Depeche Mode back to its roots

Playing the Angel begins with a loud, warbling, distorted noise that will make your neighbors wonder why they hear a bomb raid siren. It's sounding the alarm that Depeche Mode is back, and they're leading a 52-minute assault on good moods everywhere. The new album is much edgier, angstier and more aggressive than its sleepy, ironically-titled predecessor, Exciter. But does a little extra energy make a better album? You're damn right it does.\nSongwriter Martin Gore turns in his strongest set of songs in years. This album is destined to produce new favorites that rank among hits like "Policy of Truth" and "Enjoy the Silence," from 1991's Violator.\nThe first song, "Pain That I'm Used To" immediately dives into the classic Depeche Mode sound: moody fits of insecurity and depression you can dance to. It starts with something simple but catchy -- the bassline in this case -- but it only stays simple long enough to pull you in. Once the groove has you, it creeps up and down the scale in a minor key, taking your mood along for the ride. "Suffer Well" also follows this same tried-and-true formula and is bound to be popular with fans.\nA re-imagining of the classic spiritual, "John the Revelator," might be the best track on the album. It boasts a very danceable, aggressive beat, paired with David Gahan's rhythmic vocals that are at least quasi-soulful. But the melody itself is angry, and only seems to increase in intensity as the track progresses. Where this track is a radical departure -- both from the original song, and Depeche Mode's repertoire -- is the angry accusations made by the lyrics. "John the Revelator" is portrayed as a "smooth operator" pushing a "book of lies." It's sure to resonate with many Depeche Mode fans, offend the religious right and leave everybody in between wondering why any of this matters.\nIf Playing the Angel as a whole has one weakness, it's the consistently gloomy mood. The happiest-sounding track is the radio single, "Precious," which isn't exactly a ray of sunshine, it's more like a rainy day on an album otherwise filled with perpetual darkness.\nNot that all the tracks are great, either. "Macro," one of the two songs sung by Gore, just seems like filler. However, to Gore's credit, the other track he sings on, "Damaged People," though easy to overlook for many, is compositionally far more complex than anything else on the record.\nAlthough you won't want to listen to it on repeat all day, Playing the Angel will still make a great contribution to your music library. Mode fans: buy it now.