With hindsight being 20-20, and this review being written 7-1/2 years after the released of this album, I can write, without any hesitation, that Playing the Angel is my favorite Depeche Mode album and that is saying a lot because I am a completely devoted fan of the band since I first heard them in 1986. Playing the Angel is a different kind of Depeche Mode album and it would be unfair to try and compare it with any other album, except maybe Violator. This album is so good that it has been the staple of my musical diet since the day it was released. What sets this album apart from all others are two secret ingredients never before present in a Depeche Mode album. First is a unique and permeating throbbing that flows from song to song and ties them all together, and secondly David Gahan contributed songs to the album, and not just any songs, a couple of fantastic songs. Individually, nearly every song is excellent beginning with the explosive opening of A 'Pain That I'm Used To' right down to the last note of the last song 'Darkest Star'. This album is far greater though than the sum of its individually outstanding parts, and that is what sets this album apart. 'Suffer Well' is my personal favorite, and this song has replaced 'In Your Room' from 'Songs of Faith and Devotion' as my all-time favorite Depeche Mode song. I find it very ironic that 'Suffer Well' (written by David Gahan) has become my favorite DM song of all time because it is the first song written by anybody but Martin Gore in 25 years, and I have long considered Martin Gore to be among the greatest songwriters of all time. This album excels on all levels and there are six standout tracks that help give this album an unparalleled timelessness and longevity: John the Revelator, Suffer Well, Sinner in Me, Precious, Nothing's Impossible, and Darkest Star.… Expand

While most recognize that DM began to ascend around Black Celebration and peaked somewhere between Violator and SoFaD, this is the blip in the flat line that makes you think there still may be some life left in them. Suffer Well, Nothing's Impossible, Precious...all brilliant. Even the b-sides from this album's singles rock. Get everything you can related to this album! Singles, Tour DVDs, remixes...… Expand

Stellar entry from synth-pop's greatest guys. Covers many genres including: alt rock, dance, and, pop. Once again proves Depeche Mode as one of the greatest bands of all time.

I hated this and wanted to sell it on ebay, but after a lengthy gap, i returned to it and playing the angel is an amazing album, after several listens it hits you. It is a very modern classical album - it's complex and the songs are built with perfect components- it's dm's equal to radioheads in rainbows, keep listening you will get it.

Just cool, amazing album.

It made me feel emotions that I haven´t felt since 1990. Great collection of addictive songs..

it's very good.

This album is dark and melodic. Best album since Songs of Faith and Devotion

Depeche Mode stand as one of the greatest bands in the history of contemporary alternative pop music. Being my number 1 band, I must say that I am indeed impressed by the simple, yet well-layered beauty of each track. This sounds like Depeche Mode at their best, doing what they know: producing good rhythms, lyrics, vocals, and a collective pattern of sonic bliss. They still sound like Depeche Mode, with the analog synths, but also more evolved, with more sophistacted electronic effects, and addictive guitar hooks. Way-2-Go! :) The best thing next to Some Great Reward and Violator. In some ways, even better! Stand out tracks: A Pain that I'm Used To John the Revelator Suffer Well The Sinner In Me Precious Nothing's Impossible The Darkest Star… Expand

dm are consistent with producing classic albums one after the other. its music with meaning and is original and inspiring. you can listen to the alibum over and over again and each time you discover another sound, another part which relates to your life in some way. they are just like no other.

This is a great album. Classic Mode, but still fresh and addictive listening. Some really cool production touches. I bought it out of loyalty to an all time fave band, but now I can't stop listening to it.

First of all, far far better than Exciter. And this is a big surprise. It seems some competition (two songwriters) greatly contributed to the final result. DM at last deliver a number of good songs and although these won't turn out to be particularly remarkable in their career, I belive the band did all they could at the moment. Standouts: Sinner in me and Suffer Well

some of DM's best stuff!!!!!!

The first listen got me hooked, and I must say that it just gets better the more I listen to it. PTA fully converted me to Depeche Mode. Only flaw: Please, please, please, don't pay attention to "Macro"...

Best DM Album since Violator and I wouldnt be suprised if I will rank it as number 1 in a couple of years

it is the best music group...

Depeche Mode Rules

I bought PTA the day of release, and have not stopped listening to it since (its been 4 months). It is a constant on all my cd players and on my so loved iPod. Not only has the album proven its worth on a million counts, its also shown me why I love DM in the first place. Ever track (aside from Macro--don't like that one at all) is so DM it hurts....Love it. I recently had the chance to see them live in Toronto (for the PTA tour) and it was by far THE best concert I've been too. Dave Gahan is a beautiful, beautiful man.… Expand

Generation i-Pod has too short an attention span to award this album the patience that rewards such an outstanding album.

