Track by track review: Technique

What happened to you? You're like 20 years late. :D

Well that was 15 minutes wasted. Just wrote a review (and believe me it would have changed your life to read it) which has somehow disappeared. In short, nothing in this world can touch the music that I've heard from this album.

Well... I'll do my personal review of Technique!

FINE TIME Probably one of my favourite tracks on the album (seriously!), I love acid house music and this was New Order at their most fun-loving experimental! And yet I think it does still sound like New Order. 9/10

ALL THE WAY Love this track although it's a little short... one of their best guitar-based tracks. 7/10

LOVE LESS Nice tune, nothing wrong with it at all... but it's hardly the finest piece of music they've ever done either. 6/10

ROUND & ROUND Fantastic track... although the album version I feel is far inferior to the remix version on the single. New Order at their most danceable and commercial. I also love the lyrics to this song... a bit of a rarity with New Order! 9/10

GUILTY PARTNER Nice-ish tune... the best bit is when the keyboard part comes in after 2:30 - 3:00 minutes.
The most 'skippable' track on the album though. 5/10

RUN Class tune. One of the best guitar-based tracks they've ever done... one of the first 'Madchester' tunes maybe??? It always reminds me of that scene anyway. 7/10

MR DISCO Really catchy dance track... although some slightly cheesey, dare-I-say-it... Pet Shop Boys sort of qualities in there! It's a bit short... I do prefer the Razormaid mix... seems to flow better. 8/10

VANISHING POINT One of their best tracks... period. The perfect 'Summer of Love' soundtrack I reckon. I absolutely adore the Making Out Mix of this... I agree with Spotnick that the Razormaid version of this was top notch. 9/10

DREAM ATTACK The perfect track to end the album... lyrically very good... it appears to be about Ecstasy. Lyrically in fact, this is easily one of their finest albums... why the hell can't Bernard write tracks like this anymore??? 8/10

As for the B-Sides... I love MTO, really catchy techno track, and I really like Best & Marsh and Don't Do It too. The Happy One is borderline cheese... but having said that I'm not sure I've ever heard the true original.

Ah...New Order's most OVERRATED album. Sorry I can't stroke myself to this one like the rest of you, but oh well. Saville's inscrutable cover doesn't do anything for me personally (yawn). Launching right in....

Fine Time:

I think Barney's performance of this on TOTP really captures the spirit of this song perfectly: EMBARRASSING! A cheesy dance track that even Erasure would be ashamed of. Thank god someone finally sampled a SHEEP for an Ibiza rave track...fittingly ironic, if I don't say so myself. Not sure what they were on when they did this one, but count me out. 4.0

All the Way:

An okay rockish song. Never thought it was all that good. I like the synthy bits between verses best. Err...don't really know what more to say about it. It's decent, but nothing fantastic. 6.0

Loveless:

I like the cough at the beginning the best. A better song than the last one. Better lyrics. Sounds a lot like As It Is When It Was, but more wussy. Guitars on this can be properly called "cute" sounding. 7.0

Round and Round:

About time a really decent song came up. The opening synths sound very dated nowawdays...imitated to death. Ah....sequencers. A bit lightweight of a dance song, but tries to sound ballsy. The backing vocal "Don't waste my money, baby" always makes me laugh out loud. Not that that's a bad thing. Catchy little bitch, this one is. Gets beaten down by some other songs on the album, though. 8.0

Guilty Partner:

Ehhh...back to middling acoustic songs. Getting tired just listening to it again now. Hmmm...this may be the first time I've actually listened to this song the whole way through without skipping it. I never even knew it had those synthy parts later on. Oh well, 5.0

Run:

One of their best songs, ever. "WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING?" Absolutely beautiful one-two of rock and synths...gives you a real taste of what New Order is capable of (though the other songs on the album leading up to this one wouldn't indicate such). Like many of their tracks, it just gets better after Barney shuts up and it starts really building toward something beautiful (love the synths!). Why can't they make songs like this one anymore? 9.5

Mr. Disco:

I used to really hate this song. Sounded far too dated. But then it started growing on me and it's certainly one of the best on the album. A classy dance track (for 1989). House house, baby. 8.5

