A literal ‘black celebration’ of Depeche Mode’s career with all albums across 14 CDs and four CDs of bonus material.
Sony will issue a new 18CD Depeche Mode box set called simply MODE, in November.
The box set collects all 14 studio albums and includes four bonus discs of chronological non-album material (b-sides, bonus tracks and non-album material).
This is a numbered, limited-edition set (no word on how limited) and is housed in a minimalist black cube, with each disc similarly enclosed in a black, heavyweight card wallet. The albums’ original covers have been re-interpreted in special black-on-black designs exclusive to the box set.
As well as the discs, this set comes with a 228 page, gilt-edged book containing all of Depeche Mode’s lyrics, compiled together for the first time. There is no mention of remastering at all, at this stage.
MODE will be released on 24 January 2020 (originally 22 November 2019).
Compare prices and pre-order
Depeche Mode
MODE - 18CD box set
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
CD 1 – Speak & Spell (1981)
1. New Life
2. I Sometimes Wish I Was Dead
3. Puppets
4. Boys Say Go!
5. Nodisco
6. What’s Your Name?
7. Photographic
8. Tora! Tora! Tora!
9. Big Muff
10. Any Second Now (Voices)
11. Just Can’t Get Enough
CD 2 – A Broken Frame (1982)
1. Leave in Silence
2. My Secret Garden
3. Monument
4. Nothing to Fear
5. See You
6. Satellite
7. The Meaning of Love
8. A Photograph of You
9. Shouldn’t Have Done That
10. The Sun and the Rainfall
CD 3 – Construction Time Again (1983)
1. Love, In Itself
2. More Than a Party
3. Pipeline
4. Everything Counts
5. Two Minute Warning
6. Shame
7. The Landscape Is Changing
8. Told You So
9. And Then…
10. Everything Counts (Reprise)
CD 4 – Some Great Reward (1984)
1. Something to Do
2. Lie to Me
3. People Are People
4. It Doesn’t Matter
5. Stories of Old
6. Somebody
7. Master and Servant
8. If You Want
9. Blasphemous Rumours
CD: 5 – Black Celebration (1986)
1. Black Celebration
2. Fly On the Windscreen (Final)
3. A Question of Lust
4. Sometimes
5. It Doesn’t Matter Two
6. A Question of Time
7. Stripped
8. Here Is the House
9. World Full of Nothing
10. Dressed In Black
11. New Dress
CD 6 – Music For The Masses (1987)
1. Never Let Me Down Again
2. The Things You Said
3. Strangelove
4. Sacred
5. Little 15
6. Behind the Wheel
7. I Want You Now
8. To Have and to Hold
9. Nothing
10. Pimpf
CD 7 – Violator (1990)
1. World In My Eyes
2. Sweetest Perfection
3. Personal Jesus
4. Halo
5. Waiting for the Night
6. Enjoy the Silence
7. Policy of Truth
8. Blue Dress
9. Clean
CD 8 – Songs of Faith and Devotion (1993)
1. I Feel You
2. Walking in My Shoes
3. Condemnation
4. Mercy in You
5. Judas
6. In Your Room
7. Get Right With Me
8. Rush
9. One Caress
10. Higher Love
CD 9 – Ultra (1997)
1. Barrel of a Gun
2. The Love Thieves
3. Home
4. It’s No Good
5. Uselink
6. Useless
7. Sister of Night
8. Jazz Thieves
9. Freestate
10. The Bottom Line
11. Insight
12. Junior Painkiller
CD 10 – Exciter (2001)
1. Dream On
2. Shine
3. The Sweetest Condition
4. When the Body Speaks
5. The Dead of Night
6. Lovetheme
7. Freelove
8. Comatose
9. I Feel Loved
10. Breathe
11. Easy Tiger
12. I Am You
13. Goodnight Lovers
CD 11 – Playing The Angel (2005)
1. A Pain That I’m Used To
2. John the Revelator
3. Suffer Well
4. The Sinner in Me
5. Precious
6. Macro
7. I Want It All
8. Nothing’s Impossible
9. Introspectre
10. Damaged People
11. Lilian
12. The Darkest Star
CD 12 – Sounds of the Universe (2009)
1. In Chains
2. Hole to Feed
3. Wrong
4. Fragile Tension
5. Little Soul
6. In Sympathy
7. Peace
8. Come Back
9. Spacewalker
10. Perfect
11. Miles Away / The Truth Is
12. Jezebel
13. Corrupt
CD 13 – Delta Machine (2013)
1. Welcome to My World
2. Angel
3. Heaven
4. Secret to the End
5. My Little Universe
6. Slow
7. Broken
8. The Child Inside
9. Soft Touch / Raw Nerve
10. Should Be Higher
11. Alone
12. Soothe My Soul
13. Goodbye
CD 14 – Spirit (2017)
1. Going Backwards
2. Where’s the Revolution
3. The Worst Crime
4. Scum
5. You Move
6. Cover Me
7. Eternal
8. Poison Heart
9. So Much Love
10. Poorman
11. No More (This is the Last Time)
12. Fail
CD15 – 1981 – 1985
Photographic (Some Bizarre Version)
Sometimes I Wish I Was Dead (Flexi-Pop Version)
Dreaming Of Me
Ice Machine
Shout
Any Second Now
Now, This Is Fun
Oberkorn (It’s A Small Town)
My Secret Garden (Excerpts From)
My Secret Garden (Further Excerpts From)
Get The Balance Right!
The Great Outdoors!
Work Hard
Fools
In Your Memory
(Set Me Free) Remotivate Me
Shake The Disease
Flexible
It’s Called A Heart
Fly On The Windscreen
CD16 – 1986 – 1990
Dressed In Black (Record Mirror Version)
But Not Tonight
Breathing In Fumes
Black Day
Christmas Island
Agent Orange
Fpmip
Pleasure, Little Treasure
Route 66
Stjarna
Sonata No. 14 In C#m (Moonlight Sonata)
Dangerous
Memphisto
Sibeling
Kaleid
Happiest Girl (Jack Mix)
Sea Of Sin (Tonal Mix)
CD17 – 1993 – 2005
My Joy (Seven Inch Mix)
Death’s Door (Soundtrack Version)
Death’s Door (Jazz Mix)
Slowblow
Painkiller
Only When I Lose Myself
Surrender
Headstar
Easy Tiger
Dirt
Zenstation
Free
Newborn
Better Days
Martyr
CD18 – 2006 – 2017
Oh Well (Single Version)
Oh Well
Light
The Sun And The Moon And The Stars
Ghost
Esque
Long Time Lie
Happens All The Time
Always
All That’s Mine
Heroes (Highline Session Version)
Awesome set. Managed to pick this up yesterday from a local retailer in New Zealand for $264 nz ( approx £134) along with the George Harrison vinyl boxset unopened for nz $400 (£200). A good day had. Now to get the saxon 9 lp sent from one of their other stores ( nz $200) and June is set for the music i feel.
Hi! Right now the price is 187€ in Amazon Spain!
Living in Spain I was lucky enough to buy mine in Amazon Canada last November for just 160€ and I’m quite pleased with the box, the design and its content. Depeche Mode is my all time favourite band along with The Beatles. I had everything in the box in several formats since I am a devotee since 1990 but it’s an item for collectors, and maybe for casual fans. It trully is a beauty.
In Hong Kong we are lucky to pay less than HK $1500.
I got it. The packaging on mine has several defects so pretty pissed considering the price.
I have pre-ordered this as not out until 7th February. Thankfully I have been saving up since October so the delayed release has worked out good for me. Super excited!!!
Amazon U.S. is out of stock on this box. Very odd.
18 CD’s, and they STILL couldn’t find room for their best remixes (“Strangelove” by Phil Harding, “It’s No Good” by Peter Rauhofer, “I Feel Loved” by Danny Tenaglia, “Precious” by Victor Calderone & Mac Quayle, etc. etc.) What a waste.
Several more very worthwhile early rarities (the equivalent of about one CD of material) were included on the 2005(?) iTunes ‘box set’, which I bought at the time but which I believe is no longer available. It would’ve been really nice to have included those in this set too.
It’s back on sale at Amazon US for $139.
