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It's hard to imagine the first 6 tracks being any more perfect (as a sequence). The proverbial second disc needs more attention. All in all: More Republic 21st Century than Technique 2.0
Three Perfect Songs: Tutti FruttiPeople on the HighlineNothing but a Fool
The only thing I don't like about this LP is the mastering has been a bit overcooked, brickwall limited to holy feckery, as is most music these days to be fair. Gets a bit tiring on the ears I think, especially when it's electronic and pounding, does nothing for the dynamic range of songs though, it's all upfront and there's no light and shade.
Tutti Frutti really reminds me of something from the first Eleccy LP, especially the start, then there's a lovely little drum break towards the end that I think sounds like TPK. Why Mute didn't earmark this for an early summer 2015 release as the lead single is beyond me, it would have destroyed in Ibiza with some decent remixes.
Just noticed the cowbell towards the end of PotHL, very, very TPK as well.
Stray Dog: The only song in existence to mention the Grimpen Mire? I know Roger Lyons was a big Sherlock Holmes fan [anyone know if he's still working with them to get songs into a workable live situation?] didn't know Bernard was a fan as well though?
Academic is very Eleccy sounding as well, the chord progressions are anyway, sure there's a song on Twisted Tenderness that's similar? Loving the 'yoooooooooou' at the end of the verse though, that's catchy.
Nothing but a Fool. This is the big surprise on the album for me, can't think of another song in their canon that it can be compared to? It's an absolutely brilliantly crafted song, the kind of song that I didn't think they could write any longer. Yes there's elements of JD in the guitars and the intro gives a nod towards BS's love of Morricone, but its string arrangements and the chorus has really surprised me, as a mid 40's NO fan that's been listening since he was 10. It's the type of song that wins Ivor Novello awards, it should be pushed like feck to every Radio 2 DJ to be play-listed on their daytime shows, 'cos it would certainly help sell the LP if Joe and Joanna Public heard it.
I'm really, really surprised just how high the quality of the tracks on the LP overall are. Honestly thought they would just be going through the motions and it would be a shrug of the shoulders type LP, but it really isn't, it's a very, very good pop/rock/dance record for the 21st century.
Just like they could surprise me at gigs in the 80's, when we'd schlepped for hours on a motorway somewhere and thought 'bet they can't really be arsed tonight' and they then proceeded to come out on to the stage and blow our brains out with a performance that left our chins on the floor, they're still leaving me speechless in shock after 35 years of listening to the swines. It's reminded me why I still am and have been an ardent NO fan for as long as I can remember. My only regret is the person who got me into listening to them is no longer on this planet to hear this, 'cos he'd have fecking loved the fact they can still produce stuff like this in 2015, he always 'kept the faith' despite all the fall outs, massive gaps between LP's etc when many [me included] had written them off as a thing of the past.
Now where are those gig dates? May have to examine my schedule and 'suddenly fall very ill' for a couple of days off work. Warehouse Project looks do-able if only for geographical reasons, don't know if my constitution can handle a rave these days though, don't suppose I'd be the only mid 40 year old [and older, I'm young for a proper, original NO fan] there when it's NO.
Debaser wrote:
Fotzepolitic wrote: Nothing But A Fool is a big one.Wow, i was getting all emotional and overwhelmed just now listening to that one
The album is undoubtedly a revitalised sound, but with it (particularly the 'disco'/electronic type stuff) comes an abrasiveness. But then NBAF comes along... It gives me a similar feeling to WFTSC (the song). It has some much needed warmth which I think may be missing elsewhere on the album.
pmep100 wrote: my hat is on the wrong way is another stomping dance tune.
Wait, what? Where are we listening to this, pray tell? [:eek]
Fotzepolitic wrote: Loving Superheated.You can imagine it being loved by anyone even if they're not a New Order fan.
I suspect that it may appeal more to non-NO fans than to fans. It sounds very 'drive-time' on Absolute radio, or some other light rock radio station. I just wish it was a bit darker sounding.
My overall first impression is that it's an exciting, well produced album. It's great that the band have tried a few different things. However considering the return to synths, it might have been nice to have some of those old brooding deep hum type sounds a la Low Life. As an unabashed Chemical Brothers fan I may be contradicting myself here, but the electronics feel quite in-yer-face at times, with little room for subtlety. Perhaps I expect something different from NO than I do from the Chems. Or I'm being an arse. It's great that NO have had some fun on this album but I wouldn't mind a bit more moody menace about it. Well, perhaps I'm starting to sound overly critical; overall I'm pleased that this thing exists.
