Depeche Mode: Andy Fletcher, Dave Gahan, Martin Gore, Alan Wilder. Producers: Depeche Mode; Gareth Jones; Daniel Miller; Dave Bascombe. Recording information: 1985 - 1988. The third collection of Depeche Mode's singles includes all the featured tracks from their fifth album, 1986's BLACK CELEBRATION--a monument of steely, melodic melancholy that remains a fan favorite. This period in the band's career sees them on the cusp of the mainstream success they would achieve with 1987's MUSIC FOR THE MASSES (represented here by "Little 15"). The set features the notable inclusion of two non-album singles--the stunning "Shake the Disease" and the punchy "It's Called a Heart." As always, the group's B-sides tend to showcase more experimental aspects of their sound, as in the rhythmic "Flexible" (from "Shake the Disease"), the funereal "Black Day" (from "Stripped"), or Alan Wilder's traditional reading of "Moonlight Sonata" (from "Little 15"). A number of live tracks are included as well, but the key moments of this set are dynamic A-sides such as "Stripped" and "A Question of Lust"--dramatic synth-pop tunes that would deservedly carry Depeche Mode closer to world stardom.

Box Set; Compilation; Reissue; CD Singles