I love this album!!! It's the best they have put out since Violator. I can't wait til their next one.

Great album from a great band.

the best!!!

A truley incredible album. Like everyone else I agree their best since Violator. Also this is their best concert since world violation tour. I have no doubt that deeche mode is the greatest band ever to see live! I have seen bands like The Rollingstones, Matellica, Korn, Green Day, etc. Depeche Mode blows them away. Also I think that although depeche mode has never really been too comercial and a household name like The Stones, U2, Beatles, Nirvana, etc. I really do pray that this will be their year to be recognized at the Grammys!! Some people say they are the kings of electronic music, I say they are the Beatles of Alternative music, Depeche Mode is truley in my opinion the Greatest Band in our generation!!!… Expand

PTA is awesome! It's not Violator Part II as some DM fans have lamented but who wants it to be. Had DM kept on doing the same old thing year in year out they would have lost their loyal fan base years ago and they would have ended up becoming a sad parody of the great band they used to be (Yes I'm talking to you Rolling Stones). DM do something fresh, different and rewarding with each record but yet still manage to sound distinctly like DM. PTA is no different. It might not be their best record but then again it just might be. Time will tell. DM fans, just rejoice because they have released a new album which will hopefully not be their last. New lfans, do yourselves a favour and go back through the DM catalogue and find out what you have been missing out on for the last 25 years.… Expand

Wow, the return to the 80's!. I feef well with them again.

doesn't get any better than this....live in san diego was awesome.

...I just cant get enough of Depeche Mode! Im really impressed with their new album...very very Depeche Mode-ish!! Cant express how honoured I felt (and still do -blush blush sigh sigh) seeing they came out with a song called Lilian.....with ONE L, too!! Now thats what I call justice in the world!!!

Though I am a long time fan, in honesty, this is some excllent work in production and writing. Depeche I feel has come in STRONG with this "Playing the Angel!" Well worth the wait for a classic DM album!

so cool!!!

The greatest album Lilian is the best and also others

After several listens, I found my enjoyment growing and the emotional depths of DM's electronic layering as rich, unique and beautifully bizzare as any previous work of theirs that has endeared me so much to this group. Playing the Angel is full of fresh new sounds, providing an all too familiar sense of awe. How do they do it?

Very enjoyable. A more industrial electronic sound than in recent albums. Martin's lyrics are thoughtful and interesting. I saw the live concert in Vancouver and it was excellent. It makes you realize how many great songs Depeche have written over the years. Best tracks Precious, Suffer Well (Dave Gahan wrote this - now I want to buy Paper Monsters CD) and the Darkest Star.

This album is absolutely amazing! It's hard, dirty and synthy. The lyrics are awesome as the vocals and the melodies. The only bad thing is the instrumental Introspectre, why do they keep doing instrumental songs? You notice how good the melodies are in teh other songs. Otherwise from the alarm in A pain that I'm used to to the desperation of The darkest star: Enjoy, because it doesn't get much better than this!… Expand

Amazing, back to what they stood for. Singing about life's sad side. The truth about what can and will wrong with many people's lives.

Mode's new album is nothing short of a masterpiece. Their opening show in Tampa was unbelievable. Tight music with vocals that combine and take you on a journey of sight & sound that is almost unmatched in music today.

A great album by one of the best and most consistent bands in th world. My favourite tracks are Precious, John The Relevator, Nothing is Impossible and Lilian. A great reurn to form !

DM is inventive once again meshing violator on to form " Playing the Angel."

As soon as I heard songs from this new album, I knew it would impress. Despite the fact that Depeche Mode hasn't had a fresh new album in some time, they keep the same catchy and mysterious tunes that can be compared to those older ones that made them famous, such as those on Violator. Their new production techniques make the album sound even more unique.

this is just so dm as dm can be. i love the feel and sound. every dm fan will love it, maby even some new listeners here and there..

Amazing how they can combine experience with authenticity. Fresh but mature, brand new but drawing on the best DM stuff of the late 80s, it's definitely music for sophisticated masses.

It is a great CD. Of course the times of Violator or Songs of Faith and the 80's will never be back, but this is a great return. It is far superior than Ultra and that the dissapointing Exciter. With songs like Nothing's Impossible or Suffer Well they took me fifteen years ago to the good times of techno-goth heaven.

muy buen material

This is why I still love Depeche Mode after all these years.

a mature evolution of Gore's genius

Amazingly fresh, incredible modernization of a classic sound, great vocals, compact album conception, is this a brand new band or what? they are a cult. They are unique legacy. Tthey are a passionate devotion to quality music and intelligent tunes. Fav tune? That shouting feast Jhon the revelator: energetic, classic, modern, succint, powerful. Nothing is impossible with these guys, even producing such great music after 25 years. Thank you depeche, u made my day one of hope and pleasure.… Expand

DM doing their best again! perfect pop-synth songs, love the sound of these old sinthethizers.