As for Hooky. Well despite the current mood towards PH around here (mostly justified), I have to admit there are times when I wish he was on this record. Whether Music Complete would have ever been made with Hooky is of course highly debatable (ok, it wouldn't have been), but despite everything I miss him a little bit.
ps The Game is crap!
Yep agree on many points here.Nothing But A Fool gives me that massive, warm, overwhelming, leaves you speechless feeling that WFTSC (the song) did back in 2005.Always thought that song was very underrated.Nothing But A Fool is a worth the album for that song alone kind of song.The kind of song that reminds you after a long long time in the wilderness between albums why i got obsessed with New Order such a long long time ago.It reminds you why you kept the faith (though it's been severely tested many times over the years!) with the band.
I get what you're saying about some of the sounds on the album are a bit in your face despite the Chemical Brothers doing that on a regular basis.For example the way music goes about 40 seconds in to Unlearn This Hatred (after a great intro) i'm really struggling with- just grates on my ears that bit .
Superheated - yeah it's a very drivetime song.The kind of song your average Radio 2 listener would enjoy in a finally on the way home on a Friday tea time kind of way, the "now it's over" refrain they could relate to in a relieved now the working week's over kind of way.Can imagine this one being a big hit on American radio as well.But having said all that i do just love it, it's just sweet and irresistible as fuck.
Tutti Frutti - i defy anyone slightly tipsy not to start wiggling their booty and move to the dancefloor if this came on in a bar, club or office party.That fun and funky bassline and the beat would get anyone leaving their inhibitions at the door.Also some truly lovely guitar on this that i haven't notice anyone mention, really lovely and then the orchestra comes in just to confirm the song's happy, life is good vibe even more.It's just nothing like New Order have ever tried before.It's brilliant.
Fotzepolitic wrote:
pmep100 wrote:
I wonder if any of neworder or there team are readying this blog, whould they be unhappy that it leaked or please at the response and the fact everyone hear will be buying it anyway
They would have known it would inevitably leak once it had been released early in Japan.It's an achievement in this day and age that it didn't leak before today. Actually no, scrub that.It would have been achievement a few years ago if it hadn't leaked when i guess reviewers were sent cd copies of albums which resulted in it being easier to leak.From what i can work out from what i've read reviewers are more likely these days to receive a stream of an album or even a watermarked stream that expires after a certain length of time.So it's much harder to leak an album these days i think is what i'm saying.And really it hasn't leaked.It's been shared by the Japanese on the day it was released.So technically it hasn't leaked at all it's simply been shared on release day (if you're Japanese). A totally successful operation by Mute.
Secure stream from Mute servers there were no physical Cd Promos or copies available.
Tutti Frutti - this is it. Best Barney dance song since "Getting away with it"? Nothing but a fool is also surprisingly great, the only song it slighty reminds me of is "All Day Long". And the cheap sounding "Plastic" is the worst track by far.
So Barney and Steve deliver the new classics now. If Hooky just were not such a dickhead and the original line up reunited... But I guess Barney needed the pressure of proofing that New Order is not Peter Hook to come up with something like this after the lukewarm last records .
I've realised who Iggy Pop on Stray Dog reminds me of, it's Mr Smith from The Matrix! A much growlier Mr Smith mind, but the tone is similar at times.
I like the song Superheated, but did anyone else mishear "bird caught on a wire" as "burka on a wire"? hahah
On first few listens i'm really impressed. I do think it would have been a killer nine track album though. Definitely could lose The Game and Superheated, possibly even Stray Dog. It would still be about 48mins with just 8 tracks. Best stuff since Republic easily.
In summary, it's very good.
I didn't like Restless on first listen, but it's very much a grower. Really nice to hear some 1985 style wacca wacca guitar playing from Bernard. I've wanted him to bring that back ever since they reformed in 98.