Really? I just checked today (1/25) and it’s back up to $333 pre-order on Amazon U.S/
Some interesting comments from DM archivist Daniel ‘Brat’ Barassi on the Depeche Mode ‘Home’ forum, when asked why there was no new remastering for this box set :
“The word “remastering” sure does get thrown around a lot… The 2006/7 remasters still sound good. There’s no need to go back to the multi-tracks and do it again. At minimum (which is what most labels do nowadays, and call it “new”), “remastering” can be (and usually is) as minimal as a slight EQ change. Instead on concentrating on “remastering”, concentrate on the source material.”
Any thoughts on that subject?
I’ve interviewed Daniel for SDE and will post it soon.
I think the 2006/2007 SACD remasters sound good for the albums, however the singles and 1981-1985 collection where never remastered, hence after all these years we still get shit sounding CD versions of “Shake the Disease”. The best? DM song…
Maybe these new 12″ releases are remastered?
Lots of negativity. Live and bootlegs has value for some, but not all. Personally I always prefer studio. Why would I want to hear an audience on top of that, inferior vocals, inferior sound quality and inferior new arrangements on songs? Awful. I prefer the studio album even if I had attended that very concert myself. The studio albums are far more important than anything else. And 4 CDs of bonus is pretty decent when it’s 18 CDs in total. What’s the demographic? I’d say DM fans? And no I don’t think this release will flop at all – it is limited and will sell out quickly. It is a big world and there are many DM fans in it :)
This makes no sense. Fans have all the albums. We’ve bought them over and over again. Multiple formats. Vinyl, tape, cd, mini-disc, dcc, you name it. Then there was the different cd releases. The regular. The special cd/dvd packs. The specials had the b-sides. Then there is the cd single box sets and 12” anyway.
So there is absolutely nothing in this box set that provides any value to fans if you’ve previously purchased.
Massive missed opportunity.
So it looks like this box set is limited after all now Amazon US is listing it as out of stock. I’ve panic pre-ordered from Amazon UK, hoping this will be honoured.
Amazon USA does that because they fight with distributors all the time. You’ll even see up-coming Blu-ray and DVD releases as out of stock. They wait until the release date, then open the links for either pre-ordering (for a future release date) or for ordering (in stock). It is never clear why this happens but I know that at times, other retailers or distributors get exclusive release dates before others. Best bet, my advice (as I do this every time)… do not pre-order, wait a month after release date, find it much, much cheaper somewhere online from a reputable seller, never third party seller, as by that time, rip-off boot-legs have been made.
Your analysis could be true if this box wasn’t sold out everywhere. No one offers this box at a reasonable price so at the moment I think this is out of print, just like the Prince 1999 box. The question then becomes will they do a 2nd print? I think in the case of Prince they will for sure but in the Depeche Mode case, I don’t think so. A DM fan has all this already (like me) and there are only so many completists who will spend $150 on something they already have. This set is ideal for folks who don’t own any DM albums and are interested in getting some but even then, spending $150, that’s a tall order.
Looks like my pre-order from importcds is not being filled. Ordered from Popmarket.com today for the 1st time. Hope I get lucky. With email sign up discount code total, cost was $117.37.
Hope this helps anyone looking.
Thanks for the tip! Just did the same and now crossing my fingers.
Amazon.ca wanted $458.00 Canadian for this. Although, I missed the email promo code you mentioned, I still managed to get it ordered through Popmarket.com. Thanks kindly for the tip.
Strangely this set is being listed as a Warner/WEA-release, even over here at JPC in Germany. Did DM change labels? In that case the set would make sense – at least for the label by cashing in on the band’s catalogue.
I love the design, but I’m wondering for who this is made. Sure if you haven’t got anything of DM it would be a great collection but a fan already has the albums. I would love to see the last 4 cd’s and the booklet bundled but this is too expensive and too much double dipping for me personally.
It is an odd release all round really, I too would have paid for the extras minus the original albums. I do like the reinvented black/grey artwork for each album though but that’s no reason for a punt mind especially at the UK price. The german release however is quite a bargain if you haven’t got the original albums that is…
hi its strange not really clear for release date rhino records is write on the wbsite Subscribe to back in stock notification and its not available again for amazon canada ect any of you have more detail for this depeche mode box are really out on 24 january? thanks for all help.
Yes, it’s out on Friday.
I see it as “Out of stock” just about everywhere. Amazon U.S. is saying they don’t know if or when it will be back in stock. I pre-ordered and am getting a feeling that I will be getting a refund instead of the box set. It is probably sold out already, being limited.
Hi Ken, I was able to pre-order from amazon US yesterday 21st Jan, but also noticed today that it was no longer possible to order from them and the site stated ‘We don’t know when or if this item will be back in stock’. I hope that they honor the registered pre-orders.
I am also puzzled by the great price difference between US-EU for this item. Are there any difference in terms of production between US and EU boxes? Are we missing something?
Paul, I am really looking forward your unboxing video on this one and hopefully you would be able to answer some of the questions.
I grew up with Depeche Mode music and, although my musical tastes have shifted to other stuff, I am really looking forward this set as I do not own any of the post-Exciter releases nor the B-Sides.
The only difference I am aware of is that the U.S. box is on the Rhino label and the E.U. is on the Warner label. CD prices will always be a mystery to me. I am in the States and have bought stuff cheaper from Amazon UK than what Amazon US charges. I have no idea how they come up with their pricing. I assume it is based on what they think the market will pay. Depeche Mode are not as popular in the US, as they are the EU, so maybe the labels just know they can gouge the EU customers a bit more.
There is absolutely no differences between EU and US boxes. I had that confirmed.
When are we going to see the other 12″ Vinyl Box Sets released????????
Why don’t they release the whole “Highline Sessions” recording?
Is this Box set a new remastered? If you compare the sound mixing between The Singles 86–98 and deluxe cd+dvd. The sound quality on deluxe cd+dvd was huge letdown.
I thought 101 would have made it in the box even if the live SOF&D wouldn’t.
I have the 5.1 CD dvd sets already. Can anyone let me know what the crossover is between those bonus tracks and the 4 cdsvof bonus tracks here thanks!!!!
£111.00 if bought from Amazon US.
£140.00 total including postage, import duty deposit to UK.
Excellent price, cheers for the tip off Paul…!
Just done exactly the same! Thanks for the heads up!
MODE boxset release is postponed, new release date : 24 January 2020
https://www.depechemodeboxsets.com/assets/images/depechemodeboxset.pdf
That leaves the question if this is a good sign for a possible change of content.
It seems that the reason for the delay is related to quality control issues with the boxsets rather than any changes to the content.
According to the DM website:
‘Upon reviewing the first MODE boxes coming off the production line, we’ve identified a handful of places where the box is not up to our standards based on the prototypes that were approved, and we’re insisting that these issues are fixed before any boxes go to retailers or to fans. Our top priority is to ensure that the quality of the box, artwork, and printing match what was designed and intended.
These issues have been resolved but the MODE box set will now be released on Jan 24th.’
Mode is currently unavailable on the Amazon UK site.
There’s no mention of remastering anywhere but hard to imagine that it wouldn’t at least include the previously issued remastered versions of the earlier albums.
As another has mentioned amazon US has this for 139$ at the moment, I pre-ordered it but may change my mind, as I already have the albums and Singles boxes 1-3 and separate singles for everything through Delta Machine. So while this may not be for me, I do like the aesthetic of the packaging. If the four bonus discs are remastered [at least the early material] then I will keep the pre-order.
I’ve been waiting for an excuse to explore Depeche Mode’s catalog in more depth and detail. Not wanting to go out and buy every album, I’ve been waiting for years for them to release a career spanning box set. I think 4 CDs of rarities seems pretty great, but I’m not a diehard fan who has already collected them all. I’m a fan who’s heard the hits and was waiting for an excuse to learn more. I guess I am the target demographic for this release. Got it on Amazon US for UD$139. I’m happy with that price ~$8 per CD.
do you have the link? I cannot find it on amazon US
It’s on the widget, now.
I’ve ordered mine for 184 $ CAD.(amazon.ca)…way below the price listed here…it’s 10 $ /cd. plus the box and book. This is my taget price for boxset..
I’ve been a mega DM fan since junior high (Violator/SOFAD era). I’ve seen them on every tour since SOFAD. For me, the Spirit tour was a major disappointment – it’s almost like their spirit was missing! It’s sad to see them going through the motions at this point – new album every 4 years, tour, take a break, repeat. While I think this box set is very cool and convenient (and I’ll probably get it simply because they are my FAVORITE!), DM need to do something genuine for the TRUE fans such as myself. What this “box set” should really be is a collection of B-sides and rarities…and I know they don’t want to and probably never will, but they *should* do a tour of mid-sized venues where they have maybe a 15-18 song setlist consisting mostly of B-sides. As great as “Personal Jesus” and “Enjoy the Silence” are, some of the best DM songs are the B-sides!
