My track-by-track review of the album...

"Hey Now, What You Doing"... wow!..., this is prolly the most straight forward rock song New Order/ Joy Division has ever done. sort of like "Forbidden City" but harder, even has a real guitar solo (very un-new orderly!) Is it Phil or just Stephen street's influence? A couple of moments sound just like Marr in the Smiths (an homage?) but the song structure is very different from the Smiths. unique and interesting, solid production.

Here's my two cents...

Overall, its a good album. Definetly gives us several songs that I can to when I want to listen to New Order when I don't feel like listening to their older stuff, but that is every bit as good as much of the older stuff. This is all, I think, anyone could reasonably hope for. Still, If I'm dissapointed at all, its only in that I was hoping for something truely groundbreaking, maybe even something that would inspire other bands to copy New Order (again) - not sure that this is really that albumn, though.

In any case, here's what I wrote about each song during my third or fourth listen to each.

Lordy

The guitar here reminds me a lot of Marr on Electronic's first album. Not really sure what else to compare it to - its not some sort of huge departure or anything like that, I just can't pin down another song that it really reminds me of. The whole song definetly have that New Order sound, Hooky's base shining through the layered guitars, its quite nice. If I had to choose a past albumn that this would most fit with, I'd have to say Low Life.

Rating: A-

Road to Ruin

This would definetly belong on Technique, right after Dream Attack. The breakdown reminds me a lot of a guitar version of the piano breakdown on Dream Attack, in fact. Blissful, but maybe a bit more mellow than the rest of Technique - doesn't quite sound like it was written on Ibiza during a sun / ecstacy drenched summer - maybe quite not that happy a song. Still, its another guitar based song and its quite good. Except, WTF is with the full on electric guitar bit at the end?

Rating: B+

Krafty

This song sounds like albumn filler, not something that should be the first single. Its very upbeat and happy, almost artificially so. Sequenced drums, some synths, some guitar, some bass. The lyrics - well, they've never been NO's strength, huh? More than any other song it reminds me of Here To Stay - the music, the tone, the feel, the lyrics.

Rating: B

I Told You So

Sounds half like Ace of Bass, and half like raw sewage. I'm not sure what the heck this was supposed to be. I can't even describe this well. It doesn't really have a melody - more like a rythm track with a hodge podge of sounds all mixed in, none of them very good. Who knows, maybe it will grow on me, but for now, sorry, I just don't get this one.

Rating: D-

Pop 1

Heavy on the synths, especially at the beginning, lots of guitars too. Hooky's bass is mostly notable during two solos which sound fine but nothing that exciting either. Overall, the song sounds pretty good, yet uninspired. Especially the lyrics - musically its good - but take away Barney's vocals, and except for Hooky's solo you'd have absolutely no idea at all it was NO. Put Barney's vocals back in - well, his vocals are fine but the lyrics are not.

Rating: C+ / B -

Minidisc

Piano / synth intro, then Hooky's bass comes in, counter balances the synth melody - nice. Reminds me of the song on Get Ready, whose name escapes me but "We're having the time of our lives..." is the lyrics from that one. Hooky's bass runs through most of the song - backing instrument but clearly heard. Plenty of guitar too. Piano / Hooky bass duet - great! Parts of the song again remind me of Technique - Dream Attack comes to mind, again. Probably could fit in somewhere half way through Technique. Ok, but staccato synth violin plucks towards the end - a bit odd.

Rating: B+

Jet

The first few seconds remind me of the intro(s) on both CD's of Sasha's Global Underground: San Fransisco album, for those of you familiar with Sasha - sort of a recording of street sounds. Piano / synths / bass lead us into the song again, slower tempo than Minidisc. Mostly synth / electronic driven at the beginning. "PA" type voiceovers of airport announcements. The lyrics are just too, I don't know, contrived - "J-E-T You are so good for me. You are my Jet Stream lover. You're how I want to be..." The chick from Scissor Sisters works - a good choice. Hooky bass solo (not his greatest) after first chorus. Not much at all for guitars on this song. The song works, though. If you don't like female vocals mixed with your NO you won't like this. For the rest of us, its pretty good, though maybe slightly unlike what we might expect from NO.

And, the first time we've heard jets in a New Order song since Blue Monday.

