Grade: D
Playing the Angel is the new effort from 80s super-group Depeche Mode, and after listening to it, it’s evident that they should have died out with the 80s.
A quote is scrolled across the back of their new album, which reads “pain and suffering in various tempos.” No truer words have ever been written, describing what the listener must endure when listening to this album.
The first song on the album, “A Pain That I’m Used To,” starts the album off on the wrong foot with obnoxious, loud noises and a boring beat.
The lyrics and beats are frustrating because Depeche Mode seems to try too hard, and in effect, the songs come off as stale and lame.
The second-to-last song on the album, “Lilian,” is the shining star of Depeche Mode’s new effort. The song is interesting because of its energy. If the other songs were as interesting as “Lilian,” the album may have had a chance.
Many of the songs on the album are much too long, with two tracks clocking in at over six minutes. The already boring songs aren’t helped by the unneeded length.
Depeche Mode, who formed in 1980, paved the way for many new wave artists. Unlike in their heyday, Depeche Mode fails to have the same impact and energy.