Vanishing Point:

Well, what can I say? This is easily in the top 5 songs they've ever done. Perfect song. Wonderful semi-melancholy lyrics (love that chorus), dancy as hell, Hooky keeps time with the bass, whew! Can't say a bad thing about it. Top scores to this one! 10.0

Dream Attack:

Another good synthesis of rock and synths, though not as striking as in Run. Shades of Paradise. Very nice lyrics. Another damn catchy little bugger. 9.0

All in all, a rather good album for the Order, but gets knocked down for sounding a bit too dated and too many repetitive geetar songs. The last half of the album far exceeds the first half. I still rank this in my lower half of New Order's total albums, somewhere between Get Ready and the new one, but not as low as Republic. Oh...and before I forget, the b-sides are decent. The Happy One is cheeseball, MTO is alright for what it is, but Don't Do It is one of the very best b-sides they've ever done. Right up there with the classics!

If Technique is Bruce Lee then Republic is Dragon: The Bruce Lee Story

When do we get the next batch of review threads? Roll on, Movement!

Fine Time - New Order albums have always opened up with absolutely excellent guitar pop tracks.  This was a break in tradition.  A great track to throw into a party mix but a weak opener. Barry White-vocoders and synth voices chanting "Escstasy" don't hold a candle up in comparison to something like the opening guitar chords in the refrain of Dreams Never End, or Love Vigilante's token melodica intro.  On the flip, Hooky's bassline at the very end is one of my absolute favorites, crisp and pristine, it gives the final impression of video game-y ness to a song that sounds very much like a videogame theme.

6 out of 10

All The Way - "It doesn't take a ge-ni-ous..." This should have opened the album.  A pleasant reverb touch that goes on throughout Technique. "Parasites, Electrolytes...."

8 out of 10

Love Less - In my head, I always thought All The Way was the theme of a teenager and Love Less the reply of the parent.  All The Way: "It take years, to find the nerve, to be apart from what you've done, to find the truth inside yourself, and not depend on anyone" Love Less: "I worked hard, to give you everything that you'd need, and almost anything that you see, I spent a lifetime working on you, and you won't even talk to me" Regardless, a great 'chillout' before the second synth track.

8 out of 10

Round and Round - Another videogame song!  I used to loathe the album track and adore the lushly-produced '94 version on Best Of, but I find myself coming back to this version more and more often. "What is it you need, that makes your heart bleed, do you really know?, cause it doesn't show" still stand as some of my favorite song lyrics ever. Shows its age technologically moreso than Fine Time, but more coherent and well-placed within the album.  I love anything that sounds like it was programmed on a Nintendo's MIDI board.

9 out of 10

Guilty Partner - My official 'skip' track on Technique. Nice beginning and fantastic closing, but the choruses and verses in the middle of it all seem to drag a bit.  Love those synths at the end.

7 out of 10

Run - It's not Run 2, but then again Run 2 wouldn't really make sense here.  "Well what's the use in complaining.." and "What the HELL is happening??" are classic moments.

9 out of 10

Mr. Disco - I always thought this one was great, but poorly organized! The opening lyrics are great stuff and the instrumental break is deliciously high quality cheeseball with a floating synth organ drifting through, clacking programmed drums and bass, and those damn rhythmic laserbeam sounds. That break ends much too quickly though and the second half seems to trail off with a weaker instrumental.

8 out of 10

Vanishing Point - This was the track that had the strongest personality to me on those very first time I put Best Of on and it seems even stronger in context on Technique. Gets a high score from me for being the very first Technique track i'd ever heard (at a party) and having the absolute best lyrical improvisions live. "Life is short, but this T-shirt's long..."

10 out 10

Dream Attack - Classic from opening drum beats to ending synthesizer sweeps. Great live versions.

10 out of 10

Overall - Yes, stereotypically, it's my favorite NO album.  It was and still is the perfect soundtrack to moping in college dorms and driving about the lights of the city by twilight.

"Most overrated album?" Give me an f-ing break!

