Playing The Angel (Special Edition/+DVD) - Depeche Mode

Advantages: Familar Depeche stylings, good production, respectable DVD extras
Disadvantages: Not breaking new ground, some songs over familiar and borderline good

...a correct manner. For Playing The Angel, the Mode enlisted Ben Hillier's (who's produced Doves and Blur) help for production. After the too feathery sound of 2001's Exciter, the mostly beefy sounds here made the fans smiles return, even if not entirely. The reason why PTA works is because it's largely a safe album. Instead of branching out into stuff like near trip-hop (which is a term some have used to describe '97's Ultra), the band looked at ...
...it, as much as possible. While PTA's no nadir, it's certainly the best record since the last Wilder album (Songs of Faith and Devotion - '93). At the same time this cosiness comes at a price. Certain songs, for instance first single Precious, is quite too close to the hit 1990 single Enjoy The Silence, but without the bombastic pazzazz, nor is the production comparable to that of Flood, who perhaps raised the bar in DM's sound in the 90's. Opener, ... Read review