SHAKE THE DISEASE

Listen to SHAKE THE DISEASE by Depeche Mode.

One of the first tapes I ever owned. We were coming off a few years of being embargoed from popular music, and this tape struck me as being pretty wild and risque at the time.

Later, I thought I'd be embarrassed by both of those first two sentences.

But not really, though, amirite? "Catching Up" is a solid comp. I've been listening to it some lately, and it holds up. As for the wild and risque part, well, some allowances have to be made for when you're 12, but the songs ain't popcorn, despite what the Joy Division fans would say. Plus, you have to admit that Depeche Mode held firm to their semi-goth, pseudo-sadoreligious* aesthetic, even when they were out of fashion. Credit where credit is due.

* what blog posts are for: to make up fittingly nonsense words.