From start to finish, it is a total masterpiece. Yes, you all have your 20/20 hindsight going on right now, but you all know you loved "Fine Time" when you first heard it.

This album represent NewOrder at it's peak, in my opinion.

I am also amazed that you guys didn't rate "Dream Attack" any higher? This is, by far, their best song of their entire catalog.

"Guilty Partner" seemed to be everyone's least favorite, but I see it as one of their most original tracks they have every made. I love Sumner's dreamy vocals and ernest chorus. The lyrics are also very good on that song. You also cannot disagree that Hooky's bassline during this sound is almost sublime. I also agree that the synth part that kicks in at the end of the song is incredible.

"Run" is just a masterpiece. I still do not hear the similarities between Run and "Leaving on a JetPlane"...very interesting. I can only aspire to write such a beautiful song. It also has NewOrder's signature long outro that just goes long enough, but you know you could listen to them jam out the end of the song for another 10 minutes or so....

"Dream Attack" Could someone explain how this was Gillian's song? What did you mean? Also, how does ecstasy have anything to do with this song? This song is brilliant. Anyone that is not a fan of this song is not a true-blue NewOrder fan....

Man, I thought you'd never ask.....

Here are my thoughts, on what I actually have as my second favorite New Order album.....

Fine Time: 8/10

A brilliant little dance number, a dazzling tune with a repetitive lyric and bevy of lovely sounds to get you dancing. I always loved playing a frat parties when I was stoned. It just sounded perfect.

All the Way: 10/10

The only song on this album that garners a perfect score. I love this song beyond belief, love the live versions of it, and just wish they would play it live again. It has a perfect melody and chorus. Now, you can see why I like the new album so much.

Love Less: 7/10

Overall a nice song, good when on a long drive, but it doesn't stand out like a Face Up or Leave Me Alone as an album track....nice drums on it.

Round & Round: 8/10

I love the video, I love the remixes on the radio promo I stole from my college radio station. The rhythm section is dynamic on this tune. Barney's lyrics on the album as a whole are great, but I really like the idea behind this one.

Guilty Partner: 6/10

Good song, but it always loses me somehow. I think it might be missing something, but still stands out as a great song. Probably my least favorite track on the album, but then again, still not bad at all.

Run: 9.5/10

Wow. I remember the first time i heard this. I bought the New Order Story vhs and saw the video. I remember i went out and bought technique immediately afterwards. I was still new on New Order. This song was the best thing I heard, until All the Way.

Mr. Disco: 7.5/10

Great song that gets a little long in the tooth. I don't know why I get fed up with this one. I just do, but honestly it's a good tune with a nice bass line and great drums. I love Peter and Steve on this album.

Vanishing Point: 9/10

Perhaps the quintessential dance track. The lyrics are brilliant, throw off, classic Barney. The tune is dynamic and always cleared the floor at frat parties.....

Dream Attack: 8.5/10

The third best album closer for NO, which would be fourth if Turn were the closer on WFTSC. A devilishy fun track which showcases the very best of a band on top of its game. It is a damn shame they had to take four years off after closing out an album so nicely as this one.

A great album that scores a 8.1 out of 10.0. Cheers!

Fine Time- It is what it is, funny bit of bullshit music. Not the worst NO song ever, but they should never try this again. Some days I can actually like this track. For taking the spot of VP as a single, 7/10

All The Way- Sappy song right after an acid song. Not a very good choice by the mates. 6.5/10

Love Less- Not as bad as All The Way, but still a little dismal. 7/10

Round & Round- Now this is the real album's first track. Brilliant song, brilliant video. 9/10

Guilty Partner- A bit of a downer after R&R, but nowhere near as bad ass the first three tracks.. 8/10

Run- The best John Denver song New Order has ever done period. 10/10

Mr. Disco- Crappy title, but great song. 9/10

Vanishing Point- By far the best New Order song ever. 12/10

Dream Attack- Very solid song on the album, but it sounds much better live than on the album. 9/10 (10/10 when performed live).

I vote we self-indulgently review Low-Life next

Dashiell Hannett wrote: I vote we self-indulgently review Low-Life next

Oh yes please!

