When Ultra was declared the best Depeche Mode album since Violator, those who said so must have forgotten about Songs of Faith and Devotion. When Exciter was declared the best Depeche Mode album since Violator, those who said so must have also forgotten about Songs of Faith and Devotion, in addition to having found a roundabout way of saying that it was merely better than Ultra. There's no doubt this time: Playing the Angel is both the band's best album since Violator and, more significantly, an album that is near Violator in stature. The biggest clue dropped by the band prior to its release was a quote from Dave Gahan, who said that being in Depeche Mode is better than it has been in 15 years. Some quick math reveals that Gahan was hinting at the Violator era, a time when the band's creativity and popularity peaked synchronously. It also turns out that this is a time as good as any other to be paying attention to the band. Playing the Angel lacks Songs of Faith and Devotion's end-to-end chest-beating, Ultra's grinding murk, and Exciter's desiccated patches. It takes the best qualities from those releases, combines them with a few subtle allusions to Violator -- tiptoeing the border that separates retread from reinvention -- and makes for a highly concentrated set of songs that all but demand to be heard in one uninterrupted shot. Gahan, still riding the confidence he gained as a songwriter from Paper Monsters, his 2003 solo debut, contributes three songs co-written with band associates Christian Eigner and Andrew Phillpott. Though none of them vie to be the album's centerpiece, it's apparent that the move wasn't a concession of desperation on anyone's part. The friendly competition seems to have kicked chief songwriter Martin Gore into high gear; he's in top form. Musically, a lot of analog gear was used, and it's apparent that the arrangements and extra sounds were less fussed over than they have been in the recent past. You get the sense that everything fell into place, as opposed to being forced or aimlessly manipulated. Despite the favoring of older gear, there's no other year in which any of the songs could've been made. Like the best Depeche Mode, almost everything on the album will make an initial wowing impact while remaining layered enough in subtle details to surprise and thrill with repeated listens. It is not the kind of album a 25-year-old band is supposed to make.
For serious Depeche Mode fans: Here's an extended mix I made of Damaged People (off Playing The Angel), using the free editing software Audacity. I'm surprised myself at how well it turned out actually.
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I really cant come up with a decent explanation as to why I decided to boast my opinions of music on a web page. Maybe in some way I feel that good sounds are not being heard by human ears. Hell I should know ........I work around CDs everyday.........and to say the least the good ones collect dust. Or it could be I don’t know what the hell I’m talking about and the good ones are being sold an
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Playing The Angel is the 11th studio album from the legendary electronic group hailing from UK. Depeche mode where massive around the late 80's to early 90's they have scored major hits like "Enjoy The Silence" and "Personal Jesus." After the '93 album "Songs Of Faith And Devotion" the band lost one of the key members Alan wilder and so to the bands mainstream success started to fade due in par...
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So, I admit it, I'm pretty late getting on the Depeche Mode train. I mean, I've always liked the "popular" songs (you know, "People are People," "Personal Jesus," etc), but aside from those, I've never really listened to any of their other albums.That is, of course, until Playing the Angel. I actually first fell in love with the album while watching an episode of Bones (which happens to be my...
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IMHO, the Jacques Lu Cont Remix (the full 7:51 minute verison) of "A Pain That I'm Used To" may be one of the single greatest DM remixes out there--a brilliant reinvention that manages to fully retain the song's heart and soul. Highly addicitve. Highly recommended. Oh and it's got a great beat and you can dance to it.
More >
So, I admit it, I'm pretty late getting on the Depeche Mode train. I mean, I've always liked the "popular" songs (you know, "People are People," "Personal Jesus," etc), but aside from those, I've never really listened to any of their other albums.That is, of course, until Playing the Angel. I actually first fell in love with the album while watching an episode of Bones (which happens to be my...
More >
For serious Depeche Mode fans: Here's an extended mix I made of Damaged People (off Playing The Angel), using the free editing software Audacity. I'm surprised myself at how well it turned out actually.
More >
I really cant come up with a decent explanation as to why I decided to boast my opinions of music on a web page. Maybe in some way I feel that good sounds are not being heard by human ears. Hell I should know ........I work around CDs everyday.........and to say the least the good ones collect dust. Or it could be I don’t know what the hell I’m talking about and the good ones are being sold an
More >
IMHO, the Jacques Lu Cont Remix (the full 7:51 minute verison) of "A Pain That I'm Used To" may be one of the single greatest DM remixes out there--a brilliant reinvention that manages to fully retain the song's heart and soul. Highly addicitve. Highly recommended. Oh and it's got a great beat and you can dance to it.
More >
Playing The Angel is the 11th studio album from the legendary electronic group hailing from UK. Depeche mode where massive around the late 80's to early 90's they have scored major hits like "Enjoy The Silence" and "Personal Jesus." After the '93 album "Songs Of Faith And Devotion" the band lost one of the key members Alan wilder and so to the bands mainstream success started to fade due in par...
More >
| Title | Lyrics | Buy |
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| 1 A Pain That I'm Used To |
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| 2 John the Revelator |
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| 3 Suffer Well |
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| 4 The Sinner in Me |
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| 5 Precious |
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| 6 Macro |
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| 7 I Want It All |
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| 8 Nothing's Impossible |
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| 9 Introspectre |
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| 10 Damaged People |
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| 11 Lilian |
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| 12 The Darkest Star |
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Click to purchase…
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 "Playing the Angel")
