Playing The Angel

1. A Pain That I'm Used To 4.11
I'm not sure
What I'm looking for anymore
I just know
That I'm harder to console
I don't see who I'm trying to be
Instead of me
But the key
Is a question of control

Can you say
What you're trying to play anyway
I just pay
While you're breaking all the rules
All the signs that I find
Have been underlined
Devils thrive on the drive
That is fuelled

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

There's a hole in your soul
Like an animal
With no conscience
Repentance unknown
Close your eyes
Pay the price for your paradise
Devils feed on the seeds
That are sown

Can't conceal what I feel
What I know is real
No mistaking the faking
I care
With a prayer in the air
I will leave it there
On a note full of hope
Not despair

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
2. John The Revelator 3.42
John the Revelator
Put him in an elevator
Take him up to the highest high
Take him up to the top
Where the mountains stop
Let him tell his book of lies

John the Revelator
He's a smooth operator
It's time we cut him down to size
Take him by the hand
And put him on the stand
Let us hear his alibis

By claiming God
As his holy right
He's stealing a God
From the Israelites
Stealing a God
From the Muslim too
There is only one God
Through and through

Seven lies multiplied by seven
Multiplied by seven again
Seven angels with seven trumpets
Send them home on the morning train

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

By and By
By and By
By and By
By and By
3. Suffer Well 3.50
Where were you when I fell from grace
Frozen heart, an empty space
Something's changing, it's in your eyes
Please don't speak, you'll only lie
I found treasure not where I thought
Peace of mind can't be bought
Still I believe

I just hang on
Suffer well
Sometimes it's hard
It's hard to tell

An angel led me when I was blind
I said take me back, I've changed my mind
Now I believe
From the blackest room, I was torn
You called my name, our love was born
So I believe

I just hang on
Suffer well
Sometimes it's hard
It's hard to tell

I just hang on
Suffer well
Sometimes it's hard
So hard to tell
4. The Sinner In Me 4.55
If I could just hide
The sinner inside
And keep him denied
How sweet life would be
If I could be free
From the sinner in me

I'll never be a saint
That's not a picture that your memory paints
Not renowned for my patience
I'm not renowned for my restraint
But you're always around
You can always be found
To pick me up when I'm on the ground

If I could just hide
The sinner inside
And keep him denied
How sweet life would be
If I could be free
From the sinner in me

I'm still recovering
Still getting over all the suffering
More known for my anger
Than for any other thing
But you've always tried
To be by my side
And catch my fall when I start to slide

If I could just hide
The sinner inside
And keep him denied
How sweet life would be
If I could be free
From the sinner in me
5. Precious 4.10
Precious and fragile things
Need special handling
My God what have we done to You?

We always try to share
The tenderest of care
Now look what we have put You through...

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

Angels with silver wings
Shouldn't know suffering
I wish I could take the pain for You

If God has a master plan
That only He understands
I hope it's Your eyes He's seeing through

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

I pray You learn to trust
Have faith in both of us
And keep room in Your heart for two

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
6. Macro 4.02
Overflowing senses
Heightened awareness
I hear my blood flow
I feel its caress
Whispering cosmos
Talking right to me
Unlimited, endless
God breathing through me

See the microcosm
In macrovision
Our bodies moving
With pure precision
One universal
Celebration
One evolution
One creation

Thundering rhythm
Pounding within me
Driving me onwards
Forcing me to see
Clear and enlightening
Right there before me
Brilliantly shining
Intricate beauty

See the microcosm
In macrovision
Our bodies moving
With pure precision
One universal
Celebration
One evolution
One creation
7. I Want It All 6.10
I see a river
It's oceans that I want
You have to give me everything
Everything's not enough

It's my desire
To give myself to you
Sometimes

Sometimes I try
Sometimes I lie, with you
Sometimes I cry
Sometimes I die, it's true
Somewhere I find
Something that's kind