Rating: B+ / A-

Fast Synth = Guilt Is A Useless Emotion (Stuart Price)

OMFG! Finally! I've been waiting since Regret for this. New Order is back - truely back. Folks, this is it! Their best song as New Order since Regret, at least. Forget Hybrid's True to Form - this is New Order's Return to Form. The best thing any of them have been involved with in ages, IMHO.

I liked Get Ready - thought Crystal was really good, loved Close the Range, but all and all that album wasn't quite what I had hoped for - maybe it focused too much on NO's acoustic / guitar side and not enough on the synths, but for whatever reason there just wasn't a single moment there that really did it for me the way they had done in the past.

But this - this is New Order. This is the New Order we all know and love. This is the band 12 years after Regret - more mature, more skilled, more developed - not just a bunch of over the hill, past-their-prime ex-rockers going through the motions, phoning it in and trying to make a buck off of their name.

It sounds like New Order - but like a more modern, updated New Order. It sounds like classic NO, but its sooooo fresh too! its got a catchy beat, a catchy chorus, a synth oriented song with plenty of Hooky's bass. The way things were meant to be! Thank you Barney! Thank you Peter! Thank you god!

I love how Hooky's bass comes in at the start of the 2nd verse. For once they've done a song with synths as the primary instrument, but Hooky's bass part isn't there just because "well, we're New Order and we've got Peter Hook and he's going to play on this song and that's just fucking that".

It is my hope of all hopes that what appears on the album is a butchered version of the song, the way Perfect Kiss on Low Life was chopped up, and maybe one day we'll get the full version on Substance 2007 (well, I wish anyway).

Rating: A+

Turn

Guitar based. Upbeat yet melancholy. Barney almost doesn't sound like Barney. Almost a different texture to his voice here. Sounds a bit like Regret to me, musically, but again another one that might not be out of place on Technique. Can't really hear Hooky much - he's there but playing in lower registers - can only hear him during one solo. Guitar again reminds me a bit of Marr on first Electronic albumn.

This should have been the last track on the albumn. A perfect way to end. What follows is, well, not. (see below)

Working Overtime

WTF? This sounds like what might have happened had Quinten Tarrantino asked New Order to contribute a song to the soundtrack of Kill Bill Vol. 1 It sounds like jangly country rock - its not bad, I don't want to give that impression, but I'm as shocked as I was the first time I heard the harmonica in Love Vigilantees - like it just doesn't seem like something I'd have ever expected New Order to do. Also, not to criticize it, but not sure it really belongs on this album because the style is so different than the rest of it.

Rating: C

I do believe I almost agree with Brian. This can only have happened three times ever. My only differences on this promo (and we don't know they are the finished mixes or anything like that....) would be that I rather like Working Overtime, which will be a cracking live tune, and that Morning Night and Day would score higher in my ratings.

Make no mistake, this is a superb album, far more depth to the production than ever before, Bernard sounds happy with himself at last, the album is full of little nods of respect to acts that have been an influence at some stage. Krafty makes a lot more sense in the context of the rest of the album. Guilt Is A Worthless Emotion (or whatever it's called) may turn out to hit my New Order Top 5 by the end of the week, and no track has done that since 1985!

A new day a new dawn. First four tracks in, I'm thinking it's just perfect pop music. Maybe I thought I wanted more than that from New Order but perhaps I was wrong. The Ace Of Bass track is on now and it's by no means good but not awful.

Originally posted by almansonemesis i won´t comment each and every song because i´m one who thinks every experience listening music is unique. so i really believe nobody cares for my point of view anyway. so i´ll just put them in order of preference:Turn (by far the best one. simple and beautiful)Who´s JoeHey Now...Waiting... (those 3 are together, anyone could be on top of the other depending the day)Working... (this should´ve been a hidden track and let Turn be the final one IMO)Morning... (the most powerful besides Working...)Jetstream (a sure hit but somehow not fully my taste)Dracula´s (an ok-middle-of-the-album-song)Krafty (another one, i still don´t get why a single)Guilt... (i don´t like these kind of tracks anymore, they just don´t touch my nerve)I Told... (it´s here because i still didn´t chew it enough, i think. maybe it´ll grow, maybe not)

It's amazing isn't it? You could invert your list to come up with mine! Just goes to show how diverse this band is and how they reach so many people with so much. For me, the real grower is I Told You So, it is such a clever song and one that I can't see me tiring of. Then again, I love a lot of Caribbean rhythms and stuff, I can feel the influences here.