I love DM since “Black Celebration” release and I have to say I did’t buy “Spirit” album, I’ve heard a few songs – they sounded like DM recorded dozens of songs around “Playing the angel” years and release them as new albums every 4 years. I know it won’t happen, but I dream about Alan Wilder producing their album at some point to break their after 2000 routine.
I still fail to understand how so many people think Alan returning would ensure a guaranteed increase in quality.
You should listen to his remix of “In chains” in the “remixes 81-11 box”..
It is a completely different way of presenting the song. While it may not be better, at least it is different.
I have always loved the first 4 songs from Sounds of the Universe.
Completely baffling release, at least from a fan’s point of view (unless of course you like to collect every single thing DM releases no matter how redundant or expensive that might turn out to be).
This band has tonnes of actual rare, unreleased and interesting material but they seem hell-bent on never ever releasing any of it.
Apparently, in the US, this set is being released on Rhino/Warners, and it’s a lot cheaper, at $153 on Amazon US…yet, on December 6th, there is a gargantuan Gentle Giant 30CD box on Snapper, for $350…not sure which is the better value, if any…gotta love the 4th Quarter release schedule, eh?? Oh yeah, there is an AMAZING value box coming out November 22 on Edsel…a 6CD box by eccentric Liverpudlians SPACE with 94 tracks, including never-released 3rd album “Love You More Than Football”, B-sides, mixes. etc…16.99 pounds on Amazon UK…snapped that right up…thought they were a cool, interesting, fun band, Space!!
Depeche Mode is really milking every album they’ve ever made. How many box sets, remix set, bonus sets have they made?
No surely Suede hold that dubious honour?
Along with McCartney and the Beatles and Bowie etc the list is a long one.
This is the first time Depeche Mode have released something that truly felt unnecessary, unlike Suede, who are constantly re-releasing the same thing over and over.
I´m a Fan since 1984/5, here in south america we have local releases that were treated with more respect than the Sony re releases. Roadrunner made great realeses of the classic almums, also for the expanded versions with DVDs. Is it really necessary to sell that in a cube?
If Sony only releases CDs 15 to 18it will be much appealing than the once again remasters of the albums? and What about the vinyl version? How much it wil cost? this is not only disrespect the amazing body of art of all DM album cover, is a real insult to the fanbase.
Many comments say that this boxset is useless (also considering the very high price) and I agree with them. I am a fan till Dreaming of Me and a regular collector, but this is not for me.
Do you remember last year SDE campaign to have the last Yazoo boxset also on CD? It’s time for a new campaign to have the last 4 CDs issued as a “sampler” boxset (I can remember a similar issue by The Cure, Siouxsie, Cocteau Twins and so on)… please Paul be part of this petition!
Thank you Sony! Thank you for making this so unappealing that I don’t feel the least tempted to buy it.
tottally agree!
Existing remasters are inferior to original cd pressings. If new remasters had been done for this set, they very likely would have also been inferior to the original Mute UK cd masterings. If they just would have used those for the early albums in this set, I’d have bought it – matching covers would be worth the price to me.
What’s wrong with the 2006+ Remasters? They sound great, even more so as sacd!
I imagine the SACD sounds fantastic. I haven’t heard those. But they are not the CD version of the 2006 remasters. I’ve heard that the SACD sounds amazing. But the basic remasters… not so much. I know I’m not the only one to have complained about them. Compare them to the Singles CD’s 81-85 and 86-98 and you may find that the 2006 remasters sound flat and dull. I’m not sure what happened to ‘Enjoy The Silence’ on the 2006 remaster of ‘Violator’ but it sounds horrible. It’s weird, but some tracks don’t sound as bad…. on various albums, but they could definitely sound better! Compare “Some Great Reward’ to the original vinyl released back in 1984 and wow, they really ruined these wonderful albuns. And to top it off they put these 2006 remasters out on vinyl. I do hope they do it all over again. There’s always hope.
All the 2006 remasters sound fine to me, but then again, those are the versions I used when discovering them.
The Mike Marsh/Roland Brown remasters of Singles 81-85 and Singles 86-98 are the exact opposite of good-sounding – they are very compressed and very LOUD. If you actually like these, it’s no wonder that everything else sounds “flat and dull” to you.
I could be wrong but I think it’s possible that the band decided to release this because they may know in advance that they are going to win the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nomination, and perhaps they were notified in advance. That might explain why they’re releasing this… so that people out there that aren’t familiar with their work or don’t have their albuns now have it all in one place.
It’s just a guess. Because I find it to be a real head-scratcher trying to figure out who this would be aimed at.
Like other commenters I also don’t know what the target market is for this. I am a big DM fan but have 0 interest. However, if you check the amazon box set charts https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/bestsellers/music/9840746031/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_music this is already at number 7 and above the much better value police set. I think DM has such a strong dedicated fanbase that will buy anything despite of the price.
I saw the picture of the box and then saw the publisher is Sony, and I realized that I’ve actually seen this package style before. Sony put out a Philip Glass ‘complete’ 24-cd box set with 200+ page book in a similar looking oversized cube box, although not black-on-black as the DM box is. And much cheaper I must add with 6 more discs (but not exactly dirt cheap) https://www.amazon.co.uk/Philip-Glass-Complete-Sony-Recordings/dp/B01HIGPXAU
So, I would assume unless printing in all black is tremendously expensive, this set is priced at least double what it should cost.
I can see now why my 2 separate comments weren’t posted as I’ve been reading these comments and can see I was wrong about this box set being remastered. Apparently it’s not remastered. Which is a huge disappointment to me, as I felt that was the only real reason to purchase this. I personally have been unhappy for years about the 2006/2007 remasters
that were released back then.
I don’t think I will be getting this. I am so disappointed. I agree with others I hope they released the last four discs separately.
I am anxiously waiting for the next batch of 12″ singles vinyl box sets. Violator, Songs Of Faith And Devotion and Ultra.
Indeed those remasters were flat as a pancake sounding and this was the perfect opportunity to rectify that though not at this ridiculous price. I’m just glad i have the single box sets and don’t need to bother about this and to be honest anything after Ultra i have no interest in as their albums gradually got worse after that.
Hey Paul,
any word of a separate Box set of the last four CDs for a more reasonable price?
for those of us who have all the albums already
Afraid not.
Now that, I would buy in a hot second!!
A couple of comments suggest this looks like a rather final, definitive set and could be their last release? They’re still all only in their 50s and they could easily go on for another 20 years as a live act and be the electronic Rolling Stones (if you will, the Roland Stones). They’ve been wedded to the Recording / LP / World Tour / Downtime cycle for so long now. I guess they could make the next tour a retrospective victory lap, or maybe do a Kraftwerk and play whole albums, but then I can’t imagine Gahan and Gore would want to stop writing….Maybe it’s time for them to do something different though.
I don’t think this is the case, but eventually they may go that route (Eagles, Fleetwood Mac, Rolling Stones, etc.). They could do solo stuff/small tours to satisfy the creative output, or maybe the odd DM EP here and again, but do the greatest hits tours every couple of years for the “retirement fund”, especially if they concentrate the set lists on songs up to Ultra.
I have all the albums, and there a couple of good songs each album, but I would rather have tours with full shows of the “classics”. Especially with what they charge for tickets now!
After doing a highly scientific (not) check of some similar type websites, the consensus on this release seems to be:
1. Too expensive
2. Nothing exciting as there is nothing new/rare/unreleased
3. Pretty
4. “Sorry, not getting this”
I am predicting a commercial fail on this release when it comes out; I hope this doesn’t stop future re-issues people actually care about.
I quite like some Depeche Mode stuff, but I don’t have any of their albums… so I could be the target demographic for this.
But £220!?! Are they having a laugh?
They just motivated me :-)))
– from what I’ve collected for over 30 years on CD / DVD / SACD, I start to make 3CD myself
(O – D – E)
1000 x more Valuable to me are Japanese LP releases in Blu-Spec CD2 format from Sony Music JP 2014 (100% replica LP – Mini LP S&S -> SOTU) – much x better invested cash from what will happen in November.
For those who complain about the lack of rarities !!!
