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Maybe these songs are the reflection of a man who is happy with his lot, lives a pretty normal life and no longer indulges in the wild excesses of his previous years.
Nothing wrong with that. I for one am looking forward to purchasing the album next month. I wonder if those who are luke warm about their copies will actually bother to buy it upon its release.
Just a couple of thoughts.
Johnny Giles wrote:
Tarbox23 wrote:
all the NCAT hat0rz can go back to 1983 and listen to Age of Consent for the 100000000th time.
Dunno what all the fuss is about. It's not bad. Pretty much what I was anticipating. Exactly how much path-breaking innovation should we expect from a 53 year old bloke on his 14th album?. For none believers in Dovesy mid range alt-rock then this album might not be for you but there are some great tunes on here (stand outs...Runaway/Poisonous Intent).
Given BL consists of 3 guitarists surely noone was seriously expecting keys to feature highly in this?. Even though Barney could put keys on there, why join up with two more guitarists if you're not going to make a highly guitar based album??. Check out the Rambo and Leroy stuff on Myspace.....all guitar driven soundscapes, very Dovesy. Doves, Rambo, BL, Marion (even)....it's the NE Cheshire sound!.
Yep, I would prefer more electronica, but am not surprised by what I've heard as the band line up was a pretty big clue.
Nick, you've ordered the full-on £50+ box set?! At least that will remain minty mint :D
Hooky's book is being launched the same day as the BL album!. And to promote the book Hooky's doing a UK tour of book signings with over half of these in record stores. Nice of Hooky to give NO fans a reason to be in HMV or Fopp that week so they can pick up BLs album at the same time
Clear evidence that relationships within New Order are on the mend!
Who's gonna be the first to ask Hooky to sign a copy of NCAT?
Yes, I know the first week of NCATs release is download only but that doesn't make as a good a story!.
this is the most sensible review I've read, agree 100%. Someone buy this man a pint.
CTB
NO Regret wrote: Nothing wrong with that. I for one am looking forward to purchasing the album next month. I wonder if those who are luke warm about their copies will actually bother to buy it upon its release.
I almost certainly won't bother.
I don't play much muzak at home anyway, all my listening pleasure is down through an iPhone, and I've already got a copy of this on there. It's not like I feel the need to own anything on CD anymore, or vinyl, or any other physical medium.
Not sure I even bought Sirens when it came out?
Times change. Such is life.
As expected, among all the records of NO and their spinoffs, NCAT most resembles Twisted Tenderness. And it really isn’t a million miles away from a poppier, less ambitious Doves. The good news:
Sink or Swim 3/5 Underwhelmed with it as a single, but pretty fine. Twist of Fate 4/5 One of Sumner’s most expansive, well developed melodies. Could have done with a few extra bpm, but muscular – wish there’d been more like it. Summer Days on Holiday 3/5 Brooding. Fairly slight chorus that doesn’t really achieve lift off. This is Home 3/5 Verse/chorus vocal split works for me. Charming. Runaway 4/5 Yes, it’s a ballad. Yes, I like it. Appreciably better than “Run Wild”. Running out of luck 4/5 Cruising tempo, melancholy. Lovely tune, and if not great lyrics, then great Barney lyrics. Dynamo 1/5 Oh dear. Simply a lapse of taste – in terms of music, lyrics and production – of the magnitude of the nasty “Morning Night and Day”. Poisonous Intent 2/5 While this reminds me of “Dracula’s Castle” – synthetic production, fussy arrangement that keeps changing gears to no avail, and they neglected to write a proper song underneath it all. Shine Like the Sun 3/5 My favourite song among those Jake sings. Slight but pretty. Head into Tomorrow 2/5 Can’t get behind this one. Here, they’re really straining to be expansive a la Doves and the pomp of the arrangement just flattens a mediocre song. With third-form lyrics.
El Jarvo wrote:
hibster wrote: good luck downloading wiggles albums al
You what, Dave?
Things your kids pester you to 'get' for them. You'll succumb soon enough!
Lovely album, great singer with an even greater past and it's fucking great to hear his voice again.
And yes, not groundbreaking just a good tune in the background for an hour or so.
Nothing more nothing less 
Old Blue wrote:
El Jarvo wrote:
hibster wrote: good luck downloading wiggles albums al
You what, Dave?
