Depeche Mode's "Playing the Angel" : Brilliant!
10-08-05, 07:52 AM
#27
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Ultra meets Violator. That is how I would describe it after a listen. I wouldn't say Exciter was a mess, but it certainly didn't live up to the potenial of Depeche Mode and what we know they are capable of making.
10-08-05, 12:27 PM
#28
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Not a bad album, although it feels a little depeche mode 'lite' at times. I'm reminded of Some Great Reward. 'A Pain That I'm Used To' is a badass song. I'd like to hear more like that, some stuff with an edge. Still, there's nothing on this album that compares to my favorties off Violator and MFTM. This album just feels a bit, I don't know, quiet.
10-08-05, 12:32 PM
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Originally Posted by monkeyboy
Still, there's nothing on this album that compares to my favorties off Violator and MFTM.
10-08-05, 03:31 PM
#30
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Originally Posted by Daytripper
DM fans, I finally heard the new album in it's entirety today and I was absolutely blown away. It is absolutely brilliant. The production quality is right up their with "Music for the Masses" and "Violator". They are back with a full on electronic album. This is NOT organic at all like "Exciter". This has enormous melodies, vocals and hooks. And so many potential singles. This could be their best album ever. Look forward to hearing your thoughts too.
Best Album since Violator. I can listen to the entire cd pretty much
Look at it this way..their first single precious, is not even in my top 3.
Great, Great tracks:
John The revelator
Lillian
Nothings Impossible
Really Good Tracks:
Pain that I am used too
Precious
Free (B-side)
The tracks are slowing growing on me:
macrovision
darkest star
PTA: will turn out to be a Critical darling, and heck, might be a more commerical property than exciter or Ultra was. There are some really good tracks that first timers will love.
ETA:This album has leaked and is now everywhere. I have also purchased the itunes presale of the album, and plan on buying the hardcopy as well.
10-12-05, 10:08 PM
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10-18-05, 03:38 PM
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Picked this up today at Best Buy. I got there an hour after the store opened and they were already out of the $9.99 regular edition, but I managed to find one that was put back in the wrong section. Either they didn't get a lot in or a ton of DM fans came in already (?). There were about 5 CD/DVD versions left, but they weren't on sale and I didn't think spending $10 more was worth it for what the DVD came with.
Album's awesome, but I already knew that from listening to the audio stream at MySpace. But it's even better on CD with a good sound system, unlike listening to an lo-fi audio stream.
Album's awesome, but I already knew that from listening to the audio stream at MySpace. But it's even better on CD with a good sound system, unlike listening to an lo-fi audio stream.
10-18-05, 04:17 PM
#34
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I just now picked up the regular version, since the LE wasn't on sale at Best Buy. I don't have a home theater set up that would make the DVD worth it, anyway. And money's tight. Maybe I'll pick it up on down the line.
I'll be listening to it tonight unless the Land of the Dead doesn't monopolize my time.
I'll be listening to it tonight unless the Land of the Dead doesn't monopolize my time.
10-19-05, 09:40 AM
#38
Wait, I'm confused as all get-out. (Another phrase I can scratch off my list.)
The special edition one that came out in the states is a Dualdisc? Doesn't that mean that the one that came out in the UK is a SACD with a bonus DVD-A? That's gotta be a first.
The special edition one that came out in the states is a Dualdisc? Doesn't that mean that the one that came out in the UK is a SACD with a bonus DVD-A? That's gotta be a first.
10-19-05, 02:56 PM
#39
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Well, I've listened to it now several times and I'm sorry people, but this is not what I would call Brilliant. It has high points (Precious, John the Revelator, A Pain That I am Used To), but about half the songs are completely forgettable.
Two of the worst were the tracks sung by Martin Gore - Macro and Damaged People. These are both terrible songs and some of the worst every by DM. Does Martin lately intend to sing the worst songs he writes? Breathe from Exciter is one of the worst ever and he sang that.
