Izdavač: Ostalo
Žanr: Alternativni Rok, Elektronska muzika, Pop, Rok
Poreklo: Strani izvođač

Original, made in EU
Knjizica od 16 str.

knjizica 5 Cd 4

Studio album by Depeche Mode
Released 17 October 2005
Recorded January–July 2005[1]
Studios
Sound Design (Santa Barbara, California)
Stratosphere Sound (New York City)
Whitfield Street (London)
Genres
Electronic rock[2]post-punk[3]synth-pop
Length 52:16
Label Mute
Producer Ben Hillier
Depeche Mode chronology
Remixes 81–04
(2004) Playing the Angel
(2005) The Best of Depeche Mode Volume 1
(2006)
Playing the Angel is the eleventh studio album by the English electronic music band Depeche Mode. It was first released on 17 October 2005 by Mute Records in the United Kingdom, and a day later by Sire Records and Reprise Records in the United States.[4] It was supported by the Touring the Angel tour and the four singles `Precious`, `A Pain That I`m Used To`, `Suffer Well`, and `John the Revelator` / `Lilian`. The album reached number one in over 10 countries and entered the top 10 in the United Kingdom and United States.

Background and composition
Playing the Angel is the first Depeche Mode album to feature writing contributions from lead singer Dave Gahan.[5] He wrote the lyrics to `Suffer Well`, `I Want It All` and `Nothing`s Impossible`, while Christian Eigner and Andrew Phillpott wrote the music. Gahan is the lead singer on all songs except for the instrumental `Introspectre`, and Martin Gore-sung tracks `Macro` and `Damaged People`. Gahan also sings backing vocals on `Macro`. Tracks recorded during the Playing the Angel sessions that did not make the album include `Martyr`, which was originally planned to be the lead single but was eventually deemed too poppy for the album and saved for The Best of Depeche Mode Volume 1. Other songs include `Free`, which ended up on the `Precious` single and the Japanese version of Playing the Angel.

Lyrically, some of the themes that appear quite often are faith, sin, pain, and suffering. Gore said that the track `John The Revelator` talks about faith but claims that `It also denounces the belief in a god who punishes and damns`.[6] Gahan explained that the origin of the track `Suffer Well` has to do with when a friend of his told him to `suffer well` (likely during his time as a substance abuser in the 1990s) and the line stuck with Gahan.[7] Another subject that Gore wrote about was his divorce from his wife. The track `Precious` was written about how Gore`s children were coping with their parents` divorce. Gore stated that `[t]he song ends with the verse `I know you`ve learned to trust / keep faith in both of us`. All of our songs, even the most depressive ones, contain hope`.[8][failed verification]

Musically, the album has a much more raw and gritty sound than its predecessor. Gillian Telling of Rolling Stone described the album`s sound as featuring `the band`s classic blend of synth-pop beats, heavy guitar riffs and dark lyrics`.[9] The album has been called a more organic record for using more analogue synths than digital ones. In addition, most of the soundscapes presented are harsher and groovier than the more mellow Exciter. Producer Ben Hillier said that the verses on opening track `A Pain That I`m Used To` were extremely difficult to get right and Gore believed that the intro was also extremely difficult. According to Hillier, the choruses came together very well.[10][11] Gore also told Keyboard Magazine that he had been listening to a lot of gospel music and that it directly inspired the track `John The Revelator` though the track strays far from its inspiration. Hillier also recalled that the tracks `Suffer Well` and `The Sinner in Me` were massively changed from their original demos.[12] `Nothing`s Impossible` was also massively changed from its demo and was transformed into one of the heaviest and more distorted songs on the album. The demo version of `Nothing`s Impossible` appears on the deluxe edition of Sounds of the Universe.

Release
In mid-July 2005, the unfinished video for `Precious` was leaked online. It is believed to have been leaked through the website of the production team that helped make the video.

The album was released as a Copy Controlled CD and a deluxe SACD/DVD version (CD/DVD version in the United States) which includes the album on hybrid multi-channel SACD as the main disc and a bonus DVD featuring an exclusive studio performance of `Clean` (from Violator), the video for `Precious`, a photo gallery and a 5.1 mix of the album. There is also a documentary on the making of the album. All ten of the earlier Depeche Mode albums were re-released in similar format to Playing the Angel, a CD/SACD hybrid (in the US simply a remastered CD) with a DVD featuring a 5.1 mix of each album and a documentary, though Playing the Angel`s documentary is far less extensive and also shorter than the classic ones. The album was also released on vinyl as double LP housed in gatefold sleeve.

The iTunes deluxe edition of the album has several bonuses, including another `bare` version of a Violator track, `Waiting for the Night`, and the music video for `Precious`. People who placed the album on pre-order were eligible to participate in a ticket pre-sale for most Touring the Angel concerts, the first time such an offer was made by iTunes and Ticketmaster.

All tracks are written by Martin L. Gore, except where noted.

Standard edition
No. Title Writer(s) Lead vocals Length
1. `A Pain That I`m Used To` 4:11
2. `John the Revelator` 3:42
3. `Suffer Well`
GahanEignerPhillpott
3:49
4. `The Sinner in Me` 4:56
5. `Precious` 4:10
6. `Macro` Gore 4:03
7. `I Want It All`
GahanEignerPhillpott
6:09
8. `Nothing`s Impossible`
GahanEignerPhillpott
4:21
9. `Introspectre` instrumental 1:42
10. `Damaged People` Gore 3:29
11. `Lilian` 4:49
12. `The Darkest Star` 6:55
Total length: 52:16

Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Playing the Angel.[31]

Depeche Mode
Andy Fletcher
Dave Gahan
Martin Gore
Additional musicians
Dave McCracken – programming (all tracks); piano (track 12; miscredited to track 7 in the booklet)
Richard Morris – programming
Christian Eigner – original programming (tracks 3, 7, 8)
Andrew Phillpott – original programming (tracks 3, 7, 8)
Technical
Ben Hillier – production, mixing, engineering
Steve Fitzmaurice – mixing at Whitfield Street Studios (London)
Richard Morris – engineering
Nick Sevilla – recording assistance
Arjun Agerwala – recording assistance
Rudyard Lee Cullers – recording assistance
Devin Workman – recording assistance, mixing assistance
Kt Rangnick – recording assistance, mixing assistance
Emily Lazar – mastering at The Lodge (New York City)
Sarah Register – mastering assistance
Artwork
Anton Corbijn – art direction, photography, cover design
Four5one.com – design