| | Full Review | Ratings (417) |
Give your Rating |
| 3.5 great | Bedex | October 30th 21 |
Of all the ultra-famous Depeche Mode songs, no wonder this album's flagship track is the jovial,
cute, happy and dancy Just Can't Get Enough. This album is DM before they developed an ounce of
dark side. Aside from said flagship track, which comes clutch right at the end to conclude the
album on a boppy note and giving it an extra point, the only track that is wholly unironically
enjoyable is probably 1. 2-9 is just a collection of wonderfully outdated 80s synth tracks. This
album is largely bad, but fun bad, like a bad horror movie that is so terrible it makes you
laugh. 8 is the only track that didn't really catch me, and with 10 the novelty wore off a bit,
not aided by 9 being instrumental (tho it is cool and sounds a bit like an old videogame OST).
Otherwise the album is just plain fun, and I had way too good a time to rate it at the 3.0 avg it
sits at. With the jammy last track we're getting an enamored 3.5. Edit with the CD bonus tracks:
12-13 continue the style of the album, however idk if it is because i have fresh ears but they
sound better executed than most on the original LP. 14 is really cool and has a completely
different tone, it is weird and really stands out. 15 is nice bleep blooping but doesn't add much
compared to the original version and takes away the voices, whilst 16 is a pointless remix that
just makes the track longer and less catchy for no reason. I don't rate for bonus tracks, so
still 3.5
1 Bumps | Bump |
| 3.0 good | Alabaster Jones | February 18th 16 |
Depeche Mode's humble beginnings as a pretty straightforward synthpop group (heavily influenced by new romantic) are chronicled here on their 1981 debut Speak & Spell. It's of note that Vince Clarke, who'd later go on to form Yazoo and Erasure, is the creative force behind this record rather than Martin Gore. He'd only be a part of Depeche Mode for this album, though, which ended up doing them a lot of good. The songs here are very straightforward synthpop brimming with 80's cheese. While there are a couple of great pop songs here, like "Puppets" and "Just Can't Get Enough", it's of interesting note that the two songs written by Gore on the record, "Tora! Tora! Tora!" and the instrumental "Big Muff", are by far the most creative songs here. The rest of the songs are pretty simple, mildly enjoyable tracks, but some are unfortunately kind of cringeworthy ("What's Your Name?"). Even though they'd eventually break out of this mold to form better albums, if you're a fan of straightforward 80's synthpop, this should be right up your alley.
Bump |
| 0.0 | mandan | March 15th 13 |
Depeche Mode's debut does pale in comparison to their later stuff, but that's no reason to dismiss it. The foundations for their ominous style were already in place here, all that was needed was a bit of shifting; which they achieve in Some Great Reward.
Bump |
| 4.0 excellent | Tom93M | March 10th 11 |
Unlike any other Depeche Mode album, it remains a charming piece of early synth-pop, despite featuring outdated synths, shaky vocals and few concerned lyrics. Worth a listen for its place in British electronic music history.
