A Guilty Pleasure

This album, released as a promo only in the United States, is a 9 track collection that only barely scratches the surface of the early days of Depeche Mode's career. Yes of course this is a great CD, musically speaking, but frankly, this collection is a very slapdash and scattershot collection of only 9 tracks and is really a CD that was released in the US to introduce the American music-buying public to Depeche Mode's music. Keep in mind, this CD was released BEFORE their breakthrough effort "Some Great Reward" later in 1984. Depeche Mode were hardly heard of in the US before this CD was released and thus, while this album has been rendered for the completist fan base, credit this cute little compilation for expanding Depeche Mode's fan base onto both sides of the Atlantic and eventually to the rest of the world. I like most of this album which is why I still rate this a four as I've had this CD for such a long time that even though I've since gotten both the 81-85 and 86-98 collections released in 1998, I still come to this often bad-mouthed gem as there is the song "Now This Is Fun" which is quite a good song and one of the best songs during DM's "pre-Some Great Reward" days and for that reason, I still rate this CD in my CD collection and the songs do flow quite well even though "Work Hard" and "Pipeline" are pretty much useless industrial noodlings that belong on a B-Sides collection. This compilation is still in print and more than likely is so because of "Now This Is Fun" being a much loved number that failed to make it onto the both "Catching Up With Depeche Mode" and "The Singles 81-85" and also for the rare fan sector who love "Work Hard". The album cover definitely portrays the mood of this collection. Many will not see a point in getting this CD and I can't blame them but for those who don't have any DM items yet, this is a decent introductory album for the newbies. Go and get "Catching Up With Depeche Mode" next for "Flexible" which is also a near forgotten number. Then build your DM collection from there. The title track to this CD is a somewhat preachy but unforgettable industrial dance classic about the wrongs of bigotry and prejudice backed up with a strong and methodical beat that climaxes with a loud thumping drum towards the fadeout combined with haunting 12-string guitars and haunting keyboards. "Now This Is Fun" is an almost forgotten Depeche Mode classic from their pre-1984 days that isn't available anywhere else but on this album. The title track is definitely a matching for the songs mood. It's dark, but not like angsty, nor nihilistic like what one would find on masterpieces like "Violator" nor on their masterpiece "Black Celebration" and more of like just plain having fun and I must admit, while this song is quite campy now, it's campiness gives this song a lot of enjoyable charm and it's fast rhythm and it's charming campiness is a nice breaking from the darkness and the harder edged post-1984 DM. "Love In Itself" is a stronger industrial sounding mid-tempo number that is the bridge between the days of "Meaning Of Love" and the darker music of songs like "Lie To Me". It's an odd semi-danceable number that changes speed throughout the song. Great hazy ending too. "Work Hard" is one of Depeche Mode's most brainless and weirdest songs in their entire career. It's a campy song that is annoying to a lot of fans but I kind of enjoy it more than I'm annoyed by it. The industrial machine sound effects give the song a feel of working on a construction site. "Told You So" is another experimental song that is more in the vein of "Love In Itself". The voice effects are quite irritating in my opinion. "Get The Balance Right" is my favorite song on this collection. This song is a upbeat, fun, and edgy song that I must admit, ranks close to being shoulder to shoulder to the stronger material from their post-1985 days. "Leave In Silence" is a cute and eerie number that takes the best of the early 80s New Wave sound and a dark mood and creates an underrated classic. The keyboards are astounding. "Pipeline" is likely the most hated song among the DM fanbase. This is a very experimental song that even an open-minded individual like myself find hard to enjoy as it sounds more like malfunctioning machinery against the sound of somebody hitting the side of a metal can or something. However, this brief collection wraps up with one of Depeche Mode's best songs of their early days. It begins with the sound of what I'm guessing is a calliope and becomes a New Wave influences dance song that talks about the greed of big business. This is the 7 minute version of the song. I have a feeling that I might be criticized for this but I stand in defense of this compilation as the second track "Now This Is Fun" is great enough to warrant having this album. Beat me with a stick but I refuse to give this album up! I still enjoy this album, in my own somewhat adolescent way, and while it might be an embarrassing listen when put against "Black Celebration" or "Music For The Masses", it still is a classic, surprisingly strong collection for such a brief and scattershot compilation, and definitely a collection worthy of having, if not being an essential purchase. I still love this CD, even now. End of message. Out.

An Excellent array!!!

When People are People first came out in 1984, it was just a compilation of a few earlier songs on previous albums, several b-sides from earlier singles, and two new songs. It is an excellent CD that is wonderfully put together. The songs all flow into eachother naturally. Each song is terrific:

1. People Are People - When this originally came out, this was a new single (since "Some Great Reward" wouldn't be released for a couple of months). It is the title song and one of the bands better known.

2. Now This Is Fun - Originally a B-side, this song is exactly what the name says, it is a fun song. The rhythm and beat are extremely catchy. This is one of my favorite songs on the CD.

3. Love In Itself - Originally a single off of the "Construction Time Again" album, this song fits in with the compilation that DM put together here.

4. Work Hard - Originally the B-side for "Everything Counts", this is an excellent song with a beat that is very punkish. This song can pump you up and you find it stuck in your head for days.

5. Told You So - Another song straight off the "Construction Time Again" album, this is a wonderful follow-up to "Work Hard", having a very strong beat and punkish sound.

6. Get The Balance Right - The second new song released on this record. It was a new single that was supposed to help sell the album. It is a wonderfully gloomy song that I would consider my favorite song on the CD.

7. Leave in Silence - The oldest song on the record, it was originally released on "A Broken Frame" and as a single. It's softer approach is a great transition between "Get the Balance Right" and "Pipeline".

8. Pipeline - The third song taken straight from the "Construction Time Again" album. This is a slow song with some wonderful lyrics. It is used to transition into "Everything Counts".

9. Everything Counts - This is the extended version of the popular single from the "Construction Time Again" album. This is my favorite version of the song and is the best way to finish an album. The melody fading out at the end gives wonderful closure to the record.

All in all this is a great album that is often overlooked, because most of the songs you can get from other things, but the compilation of all of them together is what makes it great. I highly recommend it.

When Depeche Mode was fun

This is my favorite of all their albums. I bought this tape 15, 18 years ago. It's lively with great synthesizer work. Great songs like Get the Balance right, and Everything Counts, makes you think but not too hard. This is a fun album. I guess after this one things start to get dark for them which is evident in their later albums.