What would you like the next New Order album to sound like?

It was in the Manchester Evening a couple of weeks back: a source close to NO stated that the new album should be a lot rockier than their previous stuff, that they don't write as many keyboard parts as they used to.

I remember two distinct reactions (of mine, that is) when albums came out: disappointment with Republic, because I wanted it so much to have sounded like Technique, and perplexity with Get ready, because I missed more beat-orientated tracks. Obviously I have learnt to love them both, and I think they're both great albums, but given their output in the '80s, a track like Here to stay leaves me but missing the "good ol'days", yet the prospect of a mere dance album a la the Pet Shop Boys leaves me cold.

What are your expectations?

My expectations are :

a) a long wait b) that at least one of the tracks will be unexpected c) half of Get Ready shows us the way they are going, more Close Ranges and less 586s. Rock The Shack still worries me though.

Whilst highly unlikely, I would like them to go off on another tangent and do some off-the-wall avante garde electronic stuff. There is so much good stuff out there (boards of canada etc) and NO could do this sort of stuff standing on their heads and still sound distinctive. Surely they have enough money to be able to 'indulge' themselves and surprise us all again, be less commercial.....wishful thinking:D

They should be sound more like Joy Division.Dark,emotional and more Rock. (Sorry for my bad englisch).

This may sound funny, but I never have any expectations from New Order albums. I suppose that until Republic and Get Ready, I had always had the opportunity to either hear the songs beforehand, either personally seeing them play them or by hearing live recordings. On occasion I managed to acquire demos of the songs as well. This is why I was so enamoured of Low Life and so disappointed by Brotherhood.

Any new recording will be a surprise package, I will be enthralled by the synth sounds (always am at first listen), disappointed by how lame and repetitive the guitar songs sound on first listen (unlike Get Ready, which actually had me being enthusiastic about 60mph for all of ten minutes), and how Barney's lyrics don't improve.

Then I will listen to it again and again, and new things will find their way into my conscious and subconscious from out of those speakers, and all will be well again.

As for what I would like them to do, I suppose I would love another ten things that sound like a cross between Let's Go and EGG, but with a synthetic symphony and a big rifftastic jump up and down guitar anthem as well. They do them best, after all !

My expectation of Get Ready was spot on. I knew after Twisted Tenderness that the next NO album would head down the rockier route with the odd synth track thrown in. The Olympia gig confirmed this. No bad thing of course due to the disappointment of Republic which started good with Regret but went slightly pear shaped. Tim's last paragraph I think sums up what most of us would want for the next album.

"Primitive Notion" should be a good reference!

Originally posted by Marco Pleil "Primitive Notion" should be a good reference!

If only, Marco ! I think the fact it didn't appear live spoke volumes though.....

I think hoping for a Brotherhood A-side is asking too much, but I would like the sound to be either stripped down to the basics or Technique style electro-rock. More Crystals, Primitive Notions, Guilty Partners and Dream Attacks for me please!

Cant see it deviating much from the punchy tracks on GetReady to be honest.

Still that aint such a bad thing!

Lets hope Barney can delve into that wonderful imagination of his and write some more indepth lyrics than of washing his car

I just hope that its exactly the opposite of what John Mcready wants, which is an album deviod of run wild's. If its like Get Ready you wont hear me complaining, assuming of course, there is no Rock the Shack.

The sheer expectation of a new batch of songs and anticipation of concerts to coincide with a new release is usually enough for me.Lowlife was the last album to satisfy me in its entirety.I trust them enough to produce at least one classic per album and as long as they're still around there's still a chance at a masterpiece.

Something different....every New Order album is fantastic (yes, even Republic) because it changes everytime and alters everyone's expectations about what they can do musically. Although the era of TPK and Vanishing Point may be in the past, New Order should not simply do a Get Ready 2, they should continue to branch out, and dare to be more experimental. More electronics and keyboards, less crunching guitars and inane lyrics.

I expect a massive effort to appeal to today's youth, with Jay-Z and Fifty Cent sharing producing duties (and gunfire) in the control booth, Britney and Beyonce on backing vocals, and Simon Cowell calling Barney's voice "horrific" and bringing in Clay Aiken to be the new "face" of New Order :D

and J.Lo will shake her ass in the video for "Primative Funkadelic Break Beats"

i want them to sound like joy division...but im crazy like that.. i at least want a true remade version of some of there older songs...Novelty..Atompshere...i love those songs would be nice to hear Barney take a shot at it.

