Broken Frame (Bonus Dvd) [CD+DVD, Import]

Depeche Mode | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (April 13, 2009)
• Number of Discs: 2
• Format: CD+DVD, Import
• Label: EMI Europe Generic
• ASIN: B001O5EH2W
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Vinyl
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #261,404 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Editorial Reviews

2006 remastered edition. EMI. 2006. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars The so-called dark phase begins, November 30, 2006

By 

Edgar Olivares "The Entity" (New York City, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Broken Frame (W/Dvd) (Audio CD)

This is Depeche Mode's second album but their first without Vince Clarke. He left shortly after the release of their first album and formed Yaz with Alison Moyet. Now the songwriting was left to Martin Gore and this album would mark "the beginning of their so-called dark phase".The three singles off the album were "See You","The Meaning Of Love" and the haunting "Leave In Silence". Other noteworthy tracks include "My Secret Garden", "Satellite" and "The Sun and The Rainfall".

Because the reissues are faithful to the original UK releases, there are a few noticeable differences between this album and the original 1990 release. First of all, "Leave In Silence" runs a little shorter(In fact the version on the 1990 CD was actually the 12-inch version). The one here is identical to the one on "The Singles 81>85". Also, "Further Excerpts From:My Secret Garden" has been omitted but a shorter version of it appears on the DVD. And for the astute listener, a small part of the intro on "Satellite" was trimmed.

The DVD features three additional tracks that were B-sides or part of 12-inch singles. The 27 minute documentary talks about the band continuing without Vince Clarke, the recruiting of Alan Wilder though he didn't participate in the recordings and the story behind the famous album cover.

Martin Gore was quoted as saying that this was probably their worst album but this is a very enjoyable album after a few listens.

Here's what's on the DVD:

-A Short Film-Depeche Mode: 1982 (The beginning of their so-called dark phase)

-The entire album in DTS 5.1 and stereo.

-Live in Hammersmith October 1982 in 5.1 and stereo:
My Secret Garden/See You/Satellite/Nothing To Fear/The Meaning Of Love/A Photograph Of You.

-Additional tracks:
Now, This Is Fun (B-side of "See You")
Oberkorn(It's A Small Town)
Excerpt from: My Secret Garden (B-side of "Leave In Silence-UK only)

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars All Gore, March 30, 2007

By 

Catfood03 (in front of my computer typing reviews) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Broken Frame (W/Dvd) (Audio CD)

A BROKEN FRAME is Depeche Mode's sophomore album and first without co-founding member Vince Clarke, who was the principal songwriter on the band's debut, Speak & Spell. With A BROKEN FRAME, Martin Gore filled this void by penning each of the album's ten tracks. A BROKEN FRAME, however, is not one of DM's strongest albums, even the musicians involved will own up to that sentiment, yet despite the songwriting being wildly uneven it still holds up as an enjoyable record.

Working against A BROKEN FRAME is it's indecision on kind of album it wants to be. Although sections on this album foreshadowed the direction of darker DM songs soon to come, there are interruptions of oddly upbeat songs such as "See You" (which I love), "The Meaning of Love" (tolerable), and "A Photograph of You" (one of DM's worst ever). "Leave In Silence" , "My Secret Garden", "Nothing to Fear", and "The Sun and the Rainfall", are all excellent, up-tempo numbers without diluting the band's spirit and distinctive sound. More intriguing are the songs that open up to the wider possibilities of DM's experimental side, such as the quirky percussive sounds of "Monument" and the odd musical-detours and sound effects in "Shouldn't Have Done That".

Rhino's CD/DVD reissues of DM's backcatalog have been an eye-opener for fans in North America who have enjoyed altered versions of the band's early records without knowing that some of our favorite tracks were bonus material for Stateside audiences. The new reissues are based on the original UK releases. For A BROKEN FRAME this leaves a shorter "Leave In Silence" and the omission of "Further Excerpts From My Secret Garden". The bonus material, three B-sides and a half-dozen live selections from a 1982 concert, is a generous offering, but to regulate it to the DVD side only is frustrating. Couldn't the B-sides at least fit onto the end of the CD? I don't want to sit in front of my TV everytime to listen to this material.

The DVD documentary included, "The Beginning of Their So Called Dark Phase" (perhaps a bit over-dramatic statement for this early in their career), focus on the time leading up to and the release of the recorded music, including those awkward first steps in regaining their footing after Vince Clarke's departure. There are some funny "Spinal Tap"-ish moments in music video and TV performances that I'm sure the band would rather have their fans forget. It is also here that future DM member Alan Wilder enters into the picture, if only as a touring member in support of A BROKEN FRAME.

I can't comment on the audio quality of the mixes offered on the DVD, as I don't have the proper equipment to truly experience what the disc offers.

Final rating (for the music): 3.5 out of 5 stars
Final rating (for the CD/DVD reissue format): 2.5 out of 5 stars

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing, visionary, daring, laugh-out-loud funny, September 28, 2007

By 

Kristallo "Kristallo" (CA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Broken Frame (W/Dvd) (Audio CD)

A Broken Frame is easily my favorite Depeche Mode album of them all (next to Black Celebration). It's brooding yet it's full of dark humor that cracks me up every time. Depeche Mode clung to their dark image as their career progressed but their sense of humor seemed to fade away fast. Never was it so abundant as on A Broken Frame. For instance on "See You", my favorite track, Gore entreats an old ex of his to see him again (that's all he wants!) but it's obvious there's more on his agenda: "I'll try not to kiss you and I'll try not to hold you, though I think I still love you! All I want to do is see you, Don't you know that it's true?!". You can guess why the relationship ended in the first place. So clever and endearing. Other standout tracks include "The Meaning of Love" "Leave in Silence" and "My Secret Garden" although every track on the album stands out in its own way. Compared to Speak and Spell I find A Broken frame much more inviting with lusher intrumentation, less monotony and an over all better production quality. A Broken Frame is full of innocence and light-heartedness that Depeche Mode would never see the likes of again.