Depeche Mode - A Broken Frame

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NME.COM feature on Depeche Mode - A Broken Frame album including album review, artwork, tracks, listen now, tour dates, discography and more.

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Release date: 02 October 2006

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Depeche Mode - A Broken Frame: Wikipedia Album Entry

A Broken Frame is the second studio album by the British synthpop band Depeche Mode, released in 1982. The album was written entirely by Martin Gore and recorded after the departure of Vince Clarke, who had left the band to form Yazoo with singer Alison Moyet. Alan Wilder was part of a second tour in the United Kingdom occurring prior to the release of this album, but he had not officially joined the band, and thus, does not appear on the album.

In the documentary that appears on the DVD that came with the 2006 reissue, Gore describes the record as "our worst album". None of the singles had long-term success compared to most of Depeche Mode's other albums' singles. A Broken Frame was the only album not represented on 101 and Remixes 81 - 04. Prior to 2006, the last song from the album to be performed live was "Leave In Silence" in 1986. "Leave in Silence" finally made its return (as an acoustic rendition) in a 2006 concert in Paris.

The song "Monument" was covered by GusGus for the Depeche Mode tribute album For the Masses.

A special limited edition live album based on A Broken Frame recorded at the Hammersmith Odeon on the 25th October 1982 was also released early in 1983 which also included a special 12" version of Get The Balance Right on the B-Side.



2006 re-release
In 2006, A Broken Frame was re-released with a bonus DVD. The CD was remastered and (except in the USA) was released on a CD/SACD hybrid. The bonus DVD includes the three B-sides "Now This is Fun", "Oberkorn (It's a Small Town)", and "Excerpts from: My Secret Garden" in addition to several live versions of some of the songs from A Broken Frame.

The re-release preserves the album as it was originally intended. The bonus track "Further Excerpts from: My Secret Garden" was removed (but unlike earlier re-releases wasn't put on the DVD as an extra) and the version of "Leave In Silence" is the album version, not the "Longer" version, making its debut in the USA. (Like "Further Excerpts", the "Longer" version doesn't appear on the DVD)

There are some omissions with the re-release, including a chord at the beginning of the stereo mixes of "Satellite" has disappeared and there are live versions of "Shouldn't Have Done That" and "The Sun & The Rainfall" listed on the DVD artwork that are not present on the disc itself.

Also included was a 27-minute documentary on A Broken Frame called Depeche Mode 1982 (The Beginning Of Their So-called Dark Phase) featuring interviews with Depeche Mode (including Vince Clarke and Alan Wilder) and other personnel such as Daniel Miller and cover-photographer Brian Griffin. There is also footage of television appearances and live performances.

The remastered album was released on "deluxe" vinyl in March 2007 in Germany, and internationally in April 2007.

Track listing
1982 release: Mute / Stumm 9 (UK)
"Leave in Silence" – 4:51
"My Secret Garden" – 4:46
"Monument" – 3:15
"Nothing to Fear" – 4:18
"See You" – 4:34
"Satellite" – 4:44
"The Meaning of Love" – 3:06
"A Photograph of You" – 3:04
"Shouldn't Have Done That" – 3:12
"The Sun and the Rainfall" – 5:02
[edit] 1982 release: Sire / 23751 (U.S.)
"Leave in Silence" – 6:28
"My Secret Garden" – 4:46
"Monument" – 3:15
"Nothing to Fear" – 4:18
"See You" – 4:34
"Satellite" – 4:44
"The Meaning of Love" – 3:06
"Further Excerpts From: My Secret Garden" – 4:20
"A Photograph of You" – 3:04
"Shouldn't Have Done That" – 3:12
"The Sun & the Rainfall" – 5:02
All compositions by Martin Gore.
David Gahan sings lead vocals on all songs except "Shouldn't Have Done That" which is a duet with Gore. "Nothing to Fear" and "Further Excerpts From: My Secret Garden" are instrumental.
[edit] 2006 re-release
Mute: DM CD 2 (CD/SACD + DVD) / CDX STUMM 9 (CD/SACD)

Disc 1 is a hybrid SACD/CD with a multi-channel SACD layer.
Disc 2 is a DVD which includes A Broken Frame in DTS 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1 and PCM Stereo plus bonus material
"Leave in Silence" – 4:51
"My Secret Garden" – 4:46
"Monument" – 3:15
"Nothing to Fear" – 4:18
"See You" – 4:34
"Satellite" – 4:43 (contains a slight edit, or error, at the beginning of the track on the redbook and stereo SACD layers. The 5.1 mix is not affected)
"The Meaning of Love" – 3:06
"A Photograph of You" – 3:04
"Shouldn't Have Done That" – 3:12
"The Sun and the Rainfall" – 5:02
Bonus Tracks (in DTS 5.1, Dolby Digital 5.1, PCM Stereo):

"My Secret Garden (Live In Hammersmith, October 1982)" – 7:28
"See You (Live In Hammersmith, October 1982)" – 4:11
"Satellite (Live In Hammersmith, October 1982)" – 4:28
"Nothing to Fear (Live In Hammersmith, October 1982)" – 4:28
"The Meaning of Love (Live In Hammersmith, October 1982)" – 3:14
"A Photograph of You (Live In Hammersmith, October 1982)" – 3:21
Bonus Tracks (in PCM Stereo):

"Now, This Is Fun" – 3:27
"Oberkorn (It's a Small Town)" – 4:07
"Excerpt From: My Secret Garden" – 3:14
Additional Material:

"Depeche Mode 1982 (The Beginning of Their So-Called Dark Phase)" [27 Minute video]
All songs were written by Martin Gore.

Charts and certifications
Chart (1982) Peak
position Certification Sales
German Albums Chart 56 250,000+
Swedish Albums Chart 22 35,000+
UK Albums Chart 8 Gold 200,000+
US Billboard Pop Albums 177 400,000+
Chart (2006) Peak
position Certification Sales
French Albums Chart 1941 100,000+
Italy 75,000+
Netherlands 20,000+
Spain 50,000+
Europe Sales 1,000,000+
Worldwide Sales 2,600,000+


Album credits
David Gahan
Martin Gore
Andrew Fletcher
Produced by Daniel Miller and Depeche Mode
Engineered by John Fryer, Eric Radcliffe
Recorded at Blackwing Studios, London
CDD Pre-Mastering by WCI Record Group
Photography by Brian Griffin
Design: Martyn Atkins
Calligraphy: Ching Ching Lee
Clothes Stylist: Jacqui Frye
Publisher: Mute Records
Distributor: Warner Music (U.S.)
Label: Mute Records (UK) / Sire Records (U.S.)

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