For October, the Mental Jukebox is dialing it way back to the eighties and going deep. Deep cuts have always been an important element of music listening to me because they’re often the songs that resonate with me most. Deep cuts are usually the ones that the true fans appreciate most. I like my singles and hits, but I love my deep cuts.
Black Celebration is the album where the band’s dark, infectious sound really came together. Up until then, I thought of Depeche Mode as a singles band. They had some great one-offs. Black Celebration was different. The songs fit perfectly together and helped differentiate their sound among a sea of synth pop outfits. From now on, DM would do it darker, kinkier, catchier. “Here Is My House” is a perfect microcosm of their approach.
It’s a song that reminds me of my youth. Memories of my first “real” girlfriend singing it to me in her bedroom attic. “Here Is My House” is a fan favorite. A song so melodic, so brooding, so sensual, it’s the magic formula that Depeche Mode has uniquely conjured time and time again. But this deep cut didn’t get the recognition of a “Stripped” or “A Question Of Lust”. Wilder’s synth lines are simply a series of cascading keys. Fletch’s bass lines lurk and slither around. On vocals, Gahan takes lead, Gore with some fantastic backing parts and harmonies. But the best part of the song will always be the melody. Brilliant. I’d love for the band to bring it back on tour.
“Body and soul come together.”