From the cute, beeping beginning tones of "New Life" it is clear that Depeche Mode's Speak and Spell served as a stark line in the sands of popular music. To a listener in 2006, it is a quaint example of precocious early 80's synth pop, but at the time of its release it was the first salvo fired in the name of accessible electronic/techno and one that established the tone for popular music for a decade.
After such smashes as Violator and Music for the Masses the name Depeche Mode is synonymous with international pop stardom, but in the beginning there was some doubt that marketable music could be done convincingly without traditional elements. No guitars, no charts: the message seemed very clear. That is until the release of Speak and Spell an album that flaunted all convention at the time of its creation. Listening now, it is more striking for the lack of drama that would soon define the band. It is a simple collection of dance songs, from the boyishly sexy "Puppets" to the more quirky, grinding "Boys Say Go!" The immense vocal talents of David Gahan are all over "Dreaming of Me" and "Just Can't Get Enough," tracks that would become some of the most successful singles of their era. At this point Gahan is a boy just getting a hold of what the emotive powers of his voice might be. He's a flaunting young man who knows how to push the buttons.
The achievement of Speak and Spell is that it began as an oddity, and 25 years later is recognized as one of the defining records for a new wave of pop format. If only they could have gotten better cover art.
BONUS DVD:
For Depeche Mode fans, the second disc of Speak and Spell might be the most interesting part of the reissue. Rhino has packed additional tracks (highlighted by a "schizo" mix of "Just Can't Get Enough") on top of a 5.1 Stereo mix of the album that is as close to perfection in sound quality as you're likely to hear. The short movie "Do We Really Have to Give Up Our Day Jobs?" is a chronicle of the bands ascension from working class boys (check out David Gahan's innocent beginnings) in Basildon, England to their eventual signing on Mute records.
This rendering of Speak and Spell is the stuff a Depeche Mode's completist's dream. |