You'd never imagine in 1984 that the band who brought "People Are People" to American shores would still be putting out addictive, amazing music twenty-one years later. Depeche Mode surely seemed to be a flash in the pan in a Bruce Springsteen world; why should anyone take them seriously?

Indeed. Playing the Angel is a better album than any band DM's age has a right to put together. These three Basildon boys have tossed F. Scott Fitzgerald's observation that "There are no second acts" right out the proverbial window, leaving ardent fans in an extended state of elation, and thickheaded detractors of "synth-pop" scratching their heads yet again.

So, just how good is it? Good enough that, if you ever liked Depeche Mode, you must own this CD. It will bowl you over. And if you're a deep DM fan, like yours truly, then you need the limited edition with attendant DVD as well.

On to the substance of these two discs:

THE CD:

Playing the Angel opens up with a vacillating shriek reminiscent of the intro to "I Feel You," making quite clear that we are not about to hear another sleepy album. Now I am not about to hop on the bandwagon and decry Ultra and Exciter as utter crap. Both albums are actually quite good, but they have personalities distinct from earlier sin-binges such as Violator and Songs of Faith and Devotion. They are mood pieces. But this album works for pretty much any mood familiar to a Mode junkie.

One of the controversial (among longtime DM fans) aspects of PTA is the bigger role lead singer Dave Gahan is taking in the band. Three songs on this album are written by Gahan, and they stand up quite well compared to Gore's work. "Nothing's Impossible" is a dirge on the one hand, repeatedly striking the same deathly chord, and the verse lyrics confirm the mood. Yet the chorus strangely reveals either a perversely optimistic bent, or the desire for it. The song leaves an indelible impression and demands repeated play.

"Suffer Well" is even better, a fast-paced tale of woe that reminds me of "Walking in My Shoes." Gnarly guitar roots around in the synth beats until the chorus blooms like a rose, redeeming the suffering speaker. The effect is almost transcendental.

But Gahan's writing isn't the only noteworthy item here. Gore's songs are in no way complacent, tugging at the boundaries of the Depeche Mode ouevre. "Precious" is of course the first single of the album, and rightly so. When I first heard this song, I thought, "this sounds like Erasure," which is another way of saying it sounds like early Depeche Mode. Here, Gahan sings Gore's apologetic lyric, mourning a divorce and its effects on children. It's an opulent, dark, moving piece not quite like anything else DM has ever done, yet entirely at home in Playing the Angel.

"Sinner in Me" is thematically more familiar, but no DM song has ever sounded so at home in a strip club. This one oozes sex, sin, and a yearning for something purer while we behave in a very dirty fashion, all against a seductively slow beat.

Following tradition, Gore saved two songs for himself to sing: "Macro" and "Damaged People." "Macro" is probably the better of the two, using backing strings in the chorus to good effect. "Damaged People," as the title suggests, is about a relationship between two frail individuals who can't really stand to be alone. In its own way, it is the descendant of "It Doesn't Matter," "It Doesn't Matter Two," and "A Question of Lust."

The closer for Playing the Angel is also probably one of its best songs: "The Darkest Star." This is a slow, hypnotizing, dark blast of electronic music, alternately menacing and brooding.

The only track that can reasonably be called filler is "Lilian," and even DM filler is better than most bands can muster on a good day. It's not bad, but it's a little more throwaway than the rest of the album.

These twelve songs have a cohesive, star-lit, distorted feel to them, and unquestionably constitute the best DM album since Violator. In many ways it seems that making another Violator is an elusive holy grail for DM, but if they keep putting out albums like PTA while on this quixotic quest, I certainly will not object. Five stars are easy to give to this phenomenally good album from a band that deserves recognition for its enduring, unique sound.

THE DVD:

This is a real treat for die-hard fans, or for anyone who really appreciates the songs on Playing the Angel. The album itself is playable on your DVD player in 5.1 (DTS or Dolby Digital Surround) and stereo. Making the Angel is a brief documentary with interviews from the usual suspects, including Daniel Miller. The photo gallery is nice if forgettable, and the video for "Precious" is very slick and atmospheric; check it out if you have not already.

But the biggest surprise is "Clean (bare)." It's shot like a very casual music video, in Corbijnesque black and white, while Gore strums a guitar and Gahan delivers a heartfelt, sensitive rendition of the lyrics. It's an acoustic, melancholy, achingly beautiful surprise, and the guitar riff is just faintly reminiscent of the moldy oldie "House of the Rising Sun." It may be the best version of "Clean" I have ever heard.

IN CLOSING:

If you like Depeche Mode, Playing the Angel is a must-buy. It will be in your head for weeks or months to come. And the extras on the DVD are worth just a bit more cash for all but the stingiest of music lovers.

Pick this one up. There will be no disappointments.

I am tired of the harsh reviews of this current album as well as the previous two. First and foremost, we all know that one large constituent is missing and will be missing forever, Alan Wilder. The album is a compromise between the three remaining members (albeit a very good one), implementing vintage instrumentals with new technology as well, which ultimately creates a nice balance.

