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New Order's Next Album Sounds “Uppy"

New Order’s highly anticipated new album is well on the way to completion, with the band explaining that they’ve got twelve songs ready, and that it sounds closer in style to their 1989 classic ‘Technique’ than their more recent output.

The band are currently recording the as-yet-untitled new record (their first studio album since the disappointingly received 2001 ‘Get Ready’) at Peter Gabriel’s Real World studios in Bath.

"We've got 12 songs with vocals and we've recorded eight of them,” New Order frontman Bernard Sumner explained to 6 Music, “But because we've got Phil [Cunningham - keyboardist and guitarist who previously played with Sumner in Electronic] helping us on guitar now, the writing's going a lot quicker.

”So we've actually got 20 or 21 backing tracks written but of course I've got to catch up on the vocals and it's a lot harder work writing the vocals than writing the music, I can tell you."

The album is being produced dually by John Leckie (Stone Roses, Radiohead) and Steven Street (Blur, The Smiths). Bassist Peter Hook has explained that the new record will have a more positive feel than it’s predecessor.

"It's sounding great," he explained, "It's more 'Techniquey' in its feel than ‘Get Ready’ is, and we're all feeling uppy and it sounds uppy."

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Is it just be, or is it really different from the other article? :skeptic:

The only difference I see is the number.. they have recorded 8 new tracks, 4 others are ready to record...

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Well, we learn Phil is involved... anyway i don't think Get Ready was disappointingly received. It wasn't a smash hit, but got great reviews, old Joy Division and alternative rock fans liked it, it had at least five great songs, sold rather well (in Italy also) and the tour was a success. I couldn't have expected anything more and frankly I was much happier with it all than with Republic...

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Sold rather well?

Do we actually have numbers? :confused2:

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Originally posted by Spotnick Sold rather well?Do we actually have numbers? :confused2:

I would like to know that as well

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I heard it was a bit of a commercial flop? :scratch: I recall it getting to around no. 6 in the album charts then buggering off completely within about 4 weeks! :evil4:

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It didn't sell that much, but it wasn't a flop either, it was just the best you could expect from a band at that stage, they aren't the trendy thing anymore, but still gather a lot of following, respect and admiration, a lot more than some of their contemporaries. Get Ready entered the charts in many countries and spent quite some weeks in the Top 50s. From what I remember, it did much better than Republic in Italy... never seen New Order for four following weeks in the Top 40 (and still popping up back once after a while). In England they still entered above the fookin Strokes, who were the new big thing at the time and were constantly pumped by the brainwashing alternative press...

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okay...now I am all confused...of course, it could be the pain pills the doctor gave me...

first we hear the album is going to be all guitars and drums and Hooky-meister's bass...

now you are telling me it's gonna sound like Technique???

ah well, I don't really care what it sounds like...as long as I get to do a gig over there with you cats!!!

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well, sounding "techniquey" could mean sounding both like Round&Round or like Dream Attack. so it doesn´t mean "dancey" or "rocky"... it doesn´t mean anything, really! :shrug:

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as long as it doesnt sound "rave dad" like Electronics Raise The Pressure .

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Originally posted by Voice Of Treason . as long as it doesnt sound "rave dad" like Electronics Raise The Pressure .

hahaha I was thinking the same thing yesterday after I got the urge to listen to raise the pressure....tons of filler on that one.

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Originally posted by Spotnick ”So we've actually got 20 or 21 backing tracks written but of course I've got to catch up on the vocals and it's a lot harder work writing the vocals than writing the music, I can tell you."

Take your time with the lyrics Bernard!

We'd all be happy to wait around a few more weeks for the album if it means less naff rhymes.

:\pimp3:

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Well if it's going down the same route as "Technique" i'm gonna be well pleased:clap:

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I'd be happy with any new release - even if I didn't like it so much to begin with, they always seem to grow on me.

A couple of really good singles prior to the album release as a taster would be great...

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Funny though, each time I've seen documentary about music composers, they always write the lyrics first....

It seems New Order is doing it the other way, which might explain a lot of cheese ;)

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They've always done it that way though, tune first and then the words. Listen to most of the 1984 gigs where they were developing songs live, such as Face Up, tune was nearly finished on first play, it was only the lyrics that developed.

