Why is Republic not one of the all time classics?

NO Fan wrote:

His Holiness, The Pope wrote: Jarvo's comment that it's a single (Regret) with 10 b-sides is correct.

Is it? This is a good dissing soundbite but it carries very little substance! For instance, surely an album as polished as Republic has any number of potential singles. For example, World as to be one of the most commercial singles New Order have ever put out.

Secondly, how many natural singles are there on other classic albums like Power, Corruption and Lies? Possibly, Age of Consent and that's it...

even if it did have 'any number of potential singles' on it, an album of singles does not a great album make!

(just because a song is a single doesn't mean it's good, e.g. jetstream. ;) )

Don't feel bad if you like it though. Republic is just one of those lightning rod things by NO that's a scandal to enjoy. IE: "If you like Subculture 12"/Jetstream/State of the Nation/WIM/anything on Republic except Regret- you're not a real fan."

Republic to me fits in with a very lonely and miserable time of my life (2nd year of college), hence it fit in very well. Times have changed (pun intended), but overall I still have the same opinions of the tracks.

Best- World, Young Offender, Special

OK - Ruined in a Day, Chemical, Avalanche, Everyone Everywhere, Liar, Times Change,

Piss poor - Regret (BLASPHEMY! ), Spooky

But make no mistakes, I'd pick this anyday over 60MPH, Rock the Shack, Slow Jam, Working Overtime or Run Wild!

AgentWood wrote:

NO Fan wrote:

His Holiness, The Pope wrote: Jarvo's comment that it's a single (Regret) with 10 b-sides is correct.

Is it? This is a good dissing soundbite but it carries very little substance! For instance, surely an album as polished as Republic has any number of potential singles. For example, World as to be one of the most commercial singles New Order have ever put out.

Secondly, how many natural singles are there on other classic albums like Power, Corruption and Lies? Possibly, Age of Consent and that's it...

even if it did have 'any number of potential singles' on it, an album of singles does not a great album make!

(just because a song is a single doesn't mean it's good, e.g. jetstream. ;) )

Well, I'm glad you've cleared that up...

Hannett of the Apes wrote: Don't feel bad if you like it though. Republic is just one of those lightning rod things by NO that's a scandal to enjoy. IE: "If you like Subculture 12"/Jetstream/State of the Nation/WIM/anything on Republic except Regret- you're not a real fan."

I love world in motion, subculture, state of the nation and most of republic. I also own all New Orders albums, 2 videos and 2 CDs. Are there any other non-REAL fans out there like me?

It's really not THAT bad. I'd choose it over Movement! Sure, there are some mindless tracks compared to their previous choons and it doesn't register as a classic (and rightfully so), but c'mon it's better than Britney, right?

With that said, Liar was the worst track on that album. The rest I can at least (albeit, sometimes barely) tolerate. Well, Young Offender wasn't that great either, but I had no problems with Regret (of course, who would?), World (yeah, it has female vocals but fun song - Perfecto edit is the best version, in my opinion), RIAD (horrible Jamaican mixes, true, but Reunited in a Day remix makes this song enjoyable), Special (love this gem), Spooky (somewhat bland, but ok), Everyone Everywhere (underrated), Chemical (nice techno beats) and Avalanche (shades of Elegia in terms of the song mood).

It was just too bad Hooky took a LONG tea break.

Aleph via Krafty wrote: Republic to me fits in with a very lonely and miserable time of my life (2nd year of college), hence it fit in very well.

it was my sophomore year in college as well, and i did play republic quite a bit that year as i recall. since then, however, i've barely touched it. i pulled it out a few years back and put it in my car CD player for a week or so but i found myself skipping through most of the album.

DShamen wrote: ... but I love the dark, melodic dance sound that flows through most of the album.

It's great when you can find a quote in a thread & then just say 'Exactly'

CuanaD wrote:

DShamen wrote: ... but I love the dark, melodic dance sound that flows through most of the album.

It's great when you can find a quote in a thread & then just say 'Exactly'

|Exactly!

Exactly!

I like all their albums, so i dont see a problem.

NObabe wrote: Funny, I've never heard of that RepuLic album.

It's Serbian. You need to stop listening to so much Brit music; you're missing out. ;)

BIGINOIL wrote:

CuanaD wrote:

DShamen wrote: ... but I love the dark, melodic dance sound that flows through most of the album.

It's great when you can find a quote in a thread & then just say 'Exactly'

|Exactly!

It becomes bland after Young Offender, but the six tracks before that deserve to be up there in the NO canon.

Not sure anyone in the NO camp would agree, though...

Eric Wang wrote: Regret is great. Everyone Everywhere is a classic.

World, Ruined in a Day, Spooky - totally weak as singles. The Paul van Dyk mix of Spooky (I think it's the New Order in Heaven mix) - just piss poor.

