Depeche Mode
From September 2021
Ask my sister about our childhood Christmases and she will tell you that they were long turgid affairs. I wouldn't disagree but nevertheless I enjoyed them. I suspect the disparity in these opinions derives from the disparity in our ages - my sister has 7 years on me - and the presence of our aunts whose company would be more entertaining for, say, a 6 year old than for a teenager.
Ella and Isobel weren't in fact our aunts, in age they were more like great aunts, and I think they were actually our mother's second cousins once removed or first cousins twice removed. The two sisters lived together all their lives separated only by death, both devoted teachers - Ella taught maths, Isobel art. But I digress.
They were also devoted to classical music and for the best part of 20 years spent every Friday evening from October through to April at the Usher Hall watching the Scottish National Orchestra. They sat in seats A2 and A3 of the Grand Circle where many years later the woman who is now my wife and I sat on our second date although not watching the Scottish National Orchestra. But again I digress.
In an attempt to pass on their love of classical music to me, Isobel gave me an old radio of hers, a little red & white bakelite AM/LW set. It was presented under strict instructions that it was only for listening to classical music which at the time would have meant only BBC Radio 3. Another four decades were to pass before I started listening to Radio 3.
But it was on that radio that I first heard Just Can't Get Enough by Depeche Mode. Now, I'm not going to come over all Peter Paphides here and say how hearing it changed my life. I didn't even buy the single, it was just one of a number of songs that I was really into at the time and was always happy to hear on the radio. (Despite the 'always on' aspect of Spotify I still like the surprise element of music radio even if only to be able to switch it off.)
For some reason earlier this year I found myself listening to it again. And since then, a lot.
There's an episode of Peep Show where Jez and Super Hans are listening to a track recorded by Sophie's cousin ("a simple shit-muncher"). After a minute Hans looks puzzled and says "He's done something there" to which Jez resonds "I think what's happening is two or maybe three musical things, all at the same time."
By my reckoning on Just Can't Get Enough, Depeche Mode do 12 or 13 musical things all at the same time. For the first two minutes it's pretty straightforward: verse / chorus / verse / chorus / instrumental break. Even so, there's a lot going on. After that it's bedlam: a rocket launch, a church organ solo, effects lifted from Pac-Man (maybe from Brush Roller?), some superb not quite in tune backing vocals, drum solos on what sound like dustbins. All packed into 3 minutes 40 seconds and all recorded on good old fashioned analog synthesisers.
Just Can't Get Enough was released 40 years ago this week. It's not my favourite record of all time but I do think it's amazing. It still sounds fresh, brings a smile to my face and reminds me of that wee red & white radio.