I was actually surprised by the three tracks from Gahan. While not great, they are actually pretty good and do beat out some of Gore's tracks, the previously mentioned Marcro and Damaged People. In fact, I really dig Nothing's Impossible.
Darkest Star is completely forgettable.
Sinner in Me is about 2 minutes too long.
The instrumental song sucks and is completely boring.
Lilian is good, but not great.
Overall, better than Exciter, not better than Ultra by a long shot. I would be really surprised if this album turns out to be a big comeback for them.
Two of the worst were the tracks sung by Martin Gore - Macro and Damaged People. These are both terrible songs and some of the worst every by DM. Does Martin lately intend to sing the worst songs he writes? Breathe from Exciter is one of the worst ever and he sang that.
I was actually surprised by the three tracks from Gahan. While not great, they are actually pretty good and do beat out some of Gore's tracks, the previously mentioned Marcro and Damaged People. In fact, I really dig Nothing's Impossible.
Darkest Star is completely forgettable.
Sinner in Me is about 2 minutes too long.
The instrumental song sucks and is completely boring.
Lilian is good, but not great.
Overall, better than Exciter, not better than Ultra by a long shot. I would be really surprised if this album turns out to be a big comeback for them.
Last edited by sherm42; 10-19-05 at 04:44 PM.
10-19-05, 04:03 PM
#40
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"The Darkest Star" is completely forgettable!?? I'm sorry, but I think it's one of DM's best tracks ever. Definitely their best album closer. The song is chilling, dark and beautiful. Also, the critics are all over "Playing the Angle". It's Depeche Mode's best reviewed album to date. And the fans who are just hearing it for the first time are drooling too. From what I've been reading.
10-19-05, 04:03 PM
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I actually really like Sinner In Me especially the "freak-out" portion at the end. I also have to say Dave has two of the best songs on the album, Suffer Well and Nothing's Impossible. Anyhow, it is much better than Exciter after the first 2 listens. I'm thinking some of the songs may grow on me. The only ones I wasn't really impressed with: Macro (the lyrics in the chorus are way cheesy), the instrumental, and The Darkest Star
10-19-05, 04:06 PM
#42
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Thread Starter
Just two glowing reviews:
Playing the Angel
Depeche Mode
Music from Reprise / Wea
Release date: 18 October, 2005
It's hard to believe, but in the past decade, Depeche Mode has only released two albums: 1997's Ultra, and 2001's Exciter. Prior to both of those albums was 1993's Songs of Faith and Devotion. I guess DM have been on a four-year release cycle in the 1990s. Well, it's been four years since the release of Exciter, and Depeche Mode's latest, Playing the Angel, is here -- finally. It's been worth the wait.
I know many DM fans are divided over Songs of Faith and Devotion, and I'm not sure if that same division exists for Exciter, but I have to say, I wasn't a fan of Exciter. I'd rank it as one of DM's worse albums. Does Playing The Angel bring redemption to the group? Hell yes it does.
If you're a fan of the WB's Smallville, you would have heard the first single from the album, "Precious," in the season premiere of that show. I've been so far out of the DM loop that I didn't even know a new album was about to be released. Which reminds me, I need to get back into the DM loop.
Once again, Martin L. Gore takes us through religious metaphor in his exploration of relationships. DM's sound on Playing the Angel is very different from past albums in some ways. I'll get to that in a moment. I know it's safe for some bands to stay within the confines of a particular genre, but DM have taken chances and are not afraid of presenting listeners with challenging material. Frankly, I wouldn't want to hear DM sound like they did in the 1980s. With Dave, Martin and Fletch in their 40s now, I would hope their style would mature -- and it has.
The album opens with the industrial screeching of "A Pain That I'm Used To," and for a minute there I thought I was listening to Nine Inch Nails. We go from the industrial noise to a more techno-style beat. Dave Gahan sounds fabulous, by the way, and Martin Gore provides the guitar licks we first heard in SOFD. Towards the middle the track picks up a melody reminiscent of "Enjoy the Silence" from Violator.