And I've crossed the line again
A line I drew in sand
Still you give me everything
And everything's not enough

I'm ready but not willing
To give myself to you
Sometimes

Sometimes I try
Sometimes I lie, with you
Sometimes I cry
Sometimes I die, it's true
Somewhere I find
Something that's kind

Come on over
Lay down beside me
And I'll try
Come on over
Lay down beside me
And I'll try
And I'll try

I want it all
8. Nothing's Impossible 4.21
Just give me a reason, some kind of sign
I'll need a miracle to help me this time
I heard what you said, and I feel the same
I know in my heart that I'll have to change

Even the stars look brighter tonight
Nothing's impossible
I still believe in love at first sight
Nothing's impossible

How did we get to be this far apart?
Lets take a chance, go back to the start
I want to be with you, have something to share
I want to be here, I am not there

Even the stars look brighter tonight
Nothing's impossible
I still believe in love at first sight
Nothing's impossible
Even the stars look brighter tonight
Nothing's impossible
If you believe in love at first sight
Nothing's impossible

I still believe in love at first sight
Nothing's impossible
9. Introspectre 1.42
Instrumental - no lyrics
10. Damaged People 3.28
We're damaged people
Drawn together
By subtleties that we are not awareof
Disturbed souls
Playing out forever
These games that we once thoughtwe would be scared of

When you're in my arms
The world makessense
There is no pretence
And you're crying
When you're by myside
There is no defence
I forget to sense I'm dying

We're damagedpeople
Praying for something
That doesn't come from somewhere deep insideus
Depraved souls
Trusting in the one thing
The one thing that thislife has not denied us

When I feel the warmth of your very soul
Iforget I'm cold
And crying
When your lips touch mine
And I losecontrol
I forget I'm old
And dying
11. Lilian 4.46
Oh, Lilian
Look what you've done
You've stripped my heart
Ripped it apart
In the name of fun

Oh, Lilian
I'm a poor man's son
And precious jewels
Weren't found in schools
Where I came from

Pain and misery always hit the spot
Knowing you can't lose what you haven't got

Oh, Lilian
I should have run
I should have known
Each dress you own
Is a loaded gun

Oh, Lilian

Oh, Lilian
I need protection
I hear your voice
And any choice I had is gone

Oh, Lilian
Once I begun
I couldn't stop
'til every drop of blood was sung

Pain and misery always hit the spot
Knowing you can't lose what you haven't got

Oh, Lilian
Look what you've done
You stripped my heart
Ripped it apart
In the name of fun

Oh, Lilian
Oh, Lilian
Oh, Lilian
Oh, Lilian
12. The Darkest Star 6.55
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

Oh you dark one
Eternal outsider
Caught in the spider's web you've spun

Oh you blind one
Gentle and kind one
Seeing the world as a loaded gun

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

Shining for me
Majestically

あれはだれだ・・・預言者ヨハネさ

冒頭の２曲にノックアウトされた。「ア・ペイン・ザット・アイム・ユースト・トゥー」「ジョン・ザ・レヴェレーター」・・・映像作品「ツアーリング・ジ・エンジェル」のライヴでも、ご丁寧にこの２曲が冒頭で演奏されていた。
もちろん、このアルバムはその２曲だけのアルバムじゃない。デイヴ・ガーンが３曲も書いている。そのどれもが優れているから驚きだ。
マーティン・ゴアが歌う「ダメージド・ピープル」は切ないバラードだ。「ブラック・セレブレーション」の「ア・クエスチョン・オブ・ラスト」よりもずっと重たいバラードだ。
デイヴが書いた曲で最も優れているのは「サファー・ウェール」であろう。私事だが、「〜ウェール」のリミックス１２インチは家に２枚ある。それほど好きな曲だ。私に限って言えば「プレシャス」よりも好きな曲だ。
アルバム・トータルで完成度は「ミュージック・フォー・ザ・マスィズ」級であろう。このヴァージョンにはボーナス・トラックはないが、それでも聴いてみるといいですよ。

