Depeche Mode / Cocteau Twins

["ROSSI J.A." <rossi@nusc.ARPA>]

I answered my own question and found a neat local record store which specializesin this sort of stuff, and has an incredible selection of imports and
collectables.  I purchased Black Celebration by Depeche Mode and Garlands
by the Cocteaus.

I like both albums.  From what I have reas in LHD, I was kinda surprised
by the power in the Garland's album.  This is hardly the type of music I
would play while I was attempting sleep.  It does drone a bit and lacks
a lot of dynamics, but it reminds me of some of my more liked pieces by the
French band Pulsar.  

Depeche Mode was not as surprising in that I bought it because someone said
the synthesis was good. I agree, as far as this kind of thing goes.  I found
the synthesis to be some of the most dynamic (in dynamic range) that I have
ever heard, considering the liberal use of sequenl{ers and drum machines.
It sounds somewhat mechanical to me, but not nearly so as many techno-pop
current stuff a la Georgio Moroder's early stuff.  One thought that kept
reoccurring as I listened to the LP was the thought that it reminded me
of something (Oh God not anotyher sounds like statement).  That something
ios Duran Duran.  Sometimes, A question of Time, It doesen't Matter,
Stripped, World Full of Nothing and Dressed in Black could have easily
been part of the Duran Duran Rio compilation.  I swear that the digital
delay on the voices is about as close to a Simon LeBon clone as I've
ever heard.  Each of the rythms and synthesizer lines in the mentioned
Depeche Mode pieces share a lot in common with Duran's Lonely in Your Nightmare,Last Chance on the Stairway, Save a Prayer and The Chauffeur.  The overall
textures are similar, also.  My guess is that if there was one track on the
Depeche Mode LP that had as much commercial potential (sorry Jim) as ,say,
Rio ort Hungry Like a Wolf, this band could become a household word among
14-15 year old teenage girls round the world.
I don't generally care for Duran Duran and the cosmetic empire they rY{present
althoug, the titles I mentioned from Rio which I feel Depeche Mode's music
is similar to were some of my favorite tracks of 1983.  
Sorry if I offended Duran haters round the globe.

Does the Greatist Hits 1981-1985 LP have the same sound ?

John
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