"John the Revelator" begins with a nice old-school sounding analog synth line and aggressive vocals from Dave. Martin's lyrics touch on various religious themes but seems to be discussing how certain groups (or individuals) appropriate God for their own means -- while also throwing in references to the Book of Revelations from the Christian bible.
An interesting trend is beginning to become apparent -- the use of melodic devices from previous DM albums. The melody for "John the Revelator" could very well be "Pleasure, Little Treasure" from Music for The Masses.
"Suffer Well" takes a very simple synth line and percussion and adds in electric guitar and features harmony from Martin L. Gore, with lyrics again dealing with religious metaphors.
More analog synths to begin "The Sinner in Me" and features another great vocal performance from Dave.
"Precious" might bring comparisons to "Enjoy the Silence" but it's a great track, one I keep playing on my computer and in my car. This is the DM we all know and love.
"Macro" features an unusual vocal performance from Martin L. Gore. Not his best work, and it's a bit too obvious, as if Gore were really trying hard to sing in a way he isn't used to singing.
"I Want it All" is a lovely song and a stand-out track from the album.
"Nothing's Impossible" is another guitar-heavy track with a great industrial synth line and percussion.
"Introspectre" is a brief instrumental that segues into "Damaged People," with Martin sounding more like Martin Gore than he did in "Macro." It's a slower-paced song than anything else, I suppose a DM-style ballad (albeit with some dark imagery in the lyrics.
"Lillian" is sure to get you on the dance floor, another classic-sounding track.
We close with "The Darkest Star," another slower-paced number with a dreamy vocal from Dave. I'm not sure I would have gone with a slower-paced track to close out the album, but it's still good.
Playing the Angel is certainly the best of the post Alan Wilder albums. There's some experimentation with an industrial, techno vibe, and it works. The group is now on tour (and not playing Portland...again). I'd really enjoying hearing DM perform this album live. Which, of course, will not happen, since I'm in Portland. Dear tour director, please convince DM to come to Portland. We have a large arena and I'm sure you'll be able to pack it with fans. Is that a little pathetic? I guess so. Here's hoping we do not have to wait another four years for a new DM album.
AND
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.
****1/2 out of *****
Playing the Angel
Depeche Mode
Music from Reprise / Wea
Release date: 18 October, 2005
It's hard to believe, but in the past decade, Depeche Mode has only released two albums: 1997's Ultra, and 2001's Exciter. Prior to both of those albums was 1993's Songs of Faith and Devotion. I guess DM have been on a four-year release cycle in the 1990s. Well, it's been four years since the release of Exciter, and Depeche Mode's latest, Playing the Angel, is here -- finally. It's been worth the wait.
I know many DM fans are divided over Songs of Faith and Devotion, and I'm not sure if that same division exists for Exciter, but I have to say, I wasn't a fan of Exciter. I'd rank it as one of DM's worse albums. Does Playing The Angel bring redemption to the group? Hell yes it does.
If you're a fan of the WB's Smallville, you would have heard the first single from the album, "Precious," in the season premiere of that show. I've been so far out of the DM loop that I didn't even know a new album was about to be released. Which reminds me, I need to get back into the DM loop.
Once again, Martin L. Gore takes us through religious metaphor in his exploration of relationships. DM's sound on Playing the Angel is very different from past albums in some ways. I'll get to that in a moment. I know it's safe for some bands to stay within the confines of a particular genre, but DM have taken chances and are not afraid of presenting listeners with challenging material. Frankly, I wouldn't want to hear DM sound like they did in the 1980s. With Dave, Martin and Fletch in their 40s now, I would hope their style would mature -- and it has.
The album opens with the industrial screeching of "A Pain That I'm Used To," and for a minute there I thought I was listening to Nine Inch Nails. We go from the industrial noise to a more techno-style beat. Dave Gahan sounds fabulous, by the way, and Martin Gore provides the guitar licks we first heard in SOFD. Towards the middle the track picks up a melody reminiscent of "Enjoy the Silence" from Violator.