Chemical and Young Offender - suck. Sorry, I know some of you like them, but I just think they sound awful. What kind of synth were they using on this? Probably that Kurzweil K2000.

Oh gawd - Times Change - just a continuation of Barney's obsession with the idiot Brit style of rap carried on from Electronic's first album. I thought it was great for Idiot Country, but just got worse and worse elsewhere.

I like Liar, Avalanche and Special. They are decent.

OOOH shock horror!! I love the Paul VAN DYK mix.It brilliantly ambient,and I love the way it builds up to a rave anthem near the end. TIMES CHANGE I disagee,I love as much as IDIOT COUNTRY if only it's got the bonus of HOOKY's bass as well. I do agree AVALANCHE and SPECIAL are excellent though.And I've have to agree as good as WORLD was,they should have released an edit of the PERFECTO mix.

Christopher Owens wrote: It becomes bland after Young Offender, but the six tracks before that deserve to be up there in the NO canon.

Not sure anyone in the NO camp would agree, though...

I've got to agree with you. I love the first half of Republic. I don't think it should be an all time classic, but it is a decent album. Plus, you've got Regret...

Hannett of the Apes wrote: Don't feel bad if you like it though. Republic is just one of those lightning rod things by NO that's a scandal to enjoy. IE: "If you like Subculture 12"/Jetstream/State of the Nation/WIM/anything on Republic except Regret- you're not a real fan."

i like World in Motion...best thing john barnes ever did

songs are good, but the album is really doesn't sounds like N.O…

karine wrote: songs are good, but the album is really doesn't sounds like N.O…

it doesnt, compared to the first five records... I guess Bernard was sick of being "indie" and wanted to be bland and mainstream... his way of rebellion. the record is sort of a Bernard solo record produced by Hague in many ways.

"Regret" is great thou, has not really even aged much... beautiful

the whole albums bores me ... i can't stand to listen to it all the way thru the second side

The songs.

Other than Regret and Special there are no classic tunes, and unlike Get Ready and WFTSC the absence of classic tunes isn't made up for by general solid quality. Instead, Republic is filled with tripe like Spooky, World, Liar, Chemical and the like. Everyone Everywhere, Special, and Regret are in my view, very fine songs, particularly the latter two, but other than that the album is one long disappoint and I think it makes perfect sense that they were at their unhappiest in this period, the songs reflect it, much like "Movement".

However, again, I will say that Regret and Special are far better tunes than really anything else they've done since Technique.

That's funny... This album came out my second year of college ,too (depressing, lonely). I've tried to listen to it since, but I just can't for some reason. Well, the guitar part in Avalance is beautiful, come on. Now, whenever I take my family on a long road trip, Substance and Technique go with us. My kids *love* BLT...

republic was a huge disappointment for me. i loved regret so f'ing much and then came this mediocore (at best) album.

there are some good songs mostly on the side 1 :ruined in a day, everyone everywhere, world. Spooky as a single?!? that was just sad. Liar is kind of a guilty pleasure for me. i know most of you Nooler's hate it, but i have to say it's pretty damn catchy. i even think the backing vocals work. oh well, you can't lay a golden egg everyday. right?

in fact, my disgust with this album peaked my interest in heavier music. the same day i bought Republic, i also purchased "slip" by quicksand and loved it. a classic harcore album. from then on i got into fugazi, drive like jehu, hammerhead, don caballero, slint. now, my taste has reverted to my old synth pop/goth rock/post punk ways. love the killers, interpol, bloc party, arcade fire, stars, kasabian, fischerspooner, lcd soundsystem, postal service, doves, faint, and of course NO as much as i ever did. it is nice to hear things to comeback 'round. i feel a bit rejuvenated. any one else feel the same way?

Regret followed by Republic = U2's Vertigo followed by HTDAAB.

Massive Attack wrote the 2nd best song on it.

Hank Wiseass© wrote: Massive Attack wrote the 2nd best song on it.

Eh??? Whats Massive Attack got to do with U2?

I think it totally lacks passion. Some great songs but overall, feels like a relationship that's being flogged to death i.e. someone just needed to be brave and say it's finished...:(

Republic and Brotherhood are the two worst records. Times Change & Broken Promise are pure shite!

I liked half of Republic (Regret, World, Ruined In A Day, Everyone Everywhere, Special) but the rest of it is a bit naff. If Times Change is the one with the rap on it, that probably is the worst New Order song ever. But I wouldn't say WFTSC doesn't have any classic songs on it. What about Who's Jo? WFTSC, Morning, Night and Day, Turn, Krafty? I even like I Told You So. They might be The Perfect Kiss but it's pretty good stuff. Shame they didn't play Turn and Morning, Night and Day live.

regret and special or good,liar is my fav on it.but the rest of the album as a isnt up to much.relly do love liar though