– Mr. Alan W. had order and thanks to his E-MAX are at least processed by professional enthusiasts demo / live versions released (1983-1993) in recent years on Soundcloud.
Christmas 2019
“MODE Box” DM vs.”The Later Years” Pink Floyd 0:1
The perfect gift for any Depeche Mode fan who doesn’t have any of the albums!
On the good news front, DM are nominated for the R&R Hall of fame. Yes I already voted for them, and T. REX.
It’s no good. Useless.
There will a UK Boxset and a US Boxset
Mute / Columbia / Sony Music 88985389492
UK CD Box Set, released November 22nd, 2019
this is a commercial release.
Rhino TBA
US CD Box Set, released November 22nd, 2019
this is a commercial release.
From – http://archives.depechemode.com/discography/boxsets/23_mode.html
1. CD1 – CD10 are Remasters of 2006/2007. They were pressed from Mute UK DDP (Disc Description Protocol) files.
2. CD11 – CD14 are usual albums that have not been remastered at all. They were pressed from the DDP (Disc Description Protocol) file and not by ripping the previously released CD.
3. CD15 – CD18 was originally intended only for songs from b-sides singles and so there are not remixes.
4. Track “Dressed In Black (Record Mirror Version)” is a longer non-fade-out version which Daniel Barassi (DM Archivist) has found in Archives.
The 4 topics above copied from Depmod.com forum.
Thank you for the insights
The USA Release date now appears to be Friday 31st. Many places have got it to pre-order for $120 at the time of writing this.
Let’s hope they can get back to the vinyl box set 12” singles now this money grab is nearly out.
Aside from the b-side discs, this is a waste. Especially considering the 2007 remasters of each album were issued as mid-priced stand alone discs just a few years ago (in the U.S., anyway). I think those sound just great.
Call me if the b-side discs are issued.
sony are money grabbers…..fans have brains…..they aren’t interested in the same stuff regurgatated……WE WANT LIVE STUFF on dvd/blu-ray……..mmmm spirit tour anyone!!
Paul Griffiths, I can’t imagine they have made the upcoming ‘Spirits of the Forest’ concert film only for the one night of cinema release in November, so I’d expect a DVD/BR announcement for that must be pretty imminent?
It might just be Oxfam Ealing, but every time I go in there’s always a stack of DM CDs, over a few months I’ve got the lot for about £2 each, on eBay they’re all £2 to £4, I get a carpenter at work to make me boxes up and Bob’s your Uncle.
This is a daft price, DM fans are a loyal lot, seems a bit of a money grab, they surely could have come up with something a bit more interesting.
An expensive and almost useless box with only THREE song versions on cd for the first time, when there are so many still digitally unreleased (the dub “Behind the wheel”, Margouleff’s “A question of lust”, the U.S. “But not tonight”, a couple of “It’s called a heart” mixes, the On-U Sound “People are people”…).
What a shame.
Nice looking box set. I especially like the elegant black on black album cover art reproductions. The only thing is, I already own DM’s deluxe reissues of “Speak and Spell” through “Sounds of the Universe” on excellent DVD-A surround sound. So buying a box set of standard redbook CDs that may, or may not have been remastered, doesn’t really tempt me. Live material, alternate takes, demos and a Blu-ray with surround sound mixes and concert footage would definitely be of interest.
Although I am a huge fan of Depeche Mode, this is a reissue that doesn’t add any value to my collection. I think the record company is desperately looking for some additional revenue.
Wish Depeche Mode had signed with Universal instead Sony Music a few years ago, things could have been different.
The Sony Music era : –Delta Machine : awfull package, no re-editon, Live in Berlin : awfull DVD mastering …and no bluray!! –DVD video collection : awfullest package the DVD can’t be grabbed from the cardboard –Spirit : awfull cardboard package one more time
And now : A useless anthology, with the CD format that doesn’t appeal to newcomers (old fans already have 99% of the content), awfull design (creative : “DM is so daaaark, let’s make it Daaaak and grey!”), awfull package (CD seems to be in thin carboards), no REAL new content …and overpriced
100% agreed
I don’t know who this is aimed at, or if it will sell. It’s a pathetically expensive release with little previously unreleased, and no previously unheard content. Bob Dylan can do something like a 47 CD set for £100, and Depeche seem to think we want to pay over £200 for 14 unremastered albums on CD and 4 CD’s of b-sides? Even at £100 this would be a no-go. The contents are basic, at best. For a comprehensive set that would cover all the albums, surely then, the “101”, “Devotional / Songs Of Faith And Devotion”, “Touring The Angel – Milan”, “Tour Of The Universe : Barcelona”, and “Live In Berlin” CD audio releases should be included? As well as the 6 discs of Remixes from the 81-04/81-11 campaigns? Or the 1982 and 1984 live recordings that made up a lot of b-sides from that era?
I’m also appalled at a remaster/reissue box set that’s actually smaller than the previous releases? It wouldn’t have hurt to repress / expand the 5.1+Documentary DVD sets from the 2006 reissue period, alongside the 5.1 DVD mixes of Playing The Angel, Sounds Of The Universe, and Delta machine? Or the demo tracks on the SOTU fancypants box set?
Or even include a 2CD version of the Devotional Tour set given that a full show was (near enough) released across the VHS, CD, and CD singles of the period?
Or the not-on-DVD Hamburg 1984 show? Or the multitude of Anton Corbjin screen films you can briefly glimpse in various documentaries, or promos that were on VHS only releases such as “Strange”/”Strange Too”?
That’s just stuff that has been released. I’m not including the demo recordings that are circulating, iTunes exclusive rehearsal versions, or any unissued or rare mixes, or extant live shows such as San Francisco 1990 or Cologne 1998 or the historic reunion show at the Albert Hall in 2010 they *could* release as audio/video bait but choose not to.
For £200 content is KING. Not paper, packaging, and austerity. Maybe I’m not the target market for this. Maybe they want to find a rich person whose never heard a Depeche Mode remix or live album, who has £220 they haven’t got a clue on what to spend it on, who quite likes oversized black boxes? This is an absurd waste of money and opportunities.
Too much money for not enough material. Presumably they share an accountant with Pink Floyd.
As regards the lack of Depeche Mode rarities being made available.I recall Martin Gore dug up a few Demos for the Sounds of the Universe Box set and said in a few interviews at the time that the experience of sifting through his unsorted archive was so time consuming it had put him off seeking out any more.He lamented that he wished he had kept a control of his archive. He initially suggested he had a whole unsorted warehouse of rarities stuff,and then later contradicted himself by suggesting he’d actually lost most of his earlier stuff and couldn’t actually find any of it. He did infer though that he had not catalogued or kept any order his previous work and in his view sorting it out now was too daunting a task. He also laughed and said he’s rather spend 8hrs crafting a new song than waste 8hrs searching through his archives.So the lack of Depeche Mode rarities is probably due to the fact that Martin Gore simply aint interested in spending the time and effort to sift through his apparently very messy and uncatalogued archive.
Depeche Mode have their own employed archivist, surely he could sift through all that uncatalogued archive?
Too many box sets, no need !!
Interestingly I just started to listen to Violator and SOFAD again last week. Went on ebay and got me Single Boxes, 2 and 3 cheap… visually it looks stunning next to the white Lennon cube, but who has space and money for display only. I guess the band did not have a saying in this since its Sony Records which brought us Miles Davis and Bob Dylan bootleg series as well.
A miss is just natural.
Peace.
Even Bagpuss and The Clangers releases fared better….. and I bought both of those…..
As someone wise said on these pages a couple of years ago, we have hit peak-boxset.
It’s no good just banging out something vanilla at mint chocolate chip prices. Money and, for that matter, space is limited so £200 on packaging and 4 CDs of interesting but available music won’t make many hit the buy button, those days are long-gone. Companies have to be smarter and work out their target audience. Fans or non-fans, die hard fans or casual fans and so on. It’s only a couple of venn diagrams on a board. Work it out guys. It’s no good pricing something at the Die-hard fan level and then putting out casual or non-fan product. And then as we have seen with previous Depeche Mode boxsets massively over-producing them. “Limited” these days isn’t 15,000 units. Make 2,000 units at £200 and fill it with impossibly beautiful stuff to make even the hardest fan cry or make 10,000 units at £50 and keep it simple, like this is. Even non-fans would buy it as a well-piced anthology of a group they have heard of or might want to get into.