Here we go, getting warmed up for the WFTSC track-by-track (I gave in to tempation )

Fine Time One of their most bizarre and out there songs, and I love every second of it. The cheesy vocoder vocals, the sheep noises, and the keyboard lines are fantastic. Only complaint is that it doesn't really belong at the start, maybe towards the middle or end (kind of how "Working Overtime" is on WFTSC). The remix on Retro is class as well (love that “sexy” vocal Barnster! )

7 out of 10

All the Way Very catchy intro, especially to those who doubt this is also a cracking guitar album. Barney’s vocals are classy but the lyrics are dodgy (parasites, illitracites) Not the best or worst of Technique

6 out of 10

Love Less Cool cough intro, then it turns into a quant but a little bland acoustic number. Mostly I listen to prolong the pleasure of the start of Round and Round.

5 out of 10

Round and Round YES! Amazing synths and percussion effects. This is New Order at the top of their game. This will go on any of my best of mix cds for the last thirty seconds by themselves.

10 out of 10

Guilty Partner Another quasi-bland guitar piece. The chorus and ending synth make up for it though. Another skip song, my least favorite, but it’s by no means a bad song.

5 out of 10

Run Am I the only one who thinks this is a tad bit overrated? It’s pleasant enough, but for some reason it just doesn’t come together for me the way it should.

7 out of 10

Mr. Disco The start of Technique’s Big Three. From the opening bass sequencer to Barney’s whispered vocals “Ibiza…”, another perfect masterpiece from New Order. A shame it has such little exposure because it may be a tad cheesy (which it may be) and have a “crap” title (which I don’t think it does). The stereo effects before the last chorus are intense, and the live versions are fantastic (the Mac vocal samples and the bass sequencer going nuts).

10 out of 10

Vanishing Point Another quintessential perfect New Order song. It’s haunting but danceable at the same time. The housey piano line is key and Barney has never been a better lyricist. The Making Out mix only adds to the emotion and melody. Bliss, pure bliss.

10 out of 10

Dream Attack The closer and closure to Technique. A dreamers dream of a tune, the guitars and synth blend seamlessly. The finale is indescribably beautiful. Barney’s soaring guitar at the end is the icing on the cake. Bravo, New Order, bravo.

10 out of 10

B Sides

MTO – Pleasant enough, but nothing worth noting. 4/10

Don’t Do It – Great synth and samples, Murder’s younger cousin. The bass and guitar at the end are classic. The “Exorcist” sample at the end always makes me chuckle a bit. 7/10

Best and Marsh – A tad cheesy, but very well done. Classic Steve and Gillian magic. 7/10

Hooky's bass on Guilty Partner is one of the highlights for me on this album He gets a 9!

Been a while since I listened to the record of this one - the US 89 tour date recordings have had more of my ears. Nonetheless, the record made quite an impression at the time and has continued to do so.

Fine Time - New Order teaching all the aciiiiieeeed bozos how to do it properly with their latest pisstake track. Can't take this one seriously, never liked it at all from the first hearing to the last. Will probably play it at a Digital show this summer. 5/10

All The Way - should be New Order by numbers, but loses out due to the hopeless rhymes and the obvious rip-off bassline. 5/10

Loveless - cheese factor is exponential - this should be a lovely acoustic ballad but just doesn't hit the mark at all for me. 6/10

Round and Round - now here is a New Order by numbers tune. Good numbers though, light and poppy, great bass line, a sound of summer. 7/10

Guilty Partner - more like it, fabulous bass, lyrics that show what was going on in Bernard's head at this time. I've never understood why this isn't one of everyone's all-time favourite New Order tracks. 8/10

Run - trash. Contrived and nothingy tune, saved only by some rare half-decent lyrics. Probably cost them more money than Blue Monday! 4/10

Mr.Disco - simply majestic, it is a parody but a great one. All the necessary elements of a great New Order song. 9/10

Vanishing Point - took a long time to grow on me, like 12 years or so, but is now established as a favourite. Deceptively fast track, would go down well in the new set. 8/10

Dream Attack - if this is not one of their best ever efforts, I know nothing at all about anything. Bernard's finest vocal delivery until Waiting For The Sirens' Call (the track). To these ears, this is a perfect song, one I will never tire of. 10/10

