On The Road Again: Depeche Mode "Some Great Reward (Italy, Mute Records, CDOR-9211)"

viernes, 10 de noviembre de 2023

Depeche Mode "Some Great Reward (Italy, Mute Records, CDOR-9211)"

Some Great Reward is the fourth studio album by the English electronic music band Depeche Mode, released on 24 September 1984 by Mute Records. The album peaked at number five in the United Kingdom and number 51 in the United States, and was supported by the Some Great Reward Tour. This also saw the band using samplers, much like they did in their previous studio album Construction Time Again (1983), which they would continue to use in their following studio albums Black Celebration (1986) and Music for the Masses (1987).

Additionally it also saw the band addressing more personal themes such as sexual politics ("Master and Servant"), adulterous relationships ("Lie to Me"), and arbitrary divine justice ("Blasphemous Rumours"). "Blasphemous Rumours" was released as a double A-side with "Somebody".

This was the first album where they achieved chart success in the US with the single "People Are People" which reached No. 13 on the charts in mid-1985 on the Billboard Hot 100, and was a Top 20 hit in Canada. It was also the first album that peaked at a higher position on a chart that was not from the band's home country as it peaked at No. 1 in Germany.

The tour was the band's longest to date. A concert held at Alsterdorfer Sporthalle in Hamburg, West Germany, was recorded and issued as a video release titled The World We Live In and Live in Hamburg (1985). The European release featured 16 songs, while the North American version featured 11 songs. The video has not yet seen a DVD release.

American synth-pop and electronic band Book of Love were the opening act for all 15 tour dates of the North American leg of the tour.

Track listing

All tracks are written by Martin L. Gore, except where noted. All lead vocals by Dave Gahan, except where noted