Collins – 8 albums at £10 in a clam shell, stick it on Sainsbury’s shelves in November. Brilliant, we’ll shift 50,000…..
As my dear departed dad would have said “They’ve got this all arse-about-face” whatever that means.
I have no idea what the market is for this.
I am a huge DM fan – have every 12″ up to Songs of Faith & Devotion and all the CD/DVD remastered sets. This is entirely superfluous to me.
What casual fan is going to shell out £200 for the entire works of a band?
If it were a 12″ coffee table book that would be something, but we’re not even offered that.
Baffling
This just seems so pointless! Even when this set is in any post-xmas sale it still isn’t gonna be reduced to a price that makes it good value! A box of re-packaged, re-issues of re-masters with a couple of compilation discs thrown in. Very lazy
I have the singles boxes which cover most of the b-sides here, I’d prefer that they continued where they left off instead of releasing this which I have most of the tracks from already (including the albums except Spirit).
This is a sorry excuse for a fall release. Maybe Dave is using heroin again. Or the record executive who gave this awful box set the green light.
Pass…
Wow…….that is pathetic.
What a nasty thing to say
But you can’t deny that this is a ridiculous cash-grab.
They have enough truly rare and unreleased versions/remixes/demos/live recordings to fill more than 18 CDs with them and instead we get this overpriced “anthology” of sorts with a boring lyrics booklet as filler and the most uninspired graphic design that Anton (or whoever’s in charge of this) could come up with.
I find the new album art a bit lazy really. B&w photos of the original album artwork and a slight contrast shift, that’s it? Blah.
I don’t see this as the end of Depeche Mode either. They seem to be on a 4yr gap between albums these days, so maybe 2021/2022 we might see something new if we are lucky.
Maybe Sony will hear the noise from the fans and in time release something that’s more appealing, but I don’t see SACD. It’s dead.
Will this be released digitally ? Do we know?
The comments are overwhelmingly negative but 100% true on the pricing and Sony &DM have really got this wrong- 200 pounds plus for old material plus 4 Cds of interesting releases is simply gobsmacking! Hardcore fans own the majority of this stuff- so who is buying itf? Newbies would want a price point of around 100 pounds which would make this highly tempting but NOT 200 pounds!. I did mention in Sept that we are going to get flooded with these types of releases but the money is on great value, unique content and packaging. So let’s skip it and see it drop? Oh no mention yet on the forthcoming Be Bop Deluxe set with a signed card too- that is a must have!
JohnM, you said exactly what I was thinking.
Seems like people have nothing but hate for this release but it’s a good set for me. I like DM but am not a “serious” or “die-hard” fan and my collection consists of the first few 7″ singles and first couple of albums on vinyl from back in the day and a single CD album. I left vinyl behind decades ago and have no interest _at all_ in the revival of the past several years, and I don’t care terribly much about rarities. 11.55 or so per disc is not a great bargain, it’s true, but it isn’t crazy either.
I was thinking similarly. I was surprised to read all the negative comments here but I can somehow understand them. For long time fans and collectors this set might be frustrating.
For myself this box looks quite tempting as I only own some DM stuff on vinyl (which I’m no longer playing) and nothing on CD. Would also be a good way of getting up to date with their more recent material that I’ve never listened to.
I’m only a bit scared of the sound quality. From reading some of the comments here, the most recent remasters were quite terrible. So I guess I’ll wait until the first reviews are in before I’ll buy.
But you could get all the albums and a fair bit of extra material for far less than this box set would cost.
But you could pick up all the albums and a significant amount of other material for far, far less than this price point.
Wow, I’ve never seen such a uniformly negative response to a release, here. Very few positive comments. I’m not the target market for this release anyway, just a curious observer.
I won’t be buying, the b-side collection is something I’ve always wanted so hopefully it gets a separate release. Surprised not to see their cover of So Cruel on here, especially since that last disc looks like it needs filling up.
I thought about the same thing. Sucks!
+ it misses their 87 fanclub flexi version of ‘Never turn your back on mother earth’ as well.
This is what they should have released years ago. Their first reissue campaign was terrible. The remasters sounded flat, the 5.1 mixes (same with Nick Cave’s reissue by the same label at the same time) were ridiculously bad and all of the bonus tracks were relegated to the DVD ONLY.
This is a cheap makeover if you ask me. I wouldn’t be surprised if they treated the b-sides from the last campaign the way they did knowing this would be an option for double dipping down the road.
I really do not agree with you about the 5.1 mixes. All of them were not wonderful (think about Walking In my Shoes which is a mess) but I think the whole of Violator is in the top surround mixes I have in my collection. Music For The masses was not very good, a lot of reverb but still a discrete mix, and Exciter was also a 100% success.
As for the remasters, just listen to Black Celebration and you’ll hear that it is so much better than the original master, it puts it to shame.
I agree about the issue with the bonus tracks being all released on the DVD, they should have been put on the CD/SACD (as there was enough space on these even without adding an extra disc). But for all album in the SACD/DVD releases, with the exception – for the surround part only – of the two mentioned above, these editions are the best way to listen to all the albums up to Exciter. And the packaging was consistent and well made (sturdy plastic splicace, digipak and musch attention to details as on the embossed Black Celebration).
As for the Nick Cave, I have the chance to own all of them, and the only miss is that there was No SACD this time..
To each his own, I’m an avid collector of the 5.1 mixes released by bands I love and playing the DM and NC 5.1 mixes on my system sound terrible compared to any other sets I own.
The recent 6.1 mix of SOTU and Playing were better but as far as the reissue campaign mixes, very disappointing. Anyone who needs a comparison that feeds my point need only look to the Genesis 5.1 mixes from 2008, few have been better but most are closer to them than the DM mixes.
Playing The Angel was very good indeed, SOTU a little bit less IMHO. This said, I am a “compulsive surround buyer” myself and indeed there are a lot of better surround mixes from other artists (“Mama” from Genesis or TFF’s “Shout” from SW are perfect example, or JT’s “Aqualung” ) than the DM 5.1 remixes.
I have never listened to the DVDs or the CD layer of the DM reissues, I have always stuck to the SACD layer (stereo or surround) and compared to my original CDs, I feel there is more clarity, better bass management and overall a superior sound compared to the original Cds (not remastered at all). But this is comparison between two DM releases, any Steven Wilson album after Insurgentes is better sounding (technically than the DM remasters for example.
This is the kind of conversation I like to have around a beer in front of an Hi-Fi installation playing good music, we are all in it for the music in the end.
This is a big miss. What is needed is 2/3/4 (as needed) disc sets of each album with everything – New (good) remastering, and every 7″, 12″, Remix, B-side, unreleased tracks, etc. Include good live audio/video if available. For an example, see the upcoming Prince “1999” reissue. There are only so many bites at the apple still available as physical product buyers get less and less every year. Only the super-completist is shelling out $250 for this.
what about a blu-ray remaster 101 or 4k version….a songs of faith live vinyl re-issue
no one wants this box
just as an afterthought: the box is released by Sony Music, does this mean MUTE has no copyright left ?
When Mute records was sold to EMI, back in 2002, DM and all the other acts effectively became EMI artists.
When Mute was re-established as an independent in 2010, those bigger acts stayed with the major label whilst the smaller acts went with Mute.
Now Sony owns EMI, DM are a Sony act, and have no current affiliation with Mute.
There must be some association as the set is available from Mute’s online store. This may be down to licencing, however.
I am really disappointed with this offering,for £220 this is a misserable release,I heard a couple of days of a possible box set but this is underwhelming,
They could have done something really special for that amount of money,it doesn’t even mention that the album’s have been remastered,
I will wait for the violator & sofad 12″ vinyl box sets,
As a long term fan I have the album’s in multiple releases,it would be nice to have all the album’s in a small box set but at £220 ,no thank you,
A very disappointed fan.
I don’t know of any band and label that has milked their fans with more releases than DM and Mute. They repackage, reissue everything ad nauseam. When does it end? Did not we not get reissued vinyl packages last year? Greatest hits, endless live albums? And now the same crap with a lyric book. As with most reissues I see on this site? I WILL PASS!
Perhaps ZTT is/was worse !
What a disappointment. I thought the 2009 remasters were/are awful – I much prefer the original mastering.
I would love to have a 7″ single box set collection.
If they are going to make me buy the albums again, then I would prefer half-speed mastered vinyl on 45 rpm discs, a coloured vinyl release… At least SOMETHING different!
hard pass. all i want is for them to continue the DMBX series.
