State Of The Nation

better than fine time, worse than shellshock.

I think by the time this comes on Substance, I'm a little bored with NO...and this is the only time I get bored with them unless Movement is on and I'm finding Hannett's production too claustrophobic.

Someone here said the Singles version was enjoyable. I concur to a limited degree, and feel the same could be said for those versions of Subculture of and Shellshock. Nonetheless, as a single, it encompasses everything NO could have devolved into had they succumbed to typical 80s pop excess. As a composition, it's subpar, but not absolutely awful.

pumped full of drugs wrote: trying to do too much with State of the Nation... a dance song that isn't

Too many things going on with this tune, is a horrible chorus, and it's timing is off. .is too fast without giving importance to say- Peter Hook's bass through the lowest area. The mix is off. being NO is ahead of other bands but is almost 1/2 finished for them. good vocal through 'My brother said that he was dead I saw his face and shook my head / If that's the case then who could tell . Where my story had begun. ' When it was first released was still trying to accept that this was the same amazing Steve Morris drumming from JD who had a hand on this though..

AgentWood wrote: better than fine time, worse than shellshock.

some day you will appreciate fine time.:D

The song isn't bad, but the video makes it better. Honestly, it's better than Chemical, Fine Time, and Run.

wEll, I like the singles version, before i just met Substance version and don´t like it. The video is really good, when Barney sings and the audience jump!!!!

I like this song, especially the Substance version. The lyrics might be a bit trite, but the music is very enjoyable. A good dance tune.

[brown]Ally[/brown] wrote: I gave it a few listens recently to see if it could be redeemed in any sort of "well it's a grower" way but it still sounds as horribly dated as the first time I heard it; especially with that "shrieky" synth intro. I also think Barney's guitar and some of the keyboard elements were far too high in the mix... it was just a crap production IMO :\ohwell:

It's ironic how when New Order released one of their (if not) best albums they followed it up with three shitty singles (my opinion of course); a triple whammy of Sub-culture, Shell-shock and State of the Nation. Those three were definitely below par for a band of NO's calibre. Future singles like BLT and True Faith more than made up for those three blips of course.

SOTN should've been stuck on BLT's b-side and Way of Life put out as a single in it's place. Qwest obviously thought so too as they produced a US 12" promo for Way of Life. I'm not sure how well WOL would've done in the charts but for me it's definitely a far superior song and does have a pretty strong chorus.

Was SOTN the first New Order song to feature the dreaded female backing vocals? Probably another reason it's hated so much! I don't mind some of the backing vox such as on World or Guilt but on SOTN I just find them irritating...

Oooo-oooo-uhhhh-uh-uh-uhhh

Way of Life is the worse song No have ever done (except for Murder). The way the verse goes into the chorus is a mess, the bass is too loud, the chorus is boring, the piano is too far down in the mix, the guitar solo is rubbish. Urgh I hate it!!!

SOTN is a great track. Its got some corny lyrics but then what NO song doesnt? Its got a great instrumentation. I love the guitar riff and solo, and its the best produced track on Brotherhood.

Right, thats my rant over. I feel much better now.

ondes_martenot wrote:

I used to work in a bookstore that sold a book called Shame of the Nation--guess what started playing in my head every time I walked by it?

Walk On By?

ghost rider wrote:

AgentWood wrote: better than fine time, worse than shellshock.

some day you will appreciate fine time.:D

i really liked it when technique was first released; now i can barely listen to it. it sounds like the band are playing the wrong notes half the time.

AgentWood wrote:

ghost rider wrote:

AgentWood wrote: better than fine time, worse than shellshock.

some day you will appreciate fine time.:D

i really liked it when technique was first released; now i can barely listen to it. it sounds like the band are playing the wrong notes half the time.

Eh? Technique is (musically and vocally) the most tuneful album NO have produced. Where are the wrong notes?

PCL has Age of Consent and We All Stand with offkey singing. Low-Life has half the songs sung off key. Brotherhood has messy production on As It Was When It Was, Broken Promise, Way of Life, Angel Dust and Every Second Counts.

Sorry, I just had to say my piece.