Speak & Spell

Speak & Spell is the debut album from the British synthpop group Depeche Mode, recorded and released in 1981. The album peaked at #10 in the UK Albums Chart.

Overview

This was the only Depeche Mode album with Vince Clarke as a member of the band. Clarke wrote most of the songs for the band, before departing to form the synthpop duo Yazoo with Alison Moyet.

The album is significantly lighter in tone and melody than their later work, a direction which can largely be attributed to Clarke’s writing. After he left, Martin Gore would take over songwriting duties, writing almost all of the band’s material. Later albums written by him would explore darker subjects and melodies.
The album title alludes to the then-popular “Speak & Spell” electronic toy.

When interviewed by Simon Amstell for Channel 4’s Popworld programme in 2005, Martin Gore and Andrew Fletcher both stated that the track “What’s Your Name?” was their least favourite Depeche Mode song of all time.