It does feel a lot like Technique after a few listens. Production wise it has that Balearic shimmer. A lot of the playing styles that sound like rehashes after the first listen are all from that period. A few have commented on Technique not being a dance album. It's not Dertroit techno but Balearic was always a poppy ecelectic down tempo sound, which Technique encapsulated. As much about day-time chilling in the sun as night-time adrenaline packed antics. It's pissing all-over Get Ready and Republic for me and it still doesn't have a track as good as Regret or Crystal on it.

It's got a totally different feel to it. Republic had Regret, three or four other decent songs and a load of filler, Get Ready had Crystal, three or four other decent songs and a load of filler. WFTSC has eleven worthy songs, drawing together a range of different influences and something for all fans of the band. Not everyone will like every track necessarily, but everyone will find something for them in there.

Originally posted by A Siren's Touch

Krafty (John Leckie)

Classic New Order sound. Maybe too much classic New Order sound, because it sounds a bit like a reheated meal.

I have never read a better or more succinct review of Krafty! It is a hybrid of several songs/song ideas that they used in the past, but a lot better than any of the other songs. It's the song Weirdo and Way of Life never quite became.

Originally posted by oldmonkey > Originally posted by A Siren's Touch

Krafty (John Leckie)

Classic New Order sound. Maybe too much classic New Order sound, because it sounds a bit like a reheated meal.

I have never read a better or more succinct review of Krafty! It is a hybrid of several songs/song ideas that they used in the past, but a lot better than any of the other songs. It's the song Weirdo and Way of Life never quite became.

It kind of suffers from and benefits from it's reference points in equal measure.

So, after 3 ratings this is the situation: Lordsy = Who’s Joe? (7 9 9) 25 3= Road To Ruin = Hey Now What You Doing (4 9 8.5) 21.5 10 Waiting For The Sirens’ Call (6 8 8) 22 9 Single Krafty (8 10 7) 25 3= Single I Told You So (7 7 8) 22 7= Pop1 = Morning Night And Day (5 9 9.5) 23.5 6 Minidisc2 = Dracula’s Castle (6 4 8) 18 11 Jet = Jetstream (7 9 9) 25 3= Single Fast Synth = Guilt Is A Useless Emotion (10 6 10) 26 1= Turn (6 10 10) 26 1= Working Overtime (9 7 6) 22 7=

Anyone else in a position to rate (any of) the songs?

all you lucky people out there... all of a sudden everybody seems to have (at least) a (promotional) copy of the album... all by agreement from Warner or what.... :(

BLT - could you put in a rating for Turn so I can add your figures to the first 3?

Almanso & Marvin, could you change your ratings to marks out of 10 so we can get a rating of everyones favourites please?

I know it dosent matter - but at the moment this is all the rest of us have to go on with until March - so all reviews are greatfully received

My ratings:

Who’s Joe? 7 Hey Now What You Doing 7 Waiting For The Sirens’ Call 8 Krafty 8 I Told You So 8 Morning Night And Day 7 Dracula’s Castle 7 Jetstream 8 Guilt Is A Useless Emotion 9 Turn 7 Working Overtime 7

Updated with OldMonkey: Lordsy = Who’s Joe? (7 9 9 7) 32 5 Road To Ruin = Hey Now What You Doing (4 9 8.5 7) 28.5 10 Waiting For The Sirens’ Call (6 8 8 8) 30 7= Single Krafty (8 10 7 8) 33 2= Single I Told You So (7 7 8 8) 30 7= Pop1 = Morning Night And Day (5 9 9.5 7) 30.5 6 Minidisc2 = Dracula’s Castle (6 4 8 7) 25 11 Jet = Jetstream (7 9 9 8) 33 2= Single Fast Synth = Guilt Is A Useless Emotion (10 6 10 9) 35 1 Turn (6 10 10 7) 33 2= Working Overtime (9 7 6 7) 29 9

Its early days yet though . . .

I think we need a SWINGOMETER here and possible a PETER SNOW! Doing a good job though CUANAD.

