don't mean to stray off the topic, but did ANYONE happen to catch an episode of the OC in which at the end, they played precious!!! a friend told this to me! not sure if i believe him!
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Depeche Mode's Playing The Angel
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I was a huge fan of DM in my youth (I was 18 when Violator was released) and I must say that I really like this album, which is certainly their best since SOFAD.
There were a few good songs on Ultra but the album was globally quite inconsistent. The single Only When I loose Myself was great, but Exciter was a complete disappointment.
The new album has a faster tempo and I really like the production work, except for the effect on Dave's voice in the last two songs (as if it were recorded from the telephone). The 5 first songs are really good. Martin's songs (I mean: the two songs sung by him) are not as good as they used too (Judas, One Carress, Home, Blue Dress, Sweetest Perfection, I want You Now, The Things You Said... were all great, but the new ones sound like left-overs from his second solo-album). The three songs written by Dave lack some inspiration. They are too linear, if you see what I mean.
But all in all it's a good album and I like it much better than NO's WFTSC which I consider as uninspired Brit pop (except Turn, which could have been on Technique).
This being said, I suppose that most of you will hate me 
His Holiness, The Pope wrote:
[darkgreen]Green[/darkgreen] wrote: I take it that John the Revelator is a new M. Gore composition, and not the old religious song.
Apparently it's a cover of the old religious song. And I like it.
No it's not, but it was inspired by it. I read it in the sleeve notes or in an interview with Martin, I can't remember exactly.
Spotnick wrote: My review...
As simple as that.
Bring Alan Wilder back please, what's with that fookin minimalist style they have in their album since Ultra?
Precious is by very far the best track on the album.
I'll give it another try, but I think I found why they put all shows on sale before the album itself was released.
Haven't heard the album yet, but it's on it way.
Come on broadband, come on.
Review tomorrow, maybe.
This being said, I suppose that most of you will hate me
Keep that avatar, Ben, and you'll be a tough one to hate regardless of your album reviews.
Apparently it's a cover of the old religious song. And I like it.
It's not actually a cover, it's "inspired" by the original song,(see the inner sleeves; it actually says that it's inspired by it) but I've heard the original song before and DM's "JTR" is not a cover. Also, in my opinion, "John the Revelator" sort of reminds me of "Blasphemous Rumours" and "Personal Jesus" at the same time...that's just my opinion, though.
d13 wrote: don't mean to stray off the topic, but did ANYONE happen to catch an episode of the OC in which at the end, they played precious!!! a friend told this to me! not sure if i believe him!
Also heard at the end of "Smallville" a couple of weeks back, not a fan of the show, but it was great background music. "Precious" is still THE best post-Violator song they have released, end of.
The album is making its way in binary, and since Adelphia's broadband is asstastic, I will take a break, watch The Simpsons, and review it at a later time.
Rian wrote: The album isn't that bad. Some songs are really ok.
Need some more listening though.
That's about where I am with it. It's fine but not stunning. Not as good as WFTSC but will probably sell more copies.
blue eyed boy to thread!
anywho, i think playing the angel is a very good album. subtle, yes, but do we really need to be clobbered over the head with big "POP HOOKS?" nah.
this is probably the best 'guitar' album from depeche, and i'm surprised beacuse i never thought that guitar and depeche mode were really that good of a match. ie : ultra. definately a grower.
Ok, after 2nd and 3rd listening...
First five tracks are good.. the rest is.. well, a little boring, especially the Martin tracks.
Second single has to be John The Revelator.
But I still thing the album is too minimalistic, it would need richer instrumentation.. more edge.
Problem is, the 2nd part of the album is a bit weak, so it gives you the impression that the album is week once you have finished listening to it, but yesterday in the car I was listening to the first half and I said "hey, that's not as bad as you thought it was"...
Will try to listen to the 2nd half a little more.
Try playing it very loud on a good hi-fi. It's great. It's true that the second half is a little weak but it gets better again with Lilian (by the way, it's the first time a name is cited in a DM song, I think).
by the way, it's the first time a name is cited in a DM song
The Lord Almighty may take issue with that.
Ben wrote: Try playing it very loud on a good hi-fi. It's great. It's true that the second half is a little weak but it gets better again with Lilian (by the way, it's the first time a name is cited in a DM song, I think).
"John the revelator", that is one too no? ;) and "Judas"...
"The Sinner In Me" is not that good, but I admit the other 4 in the top 5 are quality.
Needs more listening...
Agreed, needs time and further listening but my inital impression that it is a snoozer 
God how I missed out on a lot by being born in 1983 
"Precious" sounds even better than the first version I downloaded, and "Lillian" is promising as well.
As far as being harder and faster than Exciter...!? 
So has anyone noticed yet about the huge similarity with the melody of the song Lillian and the backing track of New Order's Sooner Than You Think ?
Stunning ! 
Grell wrote: blue eyed boy to thread!
.
Sorry. I haven't listened to or bought the album yet. I will, soon I hope, although it took me over a month to buy WFTSC.
formerroadie wrote: I love this disc. I have no complaints.
Really? How about a track-by-track breakdown for us.
I'm about to give it another listen and will try to do so soon. 
Spotnick wrote:
Ben wrote: Try playing it very loud on a good hi-fi. It's great. It's true that the second half is a little weak but it gets better again with Lilian (by the way, it's the first time a name is cited in a DM song, I think).
"John the revelator", that is one too no? ;) and "Judas"...