Ditto. I continue to live in hope that there will be a DMBX7 onwards in the pipeline.
at least this explains why all the album covers on Apple music have the black on black covers. I thought there was something wrong with my screen..
Still waiting for a CD-quality reissue of the “Remixes 81-04 Rare Tracks” download (ZMUTEL8). Missed opportunity here.
So far, it doesn’t look to be available in the US, which would make more sense since we didn’t get SACD versions of the bonus tracks on the two disc reissues a few years back–the bonus tracks were all on DVD, which is very difficult to rip if you just want the songs to be able to listen to in the car or on your regular stereo. I still don’t know if I want to spend all this money for 14 albums I already own twice just to get the four disc of “rarities” that I have about half of already. I’m not usually one to complain about being “underwhelmed” by a release, but this is the one that pushes me over that line. I’d rather have the option to just buy the four discs of b-sides and ephemera to add to my existing collection.
CJ,
I agree with your sentiment. I am proud of the work I put in to obtain my collection, and besides I’ve really been moving away from CD and back to LP. I think this is a good gift for a Millenial that appreciates DM.
Nice set, dig the black on black (cue Lisa Dalbello…that song is classic) cube…the price IS a bit steep…been a fan since the early days, currently in my collection is a recent Dave Gahan solo album and that’s it… eventually I intended on getting catalogue back (used to have it all, CD/DVD sets, CD singles boxsets 1-6, up to “Ultra” maybe)…sold it all with over 1000 CDs in one shot for needed $$$ to live on…so this set is perfect for a catch back up…and regarding the missing stuff?? Download and compile on CDRs or rebuy physical titles…but I dig how it’s all in a compact cube to save space…I hate space wasters in packaging… will just wait for price drops & I do want that Blur 21 set as well for the right price…almost got it from a former friend who sold his collection…for $39, the Blur set, not the massive collection of 300,000 CDs plus…
Have to echo most of the other comments here. When I first saw Paul’s post I was hoping that this would be a complete up to date singles boxset, remastered well with all the tracks missing from dmbx 1-3. Unfortunately I couldn’t get the singles boxes at the time and they are now hard to get hold of. This seems only to appeal to those who don’t have any albums or can afford to pay for what they already have. Only hope is that they release the b-sides disc separately, but that seems unlikely.
Why remaster the great Remasters from 2006+ (especially the sacd which sounds great and 5.1 Mix)?
They aren’t remastered. Discs 1-10 are the 2006/7 versions.
The 2006-2007 were remasters Paul.
https://www.discogs.com/es/Depeche-Mode-Violator/release/658090
Even some of those remasters were supervised by Alan Wilder himself.
I assume this box contains exactly the same 2006/2007 remasters, why? just check iTunes, they just changed the covers of the albums (with the new black design) but the same old copyright.
Correct.
I have the remaster sacd editions and various other issues like the re-issue remaster and Sony issues.
Confused? Exactly !
Good grief they are scraping the barrell (of a gun) with this release, as many have said it seems a totally pointless release, as for the price, they are having a laugh, glad I kicked Depeche Mode into touch when they released the awful “Sounds Of the Universe” album, that said their latest album “Spirit” from the bits I have heard, gets the award for their worst album ever.
Seems like every new album from DM is then followed up by a live album or another greatest hits set. This set is rubbish – not because it looks poorly designed, but because I’m wondering what the incentive is for old fans to buy this. Because let’s be honest, this is a steep price to pay for someone who might be an ‘introductory’ fan to DM, so this is clearly geared towards those who have already purchased stuff from DM many, many times over already, and are deeply ingrained fans with a tendency towards ‘collection’ instead of ‘necessity’.
There are, what? 3 rarities, and no word of anything being remastered? And I’m clearly not the only one here in the comments section pointing this out. This is Sony and DM screwing fans over for more monies that neither party actually needs. However, since these cash-grabs seem to succeed, I don’t suppose this will stop any time soon. Buy it if you want, but…none for me.
Far too expensive for what it is, plus no real rarities for hardcore fans.
I figured we should have had a Violator 12″ Box Set announcement by last month, and I was wondering why we hadn’t… I guess this is the answer. They vinyl 12″ sets are a bit collectible in that they’re beautiful and historical and yet I would never put a needle to them… I’m happy getting the content in digital format (happier if it was pressed on CD). So on that note, this explains how they might be handling the digital release of the regular b-sides (the 12″ sets had the extended b-sides)…. no 7″ box sets… yet!!
It’s good to get some of these mixes in decent quality – mainly the Record Mirror mix… and the Death’s Door soundtrack version was mixed too quiet to put alongside modern remastering… well, if you boosted the signal on Death’s Door, you’d get some distortion, but there’s plenty of distortion/clipping on the Singles 4-6 sets so I dunno.
I live in the states and bought the U.S. CD’s… not very authentic on those early albums tracklisting-wise. Then I bought select import pressings. The real double dip was when I repurchased all of them as the SACD versions. Those remain very nice. This boxset is taking a step backwards, but it will fill some niche… though it’s a wonder who’s left between the physical media group who already has these albums and the digital media group who doesn’t need physical copies of these albums.
A better value proposition would be simply releasing the deleted iTunes Complete Collection on CD. Not only did only exist as a lowly 128 download previously, but whereas some content was neutral on the mastering (probably unmastered from the original prepared mixes), some of it sounded much worse quality (sourced from… what exactly? cassette tape of a vinyl record??).
I get that archives of U.K. bands rarely give much thought to exclusive U.S. mixes (Erasure throws out a few here and there on reissues, but so many remain unreissued). But seriously, you’ve got a decent amount of U.S. exclusive content that could be getting released!
What’s up with the upside-down world artwork? So who is this boxed set for, perhaps the same people who pre-ordered the G’nR locked’loaded boxed set, obviously just the collector with the cash and space to spare, probably to remain sealed in a dark Depeche Mode dungeon. Not notworthy enough to make this a keystone of a DM collection. For the price, one would expect Japanese style LP reproductions at the very least, or go for the odd early 90’s revised/recalled budget line LP artwork. There are loads of still not on CD mixes as well as unreleased promo and rejected 12″ mixes in the vaults, so I have to give this a hard pass unless I can pick it up for $60 for the novelty.
Depeche Mode Dungeon is now my new favorite phrase!
Sadly not great… the 2009 CD/DVD sets included more exclusive material.
These re-issues are from the first the 1981 album ‘Speak &Spell’ up until the 2001 album ‘Exciter’ there after deluxe versions include most if not all of the track offered here.
I also have the 3CDsingle boxsets and CDsingles with bonus material…
No I will not be buying this for 3 or 4 tracks.
Instead of this useless set, how about finally remastering their videos and 101 for Blu-Ray?
Will never happen, Jon. Blu-Ray is only a dying format anymore too, because of streaming. Music industry has already thrown it overboard as all disc formats except the basic CD.
This really is one pointless box set for a longtime DM fan. For completists and die-hards only.
Thanks, Tom. Makes sense – though I’d pay to see HD remasters in streaming/digital. I’ll admit there is some retro/kitsch value in only being able to see them in DVD/VHS format, but I need an easier way to watch Strange/Strange Too without paying through the nose to repair my laserdisc player! (ha ha)
This has to be the most underwhelming box set of 2019; it ranks pretty high on the ‘low value for money’ scale.
I am seriously collecting DM since 1983’s Get The Balance Right, but I will pass on this lazy, pointless, set.
know what i’d love, a big lovely 12”x12” book going through all their album, singles, 12” and imports artwork – that to me would be lovely
It’s not 12×12, but the “Depeche Mode: Monument” book covers that content pretty extensively, IIRC.
Buy ‘Monument’ by my friend Dennis Burmiester
In a way I am glad they haven’t put very much rare/unreleased tracks as I might have had an incentive to deplete my bank balance. A rather insultingly small number of them as far as I can see. Would many die hard fans really bother with this. All the lyrics together for the first time (?) -seriously, is that a genuine selling point? Maybe they didn’t bother chucking in a load of nonsense- key rings, art prints etc to annoy anyone more that they might already have done.
Quite the expensive “backup” of everything I already own, with the exception of ONE track, Heroes (Highline Session Version). The packaging is an original idea I’ve not seen before, but I’m on the fence if this is worth it to own, or a sign that this is their somewhat complete body of what they need to release, as the end is nigh…
In general, for re-issue type stuff, retrospectives, career spanning collections, etc. I general look for a £5 to £8 per disc as a reasonable price depending on the extras. With a nice informative book I may add up to £20 extra (there are always exceptions to the rule).
