Blog

   Everything old is new again with Depeche Mode's recent release, "Playing The Angel," a collection of dark, hypnotic tracks that could potentially elicit comparisons to their 1990 masterpiece, "Violator." Surprisingly, the contents of the disc could almost justify such comparisons – but not quite. 

   The late '90s treated the trio from Britain unkind to say the least. The band once hailed as the kings of electro-pop had spiraled into the realm of mediocrity. Though 1997's "Ultra" enjoyed moderate success, 2001's depressingly bad "Exciter" prompted even the most devoted of fans to question the band's future. Shortly thereafter, several band members dabbled in lackluster solo careers, which many considered the nail in the coffin. So to say "Playing The Angel" is a crucial album for the band would be an understatement.  

   While the new material wields massive hooks and reeks of ambition, it falls somewhat short of even rivaling the magic the band produced earlier in their career. If "Playing The Angel" represents "pain and suffering in various tempos" as indicated on the back of its jewel case, then "Violator" provided listeners with an emotional catharsis. Regardless of its subtle shortcomings, most will want to indulge relentlessly in this "pain and suffering," especially after listening to the disc's first single, "Precious." 

   "Precious," a shocking achievement for a band this late in their career, sounds eerily similar to such classics as "Enjoy the Silence" and "Policy of Truth" – and almost just as good. Due to the track's soft, ghostly nature, it sounds slightly out of place among the rest of the disc's more raucous material, but at the same time it's what holds the entire album together and makes it work. Other standout tracks include the slow, provocative "Nothing's Impossible," the dark, brooding "The Sinner In Me" and the disco-sounding "Lilian." 

   The latter half of the disc begins to sound boring and sluggish at times, featuring a bundle of down-tempo songs begging to be discarded. Not even Martin Gore's imaginative lyricism or David Gahan's trance-inducing vocals could save duds like "Introspectre," "Damaged People" and "The Darkest Star." Though the powers that be appropriately placed "Precious" right in the middle of the track list, most of what comes afterwards pales in comparison to what comes before. Many listeners will find themselves repeatedly trekking back to the beginning of the disc where all the hooks can be found. Despite the band's occasional ventures into the mundane unknown, the album still boasts more quality tracks than the band has released at one time in over a decade. 

  Releasing limited edition versions of albums continues to increase in popularity among artists, and Depeche Mode jumps on the bandwagon with "Playing The Angel." The limited edition version of the disc contains an extra DVD featuring the entire album in 5.1 DTS, a brief documentary on the making of the album "Making The Angel," the video for "Precious," a photo gallery and more. Though the additional content costs a few dollars more, it will be well worth it for devoted fans, collectors and those who just really like the music on this particular album. 

   By releasing a collection of material this strong and cohesive, Depeche Mode not only place themselves back on track after a brief derailment, but also prove their music is still relevant even today. Though hardcore fans will probably fancy "Playing The Angel" as the band's reinvention, most listeners will merely consider it a respectable return. But that's the beauty of the album: It will please hardcore and casual fans alike.

Rating: B+

Have a comment? Please e-mail us.