Things your kids pester you to 'get' for them. You'll succumb soon enough!
he will look back fondly on the days before he knew what the wiggles were
I really am enjoying this album. The songs are really nice, just...just nice uplifting and catchy tunes, nice, tasteful mix of really good guitar work and electronics. The lyrics are really uplifting and optimistic. Say what you want about Barney's lyrics, but at least these lyrics are personal. He is obviously at a really happy point in his life, and it is reflected in the songs.
Favorite songs so far:
Sink or Swim - very New Ordery, great guitars, very, very catchy and dancey, great classic Barney lyrics ("He doesn't know what he's doing, sure as summer follows Spring. Will he bend, or will he crack, save this yearling from the pack."). Its a lovely tune.
Poisonous Intent - I elaborated on this in an earlier post. PI is a great dance track, full of icy walls of catchy keyboard melodies and synth stabs, dance beats, fat walking synth bass lines, combination of programmed and live drums, funky guitar work, and the last two minutes are pure New Order synth heaven. Great song, really hope they play it live. This is the song that Bernard obviously had the biggest hand in writing, it would fit right in on Technique, Republic, or the first electronic record.
The lyrics are actually somewhat interesting....the song is meant to represent a conversation between two people, with Bernard "playing" both characters as it were. I think this song relfects in parts, Bernard's feelings about Hooky leaving New Order.
Some Sumner lyrical gems from PI:
"You keep saying something, but you're doing nothing I'm here thinking that you're full of shit or something"
"You've got a first class seat with a third rate view"
The last two minutes are great, just washes and washes of lovely synth melodies.
Twist of Fate - Great tune, nice mix of guitar and eletronics, great melody.
Summer Days on Holiday - Really fun and catchy song, nice mix of Smiths-y guitars and technique era keyboard melodies. Lyrics seem to refer to Bernard constantly getting trashed in the summer of 1993! Good song!
Runaway - Just a really pretty song. :)
Dynamo - Yep...I actually like this song quite bit1 Great mix of synth lines and textures with nice guitars, it does indeed sound like New Order doing a Who songs.
Shine like the Sun - Its an okay song, Jake has a nice voice, its a catchy Doves sort of song. What makes it interesting is Bernards melodica playing on it.
I really enjoy the record. I like it more than Twisted Tenderness. I like Sink or Swim and Poisonous Intent more than Krafty and Waiting For the Siren's Call (well, WFTSC has better lyrics, but musically, I prefer PI).
hibster wrote:
Old Blue wrote:
El Jarvo wrote:
hibster wrote: good luck downloading wiggles albums al
You what, Dave?
Things your kids pester you to 'get' for them. You'll succumb soon enough!
he will look back fondly on the days before he knew what the wiggles were
Oh right, the band. I thought you were just being obtuse. You usually are!
I'll have you know, I've actually got Kylie & the Wiggles doing "Monkey Man", on me iPhone!
El Jarvo wrote:
hibster wrote:
Old Blue wrote:
El Jarvo wrote:
hibster wrote: good luck downloading wiggles albums al
You what, Dave?
Things your kids pester you to 'get' for them. You'll succumb soon enough!
he will look back fondly on the days before he knew what the wiggles were
Oh right, the band. I thought you were just being obtuse. You usually are!
I'll have you know, I've actually got Kylie & the Wiggles doing "Monkey Man", on me iPhone!
Jack's favourite song :)
I'm going to be a dad again in 5 weeks time ... I must be mad. 
Why is everyone not liking Dynamo?... sounds to me like a song with a bit of edge to it, and lets face it, there aren't many of those on the album. Ok it is a bit derivative, but hell...
leather_girl wrote:
Chris Nash wrote: Has anyone else noticed that the drum intro on "Summer Days On Holiday" would be exactly the same beat as Old Leadfoot's drums on "Got To Be Someone" - the first track on Pottsy's "Coming Up For Air"?
That's one thing I noticed about Summer Days on Holiday---that the drums sounded like 'Got to be someone'.
I think Magazine got there first with "The Light Pours Out of Me".
El Jarvo wrote:
Spotnick wrote: You must have loved the Substance artwork.
[cough]Where's your review then?[/cough}
Come on, we're waiting!
Sorry, it's called.. vacation time of the year 
I will post it soon, although some of you probably heard it.