Whilst both Singularity and Plastic are good, they suffer from the 2001 onwards trend of having an intro that sets up an entirely different track before a weird transition to the main body of the song. I really like Plastic, but the sounds in that intro could have been expanded into something really epic and interesting, whereas the actual track is a bit of an anticlimax in comparison. Interesting reprise of the Prodigal Son vocal effect on the end coda.
Tutti Frutti sounds like Some Distant Memory crossed with the bassline of 586 and the guitar outro from GAWI and has the best, catchiest chorus I've heard in years. I've played it more than anything else on the album so far.
POTHL is funky but fairly generic. I couldn't tell you how it goes without listening to it as a reminder, although it does feature a piano hook straight off Raise the Pressure.
Stray Dog is basically Ninth Configuration updated for 2015. I'd be amazed if this didn't start as an O2 soundtrack piece. It's interesting, even if it reminds me of Shatner.
Academic is great, but has that annoying guitar hook in the verse that can only come from Phil. Those layered guitars that were in the preview clip are lovely, though.
I don't get NBAF. It's got a really interesting Doors style opening and verse and then a sickly sweet chorus that sounds like it's come from a different track.
Unlearn This Hatred is the Mac Quayle remix of GIAUE. Again, terrible verse and great chorus.
The majority of The Game is very similar to Dracula's Castle and has the weird verse / chorus mismatch again. It's a bit pointless overall.
Superheated is complete cheese, but actually quite enjoyable.
Overall it's really enjoyable, but it's as if they've had lots of different musical ideas and not known how to stick them together properly. It's fantastic that they're trying new stuff out, though, and I'd rather have them try and fail if that gives the highs that are on some of these tracks. It's got a lot of references to past albums, whether deliberate or accidental, and reminds me most of RTP, with quite a bit of WFTSC thrown in. It's got nothing on Technique, but it does have a hell of a lot of confidence, which felt lacking in the last 3 albums. It had become very noticeable that Hooky insisted on having an intricate bass solo on most of their output, thinking that was the thing that made them New Order (see Hellbent for a particularly egregious example of unnecessary complexity thrown in for the sake of it), whereas it always worked best when it was a lead rhythm piece (Sunrise, AoC, Transmission, TPK etc.). Removing that need for him to be a star turn in every song frees the whole band up to do something more interesting, bringing in that style of bass when it suits the track.
In old terms, Side 1 is one of the best first halves of an album they've ever produced. Side 2 may grow on me, but isn't there yet.
blunt laser wrote: On first few listens i'm really impressed. I do think it would have been a killer nine track album though. Definitely could lose The Game and Superheated, possibly even Stray Dog. It would still be about 48mins with just 8 tracks. Best stuff since Republic easily.
I agree, "Stray Dog" would be a good one-off single like "Murder" or The Saville Soundtrack, and "superheated" is nice but also more bonus track material. "The Game" is a grower, so it's also the perfect nine tracker for me.
dss wrote: It had become very noticeable that Hooky insisted on having an intricate bass solo on most of their output, thinking that was the thing that made them New Order (see Hellbent for a particularly egregious example of unnecessary complexity thrown in for the sake of it), whereas it always worked best when it was a lead rhythm piece (Sunrise, AoC, Transmission, TPK etc.). Removing that need for him to be a star turn in every song frees the whole band up to do something more interesting, bringing in that style of bass when it suits the track.
probably true, good observation
@ Salford Corner
.....great memories. Pleased you picked up on return of the cow bell, me too, there's a bit that's True dub-esque in there somehwere, might be Tutti Frutti.
Roger is no longer working with NO, these days he spends most of his time with the Kaiser Chiefs and more recently Paul Weller. But I'm sure they'll get them sorted for the gigs, they're rehearsing 5 tracks from the album apparently.
I haven't heard any of it other than when the new single was played on Radio 2 recently and I felt all deflated because it sounded like the bastard offspring of Bad Loo and Twisted Tenderness-era Electronic*
Quick question, though, is it right that That Lad On Bass sounds a bit Hooky-esque?
*I have no big problem with either, I just don't need any more of it in my life.
Listening to it again on my way home and just remembered what Stray Dog reminds me of: that Richard Burton narrated War of the Worlds from the 70's.
There's bits of bass playing throughout that could probably be described as being Hooky-esque, but they aren't massively obvious and probably more of a result of the fact that with electronic music any 'normal' bass frequencies are covered by the kick and sequenced bass parts, it's got to be higher up the neck and fairly melodic for it to work in a mix.