"John the Revelator" begins with a nice old-school sounding analog synth line and aggressive vocals from Dave. Martin's lyrics touch on various religious themes but seems to be discussing how certain groups (or individuals) appropriate God for their own means -- while also throwing in references to the Book of Revelations from the Christian bible.
An interesting trend is beginning to become apparent -- the use of melodic devices from previous DM albums. The melody for "John the Revelator" could very well be "Pleasure, Little Treasure" from Music for The Masses.
"Suffer Well" takes a very simple synth line and percussion and adds in electric guitar and features harmony from Martin L. Gore, with lyrics again dealing with religious metaphors.
More analog synths to begin "The Sinner in Me" and features another great vocal performance from Dave.
"Precious" might bring comparisons to "Enjoy the Silence" but it's a great track, one I keep playing on my computer and in my car. This is the DM we all know and love.
"Macro" features an unusual vocal performance from Martin L. Gore. Not his best work, and it's a bit too obvious, as if Gore were really trying hard to sing in a way he isn't used to singing.
"I Want it All" is a lovely song and a stand-out track from the album.
"Nothing's Impossible" is another guitar-heavy track with a great industrial synth line and percussion.
"Introspectre" is a brief instrumental that segues into "Damaged People," with Martin sounding more like Martin Gore than he did in "Macro." It's a slower-paced song than anything else, I suppose a DM-style ballad (albeit with some dark imagery in the lyrics.
"Lillian" is sure to get you on the dance floor, another classic-sounding track.
We close with "The Darkest Star," another slower-paced number with a dreamy vocal from Dave. I'm not sure I would have gone with a slower-paced track to close out the album, but it's still good.
Playing the Angel is certainly the best of the post Alan Wilder albums. There's some experimentation with an industrial, techno vibe, and it works. The group is now on tour (and not playing Portland...again). I'd really enjoying hearing DM perform this album live. Which, of course, will not happen, since I'm in Portland. Dear tour director, please convince DM to come to Portland. We have a large arena and I'm sure you'll be able to pack it with fans. Is that a little pathetic? I guess so. Here's hoping we do not have to wait another four years for a new DM album.
AND
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.
****1/2 out of *****
10-19-05, 05:59 PM
#43
DVD Talk Platinum Edition
Originally Posted by Daytripper
"The Darkest Star" is completely forgettable!?? I'm sorry, but I think it's one of DM's best tracks ever. Definitely their best album closer. The song is chilling, dark and beautiful. Also, the critics are all over "Playing the Angle". It's Depeche Mode's best reviewed album to date. And the fans who are just hearing it for the first time are drooling too. From what I've been reading.
10-20-05, 12:29 AM
#44
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while i really can't stand exciter, there were a couple brilliant songs on that album. i don't really notice anything that stands out on this one. not that it's "bad", just that it's not exciting (heh, heh...) me.
10-20-05, 11:56 AM
#45
DVD Talk Ultimate Edition
Finally got this one and really like it.
!@)(#*!@ Best Buy SOLD OUT the day after it was released (they must've gotten about 5 in total) and Circuit City, as of 10/19, hadn't yet got it to their stores (how do they stay in business). So I got it for $3 more downtown and was glad to do it.
It really is excellent thus far...
!@)(#*!@ Best Buy SOLD OUT the day after it was released (they must've gotten about 5 in total) and Circuit City, as of 10/19, hadn't yet got it to their stores (how do they stay in business). So I got it for $3 more downtown and was glad to do it.
It really is excellent thus far...
10-20-05, 03:31 PM
#47
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Originally Posted by Matt925
I've been listening non-stop since tuesday and I'm loving the album. Macro, Damaged People, and Lilian always get skipped though.
10-22-05, 08:04 PM
#49
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I skip Macro, Damaged People, but there is no way I could skip Lilian. I friggin love that song.
Ohhhhhhhhhhh, Lilian, look what you've done..You stripped my heart, ripped it apart, in the name of funnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn..Oh Lilian...
Ohhhhhhhhhhh, Lilian, look what you've done..You stripped my heart, ripped it apart, in the name of funnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn..Oh Lilian...
