Depeche Mode - Playing the Angel (W/Dvd)
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Artist: Depeche ModeBrand: Reprise
Edition: Music CD
Format: Limited Edition
CD Release Date: 2005-10-18
Music Label: Reprise / Wea
Soundtracks:
Music CD 1
- A Pain That I?m Used To
- John The Revelator
- Suffer Well
- The Sinner In Me
- Precious
- Macro
- I Want It All
- Nothing?s Impossible
- Introspectre
- Damaged People
- Lilian
- The Darkest Star
- Playing The Angel in 5.1 and Stereo -DTS 5.1 (24bit) -Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround (24bit)-PCM Stereo (24bit)
- Making The Angel -PCM Stereo
- Precious (Video) -PCM Stereo
- Clean (Bare)-PCM Stereo
- Photo Gallery - Candid Studio Photos taken by Ben Hillier at the Santa Barbara/New York/London Recording Sessions
Free Music Notes for Playing the Angel (W/Dvd)
Free Music Review: Dark and brooding...just like DM should be!
Hit: 5 Stars
Exciter, the band's previous album, released in 2001, left many DM fans wondering if the band still had it in them to create another "exciting" album (pun very much intended). Well, Playing the Angel proves fans need not worry - the boys are still on top of their game. They have put together an extremely fun, yet extremely dark and brooding masterpiece that draws from the best elements of past records, while maintaining its own distinctive sound.
The album begins with the uptempo number, A Pain That I'm Used To. This was one of the three tracks that I allowed myself to listen to before the release date (the entire album leaked beforehand, as is normally the case nowadays). Now, I can't decide whether that was a good choice or not. Hearing that opening note (an alarming and distorted synth) for the first time on release date would have been an interesting (if not heart attack-inducing) experience. Nonetheless, I instantly fell in love with the song's captivating combination of a heavy, yet definitely danceable beat and that infectious gospel-tinged chorus - "All this running around, well it's getting me down/Just give me a pain that I'm used to/I don't need to believe all the dreams you conceive/You just need to achieve something that rings true." This is slated to be the second single from this album.
The industrial pop meets gospel method is perfect on the following track, John the Revelator. From the carousel full of fun sounds to the on-target vocal work, the song is an instant success, and the guys from DM knew it. You can hear a bit of well-deserved pride in lead singer Dave Gahan's voice as he asks, "Well who's that shouting?/John the Revelator!/All he ever gives us is pain/Well who's that shouting?/John the Revelator!/He should bow his head in shame." The song is brimming with radio potential and is rumored to be the third single.
Suffer Well is the third track on the album, and the first of three to be written by Gahan (PTA is the first time record featuring songs with lyrics not written by Martin Gore). The song somewhat drops the in-your-face approach of the first two tracks while adding that intoxicating, yet nonintrusive guitar that has been creeping its way into DM's work ever since Violator. Make no mistake though, the track is still heavily electronic based (as is the entire album), and although the title may invoke feelings otherwise, this is one of the lighter songs on the record.
The beautiful brooding continues with The Sinner In Me. One of the darkest and moodiest tracks succeeds where similar songs on other recent DM albums have failed for many - to maintain interest even when they slow things down a bit. This track with its religious-influenced message and its mid-song distorted guitar breakdown, sounds like something that could have been found on 1993's Songs of Faith and Devotion. Next up is the acclaimed first single from the album, Precious. Many fans are putting this on "Enjoy the Silence" level greatness. While I do not hold out hope that DM will ever regain that level of popularity (especially in the US), I have to say that they could not have done a better job trying. The track features everything that Depeche Mode does best - danceable synth-meets piano line beats, minimal distorted guitar, and an exceptionally contagious chorus - "Things get damaged/Things get broken/I thought we'd manage/But words left unspoken/Left us so brittle/There was so little left to give."
Macro is the sixth track on the album and the first to feature Martin Gore on lead vocals. This song is the first to really slow the tempo down considerably. While the song is a difficult listen at first (very unlike the first five extremely catchy tracks), to some it will pay off in the end - the gothic minimalist beat combines with Gore's brooding vocals beautifully. Although normally every DM album features a Gore ballad, I think fans will be split on whether or not this track is a success. Continuing with the slower-tempo portion of the album, the second of the Gahan-written songs is track seven, I Want It All. A trip-hop influenced beat (that sounds like it would be right at home on a Massive Attack or Portishead album) backs up Gahan's vocals on this track that could have easily been found on their 1997 album, Ultra. Personally, I think the track is a beautiful success (especially the last two minutes), yet I have the feeling that it could have been condensed to no more than five minutes instead of over six. Some may find this to be a filler or skip-over track. I think that depends on whether you see Ultra as one of your favorite DM albums or consider it to be not-so-memorable.
Nothing's Impossible picks the pace of the album back up, and is the last of the three Gahan written tracks on the album. This song is one of my favorites as it conjures memories of my favorite DM album, 1986's Black Celebration. To me, this song lyrically resembles a less hopeful "But Not Tonight" (found on BC). Next up is the inescapable DM instrumental, Introspectre. However well the track does its job of continuing the mood of the album, I agree with others who think the b-side "Free" (which can be found on the "Precious" single), or any other b-side for that matter, would have been a more desirable choice here.
The second of the two songs featuring Martin Gore on lead vocals is track ten, Damaged People. This one is definitely my favorite of the two. The almost creepy music often brings the listener to a point of hope, then wonderfully crushes back down upon us again. Gore's vocal work on the song is perfect (no, not near perfect - just damn perfect) and so fittingly dark that it makes you feel like he was simply aching to sing the words, "When you're in my arms/The world makes sense/There is no pretense/And you're crying/When you're by my side/There is no defense/I forget to sense/I'm dying." The next track, Lilian sounds like classic DM and reminds me a lot of what "Precious" would sound like had it been released on either Music for the Masses or Violator. Lyrically, it encompasses the general mood of the entire album - "pain and misery always hit the spot, knowing you can't lose what you haven't got."
The last track on the album is The Darkest Star. This is the song where the album garnered its name from. This, along with "Damaged People" are the two most morose tracks on the album. The Darkest Star is a slow, intensely haunting closing track that may unsettle you somewhat, and most likely takes the cake as the darkest on the album - lyrically and musically. Lyrically, it doesn't get much more macabre than this, "Oh you sad one/Playing the angel/Isn't so easy where you're from/Oh you wild one/Devil's companion/You won't stay satisfied for long...I don't want you to change anything you do/I don't want you to be someone else for me/Stay as you are the darkest star." And the pounding piano and synth lines back up the somber lyrics and vocal work of Gahan most fittingly.
4.5 Stars in reality, but 5.0 just because that's not an option!
Playing the Angel (W/Dvd) Poster
This is the Reprise limited edition deluxe CD with DVD release. Includes the entire album in 5.1 surround sound. Catalog #49456-2. Still sealed. There is a punch hole through the UPC.Track Listing:CD1. A Pain That I'm Used To2. John The Revelator3. Suffer Well4. The Sinner In Me5. Precious6. Macro7. I Want It All8. Nothing's Impossible9. Introspectre10. Damaged People11. Lilian12. The Darkest StarDVD1. Playing The Angel in 5.1 and stereo2. Making The Angel3. Precious (video)4. Clean (bare)5. Photo GalleryAlternative Rock Music CDs
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