High highs, low lows

I don't believe that Music for the Masses was Depeche Mode's peak - that classification belongs to "Violator," primarily because "Violator" is a more even effort. Not that Music... doesn't have some outstanding songs - it does - but it also has some absolute dreck.

"Never Let Me Down Again" is one of the best songs ever, in which the deceptively simple and ambiguous lyrics are sung over one of the best musical arrangements ever (especially as it builds to a crescendo toward the end). And, incidentally, anyone who claims that Depeche is "Martin writing, and Dave singing" should shut up and listen to this track - this is the most explicit example of how Dave's and Martin's harmonizing adds to the whole. The "Aggro Mix" isolates elements of the song and ends up as a pulsating hard dance tune.

"Little 15" is a classically-arranged piece that gets darker by the minute, both musically and lyrically. By the end ("she wants to smile with your smile") you're nearly despondent.

Even without "Route 66" (which does not appear on the album), "Behind the Wheel" is stunning. Continuing the "I surrender" attitude found in "Never Let Me Down Again," "Behind the Wheel" addresses the same topic with music that is more reminiscent of "Violator" than Music.... It is followed by the vocal tour de force "I Want You Now" and Martin's pseudo-religious electro-stunner "To Have and To Hold" (rearranged on "Spanish Taster").

However, this album is dragged down by the nothingness that is "Sacred," the near-nothingness that is "Nothing" (other than the middle eight, the rest is throwaway), and the absolutely abysmal kitchen sink song "Pleasure Little Treasure." I don't object in principle to the combination of robotic electronics with acoustics, but in this case it just doesn't work - and unlike other songs which crescendo to a stunning ending, "Pleasure" peters out and wastes valuable time and sanity.