Speak & Spell

1. New Life 3.46
I stand still stepping on the shady streets
And I watched that man to a stranger
You think you only know me when you turn on the light
Now the room is lit red danger
Complicating circulating
New life new life
Operating generating
New life new life
Transitions to another place
So the time will pass more slowly
Features fuse and your shadow's red
Like a film I've seen now show me
Your face is hidden and were out of sight
And the road just leads to nowhere
The stranger in the door is the same as before
So the question answers nowhere
I stand still stepping on the shady streets
And I watched that man to a stranger
You think you only know me when you turn on the light
Now the room is lit red danger
2. I Sometimes Wish I Was Dead 2.18
New sound all around
You can hear it too
Getting hot never stop
Just for me and you
Playing on my radio and saying that you had to go
New day turn away
Wipe away the tear
New night feel right
Knowing that you're here
Dancing with you all the time and don't you think that it's a crime
Back street never meet
Never say goodbye
I know where you go
But I don't know why
You say that it's from above and I say this is modern love
3. Puppets 3.57
Get that feeling
Head is reeling
You think you're in control
But you don't know me babe
I can move you
I can soothe you
I can take you places in a different way
I don't think you understand
What I'm trying to say
I'll be your operator baby
I'm in control
Watch your action
Close reaction
And everything you're thinking babe inside your head
Conversation my creation
Nothing that you do
You do unless I said
You don't know the consequences
Of the things you say
I'll be your operator baby
I'm in control
All the things you tried to do babe
And all the words we said before
Are only part of what I started baby
And you can't stop me anymore
4. Boys Say Go 3.07
You don't understand
This is a demand
And I think that I have to show you
Try to look inside
Take me for a ride
In the day and the night
Get to know you
Boys meet boys get together
Boys meet boys live forever
Don't say no
Boys say go
I can run away
If you never stay
And the rain and the pain and the sorrow
I'm not very sure
When you close the door
If the end is the same as tomorrow
Boys!
Boys!
Boys say go!
5. Nodisco 4.15
I saw you in the picture
I saw you play the part
This ain't nodisco
There's a thousand watts in you
You take this too far
This ain't nodisco
Sometimes when I wonder if you're taking a chance
This ain't nodisco
And you know how to dance
Move me disco
Baby don't you let go
This ain't nodisco
Part one
Act one
Everyone pretend
This ain't nodisco
This is more a story
And we're reaching the end
This ain't nodisco
Always makes me happy when you're taking a chance
This ain't nodisco
And you know how to dance
Move me disco
Baby don't you let go
This ain't nodisco
6. What's Your Name 2.45
Sometimes watch you walk the street at midnight
Sometimes I can feel you in the air
Looking good
Knew you would
All the time I understood
Hey you're such a pretty boy
Hey you're such a pretty boy
Hey you're such a pretty boy
You're so pretty
Everybody seems to look your way now
(Everybody seems to look your way)
Everybody wants to know your name
(Hey hey what's your name)
Feeling right
Just tonight
Hear them say you're out of sight
All the boys we got to get together
All the boys together we can stand
We can go
Never know
All the things we need to show
Hey you're such a pretty boy (you're so pretty)
Hey you're such a pretty boy (you're so pretty)
Hey you're such a pretty boy
You're so pretty (p-r-e double-t-y)
7. Photographic 4.45
A white house, a white room.
The program of today.
Lights on, switch on.
Your eyes are far away.

The map represents you.
And the tape is your voice.
Follow all along you
till you recognize the choice.

I take pictures.
Photographic pictures.

Bright light, dark room.
Bright light, dark room.

I said I'd write a letter.
But I never got the time.
And looking to the day,
I mesmerise the light.

The years I spend just thinking
of a moment we both knew.
A second passed;
like an empty room,
it seems it can't be true.
8. Tora! Tora! Tora! 4.36
They were raining from the sky
Exploding in my heart
Is this a love in disguise
Or just a form of modern art
From the skies you could almost hear them cry
Tora Tora Tora
In the town they were going down
Tora Tora Tora
I had a nightmare only yesterday
You played a skeleton
You took my love then died that day
I played an American
From the skies you can almost hear them cry
Tora! Tora! Tora!
In the town they were going down
Tora! Tora! Tora!
I played an American
9. Big Muff 4.24
Instrumental - no lyrics
10. Any Second Now (Voices) 2.35
She remembered all the shadows and the doubts
The same film
Vivid pictures like a wall that's standing empty
And the night so still
Such a small affair a relapse someone closing
Like the nightclub door
Here again and when you speak I watch you move away
And seem so sure
She is hoping to forget and the moment
Almost slips away
When the colours move apart and I wonder
If you want to stay
And I need to change you like the words I'm reading
Don't you understand
This the warning and the message I remember
As you touch my hand
11. Just Can't Get Enough 3.44
When I'm with you baby
I go out of my head
And I just can't get enough
And I just can't get enough
All the things you do to me
And everything you said
I just can't get enough
I just can't get enough
We slip and slide as we fall in love
And I just can't seem to get enough of
We walk together
We're walking down the street
And I just can't get enough
And I just can't get enough
Every time I think of you
I know we have to meet
And I just can't get enough
I just can't get enough
It's getting hotter
It's a burning love
And I just can't seem to get enough of
And when it rains
You're shining down for me
And I just can't get enough
And I just can't get enough
Just like a rainbow
You know you set me free
And I just can't get enough
And I just can't get enough
You're like an angel
And you give me your love
And I just can't seem to get enough of
12. Dreaming Of Me 4.03
Light switch
Man switch
Film was broken only then
All the night
Fused tomorrow
Dancing with a distant friend
Filming and screning
I picture the scene
Filming and dreaming
Dreaming of me
So we left
Understanding
Cleancut so we're sounding fast
Talked of sad
I talked of war
I laughed and climbed the rising cast
Quickly I remembered
Fused and saw a face before
Timing reason
Understanding
Like association whore