My ship works better when I kick it......

I really would like the next New Order album to sound a little more electronic and less guitarish.

It would be great if they went about the album the way Barney did with Electronic's first album. That is one genius piece of work. Tighten up is one of my favorite songs of all time.

Yeah you're all right, guys. It's better not to think much on it - just to be surprised all of a sudden then :) But why did almost nobody point at the beat? I mean Stephen Morris is a great drummer (way) and always at home with drum-machines as well. But GET READY left me frustrated and still does at that point - drum programming is so weak there :( Okay, let it be a guitar album (we can't change it), but let it be more upbeat. What can a man dance to? No pink floyds and ledzeps (sorry, Almanso :D)

Well I was hugely disappointed w/Movement, Brotherhood, and Republic so whatever they have in common I hope they can avoid (oddly, I think the main thing is poor production, a very vague, dull sameness that seemed to take the edge off all three albums and make them seem very gray, and dead, like a fish that someone forgot on the beach).

If they can figure out how to make beautiful and rocking tunes again, and if Barney can write humorless, eloquent and simple and straight forward lyrics again that would be nice.

Unfortunately I just don't have the passion for New Order that I used to, my first discoveries of Technique, Low-Life, PCL, and the singles and b-sides collection Substance were just groundbreaking events in my life, but everything New Order related that has come across since just hasn't done much for me, other than Regret and Special.

So a return to form, w/o a reliance on repetitiveness would be nice :).

Good comments all, above.

I would hope that it has Hooky's screaming bass, Mr. Morris kicking ass on the kit, with some nice loops thrown in, (hopefully) Gillian giving it a little texture and Barney with some nice guitar riffs (simple is best) and some vague lyrics. That really sums up the New Order sound. At least when a New Order track (whatever it is, except for maybe Rock the Shack) is played, most people know it is New Order. That is a hard feat to accomplish.

Production is also important. Sometimes Hooky's bass is down too low in the mix and the drums should be tight (nailed down with spikes to quote Mr. Jones), but it is so nice to hear them done by a human (read Brotherhood Side A).

We're really lucky to get anything at all, old as they are.

But still an original of the species.

I guess for me, when I first discoverd them, New Order was an underground band. At least here in the states. Hard to know what their perception was back home. The pop stuff is nice, and they're good at it, but I would prefer some of the more edgy, dark stuff. This Time of Night, Sunrise, In a Lonely Place.

Guitar based or heavy synth, doesn't matter. They're still going to write great songs. But I don't know if the angst of their youth... angst isn't the right word. That thing they had which led to We All Stand and Love Vigilantes. I don't know if they can get that back, or if they even want to. It's a bit selfish and unrealistic to expect a band not to change and mature. Problem is, I fell in love with NO in my youth, and that's what they represent for me. I want them to go back in time and write 3 more albums worth of 1983-1986 brand New Order.

Rock the Shack? They were just making fun of Blur, weren't they?

Originally posted by Jason Henneman Rock the Shack? They were just making fun of Blur, weren't they?

Ha, never thought of that. That's a nice rendition

Going back in time is possible for those who cannot offer anything new since the time gone (read: Modern Talking, CC Catch, Neil Young and others). But that's alas, aye? I guess the only guys who keep up with time change and their own ability to have the same old atmosphere of musical pattern are the Pet Shop Boys.

Be great if it sounded like New Order

Originally posted by Spike would be nice to hear Barney take a shot at it

Barney ? What happened to BERNEY ?

Stay in character spike

Different from the last one would help.

Not to mention better.

It wasn't that bad Fitter - although I'm sick to death of these Ford commercials that are on here all the time. Something leaning towards PC&L would be good - "Leave me alone" especially.

Hi everyone - glad to join...At the risk of alienating myself already, whats the problem with Rock the Shack? Personally thought its a great track. (I've been a fan since Lowlife). Worst is obv. WIM - 'orrible. I'm hoping the new lp is equal measures Technique/Lowlife/"tighten up"(great electronic track as mentioned above)/something fresh

I`d really like to see them returning to their old ways, sprawling epic singles with dub versions instead of shite remixes-bedrock mix of crystal anyone? imagine what it would be like...