Fine Time 5/10 All the Way 8/10 Love Less 7/10 Round & Round 9/10 Guilty Partner 9/10 Run 10/10 Mr. Disco 5/10 Vanishing Point 9/10 Dream Attack 10/10

Fine TimeGood tune, not the best on the album by a long wayRating: 8/10

All The WayGreat song, one of the best on the A side.Rating: 8/10

Love LessAlmost down there with Fine Time on the "worst song on the best album" listRating: 8/10

Round & RoundGreat song, among my favourites everRating: 10/10

Guilty PartnerLove the Lyrics, and Plenty of Hooky too.Rating: 10/10

RunAmong my top songs ever, and I love the video.Rating 10/10

Mr DiscoTook me a while to accept, but it was the intro that really did it for me, and as Nick said, that top class synth line.Rating: 10/10

Vanishing PointMy favourite song ever. Great in a club too, I turn a little bit demented when this one goes on. That Keyboard and Drum combo is fucking great, the best. Did Steve & Gillian write it? The best thing New Order have ever, and will ever do.Rating: 10/10

Dream AttackGreat lyrics, great music. Another 10/ 10. I am usually quite critical about stuff ,but this whole album is a high point in Humanity.

Great! As a newbie I was afraid that reviews of old stuff had been done too many times in the past for anyone to have interest in writing them anymore. Glad I was wrong! Here's my 2 cents:

Fine Time: Not a huge fan of acid house, but I still manage to like this quite a lot. It should be respected for Hooky's magical bass bit at the end alone. I rate it one of his finest. The live version at Reading 93 is brilliant with the dramatic beginning and better instrumental bit in the middle. Rating 8.0

All The Way: I was initially really into this, but as so often happens, the songs you like on first listens are the ones you get bored of on 5th listens. Well, being bored would be a harsh thing to say as I still like it. Synth bits after choruses are really really nice. 8.0

Love Less: Worst track on Technique. Nothing particularly bad or annoying about it, but the melody and lyrics ain't strong enough and there's just nothing much to get interested about. 5.0

Round And Round: I actually prefer this to the 94 version. Love the "beeps" on the background during chorus. Great dance-y number and has the perfect and unique ability of  New Order songs to be happy and sad at the same time. Singing really shows how Barney's matured since early 80's. 9.0

Guilty Partner: Has the same problem as a few other similiar songs (e.g. Primitive Notion and most of Brotherhood's A-side tracks) - it's fast and energetic but the tune just ain't too great - the melody sounds flat and there's this feeling that they just sort of plough their way through the song. Would be a lot worse without the synth's at the end. Still an average number. 6.0

Run: Has grown on me after initially disliking it. The lyrics were always great, but as a tune it seemed somewhat bland. Not true anymore as the instrumental bit in the end is indeed great. Wouldn't rate it as one of their finest moments, but a nice track nevertheless. 7.0

Mr. Disco: Then we get to the goods! I've always loved the final three of Technique and rated it almost above everything else on the catalogue (nothing can touch Perfect Kiss though). A bit dated as it sounds and a bit cliched as the lyrics are, Mr. Disco is still a perfect dance number. I especially love the synth bit after first chorus, always makes my blood pumping no matter how many times I hear it! 10.0

Vanishing Point: As good as Mr. Disco is, it's still only a warm-up to the majesty of Vanishing Point. Everything about it is pure perfection, the slow build-up, brilliant lyrics, awesome chorus, the concluding "by the look on his face / he never gave in". Has the same sad-happy quality I mentioned in Round and Round. 10.0

Dream Attack: Hard to say if the previous one or this is the best of the album as both are so insanely good. The moment when the main melody kicks in after the guitar intro is pure magic. The melancholy feel to it and Barney's singing is awesome. Also love the way the guitar gets slowly buried beneath the wall of synths in the end. 10.0

Overall: I rank it as their best. The most perfect combination of guitar and synth with Barney's matured singing and (mostly) awesome lyrics make it a masterpiece.

