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Showing posts with the label Depeche Mode

“Kings and Queens” by Thirty Seconds to Mars, Sunday, December 8, 2024

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Thirty Seconds to Mars ’ third album,  This Is War,   is about overcoming conflict. The band had been “at war” with their record label,  EMI , claiming that the contract they signed was not binding in their home state of California due to the contract’s duration. The band eventually made a documentary titled   Artifact   about the lawsuit and took aim at the exploitative role of labels, allowing fans, not just of the band but all artists, to see the seedy side of the music business. Before releasing  Artifact,  the lawsuit was settled, and Thirty Seconds to Mars signed a new deal with EMI, renegotiating their terms. Both parties were able to come to favorable terms to create a contract that worked better in the changing music business of the coming decade of the 2010s.  FATHER HAS SPOKEN.  For an album about conflict in the music industry,  This Is War  is a very hopeful album. This is probably due to the production by two legendary...

“Like That” by Stand Atlantic, Saturday, June 29, 2024

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Pride month is coming to a close. Today, I’m posting the Apple Music edition of my pride playlist. Kicking off this edition is Stand Atlantic with the opening track on their 2020 album Pink Elephant , “ Like That .” To me this year Pride is a celebration of the way I am. I’m not against flamboyance and I think that there are years that are suited for grand celebrations. But this year, when I feel like so many people cannot understand that people like me exist, I feel like it’s important sometimes to go back to the basic explanation. That’s why I included songs like Coldplay ’s “ People of the Pride ” and Depeche Mode ’s “ People Are People .” I hope you had a great Pride month that you celebrated in your own way.  

“Enjoy the Silence” by Anberlin (reworked blog post), Tuesday, January 3, 2024

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The ‘90s in rock music started quietly. Hair metal was still around, but vibey New Wave tracks had gained traction in the late ‘80s. It was an eclectic time without a clear direction for a musical style. Of course that all changed in the fall of 1991 when  Nirvana  burst onto the scene and Alternative and mainstream rock listeners determined that grunge would be the collective musical trend. Just as disco didn't die in 1979, the New Romantics sound of the late ‘80s carried over into the early ‘90s. In fact, in the early ‘90s,  New Order ,  The Smiths ’  Morrisey , and  Depeche Mode  enjoyed their peak success. For Depeche Mode, that success came from a dark pop song, which crossed the Alternative Rock band over to the pop charts with the single from their seventh album  Violator , “ Enjoy the Silence .” ALL I EVER WANTED, ALL I EVER NEEDED IS HERE IN MY ARMS.  Produced by the now legendary Mark Ellis, better known as  Flood ,  Viola...