A band who have been recording for 25 years produce an album which is only bettered by their best, the absolute classics "...Masses" and "Violator". Not even Bowie, Ferry or Dylan can hold a candle to this.

Back to basics and a much better offering than Exiter, which didn't exite me at all needless to say (save for 2 good tracks). Strong vocals by Gahan on "John the Revelator", and gotta love the 80's feel of "Lillian" and "A Pain that I'm Used To". I can't stand people comparing this album to violator in a negative way because it not about trying to re-capture Violator. It's simply an album that shows Mode can still produce great music midway through their second decade. Martin has a lot of music left in him, and Dave ain't too shabby either. All in all a refreshing and potent addition to the DM catalog.… Expand

I think that this album is a lot more akin to their older stuff than exciter was. Both were great albums, but this album kicks major ass! Precious, john the revelator, suffer well, lilian, a pain that i'm used to all kick major booty! Better than all of this saturated rap crap currently playing everywhere.....enough already! Buy this album!

Theres something Wilder added that has been missing the past couple of albums. However PTA has brought back about 80% of that feeling I got when I was a teenager. And the best part is, as I was ready to give it thumbs down on the first couple of listens, now I'm beginning to think its pure genius. Everyone is talking about "suffer well" and its comparison to "behind the wheel", I think its pure "Question Of Time" ingredients. Best tracks by far(not in any order) : John Revelator (Faith Devotion like track) :Suffer Well (Question of Time like) :Sinner in Me (Rocks) very (Violator "Clean" meets Music Masses) Nothing Impossible (Kicks ass, delivered chills) Damaged People: Awesome ("World Full of Nothing"/"Home" Gore Track..however "macro" sucks By the way, Precious sucks, doesnt even fit in this album..Wanna be "Enjoy the Silence" And it comes nothing close to the brillance of that track. Lillian couldve been better..but props up to Darkest Star..Weird track but haunted depeche like construction time days was half the reason I got into them. 9/10 Rating… Expand

First two singles are amazing. Sure the songs sound dated compared to the nasal banter of what the disney channel force feeds to young kids! Hats off to DM for keeping the faith. Reward Ashlee Simpson with endless media play and dump DM to the back of that rag of a magazine. I won't mind not hearing or seeing DM anywhere but my ipod.

Ive really enjoyed this album and i just cant get enough!

The Best.......Rolling Stones are jealous s... some real views at life!!!

It isn't my favorite Depeche Mode album, but it really refreshed my memory as to why I fell in love with this band in the first place. I can't wait to attend their concert!

What was Rolling Stone thinking? They interview Dave Gahan in the same issue as Bono, with the latter's face taking up the entire front cover, then they trash the Depeche cd in the 30th review of the issue.This cd does loads more for me than Morrissey , Echo, R.E.M. AND U2's latest--their only worthy contemporaries still around (and I adore all 4 of the aforementioned) But this is surely one of their Depeche's albums in a very long time and to see it get dismissed by America's "premier" musical reviewer and be thrown in the issue as sidenote is a terrible disgrace. God bless these guys-25 yrs and still counting!… Expand

Very vibrant and deeply layered music, that takes hold of your brain. Good to see a varied mix of songs this time, and more upbeat.

Almost 25 years have passed since Depeche Mode recorded their first album, Speak and Spell. They became the best and most influential band in the electronic scene, and also one of the biggest and most important acts in the world. Obviously, all of these achievements force them to give their best in every new album they release. And this is what we find in Playing the Angel. The album starts with

The addition of Dave's writing into the mix adds inspiration and new life to the band and keeps Martin on his toes. The analog factor is nice and hoping so desperately that some of the analog synths travel on tour with them and get some triggering live. The synthi, arp, jupiter, Juno, moog, oberheim, hoping and hoping that its not all pro tools audio we hear on tour and that its some real gritty live triggering. I feel the presence of Alan Wilder back in the wings, lingering and hoping to step back to do some work with the band. His polish is something that could bring back the Violator days gone by. Great listen.… Expand

As a fan of Depeche Mode's since I was 13, I have never faltered from them being the best out there. Their music ages well. Now with this album, they aren't slowing down. I would say it ranks up there with Music for the Masses, Violator and Songs of Faith and Devotion.

rolling stone is such a bunch of want to be emo kids its a embarresment, stick to my chemical romance, this is a powerful cd, and it has some great songs that make you remember why there truly standing the test of time, 25 years .. wow

One Of Depeche Mode s Great Albums Very Good As Always

well ... first impession was ... disturbed, crushed and fooled around again. After several rounds of listening - it's %^@#&^ great! I love it.