When the collection just rehashes a bunch of studio albums with limited extras, and the price is above normal it’s a real easy pass.
Are they going to make us fans spend that much money just to get only two tracks that weren’t available previously on CD? (Sometimes I wish I was dead (Flexi pop version), Dressed in Black (record mirror version))
Wait! You forgot the Heroes (Highline Session Version)! Oh wait we all ripped that from YouTube….
Yeah, I personally think the remasters that were already done coupled with the PCM versions of the albums that came later already give us the versions we need, especially in the USA where the original Sire CDs of the albums pre-MFTM are all bass heavy & some full of changes… they’ve started trying to pass those off as high res here now, but really no one wants this set hardly except those that don’t already have everything so I can’t see this being a big cash cow at all! There is so much more that could be, should be included! But hey, they could be Erasure who release a new greatest hits and new remixes set seemingly every 5 minutes!
Oh dear, this is ridiculous…
Mode? NOPE.
What an enormous waste of time and money.
For that much money, I would have expected a lot more content. As far as I can tell there’s two or three unreleased tracks, and I’m not going to spend £200+ for physical versions of those.
Why ?
Capitalizing on the Rock and Roll re-nomination?
Sadly they didn’t find a CD with 22 unreleased Tracks in their Archive like OMD :)
What release are you referring to here?
Souvenir Box that just came out. Very Good tracks !
The only possible reason to buy this would be an excellent remastering job on all tracks, but sadly there’s no info regarding this available. The 2006/2007 album remasters were unremarkable, while the remastering on the compilations Singles 81-85, Singles 86-98 and Singles Boxes 4-6 was absolutely shoddy (much too compressed and bordering on Loudness War), so an improvement would be welcomed.
What baffles me most is that this not even complete and only adds b-sides and non-album tracks on the four bonus discs. The least I would have expected is a download code for all those missing 7″ versions, 12″ versions, DM remixes and third party remixes of DM songs. Without this, it’s really just a quick but very expensive cash grab.
It IS the 2006/2007 remasters again + original masters for the following albums. Which bothers me as the Playing The Angel CD master is BAD.
Totally agree about a new remasters… and about the rest, too.
It does look lovely but I’ve already bought nearly all of the albums at least twice – some 3 times – (vinyl then CD then SACD pack) – over all these years.
They’re getting no more money out of me!
Bloody great band.
Hi how many sacd are there? Where is the best place and price to look thanks
Playing the Angel was the last SACD, although there was a blu-ray audio of Delta Machine but you could only get that in the Live in Berlin box.
I wish when Mute did the 5.1 SACD/DVD-Audio sets a few years back, they could have rounded up all the non-album singles and b-sides not included so all the tracks could be heard in 5.1 surround sound.
Being a Sony release I’m surprised they haven’t made the sets CD/SACD since Sony pioneered the SACD and Mute have already done all the leg work in creating the DSD files.
Absolutely agree… So, why another box? A big box? The music market is full of dull boxsets… look at U2 or Bowie!!! :(
Yet again another missed opportunity to include the odd ball mixes that haven’t made it to CD (non Japan): Master & Servant (Black and Blue Mix), as well as other various US mixes.
I wonder if the Sony contract is finished?
For starters, how disappointing. The b-sides could have easily been added to the albums and then the additional 4 discs could have been used for demo’s, unreleased songs & unreleased remixes.
To be fair, we already have loads of DM bonus stuff that otherwise would fill SDE releases. We have 2 box sets of remixes, 6 boxes of DM singles (including remixes and B-sides), many live albums & DVD’s/BR’s and all albums have been released in 5.1 except for the last one I believe.
So what is left? There’s gotta be demo’s, unreleased songs, rare versions, alternative mixes, unreleased remixes, etc. Yes it’s scraping the barrel but that’s what fans want. Not a box set with stuff that everyone already has several times over. That’s the last thing fans want. I was just uploading the Erasure deluxe releases, remix albums and box set (From Moscow To Mars) to my iTunes. Those reissues are very well done, with lots of thought. There is little overlap between the remixes, b-sides and live stuff on all those albums and if there is overlap (several B-sides from Moscow to Mars are also on the single boxes), they have added several discs of rare and unreleased stuff as well as rare remixes. That’s what this DM box should have looked like. A Moscow To Mars for DM.
They released a cd of demos in the Sounds of the Universe deluxe box and its available on streaming sites. I’ve heard most of the others and they not really worth to much of a listen.
Good point re Moscow to Mars. That set wasn’t perfect but much better content than here. I remember the Erasure info service doing a poll a year or two before Moscow to Mars came out asking fans what type of releases they would be interested in. Clearly from the responses here the fans weren’t consulted on this one.
Like many here I was excited to see the headline about a large box set and then totally deflated after reading the content. Seems there are only a couple people here saying this would be of interest since they only own a few DM albums. Can’t see many casual fans like that paying this kind of money for a box set or even necessarily wanting all of their albums… A stand-alone, complete B-sides box set with all the non-album material/rarities including remixes of the b-sides would have been great. I would like the few ‘previously unreleased on CD’ tracks here but not for $179.
Sadly I have to echo what most people are saying!
When I saw the announcement I was elated, but when I read the detail I was deflated.
This is a lovely package but with nothing of interest.
I hope they don’t have a bonkers moment and decide to release a sister vinyl box set!
Just noticed that (as mentioned by a previous poster) all of the beautiful original album artwork has been blacked out on iTunes to bring it in line with this release. Fine, release this box set but leave the original stand alone albums as they were.
Are the bonus discs of rarities exclusive to the box set? I am wondering if they’ll be released separately as with second Kate Bush box. Thanks.
They are exclusive at the moment. It remains to be seen if they decide to issue them separately, later.
It would be better if they reissued the hybrid Sacd sets. Even if you can’t get those the cd/DVD versions can be found pretty easily.
Wouldn’t dvd-audio make more sense if not blu-ray audio?
Yes, or that would be great.
As others have said, they’re not going to sell many of these. Sometimes a boxed set will come out and I’ll sell the individual CDs that I already own to get the boxed set because it has additional tracks/better mastering/great extras/takes up less shelf space (I know the last one sounds daft, but I have seriously run out of space for things!). However, why would I want to get rid of the SACD/DVD sets of each album that I already own to get an overpriced boxed set that has less material and a worse sound, when I already have almost all the non-album tracks in one format or other? I imagine that most DM fans who would be tempted to buy this set will be in a similar position. And it would have to be a wealthy casual fan who would take the plunge on this. I can see this set dropping in price dramatically.
Who is gonna pay vinyl prices for this cd boxset?
I’m sorry, but cd buyers aren’t that stupid.
Its a big NO THANKS from me…..
Seriously hope I won’t buy this. Far too too much for content missing. If it contained all the remixes too I may have been tempted, this is a lot of coin for what I already have. Still for being a fan since 82 I would expect to have the essential.
Missed opportunity indeed
Please tell me that the front, back and spine of the book are black too?
Yeah I’ll stick to the 12″ singles collections. They already cost enough.
Agree totally the 12″ box sets are a massive outlay as it is and with Violator and SOFAD both due for release soon I would have thought.
This set offers nothing really as most of us have all the CD’s
Waste of money in my opinion.
It’s easy to see that Sony is milking the cow. First the 12 inch collection boxes – at over price and didn’t have anything new material. And now this expensive box, with no new material either except maybe Dressed In Black (Record Mirror Version) idk. You get better value for your money by buying the CD + DVD Collectors Edition of the albums.
So is this Depeche saying goodbye? No news on any plans for another album but to be honest I haven’t been that impressed with last few they have released. What I’d like is for them to embrace their early stuff in concerts. What would be amazing would be for them to do a show and have Vince come onstage for the Speak and Spell stuff and then Alan come on for the late eighties early nineties tracks. That would be one hell of a show.
Also hoping for a 30th anniversary box set for Violator with all the bonus tracks and remixes, as well as a reconstructed film of the World Violation tour, there’s loads of footage on you tube from various sources, it isnt hi-def but it’s better than nothing.
