Now that I’ve counted down the (very few) 1990 albums that mean something to me, I turn my attention to the ones I don’t know, or don’t know well.

I scoured as many critics’ lists as I could and narrowed the list down to ten albums that appear on all or most of them.

THe album that showed up the most, by far, was Depeche Mode’s Violator. The seventh studio album by the British New Wave act was not just a critical hut but also the best seller in their 35+ year career.

Through the magic of Amazon Prime unlimited streaming, I was able to sample Violator extensively. My first impression was that the record is, to quote frequent commenter Dana, “way too Euro” for my taste. I consider myself a New Wave fan, but only in moderation. This album has its moments (hit single ‘Enjoy the Silence’ is excellent) but overall it left me flat.

‘Personal Jesus’ is another highlight, and the album’s other big hit. Here’s a case where the hits are all I need.