Vince ClarkeからMartin Goreへ

シングルカットされたNew LifeやJust Can't Get Enough等に代表される、どちらかというとErasureを思い起こさせるポップなVince Clarkeの作風が続くファースト。その中でも異彩を放つMartin Gore作のTora! Tora! Tora!とBig Muffに、Martin Goreの類い稀な才能の片鱗と、その後のDepeche Modeサウンドの方向性が垣間見られて面白い。どの曲も悪くないが、（Vince Clarkeファンには申し訳ないが）その後のDepeche Modeファンなら絶対この２曲の方にハマると思う。どちらも相当格好良い曲。

デペッシュモード最高！！

いいですね〜。
聴いていて恥ずかしくなるくらいポップです。
聴けば聴くほど頭の中でループします。
特にPuppetsという曲はイチオシです。

８０年代エレポップを代表する一枚

石野卓球も初期テクノポップの名盤として高く評価するデペッシュモードのファーストアルバム。本作発表後脱退してしまう当時のソングライターであるヴィンス・クラークのポップセンスがいかんなく発揮されており、デビュー作にしてその後のＹＡＺＯＯ、イレイヤーに繋がる完成されたサウンドを披露している。後のデペッシュモードの暗く重たいサウンドとはかなり趣が異なるので、デペッシュモードのアルバムというよりＶクラークのアルバムと言ったほうがいいかもしれない。セカンド以降で名曲を連発するＭゴアも２曲提供しているが、この当時は完全にＶクラークの添え物といった出来。一度耳にすればすぐ覚えてしまうキャッチーなメロが秀逸で、本作からのシングル「ジャスト・キャント・ゲットイナフ」は21世紀に入ってもＧＡＰのＣＭに使われたり、日本では日産のＣＭでボサノバ風の女性ボーカルでカバーされて大いに話題になるなど、今も普遍的に通用する楽曲としてその魅力は一向に衰えていない。英国ニューウェーブシーンが生んだ最も重要なエレポップアルバムである。

エレポップ万歳！

これ以降のアルバムや曲はほとんど聴いていないのですが、いろんな記事や情報を見る限りは、この１ｓｔが一番ポップらしいです。実際、どの曲も、軽めのエレポップでキャッチーで聴きやすく、それでメンバーが若いイケメンぞろいとくれば、人気は必然といったところでしょう。ほとんどの曲を書いて、このアルバムを最後に離脱したＶ・クラークの存在が大きく、彼はその後別のユニット(ヤズー、イレイジャー)で、大活躍することになります。

1stアルバムです。81年作

最初から最後までアナログシンセが、ピコピコしてます。エレポップ入門に最適です。国内盤(米盤)とは内容が異なります。(tr1がシングルバージョン、tr2国内盤未収録、ボーナストラックにはシングルB面曲tr13.14(佳曲)、tr12エンディングが微妙に違う、tr10のバージョン違いのtr15)
既に国内盤お持ちの方にも購入をおすすめします。
個人的tr6が大好き

改めてＣＤを聴いて思うこと

このアルバムが出た時代、耳新しさだけを売りにしていた曲は機材の進化に伴いすぐさま「劣化」の道を辿った。シンセを使ったバンドが泡のように出ては消えていく時代だった。

「NEW LIFE」は、そんな時代の気分を反映した曲といえる。

しかし今聴き返すに、この質の高さは何だろうと思う。音がシンプルなだけに、作曲性がよけいに際立つ。

ヴィンス・クラークの作曲性に、機材、もしくはアレンジがついていってない気がするのだ。
（後のヤズー、イレイジャーを聴くに、たぶん後者）

ヴィンスから溢れ出るメロディーを、一般に流通し始めていたシンセを始めとする手軽な音楽機材が拾い上げたのだ。
その意味で音楽界全体が、裾野を拡げた時代だったわけである。

そしてこの後そのヴィンスが脱退する。

にもかかわらずデペッシュ・モードは次に、残ったマーチン・ゴアが中心となって「A BROKEN FRAME」という、１stを超えるドラマチックな作品を作り出す。

デペッシュ・モードはそのような、奇跡的なバンドなのだ。