Ah, Technique. Does it get any better than this? Three things strike me about Technique - a) their most consistent album - both in terms of the sound of each track and the quality from track to track, b) By far Bernard's apex both lyrically and in terms of vocal delivery up to that point in time and c) Hooky's bass was so often seen (well, heard) in the "lead guitar" role or solo role prior to this album, but here it serves a much more complimentary role.

Fine Time

I like this song, but must confess I never really understood what they were trying to do with it. Its sort of over the top I would say. Anyways, the lads show that they've evolved since low life - moving from frogs to sheep.

7 of 10

All The Way

Great song. Light and airy. Excellent guitar work. This song and "Tighten Up" from Electronic's first album always sounded so similar to me, but Tighten Up is better. Still, a great sign of things to come on this CD.

8.5 of 10

Love Less

If I were to find flaw in this song, its maybe that its too mellow or subdued as compared to the rest of the album - too slow perhaps? Still, in every other way it doesn't dissapoint.

7.5 of 10

Round & Round

New Order's great lost single. I say "lost" because of all their great singles, this one seems to be overlooked and forgotten the most. The lyrics on this are just terrific. I think I preferred the single version more, but its been quite a while since I've heard that one as I never owned the single. I do remember, however, that Best & Marsh and the dub version of Vanishing Point on the single were pure class.

9.5 of 10

Guilty Partner

Oh, so *now* Guilt is a Useless Emotion, eh? Well, it wasn't back in '89. Love the guitar and synth breaks in this one. Another song that is a tad too slow.

8 of 10

Run

A great song again, though not quite my top favorite from Technique, even though I've heard a lot of people claim this one as their favorite from the album. Again, like Love Less maybe just a tad on the slow side, but much more raw energy.

8.5 of 10

Mr. Disco

I always loved this one. The rythm and pacing of the lyrics is great - love the whisper at the end, and the synths are terrific, even the bells accompanying Bernie. If I have any complaint, its that the "orchestra hit" type sounds now seem very 80's-ish here (then again, they most definetly don't on Vanishing Point).

9 of 10

Vanishing Point

Godiva for the ear.

I'd have to put Vanishing Point and Dream Attack in my top 10 songs by any band ever, period (they both still rank beneath Perfect Kiss, which would be #2 or #3). Its very hard for me to put into words how great I think this track is. Everything just meshes perfectly here. One problem - it should have been longer! :)

10 of 10

Dream Attack

Again, very rarely does it ever get any better than this. Every thing about this song just oozes blissfulness. The guitar breakdown and especially the piano breakdown are timeless. If I were stranded on a desert island, had my iPod with me but the only song on it were this, I'd be happy (as long as I had some way to keep the battery charged).

10 of 10

I always had a hard time in the past deciding if I liked Technique more than Low Life. I think though that I have to say that I definetly do. Technique is more consistent, and its much easier to listen to. NO at their peak.

Fine Time: Ideally, this would have been a non-album single. Perhaps their most club-oriented track since Confusion. I like it but in the context of Technique it's the weakest track. I'm glad they put it 1st though. It would be too jarring somewhere in the middle and a horrible way to close the album. 7/10

All the Way: The whole of this song is greater than the sum of it's parts. Some focus on the Just Like Heaven bassline but that was just payback for that song stealing Leave Me Alone's descending guitar line. The combination of lush synth sounds, a peppy guitar break and confident vocal (I like the lyrics too) make this single-worthy. The feel good song of 1989? 9/10

Love Less: The guitars are nice but Hooky's bass is the star here musically. These are some of my favourite lyrics Barney's come up with. There are many references to his troubled relationship throughout Technique but this one really cuts through.
8/10

Round & Round: Upon first listen, this was the song most crying out for a remix (I feel both the Ben Grosse and Stephen Hague mixes are superior). Even back in 1989 I felt this was a bit too tinky-bonk. Of course it grew on me and I learned to appreciate the throbbing sequenced bass on the bridge, the pitter-patter of the bongos and yes, more great lyrics from Barney. 9/10