やや単調か・・・・

前作エキサイターと比較すると、攻撃的なサウンドが目立ち、アグレッシブな印象を与える作品だが、やや楽曲のアレンジに幅がなく、全体としては単調な感じが・・・・。ゴアのメロディも８０年代、９０年代前半と比べると精彩がなくなってきたように感じる。こう感じるのは、あくまで全盛期と比較するゆえの評価であり、アルバム単体としては力作と言えるだろう。本作からボーカルのデイブガーンによる曲が入っており、今後、ゴア・ガーン体制のソングライティングとなり新機軸となるのか気になるところだ。

仕様注意

これはEUプリントのハイブリッドSACDでした。
ハイブリッドなのでふつうのCDプレーヤーで再生できますが、
DVDのほうは、PAL方式なので再生不可能です。
ご注意を。

最高の楽曲とパフォーマンス

～5.1システムとその為のだけの空間をこのアルバムの為だけに得るべきだと心底思った。
そのシステムを通さなくとも、3次元空間を創成している。彼らの曲はオーケストレーションが完璧な楽曲ながら、このアルバムはそれが更に進化。Martin L. GoreはJohn Cageよりも、Shoenbergに近いかもしれない。声の入れ方（歌い方）も楽器のようにコントロールされながら(Damaed～～ peopleの揺らぎのコーラスと半音進行の危ういバランスの完璧さ)、それにもかかわらずメロディアスで、エモーショナル。本来の彼らの魅力であるメロディとポップさとそのリズムは決して失ってない。詩も完璧だ。
彼らが色々と着手し、その大成として”到達した”と表現しても良い、素晴らしいアルバム。

ジャケットは赤い羽の方のDVDが付いたDELUXE～～ EDITIONを特にお薦めします。～

日本来ないですかね～

まず触れておかなければいけないのは、「これはiTunesでインポート
できました」ってことじゃないでしょうか。

SACDですが、ふつうのCDともコンパチなので、普通にプレイできると
思います。
F&*K CCCDと言いたいですね。

DVDについては、英語字幕が選べますんで、それを見てれば大意は
分かるのではないかと思います。

プロデューサーいわく、「生っぽく、クランチーな音にしようとした」

マーティンいわく、「前二作よりテンポが速くなってるね。最近DJしてる
ことからの無意識の影響かな」などなど。

スタジオ風景からは、AKAIのMPC2000を使ってることが分かったり、
プロデューサーがいかにDMのコラボレーションをスムースにしてるかが
分かったりします。

Daveのヴォーカルトレーニング風景など、かなり興味深いです。
「彼は本当にハードにヴォイトレをするんだよ」なんてコメントを
プロデューサーが残してます。

Preciousのヴィデオも入ってますが、昔のゴスっぽさ／退廃感は薄れて
きてるのかな～という印象ですね。

ヘヴィでダーク、適度なポップの匙加減、遂に帰還

前作『Exciter』におけるマーク・ベルのソリッドなサウンド処理は
先鋭的ではあるが良くも悪くも90年代的でした。

今回はデイヴもコンポーズに参加しているようですが、このところ
いまひとつ調子の出なかったマーティンの描き出す叙情的なメロディ
の完全復活が嬉しいところ。

誰もが傑作と見做す『Violator』，『Songs Of Faith And Devotion 』
をついつい引き合いに出しがちですが寧ろ『Black Celebration 』の
現代版とも言える様式美溢れるゴシック（この辺は’80リバイバルに
上手く便乗か・笑）テイストとDEPECHE流のキャッチーさが復活。

俗っぽいメロとインダストリアルを排除して、90年代に養ったブルー
ジィなギターサウンドとしなやかなグルーヴ感を纏った'００年代に
相応しい傑作を創り上げてくれました。