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Originally posted by Spotnick Funny though, each time I've seen documentary about music composers, they always write the lyrics first....It seems New Order is doing it the other way, which might explain a lot of cheese ;)

REM supposedly do the music first and then the lyrics. Only exception being Nightswimming. Stipe gave the lyrics individually to Berry and Mills and asked them to come up with something. Berry took one listen to piano piece that Mills had written and chucked what he'd done in the bin.

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I think it's interesting that the sound is going to be more 'techniquey' at this time, when last year it was reported that it was going to sound more to the opposite, and be more guitary like Joy Division. http://www.neworderonline.com/News.aspx?NewsID=757 I'm not complaining or anything, I will be pleased as punch either way, and will probably prefer the more dancey sound. It just makes you wonder what had transpired creatively in the time thats passed that led to this direction.

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Originally posted by Spotnick Funny though, each time I've seen documentary about music composers, they always write the lyrics first....It seems New Order is doing it the other way, which might explain a lot of cheese ;)

This is mainly true only for bands that have a lyricist who isn't the main music composer.

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in all the bands i've been in, it's always been music first, then lyrics.

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Originally posted by periwinkle in all the bands i've been in, it's always been music first, then lyrics.

Possible.. but I've seen at least 2 music composers that were saying that when you write a text, the music comes easily to fit with it....

Although in New Order's case, it's the music that is the best...

Plus this means that there are demos somewhere where the melody is done with an instrument for sure... I guess they develop the melody, then do the arrangements, then put the vocals...

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Music or lyrics first, either way it's tricky and there's the high risk of messing that coming after. I've worked in both ways and have had good and bad results so I don't think there's a sure choice to do... sometimes you can have good lyrics in your head, and try to create a tune which fits them, sometimes you have that tune and you want it, so you'll adapt the words you'll write for that...

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Originally posted by Voice Of Treason . as long as it doesnt sound "rave dad" like Electronics Raise The Pressure .

:laugh: that is absolutely the best description of Raise the Pressure i've ever read :laugh: :thumb:

i've actually learned to really like some of Raise the pressure, but it surely is an album of middle age "denial" of growing old and being out of style

i'm not surprised that Barney writes the lyrics afterwards, probably the norm with most music now... vocal melody is hardly a New Order strength. i would thing most alternative/ indie and hard rock write music first. the big major exception today thou is rap.

as for Cunningham helping the writing process........ what does this say or imply about Barney's and Gillian's guitar skills?

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I take it this now means New Order = Hook, Sumner, Morris PLUS Cunningham now if the lad's involved in the writing process?! And he'll be included in all press-shots, literature, etc?

Can't say I'm overly ecstatic about that.

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I like it being 4 lads - plus he's great live. Not only that but the banter is even more amusing than normal;)

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Originally posted by Al Jarvis I take it this now means New Order = Hook, Sumner, Morris PLUS Cunningham now if the lad's involved in the writing process?! And he'll be included in all press-shots, literature, etc? Can't say I'm overly ecstatic about that.

As long as they are writing stuff, I'm fine with it... though I'm not convinced "helping" means "helping writing"... it can mean "helping recording"....

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Someone on the other forum says he met Phil, who's also playing with a band called Label (first time I ever hear of them), and he's contributing to the composition of the new New Order songs as well. If it's true I'm in favour of this, whatever the results, I've always preferred to see New Order as a team, though of course Barney and Hooky are the leaders, I've always thought Steve and Gillian have been important, and I prefer Phil to be a true member just like Gillian was, rather than some bored sessionman. We'll see what this brings to the band, but it's more exciting to think at New Order as a quartet again rather than a trio with a sessionman who's not given a chance. Try the kid, in concert he's alright.

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Originally posted by ShugZV© I like it being 4 lads - plus he's great live. Not only that but the banter is even more amusing than normal;)

Barney "I love you Phil":evil4:

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It's interesting that for someone who obviously struggles with lyrics what classic lines Sumner's come out with; but not surprising there are so many turkey's - but at least with the strength of music in NO it usually works.

I've got nothing against the boy Cunningham - I think he's given them a shot in the arm - certainly, as member's fade away, die off etc., I think it's a good idea to replace them with younger musicians: that way NO will keep going forever :laugh:

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