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Depeche Mode also stepped out of their nine song album size rut of the last two albums and produced a longer, and more polished piece of work with Black Celebration. They also introduced a more varied sound, with many tracks changing the albums unified style, and pushing it to the limits. In some ways this really worked, in a few cases it didn't. When I first got the album, a full half of it didn't reach me, and I didn't like it. Luckily, my musical collection was small enough to force me to listen to what I did have, and the fact that I was such a Depeche Mode fan forced me to continue to try and see what was in each of these songs. It didn't take long for me to realize what I had been missing. While I came into ownership of this (then tape, now) CD with immature musical tastes, and looking for a more danceable album, like Music for the Masses, I found quickly that by broadening my expectations and letting this more artistic album reach me, that I had found a work just as good, if different. The title track, "Black Celebration," starts the album off. This was always one of the ones I did like, frantic, danceable, suitably dark and foreboding, with the ironic and clever idea of having a celebration just to have survived another day of our pathetic and worthless lives. "Fly on the Windscreen," in this case a remix or rearrangement of a previous B-side, wasn't as immediately accessible, and I still don't think it's as good, but it is still a very strong track; not skip material. "Question of Lust," however, is one of the songs that I had to give some time to. I guess I just wasn't expecting this heart-rending yet callous dark synth ballad. If I had, I would have realized immediatly what a gem this song is, but as it was I had to hear it a few times before I caught on. The next song, another synth ballad, never did catch on, however. It has odd echo effects, but it almost sounds like Gore was trying to redo the "Someone" song from Some Great Reward. Not only are the titles similar, but the piano line is very similar as well. This very short piece may serve to round out the album, but it certainly isn't noteworthy in and of itself. Another nod back towards Some Great Reward is "It Doesn't Matter Two." While the title suggests that this is some sort of sequel to the song "It Doesn't Matter," I can't see that it is overly influenced by it's predescesor. More likely, Gore just had another idea for a song based on the same theme (that it doens't matter!) and so used the title again. Again, this is a song that I initially disliked, but I now think it's a true work of art. Gore takes over the vocals here, and his silky voice really is perfect for these dark ballads, while Gahan's more charismatic approach works better on other Depeche Mode songs. The synthesized vocal "arpeggios" that form the backing line of the song contributes perfectly to the mood of bittersweet tenderness. In fact, the bittersweetness of relationships is the strong theme that holds this album together lyrically. By focusing on the short term sweetness yet long term bitterness that accompany relationships (every relationship, if you believe the album!), and creating a unified and solidly supportive instrumentation, this album is a perfect showcase for Depeche Mode's strengths. I guess I better move on before I get lost in another monologue of what I like about Depeche Mode stylistically. "A Question of Time" is another easily accessible track, and one that I liked instantly. It is very reminiscent of "Something to Do" in it's sound, although even more frantic, and more mature. Hopefully not too mature, as Gahan is singing about picking up a 15 year old girl! But as I was in my late teens at the time I first listened to this song, it was easy for me to see girls that age as beautiful, innocent and still more attached to their childhood than to their adulthood. Gahan wants to preserve the innocence of the girl in question, valuing it as something precious. Did I ever mention the fact that I think the lyrical relevance, even for people who aren't overly depressed (like me) is another strong point of Depeche Mode's style? I can totally empathise with the lyrics here. "Stripped" is one of the "hits" of the album. I once wrote a report, in fact, on this one song, comparing it to the literary Romantic movement of a hundred years or so ago. The paralells are remarkable, actually, and probably one of the reasons why I appreciate the song so much. But even before I realized them, this song was one of my favorite on the album. Very, very well done. "Here is the House" is another one that was always one of my favorites. Again, the bittersweet memories of time spent with a loved one (of indeterminate nature) are the focus of this song. It's more danceable nature make it easily accessible, thus completing the three songs mid-album block that I immediately liked when I first bought this. The block was ended with a song that I used to hate, but now hail as one of the stronger songs on the album, although from an artistic, rather than pop point of view. "World Full of Nothing" is perhaps the most bitter of the bittersweet songs contained here, although the sweet is strong enough to pose an exceptional contrast. For some odd reason, I've always love the little synth line that makes up the coda to this song. However, the next song is the one that I really don't like. "Dressed in Black" is artistically strong, I suppose, just like the other songs that I at first didn't like. However, this is one that I can't get into no matter how many times I hear it. To be fair, my brother thinks it is just as good as anything else on the album, so it must just be some personal bias. "New Dress," while one that I initially liked, is artistically actually weaker than many of the others, and I find that now, after having heard the album hundreds of times (probably) I find myself bored with it. However, it's cynicism and witty chorus are well done, and I did really enjoy the song for a really long time. The crowning acheivement, to my mind, is the last song: "But Not Tonight." Not only is the song beautiful, but it's placement and the way it was able to change the tone of the album without seeming to be an anacronism is true genius. The song does do well on it's own; I have two different remixes of it, and they sound wonderful, but as I said, it's greatest strength comes when you hear it after having just listened to the entire album. The emotions that have been presented thus far reach their ultimate catharsis here, as Gahan looks to the light at the end of the tunnel and the hope that everything he has been singing about up 'til now may not really be all there is to life. This is also interesting, as this reversal is the exact opposite of the ending of Some Great Reward, which similarly ended with it's strongest song, but in that case, it was the most depressing song the Mode ever wrote.
In summary (and I realize that after reading a review this long you will probably need one!) Black Celebration is arguably the best album Depeche Mode ever made, and as such, is arguably one of the best albums anyone ever made, since Depeche Mode's greatest skill was in making albums rather than songs. It is tightly unified, even though Gore explores every aspect of the theme that unifies all the songs, thus allowing him to have a surprising variety. If, like me, you get this album based on previous experience with pop music rather than art, give this album a chance to grow on you; it really is one of the most artistic pieces of work I have ever heard short of classical music (and I'm confident enough in the genre to think that modern music can be just as artistic if it tries to be!)
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