At first listen it reminded me of Twisted Tenderness, and you could hear the Hooky basslines spots in some songs 
But I'll give more comments.. honestly having a new job at 10 mins from your home ruins your music listening time
It's nice with a cup of tea and a biccie.
Honestly though, we didn't really expect a return to 3-5-0-1-2-5-GO!!!
Did we?
NO Regret wrote: I went to download off a torrent site last night. but i couldnt access it. then i got a guilt complex and thought to myself, these guys have put alot of effort into making the album who am i to get it for free.
so i'd rather wait and buy the CD. im not knocking those that download this way its just my choice.£9 is nothing.
Meh, got it for free, but I did pre-order the deluxe edition from Amazon.
Artists do most of their money from touring these days anyways. That's why tickets are so expensive.
Ok after listening to the cd quit a few times now here’s how I rate it so far:
This is home is the song I wish New Order made. Just picture Hooky singing Jakes part!!! Runaway just doesn’t work for me, Overall good CD!
Turn Jim wrote: Ok after listening to the cd quit a few times now here’s how I rate it so far:
- Sink or swim 5/5
- This is home 5/5
- Twist of fate 5/5
- Summer days on holiday 4/5
- Poisonous intent 4/5
- Running out of time 3/5
- Shine like the sun 3/5 (This song could have been better if Barney sang it)
- Dynamo 2/5
- Runaway 2/5
- Head into tomorrow 1/5
This is home is the song I wish New Order made. Just picture Hooky singing Jakes part!!! Runaway just doesn’t work for me, Overall good CD!
Pretty much agree. To me This is home is the best song. Followed by Twist of fate and Shine like the sun. I would love to hear Shine like... singed by Bernard, but I must admit that I like it with Jake in the vocals. And I jump Dynamo an Head into tomorrow. It's a great CD!!!!!!!
Burt Reynolds wrote: Why is everyone not liking Dynamo?... sounds to me like a song with a bit of edge to it, and lets face it, there aren't many of those on the album. Ok it is a bit derivative, but hell...
I am a Dynamo fan too.
Yes, we are scorned.
Major Tarantino wrote: Jack's favourite song :)
I'm going to be a dad again in 5 weeks time ... I must be mad.
Good lord, you're churning 'em out fast, congrats!! 
I've only got that Kylie thing on the iPhone cos I like to 'visualise' muzak as I listen to it. Kylie's just so damn cute in that video she did with the Wiggles, I had to download the track! 
agree too. listened to it today in the morning from start to finish for the 3rd or 4th time and have to admit that the first 5 songs are fantastic, especially "this is home", barney's refrain and the string finale are killer. things go downhill a bit from track 6 on but that's nothing unusual for New Order albums since the 90ies. all in all: another great Bernard Sumner album. What a pity Hooky quit and the album cover is such a piss-take. These songs could have made one worthy last great New Order album.
"The closing date for the competition is Friday 18th September 2009"
So, that'll be tomorrow then?
The promos & images on the 'net are all fake!
Get you submissions in pronto!
Don't forget to include lots & lots of British Colour!!
Turn Jim wrote:
This is home is the song I wish New Order made. Just picture Hooky singing Jakes part!!!
I think everybody noticed they tried to "replace" Hooky by a guitar there ;)
I think the whole of it is pretty dull. Maybe it will grow on me, or I'll start to like it once I get older. It is harmless though, and enjoyable enough. I guess I was expecting something more up to the standards of Electronic and this is not.
I'm surprised at how people are responding to the album, but I really don't feel it's Barney's best. It's not bad, just a bit mediocre. I wasn't really expecting MOR from the man who always seemed to make work that had such life to it. Given, WFTSC wasn't the best album, but it had some great melodies. Never Cry Another Tear lacks that hookyness (no pun intended).
Sink Or Swim is decent, but Crystal or Krafty it's not. Don't get me wrong, I like the album, but it doesn't excite me much. Some of the pastiches of Barney's older work don't come across right, the production is soft, and I question some of the arrangement choices.
I suppose liking New Order means accepting certain things, but surely the lyrics on Get Ready trump the lyrics on Never Cry Another Tear? I'm still waiting to hear the other tracks, and the album is starting to sink in some (no pun intended again). However, I just don't think it's the best he could have done.
