also appearing on: Now 17, 62
Available on: The Best Of Depeche Mode, Vol. 1 (Remastered)

Depeche Mode 'Enjoy The Silence'

Chart Peak: 6

YouTube

Some song titles are just asking for trouble, aren't they?

One of Britain's most consistently successful singles acts of the 1980s and 1990s, Depeche Mode have a 24-year span of Top 10 singles, yet have only appeared on three Now albums. I can only presume that when Mute was an independent record company, they were reluctant to licence Depeche tracks, although they evidently didn't feel the same way about Erasure.

It's not something that troubles me vastly, I must admit, because I don't really like them, and yet sometimes lack the courage of my convictions in not liking them. I can sometimes understand why people respect them as pioneers. But generally there's a lot that I just find too off-putting about them; their music just feels cold (no doubt intentionally) and self-important. 'Enjoy The Silence' has both these problems in spades, and also showcases Dave Gahan's vocal at its most one-dimensional, but it does also have a decent enough melody for me to appreciate it on some level. I'm still not sure whether it's possible to be "very unnecessary" though.

Also appearing on: Now 24, 62
Available on: Singles 81>98