BLT's review is good stuff. As for reviewing it from a 'dance' or 'guitar' p-o-v, well how can you NOT review it with *some sort* of preconception?

But why rank tracks on the album? It's not a compilation - it's an ALBUM. How do the tracks work together? What's the overall impression?

I haven't fully absorbed it yet, but I fear that the glory days may have gone for good.

I think the album is rollinice. Rolli rollinice indeed.

Feel free to delete, Spot!

listened to it a few times and i feel that certain tracks have been 'over cooked'.The Whos joe?..is typical example ...great music ..hooks you ..then loses you with verses that could easily lose two lines ..and the over the top 'hey joe'....this song would certainly benefit from a radio edit .Same goes for Hey now,what you ..doing track .Alittle long winded..good song but way to long .I know we ve been brought up on 7,8 minute classics in the past but these songs need to be short and sharp .Also a lot of needless incidental music ...they should stick with beat ..not chop and change throughout ..seems to lose their way a bit.The title track is a good example of this ..starts at a great pace and continues throughout right to the end ..well and truly hooked .Great song..good beat ..flowin .Krafty benefits from beefin up (regarding the radio edit)..quite a catchy little ditty ..dont like the I Told You So ..horrible. Morning night and day ok.Jetstream Lover..?i dont think so ...Working Overtime ..i love it .As for the rest ..still tryin to get me head around them .. P.S..Has Bernard gone " travel" mad!!...all throughout the album we have... Walk ,Run .Car,Cab,Train ,Plane ,Ship,sail....just get Fooked listening to it ...

Originally posted by Al Jarvis Another one for CuanaD - Who’s Joe? 8Hey Now What You Doing 7Waiting For The Sirens’ Call 8Krafty 7I Told You So 5Morning Night And Day 7Dracula’s Castle 6Jetstream 6Guilt Is A Useless Emotion 6Turn 9Working Overtime 7Think I'm gonna have to start sticking these on random playback, getting a bit 'used' to this runnin order now, feels a bit like a 'comfort zone'.

I'm pretty close to these scores at the moment. I'd go lower on Working Overtime, higher on Krafty. Not 100% sure on a few others.

Right, I've added in those ratings given in other-than-out-of-ten - in other words, I've guessed at what was meant by A- c+ etc.

So, this is the current standing after Al's contribution: 67 (2nd) Lordsy = Who’s Joe? 7 9 9 9 7 8 9 9 61 (5th=) Road To Ruin = Hey Now What You Doing 4 9 8.5 8 7 7 8.5 9 64 (4th) Waiting For The Sirens’ Call 6 8 8 9 8 8 8 9 Single 60.5 (7th) Krafty 8 10 7 7 8 7 8 5.5 Single 50.5 (11th) I Told You So 7 7 8 7 8 5 4 4.5 58.5 (8th) Pop1 = Morning Night And Day 5 9 9.5 6 7 7 7 8 54.5 (10th) Minidisc2 = Dracula’s Castle 6 4 8 9 7 6 8.5 6 61 (5th=) Jet = Jetstream 7 9 9 6 8 6 9 7 Single 65 (3rd) Fast Synth = Guilt Is A Useless Emotion 10 6 10 9 9 6 10 5 71 (1st) Turn 6 10 10 10 7 9 9 10 55.5 (9th) Working Overtime 9 7 6 5 7 7 6 8.5

Looks at the moment as if Turn / Guilt & whos Joe should be the real singles (?)

Am I the only one 'round here who hasn't got it yet?

Originally posted by NObabe Am I the only one 'round here who hasn't got it yet?

Anyways, thanks for the reviews. You know reading about them songs and listening to them is the same fooking thing.

I should stress at this point that I have absolutely no idea what any of these songs sound like, besides Krafty. I am going on the fact that I know the tastes of some of the posters on here and know when I like the same stuff as them!

Originally posted by NObabe Am I the only one 'round here who hasn't got it yet?

NO

most of us are feeding off scraps - it'll be interesting to compare our own ideas with these 'promo-people' when we finally get to hear the album

Actually, I'm surprised at the ammount of people who have got a promo copy, up until this thread it seemed as if only 2-3 people had got it - some of you have been v.quiet - good to see no one has leaked it out to the downloaders yet