I mean, how much more black can you get? And the answer is none more…black
sometimes i feel like i picked the wrong bands in the 80’s Depeche Mode, Talk Talk etc….would be great to be a fan of those bands that bring out 18cd box sets and they wilk have half of it new never before unreleased stuff…not the same stuff again and again in different packaging….thank god for the prince vaults
@Neil Parnell:
I get your point but don’t think it’s a good idea to compare DM with TT.
DM gave us 14 studio albums, most of them available as Deluxe editions at one time or another, they did 2 multiple cd-sets with remixes, 3 live albums, 6 cd-singles-boxes, a nice SDE-set of at least one album (SOTU), several video-compilations and i’m not the uber-fan of theirs so i’m sure i’m missing something.
With TT you get 5 studio albums,re-released with slightly different artwork (spines) several times, one 12″-compilation re-released with a different title AND artwork, one B-sides and rarities compilation, one live video and a NEVER re-released live album that is now so sought-after that you can swap your car for it (just kidding, i got no car ;-) ).
I mean, don’t get me wrong, i love every single note that TT have released, i just think it’s a bit unfair to DM to compare them with TT.
What should Pink Floyd-fans say re: The Later Years, less content but currently about twice the price of this DM-set.
And of course i know that the TT-situation is like it is because of Mark Hollis’ health problems and i’m quite convinced that his will will forbid vault-releases as he thought everything he recorded and not released wasn’t worth releasing.
every day Paul brings doughnuts, every day people point to the hole in the centre …
.
This is true, but one must admit that this is a really large hole this time…
…. and no sprinkles.
@gary oliver:
I thought a doughnut IS a nicely wrapped hole :-)
Hey, at least if you were waiting until now to buy any Depeche Mode CDs, you can get them all in one nice package. Clearly not geared towards the serious fan – who’s going to pony up that much for three new-to-CD rarities?
I could probably be convinced to part with $50-$60 for the lyrics book on its own. But I’m not going to buy this.
I’ve always thought that Depeche Mode are due a good box set of rarities etc. Apart from the three tracks previously unavailable on CD I have everything else.
Who is going to buy this? The casual fan won’t spend over £200. The real fans are already going to own most of this content already.
I agree with Ben that they should continue with the DMBX Singles Box Series.
A missed opportunity.
my favourite band ever, but this is a BIG PASS for me
this would be a great entry point for whoever has little or no physical DM records, but for any fan or collector this boxset offers only an intriguing package for 200 GBP
I think my money should be spent in a wiser way….
Difficult for me to understand who should be the potential customer for this boxset, too expensive for a casual buyer (+10 GBP/CD for stuff already issued and re-issued umpteenth times), nothing interesting for a fan…
It seems there’s a no limit to how much you can squeeze out of an artist catalogue, DM is a “study case”, repackaging has gone beyond any possible imagination, let’s see who will actually buy this “monster”…
I’m the sort of fan who would love to own this. My entire Depeche Mode collection consists of two 7″ singles, one 12″ and the two Singles Collection vinyl albums. So I would be in there like a shot for this except for one slight problem – there is no more storage space! AAAAAGGGHHH!
Actually to be honest I could really do with another copy of the original Singles 1981-85 because mine has become horribly warped in recent times; I can no longer play the first two tracks on either side. But you never see second hand copies of this anywhere nowadays. Try eBay/discogs I hear you cry, well I would but I do like to examine vinyl close up when I’m purchasing second hand. Anyway this set still a great package whatever the hardcore say…
Dude, by the albums separately and save yourself some cash.
If it were the same price as those 14 albums together I might see the point of it.
The grabbing hands
Grab all they can
Everything counts in large amounts
I literally just came here to say this!
What a pointless box. Pretty though.
As nice as it looks 99% of depeche mode fans will have all this on multiple formats already as you can tell from the comments already. I like the idea of all the non album tracks on a couple of cd’s but that’s it. How comes every other band when doing a box set you get a quote that one member of the band was moving house & found a old box with lots of lost demos & outakes in, never with depeche, It’s just the same old same old. Even live recording from each tour or re format some of the old vhs only gigs they released to a more modern format, just something that makes us diehard fans go OH I NEED THAT, rather than nah got it already.
What a very expensive disapointment
Whats the point in this box set????
It’s a no from me. £220 for stuff I already own in minimal sleeves, a book and a fancy box? Nah. Not even at the Mute earlybird price of £195.
Still waiting for a 5.1 mix of Spirit. Hoping that might be included with the eventual Blu Ray/DVD release of the Spirit movie.
Not holding my breath…
So then this does not complete what the 12″ vinyl boxes onitted?
Paul, strangely this post is shown in its entirety on the main page, i.e. must scroll loads to see Queens post etc
Fixed that problem, re the post!
Will there be a US link? Definitely want this.
Should be soon, I think…
Would rather have the Violator and Songs of Faith 12” boxsets
Utterly overpriced and with no real bonus content, this is a perfect example of a waste of material, space and money.
See the albums in iTunes have been updated with this box set exclusive artwork
Spotify too!
£195 at
https://mutebank.co.uk/products/depeche-mode-mode-the-definitive-depeche-mode-studio-collection
Still too much for me though
Far too expensive for CDs – Blur’s “21” had 18 CDs, 3 DVDs a 7″ and a book and came in at £120 in 2012.
I would buy it for £40
The extra tracks aren’t anything exciting are they?
I have them all on something or other.
Bit disappointing.
Now, if it was 18 albums worth of demos and Martin Gore did a Neil Tennant type book signed…
Very tempted
still no CD for US Single mix and US extended version of “But Not Tonight”… Still missing loads of single mixes (as strangelove ’88 for example), so I think this is really expensive for a rather incomplete box set … I already have all the CDS, the 2 firts singles compilation, and the singles box1-6, so I’ll be more keen on a “rarities” only CD pack…
Impressed, 200+ bucks for almost zero rarities…
Will probably be some hardcore Mode collectors who will buy the box because they buy everything Mode related. Otherwise, can’t really see who this is aimed at. Oh, I forgot the black on black album designs, that is surely a selling point. Fascinating, how many Mode related releases can be created with virtually added anything new to them + sell the same material again and again. As long as this works, it is not surprising no-one involved feels like digging deeper into the archives and pull out a few gems.
I think many fans would rather preferred the DMBX Singles Box Series to be continued. The Boxes 1 – 6 are one of my favourite collectors items. Sad to see it endend obviously with the DREAM ON Single/EXCITER Album. :-(
Yes, this! Love those singles boxes
I agree, although these days, I’d settle for a decent b-sides/rarities compilation, at a reasonable price.
I agree… sorry on the Singles Boxes!
Agreed .
We need DMBOX 7-9
let the christmas rinsing begin!
I’m happy, it contains what I want! Much stuff that I did not have till now – all in one box . Great!!
To be fair, at least there’s no exclusive musical content to the box.
If there was we could rightly have a moan.
If you have the albums already walk on by, this isn’t for you.
Sure this will be half this price by Easter if anyone has to have it…
It would be nice to have a set of unreleased tracks. Some demos were released with the SOTU CD box set in 2009.
Three tracks are apparently new to CD: ISWIWD flexipop, Dressed In Black Record Mirror mix and Heroes
I think i have that record mirror single somewhere, sure it had four different bands on it
“Kerching!”, said the tills.
Would like this in vinyl. Easy pass on cd
Thank God for that. I was wondering what Sony was going to put out for the last couple of days and now I can save my money.
Obviously aimed at newer fans (as older fans have all that stuff already).
But the price!
You can buy all the albums for £10 or less.
It’s a lot for a cardboard box and some new packaging.
The Depeche mode forums are not a happy place at the moment.
Not true, some fans are happy with that.
It is indeed a lot for a cardboard box and some new packaging, as Daryl points out ‘looks great, bit steep though’ and this is what deluxe editions really are. How often do we play the demos, instrumentals and alternate mixes that pad out these editions? Nice to have if you’re a fan certainly, but these things over time aren’t sooo important! Sure there are always chancers asking bloated prices on the internet but the reality is record companies are out to shaft fans for what they can get. Everything counts in large amounts….especially money! Sorry I’m on a downer….
This looks great :)
Bit steep though.
Much as I love DM, I can’t help feeling a bit meh about this. Sure, it looks nice but it’s far from comprehensive, and £220?!?!
I have bought all the albums as a deluxe cd+dvd for less….
I have been waiting a very long time for a good boxset from Depeche Mode. This is not it.
“I have been waiting a very long time for a good boxset from Depeche Mode. This is not it.”
Spot on.