Perhaps I think one of the biggest hang-ups for some Depeche Mode fans is the lack of innovation as they see fit. However, how many times can you sample fireworks going off or perhaps other sounds such as sticks sliding across corrugated tin? You have to keep the music fresh and that is what Playing The Angel has accomplished. Dare I say and much to some people's chagrin, each track has an inadvertent cross reference to a past album.

For instance, "I Want It All" has a relaxed poise reminiscent of Exciter, "Suffer Well" contains a driving drum and bass line from Music For The Masses, "Darkest Star" has elements from Songs Of Faith and Devotion and Violator. All songs balancing a nice healthy dose of "Depressed Mode."

Finally, what is the problem with having one instrumental track on the album? We all know that after Black Celebration, Depeche Mode had started incorporating instrumentals into each bit of their tracks, for instance, the instrumental between "Blue Dress" and "Clean" and had provided even more to their b-side catalogues. Any true die hard Depeche Mode fan has to accept these as nice "classically" based tidbits from Martin.

The album in my humble opinion is worth a five star rating considering what Depeche had to work with. Yes, there are portions of the album in which some static (though intentional) may interfere with some of the listeners; however, I think the album is a heathly homage to Moog and other synths which people at this time have now relegated to the dumpster. Good job Depeche!

This is the dark angel we have anticipated for some time. I don't want to knock the past few albums, as I believe that Depeche has never released a bad album. They are all profound works of art that capture in their unique ways snapshots from the skilled brain of Martin Gore followed by the haunting, soothing baritone of Dave Gahan. Ultra and Exciter are lush, polished epics that allowed the boys to spread their wings and fly freely without their musical wunderkind anchor, Alan Wilder. For instance, "Angel of Night" is one of the most gorgeous and enduring songs ever written. "Dream On" is pure lyrical genius. However, this new work, in total, captures the brilliant edginess and completeness of Black Celebration; and then transcends it in so many ways.

Introspectre is a soothing Christmas Island. John The Revelator: pure exhilarated biblical/mythic rock. Precious: a haunting ode to the preservation of innocence. Lilian: a sumptuous romantic swing through ecstasy. Macro: a modernized Alan Watts' joyous cosmology. Each song carries a world unto itself that opens up new vistas with every listen.

I have read that Martin Gore's recent divorce has colored these songs with imprints of pain, and concern for his children. Fame and fortune are no safeguards against the harshness of life; though there is a real sense of hopefulness that emerges, despite the pain. Depeche Mode has always been a band of "electronic Bodhisattvas" mining their own psyches and dabbling in the darker realms of consciousness to reveal universal truths; and ultimately, celebrate the good and the joy that is in the world. This work of "pain and suffering in various tempos" proves to be another masterpiece from a band that chose to go to the core of what they were about since the beginning: making machines into tools of the human nervous system while fleshing out the nuances of the human condition in beautiful melodies...to accompany the voice in humanizing us. How lovely an album they have created after all these years. The black celebration has never really ended, while blasphemous rumors can now be squelched.

Depeche Mode has returned in all their harmonic glory with new spiritual offerings to move us deeply. Their eternal appeal is shining on and on.

Exciter, the band's previous album, released in 2001, left many DM fans wondering if the band still had it in them to create another "exciting" album (pun very much intended). Well, Playing the Angel proves fans need not worry - the boys are still on top of their game. They have put together an extremely fun, yet extremely dark and brooding masterpiece that draws from the best elements of past records, while maintaining its own distinctive sound.

The album begins with the uptempo number, A Pain That I'm Used To. This was one of the three tracks that I allowed myself to listen to before the release date (the entire album leaked beforehand, as is normally the case nowadays). Now, I can't decide whether that was a good choice or not. Hearing that opening note (an alarming and distorted synth) for the first time on release date would have been an interesting (if not heart attack-inducing) experience. Nonetheless, I instantly fell in love with the song's captivating combination of a heavy, yet definitely danceable beat and that infectious gospel-tinged chorus - "All this running around, well it's getting me down/Just give me a pain that I'm used to/I don't need to believe all the dreams you conceive/You just need to achieve something that rings true." This is slated to be the second single from this album.

The industrial pop meets gospel method is perfect on the following track, John the Revelator. From the carousel full of fun sounds to the on-target vocal work, the song is an instant success, and the guys from DM knew it. You can hear a bit of well-deserved pride in lead singer Dave Gahan's voice as he asks, "Well who's that shouting?/John the Revelator!/All he ever gives us is pain/Well who's that shouting?/John the Revelator!/He should bow his head in shame." The song is brimming with radio potential and is rumored to be the third single.

Suffer Well is the third track on the album, and the first of three to be written by Gahan (PTA is the first time record featuring songs with lyrics not written by Martin Gore). The song somewhat drops the in-your-face approach of the first two tracks while adding that intoxicating, yet nonintrusive guitar that has been creeping its way into DM's work ever since Violator. Make no mistake though, the track is still heavily electronic based (as is the entire album), and although the title may invoke feelings otherwise, this is one of the lighter songs on the record.