Loving the last few bars of 'Nothing but a Fool', that's a classic sounding NO refrain.
Think it holds together really well as a piece and pisses all over anything they've released since Technique as a whole LP, there's been the odd tune here and there like Regret and Crystal, but there's not a really terrible tune on this whole LP for me, no Rock the Shack and I'm not skipping tunes to get to a better one.
Still completely gobsmacked that they can produce something like this, really thought the days of a NO LP being on heavy rotation were over.
Now wondering which night at the Warehouse Project to go to? Will they have warmed up by the second night or will the adrenalin buzz of the first night make for a better gig? Always been a gamble with this lot, like a football team pulling out a performance you didn't think they were capable of, just when you least expected it as well.
Are badges being produced to commemorate their return?
Album is available in Australia. Picked up a copy of the CD from JB Hi-Fi in Prahran this afternoon.
Salford Corner wrote: Listening to it again on my way home and just remembered what Stray Dog reminds me of: that Richard Burton narrated War of the Worlds from the 70's.
First time I heard it I did a double-take to check that Lee Hazlewood hadn't returned from the grave...
I'm a few listens in now and am cautiously optimistic though I agree with many that shaving off a bit of bloat would do this album wonders. The edit of Restless for instance was a bit of a shock after growing to actually enjoy the single edit and to these ears it's a bit overcooked. No shame in a 3 minute pop song sometimes.
Struggling with Superheated most of all. Cheese overload..sometimes I can forgive Barney's less refined lyrics but not on this one.
I don't expect there are many Duran sympathizers here but I'm wondering if this isn't a bit of an indie Paper Gods - the beats are solid, the sound is certainly contemporary but ultimately too many producers / guests have arguably diluted the original, defining sound to something fairly generic. I hope there are more nuances to reveal themselves over repeated listens.
Havent been on this site for a long time, but hey.
Loving some of the new tracks: "Plastic", "Academic", "The game" seem to be my stand out tracks.
After a couple of days with the album i'm happy with 9 out of the 11 songs so yeah it's overall a great album for me.
The only 2 songs that i don't like, well maybe don't entirely dislike but have problems with and don't get are Unlearn This Hatred and The Game.
The intro to Unlearn i like but then at 40 seconds in they way it goes at that point i just don't like it , sorry.I just expected much better from Tom Rowland on this.It's quite uninteresting musically, it's in your face and irritating. I do like the song's chorus but frustratingly i don't like the verses- same same uncompelling melody and lyrics.This song seems to be a favourite with some folks which just goes to show how crazy it is one song can be loved by some and yet hated by others.
The Game - just find this generally uninspiring though it has its brief moments and redeems itself a bit in the last few minutes with some guitar parts that i quite like even though they are a close cousin of something like Hey Now What You Doing off WFTSC.
But anyway, an overall big positive for the album from me.Singularity, Plastic,Tutti Frutti, and Nothing But A Fool are some of the best songs they've done in a long time or ever.Academic has one of the best intros they've ever done (those first 30 seconds or more) then sags slightly in the middle but the song overall pulls it around.Superheated is cheesy shcmaltz yeah, but i love it.
I think i'll remember the summer of 2015 as the summer of seemingly waiting forever for September to come and for Music Complete to be released.Thank bloody fuck the long wait is finally over![[:)]](/emoticons/smile.gif){kind=small}
I'll whisper it, and I know some people will think I've been on the ale far too early, but overall, as an LP, I think it's superior to Brotherhood.
Salford Corner wrote: I'll whisper it, and I know some people will think I've been on the ale far too early, but overall, as an LP, I think it's superior to Brotherhood.
I'm not a huge fan of brotherhood personally, so your statement has the same effect as saying the new album is better than a Menswear album.
Is it better than GR or lowlife?
Salford Corner wrote: I'll whisper it, and I know some people will think I've been on the ale far too early, but overall, as an LP, I think it's superior to Brotherhood.
Quick - someone grab his keys before he attempts to drive.
is it bro wrote:
Salford Corner wrote: I'll whisper it, and I know some people will think I've been on the ale far too early, but overall, as an LP, I think it's superior to Brotherhood.
I'm not a huge fan of brotherhood personally, so your statement has the same effect as saying the new album is better than a Menswear album.