Guilty Partner: The weaknesses I used to perceive this track had, I now appreciate. Initially, I felt this should be more of a rocker ala Sunrise and that the vocals were a little awkward. In context however, the passive-aggressiveness and inarticulation support the theme of the song. Music style and feel re-used as Monaco's debut single! 7/10

Run: I love the synth string sounds combined with the piercing guitar sound. The breakdown in the middle is brilliant. First the guitar goes away, then Hooky steps out and we're left with only strings and drums. After a section of just high-hat and synth, Stephen builds it back up again. Superb. Music style and feel re-used as Revenge's debut single! 9/10

Mr. Disco: KW2. Actually, the break sounds more like Kraftwerk than anything else they've ever done but I'm not complaining. This has the best groove ever and I used to love to crank this up in the record store where I worked. The synth bass stabs at the beginning and the syndrum sounds have dated horribly but the song still survives. This really should have been the third single. Probably should be rated about 8/10 but it has that x-factor of me loving it without being able to explain why. I'm gonna give it... 9.5/10

Vanishing Point: Massive. Everything comes together on this one (even though Barney's guitar is absent). Hooky's bass is played more conventionally (playing a bassline) but is perfect. The drum programming is very inventive and the chorus is one of their best ever. Oddly, both melancholy and uplifting. Some have said it should have been a single but it's perfect as an (unedited) album track. 10/10

Dream Attack: Yes, they liked the sequenced bassline from Paradise and (sub-conciously?) re-used it. Why didn't Steve ever use the great tom-tom sound when playing this live? You know the bit after Barney sings "but I wanna be with you"? Enough of my nitpicking, only this could follow Vanishing Point. Great chordy quitar break (not unlike All the Way) understated playing by Hooky,beautiful synths and nice lyrics once again. No other song could close this album. 10/10

Fine Time

Back in '89 when this album came out and I was greeted with this song I thought it was fantastic. Years later it doesn't seem to hold up and half the time I end up skipping it. Not bad, but there almost every other track is better.

Rating: 6/10

All The Way

Great guitar pop song. I love it when they pull something like this together, you just can't help but smile when you get a New Order song that's this catchy.

Rating: 8/10

Love Less

Probably my second favorite song ever (behind Tempation). It's simple and short and straightforward, but there's something about the way Barney sings those great lyrics. Sort of sweet and sad at the same time, something about it gets me.

Rating: 10/10

Round & Round

Much like BLT, this is pure pop bliss. It simply doesn't get much better than this, by any artist. I really like how they augmented the chorus on the single version, but I like the more extended layout of the album track - now if the two could be combined...

Rating: 9/10

Guilty Partner

The other track that doesn't quite stand up to the others. The thing about this song is that I feel it has a similar consistency to Dream Attack, but it's not as good so it gets overshadowed.

Rating: 6/10

Run

Always makes me smile. What I love about it is that it doesn't really sound like any other NO songs. The tempo and the pattern of the vocals give it a really unique sound. The instrumentl back half of the song shows how these guys are masterful compsers. Great stuff.

Rating 10/10

Mr Disco

This one has really grown on me over the years. Thought it was pretty good initially, but I find myself drawn to it more now.

Rating: 8/10

Vanishing Point

Fantastic. The verses are good, but the chorus is worth a million bucks. Looked back on as a classic New Order track.

Rating: 9/10

Dream Attack

I love the first line of this song. It seems like something I would say about them. The keyboards that come in toward the end are wonderful. Great way to end the record.

Rating: 8/10

Overall: This and Brotherhood are my two favorite albums. I have very fond memories of playing the daylights out of the tape with the windows rolled down in the summer of '89 (my Chevette didn't have air:D ) and this was also the only tour I saw them on, so it has a special place in my heart. Fantastic cover too.

Number 2 on my list. Its got it all hasn`t it? Great singles,classic sleeve and no duff tunes! Fine Time is better than most give it credit for,Guilty Partner is a real gem that never gets mentioned.

Fine Time

Not one of my faves. But I've slowly grown to like it and appreciate it a little more than before.

Score: 6

All The Way

Love this song. Delicious in every way.

Score: 8.5

Love Less

I think my fave song from them. Ever. Perhaps it just brings me back to the memories.

