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Track Listings
| 1. New Life |
| 2. I Sometimes Wish I Was Dead |
| 3. Puppets |
| 4. Boys Say Go! |
| 5. Nodisco |
| 6. What's Your Name? |
| 7. Photographic |
| 8. Tora! Tora! Tora! |
| 9. Big Muff |
| 10. Any Second Now (Voices) |
| 11. Just Can't Get Enough |
| 12. Dreaming Of Me |
| 13. Ice MacHine |
| 14. Shout |
| 15. Any Second Now |
| 16. Just Can't Get Enough (Schizo Mix) |
Product Description
Amazon.co.uk
It's always good to know where a band came from so you can see how far they've come. Speak and Spell is really the work of Vincent Clarke, who, with Andy Bell, would later form the happy-go-lucky pop-dance megaforce Erasure. And it shows in the catchy, upbeat songs "New Life", "Boys Say Go", "Photographic", and the most famous single, "Just Can't Get Enough". When Martin Gore took over the songwriting, Depeche Mode veered toward a different thematic direction by developing the goth-pop that would become their signature. Still, it's an important album not only because it is Depeche Mode's first but also because it is one of the best representations of early-1980s minimalist synth music. --Beth Bessmer
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By Jp Wills
Format:Audio CD
Bought this on vinyl when it was first released, after having listened to the band on 'real' late night radio, Peel and Nightingale.
I loved the album back then and now 20'ish years later I still love it. It's just such good pop at face value but when you listen to the music and hear the words its no wonder this band are still about today. They've earned their stripes, now go buy this album and be entertained.................
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Format:Audio CD
When this album first appeared in 1981, DM were being pitched against Human League, Ultravox, and Soft Cell. Unfairly, this album was considered the weakest of the lot, but in truth DM were doing different things. Notably is the Clarke influence (soon to team up with Alison Moyet), which ensured commercial success with "New Life" and "Just Can't Get Enough." But the real gems are "Photographic" and "Any Second Now." The CD is of high quality but a shame the record company has not blessed us with a copy of the outstanding original artwork/front cover. Had it done so, then '5 Star' rating would have been given here. "Speak and Spell" is worthy of it's shelf space against the aforementioned groups.
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By Mr. S. R. Dhain
VINE™ VOICE
Format:Audio CD
Ive already written a review for a broken frame and all I can say is...natch.
yet again, with the 5.1 mixes, Ive noticed that some of the synth leads in some songs have had a bit of tinkering- poss use of fixed filter bank or something, and extra bits of delay et al here and there- but the overall effect makes everything sound almost contemporary. Listen to the vast difference in the moog prodigy guitar-esque lead used in photographic. Or the totally different use of seperation technology and mix balancing for every song. Like everything else that ever gets remixed in 5.1, you need a very good set of ears and an ability to not overcook the egg(s), which yet again as daniel miller supervised, thankfulyl meant that these 26 year old songs havent been.
The enclosed documentary and sacd version just put more layers and icing on the cake. Ive got all the remasters in original form and having been a fan of the band since i was 7 year old innocent, all i can say is that marketing glitz aside, even this, their first album, sounds incredible in 5.1.
yet again, with the 5.1 mixes, Ive noticed that some of the synth leads in some songs have had a bit of tinkering- poss use of fixed filter bank or something, and extra bits of delay et al here and there- but the overall effect makes everything sound almost contemporary. Listen to the vast difference in the moog prodigy guitar-esque lead used in photographic. Or the totally different use of seperation technology and mix balancing for every song. Like everything else that ever gets remixed in 5.1, you need a very good set of ears and an ability to not overcook the egg(s), which yet again as daniel miller supervised, thankfulyl meant that these 26 year old songs havent been.
The enclosed documentary and sacd version just put more layers and icing on the cake. Ive got all the remasters in original form and having been a fan of the band since i was 7 year old innocent, all i can say is that marketing glitz aside, even this, their first album, sounds incredible in 5.1.
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4.0 out of 5 stars
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Speak and Spell
If you are a fan of DM or electric 80's, this is a must-buy. It has some of my favourite songs on but after a while can be a bit repetitive. Read more
Published 14 months ago by Mrs. J. Mackenzie
4.0 out of 5 stars
Bring back the 80's
Aah this took me back, to a time when I had no resposibilities, Saturday nights were for hitting the clubs and dancing the night away to Depeche Mode and Yazoo rather than slobbing... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Vixx H
4.0 out of 5 stars
FUN FUN FUN
There's a cuteness to this album that is so underrated. Think about it. We have depeche mode dressing up in dickie bow ties and suits, singing homoerotic lyrics, and dancing like... Read more
Published on 22 Sep 2010 by P. Frizelle
5.0 out of 5 stars
Brilliant
Epic debut album. Epic 80's ablum. Epic tracks. Epic album cover. Epic band. Everything about this is epic.
Published on 30 July 2010 by Chlobo Shoka
5.0 out of 5 stars
no need to spell it out
ooh..oooh..ooohh.. the complete ecstacy of this powerful little package; a work totally reborn in the surround format. Read more
Published on 20 Jun 2010 by Chris Preddy
4.0 out of 5 stars
Not a real DM album.
Vince Clarke made anything in this album: he wrote songs and he composed (except for 2 traks). He had a clear vision of every single song. Read more
Published on 26 May 2010 by Livio Dinelli
4.0 out of 5 stars
Some timeless classics, some real embarrassments...
So this is where it all began. Speak and Spell certainly has a lot a really good material, mixed with some fairly embarrassing songs. Read more
Published on 29 April 2010 by Scott Davies
4.0 out of 5 stars
Birth Of The Legend !
Depeche Mode performed at my secondary school in 1981,
I found it hard to live with the volumn of sound but
throughout the last 30 years they're my favourite group... Read more
I found it hard to live with the volumn of sound but
throughout the last 30 years they're my favourite group... Read more
Published on 6 Jan 2010 by Mr. David Stanton
4.0 out of 5 stars
Very catchy
This was their first album but it sounds more like Erasure and Yazoo because most of the songs are written by Vince Clarke. There was one track I did not like. Read more
Published on 9 Feb 2009 by R. Gutteridge
5.0 out of 5 stars
The young Basildon Boys still stand up today
Enjoyable surround mix, which reveals some synth lines I hadn't noticed before. This brings a freshness to some songs that now sound a bit flat in simple stereo. Read more
Published on 22 Dec 2007 by John Malcolm
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