NewsQuick Look: Depeche Mode / “Delta Machine” two-disc deluxe edition
Depeche Mode‘s thirteenth studio album, Delta Machine, was released last month, and is available in this two-CD deluxe edition.
It comes in the casebound book-style packaging which seems to divide opinion. We rather like the look and feel of these sets, and certainly prefer them over the plastic jewel case alternative, but the disc storage – where the CDs reside in tight pockets – leave some complaining of scratched CDs.
The 28-page booklet contains lyrics with photography from long time collaborator Anton Corbjn. The bonus CD only contains four extra tracks and one of those (All That’s Mine) has already been issued on the Heaven single.
2CD Deluxe Edition
- • UK Pre-order: Delta Machine (2CD Deluxe Edition)
- • USA Pre-order: Delta Machine (2CD Deluxe Edition)
- • CANADIAN Pre-order: Delta Machine (2CD Deluxe version)
- • GERMANY Pre-order: Delta Machine (2CD Deluxe Edition)
2xLP Vinyl Edition
- • UK Pre-order: Delta Machine (2xLP Vinyl)
- • USA Pre-Order: Delta Machine (Vinyl)
- • GERMANY Pre-order: Delta Machine (2xLP Vinyl)
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Well, it turns out that ‘Delta Machine’ was an excellent album, three years later and I am still listening to it. It’s right up there with the best of their albums. And the booklet deluxe edition ended up being very sturdy and well made. Thick cover, with thick pages…. like a hard cover book. Aside from the complaints of the sleeve scratching the CD’s I think this packaging turned out very nicely. I actually like the album art this time around, and really have no complaint three years later. The bonus tracks were really excellent this time around. The album was right up there on the same level as ‘Black Celebration album (1986).. meaning excellent album with very few stand out singles. Between 1 and 10 and give this album an 8
It’s not so much the actual packaging (which is ok bar from the awful CD pockets), but the design itself – DM were a band who were at the forefront of gorgeous graphic design up until Music for the Masses…and then..well…it’s gone hideously wrong. Only REM release as consistently ugly looking album covers (NOBODY beats REM for abysmal album covers)…but with this really awful new album, DM are not far behind. Utterly awful.
It’s true. Anton Corbijn is overrated artist who is responsible for this awful covers & design last 25 years.
Also he is responsible for awful film ‘The American’ with George (also overrated actor) Clooney.
I dunno. Steely Dan had some pretty bad album covers back in the day. (Though they can be forgiven since they made some of the best music ever, in my opinion.)
Scratched CDs usually comes with this package and I don’t like this book-ish looks. Looks cheap.
Don’t agree that it ‘looks cheap’ – these are much more expensive to produce than a jewel case with booklet. Labels wouldn’t bother spending the extra money if the packaging didn’t attract extra purchases.
For me it looks cheap and packaging is very fragile. This book will start falling apart and discs is always scratched right from the start (in Japan they protect disc with nylon). This things also happened with SOS band, Aztec Camera, Deacon Blue & Alexander O’Neal reissue. I know this because I own those reissues. Yes, I know that these casebound books are much more expensive to produce than a jewel case, so maybe in the future record companies will give an option to buyers (jewel cases or casebound books). Multi panel digipacks is also an option (for example Salvo did a good job with multi panel digipacks).
The multi-panel digipacks are very nice, agree with you on that!
Multi panel digipack is a solution that would satisfy both sides (once who prefer jewel case & other who prefer casebound book). This package is obviously something between jewel case & casebound book. No scratches on disc, nice package, no broken jewel cases… Also, all Depeche Mode albums are re-released in multi panel digipacks, except this new one.