Is it better than GR or lowlife?
Loved Brotherhood when it came out, but these things always have a lot to do with your age at the time etc I think as well.
Listening to Bro'hood these days and I'm shocked at how weak the production is and I don't think it works as an LP overall either.
Expectations are involved as well, I was disappointed with GR because after such a long gap between LP's I was expecting far more, especially after hearing Crystal
as the first single.
Whilst with this one, my expectations were very low, I don't think it's as good as Lowlife, but it's not that far behind and it's a far superior LP to Republic and Siren's.
I think there are songs on this new LP that really are up there with their very best work and I think it's an LP that I'll be listening to in the coming years, six months
after Siren's came out and I wasn't listening to it at all and I've rarely heard it in it's entirety since.
So no, it can't really compete with PC&L or Technique, they remain my favourite LP's, with Low Life third and quite probably this new one just ahead of Brotherhood and Movement at the moment. I think some of these songs will work really well live too, Siren's songs really didn't translate very well in a live situation I don't think, they hardly put any in their sets when they were gigging after it was released either. The atmosphere around the band at the time of Siren's was truly terrible, wasn't surprised when they 'split' not long after. They couldn't have gone on like that, it was patently obvious two of them really weren't getting on, so I suppose this had a negative influence on the recording of the LP and the gigs. You can hear that it sounds like they enjoyed making this record, it's joyous and upbeat where WftSC was bland and downbeat.
is it bro wrote: Is it better than GR or lowlife?
Every other New Order album is better than Get Ready. ![[:d]](/emoticons/biggrin.gif){kind=small}
For me, this is most satisfying front-to-back NO album since Technique. It hits all the right classic NO notes without sounding retro. I'm so proud of the band for really pushing to do something creative and fun, and really proud of Barney for giving the lyrics more than five minutes consideration. I mean, they're still bad, but "good" bad, if you know what I mean.
listened to it a few times now....
it's like electronic meets technique 2.0..
can't really comment on the songs that have already been discussed by many people here.
it seems its a recent trend to have multiple producers, guests, etc on albums now..
underworld (barking), duran duran (paper gods), and now new order....
the albums are very 'produced', and have quite a lot of variety...but seem to lack the core of the group.
the individual songs seem to be ok, but dont all seem to have a context or theme, like they used to.. they seem like a mishmash of songs put together.
all of them sound good, but there's nothing distinctively 'new order' about them...i guess i haven't heard the trademark sound that i used to like..
but out with the old, and in with the new...
two steps forward, one step backward..
later -1
negative1 wrote: listened to it a few times now....
it's like electronic meets technique 2.0..
can't really comment on the songs that have already been discussed by many people here.
it seems its a recent trend to have multiple producers, guests, etc on albums now..
underworld (barking), duran duran (paper gods), and now new order....
the albums are very 'produced', and have quite a lot of variety...but seem to lack the core of the group.
the individual songs seem to be ok, but dont all seem to have a context or theme, like they used to.. they seem like a mishmash of songs put together.
all of them sound good, but there's nothing distinctively 'new order' about them...i guess i haven't heard the trademark sound that i used to like..
but out with the old, and in with the new...
two steps forward, one step backward..
later -1
I respectfully disagree. This new LP is distinctively NO from the strings in the intro to Restless on track one. I've always loved it that every new LP has brought something different to their sonic pallet and they've never once settled for a 'sound' as being their own and churned it out relentlessly. I know John Peel described The Fall as being: 'always different, always the same' but I think that could as easily be applied to NO as well. There's something in the chord progressions they tend to gravitate towards that makes them exclusively NO, but the sounds they use, the arrangements etc change with every LP.
Not long to go. I can't wait to hear the whole album. I think I've heard about 8 tracks (or part tracks so far) and it sounds epic and very synths.
I'm very excited and optimist about this comeback album. Could it even be New Orders best ever? (There I've put cat amongst the pigeons). I doubt Technique can be topped but I stand by he fact that IMO any other of their albums is up for losing their place from the pedestal.
Now the decision is whether to buy the CD or just get the album off iTunes. I don't even have a CD player anymore so would have to play through DVD player and TV. Think I'll go with iTunes as it's easier and I doubt the album Sleeve will be all that (or is it?).