The beautiful brooding continues with The Sinner In Me. One of the darkest and moodiest tracks succeeds where similar songs on other recent DM albums have failed for many - to maintain interest even when they slow things down a bit. This track with its religious-influenced message and its mid-song distorted guitar breakdown, sounds like something that could have been found on 1993's Songs of Faith and Devotion. Next up is the acclaimed first single from the album, Precious. Many fans are putting this on "Enjoy the Silence" level greatness. While I do not hold out hope that DM will ever regain that level of popularity (especially in the US), I have to say that they could not have done a better job trying. The track features everything that Depeche Mode does best - danceable synth-meets piano line beats, minimal distorted guitar, and an exceptionally contagious chorus - "Things get damaged/Things get broken/I thought we'd manage/But words left unspoken/Left us so brittle/There was so little left to give."

Macro is the sixth track on the album and the first to feature Martin Gore on lead vocals. This song is the first to really slow the tempo down considerably. While the song is a difficult listen at first (very unlike the first five extremely catchy tracks), to some it will pay off in the end - the gothic minimalist beat combines with Gore's brooding vocals beautifully. Although normally every DM album features a Gore ballad, I think fans will be split on whether or not this track is a success. Continuing with the slower-tempo portion of the album, the second of the Gahan-written songs is track seven, I Want It All. A trip-hop influenced beat (that sounds like it would be right at home on a Massive Attack or Portishead album) backs up Gahan's vocals on this track that could have easily been found on their 1997 album, Ultra. Personally, I think the track is a beautiful success (especially the last two minutes), yet I have the feeling that it could have been condensed to no more than five minutes instead of over six. Some may find this to be a filler or skip-over track. I think that depends on whether you see Ultra as one of your favorite DM albums or consider it to be not-so-memorable.

Nothing's Impossible picks the pace of the album back up, and is the last of the three Gahan written tracks on the album. This song is one of my favorites as it conjures memories of my favorite DM album, 1986's Black Celebration. To me, this song lyrically resembles a less hopeful "But Not Tonight" (found on BC). Next up is the inescapable DM instrumental, Introspectre. However well the track does its job of continuing the mood of the album, I agree with others who think the b-side "Free" (which can be found on the "Precious" single), or any other b-side for that matter, would have been a more desirable choice here.

The second of the two songs featuring Martin Gore on lead vocals is track ten, Damaged People. This one is definitely my favorite of the two. The almost creepy music often brings the listener to a point of hope, then wonderfully crushes back down upon us again. Gore's vocal work on the song is perfect (no, not near perfect - just damn perfect) and so fittingly dark that it makes you feel like he was simply aching to sing the words, "When you're in my arms/The world makes sense/There is no pretense/And you're crying/When you're by my side/There is no defense/I forget to sense/I'm dying." The next track, Lilian sounds like classic DM and reminds me a lot of what "Precious" would sound like had it been released on either Music for the Masses or Violator. Lyrically, it encompasses the general mood of the entire album - "pain and misery always hit the spot, knowing you can't lose what you haven't got."

The last track on the album is The Darkest Star. This is the song where the album garnered its name from. This, along with "Damaged People" are the two most morose tracks on the album. The Darkest Star is a slow, intensely haunting closing track that may unsettle you somewhat, and most likely takes the cake as the darkest on the album - lyrically and musically. Lyrically, it doesn't get much more macabre than this, "Oh you sad one/Playing the angel/Isn't so easy where you're from/Oh you wild one/Devil's companion/You won't stay satisfied for long...I don't want you to change anything you do/I don't want you to be someone else for me/Stay as you are the darkest star." And the pounding piano and synth lines back up the somber lyrics and vocal work of Gahan most fittingly.

4.5 Stars in reality, but 5.0 just because that's not an option!

Depeche Mode couldn't have picked a better time for a comeback, on the eve of their 25 year anniversary and with many of their peers from the 80's making impressive comebacks (i.e. New Order). Exciter was too digital and Ultra was released during a dark period in DM's history. On "Playing the Angel", DM gives the analog snythesizers a 2005 kick. Tracks like "A Pain That Im Used To" and "The Sinner in Me" are sonic soundscapes full of experimentism. "John The Relevator" has an extremely mean and catchy riff to it, it could be a huge song if released as a single. "Precious" is a beautiful song about a failed marriage and the effects on the children. Their is one big thing that seperates this album from prior DM releases, David Gahan has three writing credits! The songs that Gahan contributed are very strong, "Suffer Well" is remiscent of "Behind the Wheel" with thumping drums. "I Want It all" has a great disconnected, nocturnal sound. "Damaged People" is also very good, with its mumured vocals and driving synths and some chilling effects. "Lilian" is a pure dance song with bittersweet emotion. Their is no filler on "PTA", all the tracks have their place. A classic DM release. The deluxe edition is the purchase to make for DM fans, the 5.1 is great and the extras are very cool.