"The Sinner In Me" is not that good, but I admit the other 4 in the top 5 are quality.
Needs more listening...
John is the one, then. Judas was not used as a person's name but as a common name to describe people acting like Judas (and it's used in the plural in the song: Shouting Judases, Doubting Thomases). Lilian certainly is the first song where someone is addressed to by her name, like Jolene was in Paradise.
Spotnick has often raised the point on this forum, but it's not just a large section of the Mode fans themselves who feel that the band lost more than just a band member in 1995.
The remaining members, Martin Gore in particular, clearly are not very ambitious or driven, and it does seem that the responsibility for interraction between differing roles (that are far too clearly defined in Depeche Mode) simply has been happening post-Songs Of Faith And Devotion.
I am hoping that Dave's insistance of contributing by writing songs himself will eventually persuade more challenging that Alan's presense would instantly have achieved. (I haven't actually listened to the new album yet - I only listen to albums on Saturday nights.)
Hopefully Dave though will also try and push for a more grittier guitar-rock element in the 12th album and beyond, as he quite clearly did correctly on Songs Of Faith And Devotion in 1992/93.
Spotnick wrote:
Second single has to be John The Revelator.
the next single is gonna be 'A Pain i'm used to'
Released in the UK on DEC 12
The Man Up North wrote: So has anyone noticed yet about the huge similarity with the melody of the song Lillian and the backing track of New Order's Sooner Than You Think ?
Stunning !
Good call!
Didn't notice it, but it's true!
Breakdown track to track? (BTW, I bought it yesterday, with the single, which I haven't done in quite a while!)
A Pain That I'm Used To
Beside from the start that you're going to HATE if you let your volume too high, this song is pretty enjoyable. This one could have been on Violator, but wouldn't have been a single then, but is working well with Sweetest Perfection and Waiting For The Night to Fall.
John The Revelator
Am I the only one who thought it was Johnny Revelator for a while? ;) Despite the fact that more and more DM songs tend to talk about religion, which is not my cup of tea, this song is pretty enjoyable and will have a mega remix I'm quite sure of it. This is "Dream On" on adrenaline.
Suffer Well
What? I'm actually LIKING a David Gahan track? that's a first. The chorus could have been better though, but the track is very interesting. Doesn't sound like DM to be honest though, but I enjoy it.
The Sinner In Me
Did I tell you about Martin Gore and religion yet? :p It's not bad, but it's not the most interesting track on the album, this one has shades of "Waiting For The Night To Fall"
Precious
Even if it would have benifited by more musical "depth" in terms of music, it's indeed the best Depeche Mode song since Policy of Truth IMHO. Sasha did a pretty good remix of it too, the Spooky one, try it, you'll love it.
Macro
No, no, NO!!!!!!!!!! Macrovision and Televion, gimme a break. Martin should have given it to Dave, because his voice (which I used to like), is not fitting well at all!
I Want It All
Catchy chorus, but... rest is, hum, boring?
Nothing's Impossible
Nice song, but below DM standards.
Introspectre
Well, they have almost one per album of those instrumentals transitionnal song, so here it is.. not bad, not good, just... music! Bits are similar to the Peter Saville Soundtrack 
Damaged People
No, no and NO again, I can't stand Martin's voice on it... sorry!
Lillian
Pretty good dancable track, however I can't find anything similar to this in the DM back-catalog... it's close to "Freelove" on exciter, but more edgy.
The Darkest Star
Typical post-Ultra track... maybe after a few more listenings... can't say.
Overall
I enjoy it, but Martin Gore isn't helping on this one... and to think he did gems like Blue Dress, Home and Things You Said in the past, it's trying too much on his tracks, as simple as that.
And my initial comment also stays, this album could have been a lot better with richer music, it's too minimalistic for my liking... but it seems to be a grower
Spotnick wrote:
The Man Up North wrote: So has anyone noticed yet about the huge similarity with the melody of the song Lillian and the backing track of New Order's Sooner Than You Think ?
Stunning !
Good call!
Didn't notice it, but it's true!
Not sure about that one, but has anyone noticed the similarities between "I Want It All" and The Cure's "More Than This"? Same backing beat, with guitar in the DM one instead of synths, and the same downward swooshy noises at various places. Anyone care to compare?
Suffer Well What? I'm actually LIKING a David Gahan track? that's a first. The chorus could have been better though, but the track is very interesting. Doesn't sound like DM to be honest though, but I enjoy it.
This is my favorite track on the album.
At first I thought some tracks were kinda heavy and leaden, but I love it from start to finish now for that very reason... its a grower like someone already said. Strangely therapeutic.
Spotnick wrote: Breakdown track to track? (BTW, I bought it yesterday, with the single, which I haven't done in quite a while!)
Suffer Well
What? I'm actually LIKING a David Gahan track? that's a first. The chorus could have been better though, but the track is very interesting. Doesn't sound like DM to be honest though, but I enjoy it.
This track sounds like the Notwist. does anyone agree?
Suffer Well's integrity purely as a song unfortunately sums up this album: it sounds too much like a chorus pieced together into a song with JUST TWO other chords for the verses and instrumental sections,rather than a complete song.
This, of course, is a reflection on how we have almost exhausted all the intergral possible chord phrase combinations and subject matter, but it does leave the album (as far as Depeche Mode world class standards go), at a 6 out of 10.
I would give Waiting For The Sirens' Call a better 6 out of 10, partly because it seems a more rounded album overall.
