Having proven they didn't need Vince with "A Broken Frame", Depeche Mode began to cultivate their own sound with the follow up in 1983. It is at this juncture that the EMU Emulator and Drumulator drum machine take over as the principal sound sources and the band begin to experiment with sampling. This new approach also coincides with the introduction of Alan Wilder who brings a higher degree of musicianship and contributes to the songwriting duties.
Despite the changes at the time of recording, the songs on this album remain relatively naive when compared to what was about to follow. Alan's contribution "The Landscape Is Changing" tackles the subject of acid rain with lyrics so contrived as to make "Pretty Boy" sound cultured. "Two Minute Warning" is a good song but sounds like very little time was committed to recording it. It's almost as if the rest of the band were ambivalent towards Alan's contributions. Which they were.
The only songs of Martin's that begin to demonstrate his undoubted talent are "Told You So" and the brilliant "Everything Counts". Everything else on this record is middling material that I can leave or take. Having said that I don't like "Pipeline". I can imagine they were very proud of constructing a song from found sounds and manipulating them in the sampler, but God is it dull. Not only is it dull but it lasts for nearly six minutes. This is definitely a "transition album" that falls between two camps. Better is to follow. 3/5