Bump |
| 3.0 good | Lassie | February 22nd 24 |
| 2.0 poor | doofy | January 7th 24 |
| 3.0 good | thawey | November 21st 23 |
| 3.0 good | Veldin | November 5th 23 |
| 5.0 classic | Anto77 | October 28th 23 |
| 3.5 great | Cam | April 23rd 23 |
| 3.5 great | fifek | March 17th 23 |
| 3.0 good | Timmy | January 12th 23 |
| 2.5 average | Get Low | December 27th 22 |
| 3.0 good | MvdW | November 25th 22 |
| 3.5 great | kildare | September 28th 22 |
| 2.5 average | Djokoll | September 19th 22 |
| 1.5 very poor | olmedou | September 8th 22 |
| 1.5 very poor | MUSEli | July 19th 22 |
| 2.5 average | Source | June 18th 22 |
| 3.0 good | Zeuzo | December 5th 21 |
| 3.5 great | biggzhc | September 17th 21 |
| 2.5 average | Icw70 | September 11th 21 |
| 4.0 excellent | Jerrad | August 10th 21 |
| 2.5 average | eureka | May 29th 21 |
| 4.0 excellent | pabcel | May 29th 21 |
| 2.0 poor | fog CONTRIBUTOR | February 22nd 21 |
| 3.0 good | heck | February 8th 21 |
| 3.0 good | Jrzg85 | December 18th 20 |
| 3.5 great | Majkl | April 28th 20 |
| 2.0 poor | bsker1 | April 21st 20 |
| 3.5 great | degina | February 29th 20 |
| 3.5 great | Cayit | December 16th 19 |
| 3.5 great | Bossie | October 26th 19 |
| 2.5 average | xgausez | October 23rd 19 |
| 4.5 superb | jk2two | June 28th 19 |
| 3.5 great | Ryus | February 6th 19 |
| 4.0 excellent | Snuron | January 22nd 19 |
| 2.0 poor | Nowy | July 15th 18 |
| 2.5 average | Nero | May 25th 18 |
| 2.5 average | ArvidL | January 26th 18 |
| 2.5 average | Fear | December 10th 17 |
| 3.5 great | KOZAKY | October 17th 17 |
| 1.5 very poor | igi78 | September 20th 17 |
| 4.5 superb | aghast | July 20th 17 |
| 3.0 good | Sebe | June 5th 17 |
| 3.0 good | wg98 | May 12th 17 |
| 2.5 average | ZeCham0 | February 24th 17 |
| 3.5 great | bSmith | January 6th 17 |
| 2.5 average | El Olam | December 18th 16 |
| 3.5 great | DaveD | September 3rd 16 |
| 2.5 average | abysmo | February 17th 16 |
| 2.5 average | Keating | December 26th 15 |
| 3.5 great | Log S. | December 2nd 15 |
| 2.5 average | Hanusko | October 31st 15 |
| 3.5 great | edirp | June 6th 15 |
| 2.5 average | Fancio | May 13th 15 |
| 5.0 classic | HasseC | April 16th 15 |
| 3.0 good | Dav85 | February 1st 15 |
| 3.0 good | Denk10 | January 15th 15 |
| 2.0 poor | alin1 | December 28th 14 |
| 2.5 average | Trey STAFF | February 27th 14 |
| 2.5 average | 0Kelvin | January 8th 14 |
| 3.5 great | hsb | December 15th 13 |
| 4.0 excellent | Kalhur | December 4th 13 |
| 4.5 superb | t67 | August 17th 13 |
| 2.5 average | goat38 | March 28th 13 |
| 2.0 poor | Lobber | February 4th 13 |
| 2.5 average | Escain | January 6th 13 |
| 5.0 classic | raithen | August 22nd 12 |
| 3.0 good | erdi | April 11th 12 |
| 2.5 average | virpi | February 25th 12 |
| 2.5 average | Leyland | February 18th 12 |
| 2.5 average | tmm87 | December 29th 11 |
| 3.0 good | ppW | November 26th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | aguzman | October 22nd 11 |
| 2.5 average | GenBK | August 10th 11 |
| 3.5 great | iggy00 | March 18th 11 |
| 4.0 excellent | IAJP | August 14th 10 |
| 3.0 good | Smevin | February 7th 10 |
| 4.0 excellent | KJAnsia | January 20th 10 |
| 3.5 great | aeuk | November 16th 09 |
| 1.5 very poor | ferrum | November 4th 09 |
| 4.5 superb | Boaz | May 1st 09 |
| 1.5 very poor | kingsoby1 EMERITUS | January 8th 09 |
| 2.5 average | Bsmith7 | October 11th 08 |
| 2.5 average | Hewitt | November 23rd 07 |
| 2.0 poor | Isola | October 27th 07 |
| 3.0 good | Kaleid | December 22nd 06 |
| |
Give Your Opinion on Speak & Spell
|