Score: 10

Round & Round

Very catchy and full of fun. Lyrics are the best part.

Score: 9

Guilty Partner

Slightly bland, but still enjoyable and I never skip it. Love it at 3:45 on with the synths kicking in. Mesmerizing.

Score: 7

Run

Great guitar pop song. Often overlooked and wrongly so.

Score: 8.5

Mr Disco

One of my faves! Everything about it is just beautiful. I really wish there was an extended 8 minute version of this or proper mixes.

Score: 10

Vanishing Point

Epic song. Great buildup in the intro and slower chill-out feel. If this song was made today, the band would title it, "Point of No Return". Love the titles, and wish the Order would go back to making better titles for their songs like in the past.

Score: 9

Dream Attack

Another fave. Nice guitaring and keyboards. Love the lyrics and chorus.

Score: 10

My fave album of their's. A masterpiece.

Interesting how often taste runs different ways. Some here seem to worship "Movement" and/or "Republic", and I find both to be muddy sounding, garbage withe only minor highlights, while some cant stand "Technique" and/or hate some of my favorite songs on it, "Loveless,", and "Mr. Disco," interesting how so many different people can find so many different things to love or hate about a band. Anyone actually love, "Murder"? Maybe that's something we can all agree on. How on earth was that released anywhere on anything, even with the interesting samples from 2001.

Onto my lil review:

Fine Time: 7/10 I can't in good conscience give this tune a great review since on some early dubs of it, I didnt even include it. That being said, I still think it's a nice, fun song, and the Reading '93 version is amazing.

All the Way: 9/10 A grower. Early on I just thought it was pretty good, then like a fine Bordeaux, it slowly matured until I grew to love it. The only annoyance for me is that the bassline bothers me a bit (and I rarely ever am bothered by a Hooky bassline), maybe it's too out front or I just don't particuarly like it. Not sure. All that being said, i've grown to truly love it.

Loveless: 10/10

Perfect. I love the guitars, love the bass, the drums, the lyrics, the vocal, the cough, everything. Perfect.

Round & Round: 8/10

I'm not as enamoured of this song as others. I love the remixes more (which I'd give 9/10's too), a good song, very good, but not as good as the truly amazing tunes off the album. Good, but not quite great.

Guilty Partner: 8/10

Took a long time to grow on me. It has. I grew to like it a lot, Great lyrics, a lovely, if slight, guitar solo. A really nice song in retrospect.

Run: 10/10

Amazing, while I wouldn't quite rank it as their best ever, as one poster did, it's darn close, certainly top 10, and tied for my favorite of the album. It's amazing. A truly remarkable song, and the final closing 2 minutes are as good as anything New Order has ever done.

Mr. Disco: 10/10

I absolutely love this tune, everything about it. Some things havent aged amazingly well, but I still love the vocal performance, I love it all from begining to end.

Vanishing Point: 9/10

It's missing two things, a little more work on the lyrics (would have appreciated one more verse), and i thought as another mentioned that the "making out mix" was the better version. I wonder why they didn't go with that one. Otherwise, truly immense and a reminder of how good an album is when this tune isn't even the best one on an album.

Dream Attack: 10/10

Perfect everything, lyrics, guitars, synths, the whole lot, lovely finish.

Bonus: Don't Do it/Best and Marsh/MTO

Don't Do it would get a 10/10, ditto Best and Marsh, MTO would get a 7/10 from me (though I LOVE the last 15 or 20 seconds).

Over all rating 81/90

90% grade

Amazing, their best album, quite clearly in my view. Wonderful Guitars, wonderful synths, wonderful vocals, a lyrical treat, just amazing from start to finish. the only dud on it, is Fine Time and that's actually technically a good tune that just looks small in the rest of "Technique's" company. Amazing, a masterpiece indeed.

Can't believe I missed this one;

9 122 Fine Time 6 138.5 All the Way 7 134.5 LoveLess 3 158.5 Round & Round 8 125 Guilty Partner 5 157 Run 4 157.5 Mr. Disco 1 169 Vanishing Point 2 168.5 Dream Attack

Have to think about it & rate it meself later.