As usual, Depeche Mode manage to come out with an album that surprises, yet satisfies. At first listen I would have rated it a 7 1/2. But given a chance, the songs grow like a spark to a flame. Could have maybe tweaked a few things, but overall the album scores!

Freakin' A!!!! I love everything about this album; the music, the lyrics, Dave's voice... It'll stick in my heavy song rotation for a long while. Depeche Mode have just proven their staying power and that they're not done yet.

Amazing!!! They're back:)

Rolling Stone can kiss my freakin ass, this album is better than sex.

We have stepped back to the outstanding anthems of Violator and SoFaD. Truly outstanding. Manchester 30th March cannot come soon enough!!

Up there with violator + music for the masses - April can't come around quick enough!!

great

a classic electrosoul cd. Never boring, never repetitive, lyrically brilliant. album of 2005.

Just amazing!

I love DM since 1989 and my three best albums are MFTM, Violator and now also Playing the angel. Thank you Depeche Mode for this amazing album. I'm enjoying it all the time x-times a day and still discover new and new forms of live. DM FOREVER ;)

My heart stopped when I first heard that DM was working on a new album. My boyfriend Rubin and I are lifelong fans, and just hearing the new material brings back many happy memories (thanks Rubin!)....

Thank god! I was worried there for a bit. Depeche seemed to slide in the post Alan Wilder era. But this album is a return to form for the crew from basildon. Nicely done. It's like the band took a song from every album past and grafted on the theme. John the Revelator a cross between Pleasure, Little Treasure and Personal Jesus. The SInner in Me born of Rush. Precious in the style of enjoy the silence and it's no good.… Expand

Shades of Construction Time Again and Speak and Spell - they really went back to their roots for a lot of the sound here.

Excellent! The mode back in shape. Classic feel, but as always totally reinvented them self.

brilliant-I just dont get these guys -how can a band over two decades of music and performances can actually get better!!.

it is a beautiful and mesmerising...true DM

Depeche Mode is definitely back after 'Ultra' and 'Exciter' which contained some great and powerful songs, but did not have the same charm as 'Some Great Reward', 'Black Celebration', 'Music For The Masses', and 'Violator'. This album is on par with those classic albums and gave it a 10 because making music and staying a group for 25 years is hard enough while coming out of the shadows of poor reviews from their last two previous attempts. They are truly back in great form!… Expand

The best album after Violator. New sound challenges and still sounds like Depeche Mode.

Needless to say, these ol' farts still have a few new tricks under their sleeves! From the first 3 seconds you can tell they're back with a vengeance! The sound is raw, intense but yet underneath all these brand new analog layers of cool dirty licks you still find that goody deep and distinctive DM melodies that never cease to please us! Wonderful!

A really solid album. It just pisses me off thinking it is going to take another 5 yrs to get more material out of these guys when this album is so good. Sounds like they have been listening to some of the bands they influenced (Xiu Xiu, etc.).

Although DM are my favourite band, I never thought that they would release the masterpiece like this, after all affairs and time they spent together!! Congratulations guys!!

Incredible. DM at purely great form.

this album is surprisingly and wonderfully consistent compared to the previous two disappointments. not the best album they ever put out, but definitely on par with 'black celebration' or 'music for the masses'. David Gahan's lyrics can be a little trite at times compared to the usual martin gore penned material, but it's definitely worthy of attention. having so much of my soul invested in music, and having spent much of my early teens being such a fan of these guys, i can't help but be put in a good mood when i listen to this CD.… Expand

Fanfuckingstastic.

great album! they are back!

One of their absolute best

Is so great!

Best DM album for many years. The fans have been longing for more pace and edge - and the band delivers. Biggest surprise must be Dave Gahans songwriting, which has improved significantly since Paper Monsters.

This is their best work since Music For The Masses !!! I'm not an hysterik fan and i love all kind of music ( rock, electro, pop, trip hop, classic etc...) The futur will be great with Depeche Mode ! Great record !

Best one since Violator album!! Great DM!!

excellent album, Nothing's Impossible and Suffer Well stand up as great and obscure tracks, actually the whole album it's genious

Maybe their best album. For a 25 year old band that is incredible. Dark, daring and delicious Depechealbum!

it is just an amazing piece of work, you need to listen a few times and then you get really addicted to it !! let the electricity flow...

Best album this year by far.

This completely makes up for Exciter. This is Depeche Mode in top form!

PTA is a masterpiece of dark and dirty electronics : half of it is a puncher and the other half is a trip ; Few audio sessions are required and some into-electronica music preferences This album is for the masses who refuse to be shallow...