Depeche Mode | Speak and Spell

On October 5th, 1981, Depeche Mode released their debut LP Speak and Spell—their only full-length album featuring Vince Clark in the band, who would later go on to form Yazoo and Erasure.

The album is significantly lighter in tone due Clarke’s writing— which changed when Martin Gore took over songwriting duties from A Broken Frame onward.

The track “Photographic” has an alternate version appears on the Some Bizarre Album, due to that track being recorded first and ultimately with the help of Some Bizarre Records owner Stephen John Pearce, led to the signing with Mute Records, after a good word was put in by Pearce to Mute owner Daniel Miller.

The album featured the singles:

“Dreaming of Me”

“New Life”

and “Just Can’t Get Enough” (watch at top of the page)

Tracklist:

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