What a terrible album

There is absolutely zero charm to this album. It takes itself way too seriously in places, and the bit of fun it does have is totally feckless. I'm actually disinclined to move...

It has its moments. Restless is good but nowhere close to their previous lead singles. The album unwinds a little toward the end and creates a nice atmosphere but there's tracks like, "Stray Dog" which is absolutely useless even for filler. All in all it is generic for NO - there is zero edge here and I'm not saying this because Hook is absent.

I know I can't be the only one who thinks this 😕

uberpsycho wrote: There is absolutely zero charm to this album. It takes itself way too seriously in places, and the bit of fun it does have is totally feckless. I'm actually disinclined to move...

It has its moments. Restless is good but nowhere close to their previous lead singles. The album unwinds a little toward the end and creates a nice atmosphere but there's tracks like, "Stray Dog" which is absolutely useless even for filler. All in all it is generic for NO - there is zero edge here and I'm not saying this because Hook is absent.

I know I can't be the only one who thinks this 😕

Hey, at least they tried.

The homage to the past, or just the dependence upon it has been successful. Dozens of repeat listens on a road trip , of complete , and everything before it , remind me that a luckier bunch of fans do not exist. bad songs, are minimal, even in the beginning. As for Stray Dog --it is as personal as anything from Bernard, and Iggy is perfect . A Classic! So what is wrong? Any backing singer could mimic and repeat "so iconic" etc. --her lead backup on plastic is superfluous and ultimately annoying. Same for superheated- Flowers is good , but Bono or Bruno Mars would have the same effect, it ends not with Bernard. The only other problem --lose this hatred. It seems an homage to Styx(mr. Roboto) and Michael Jackson, and the village people. Bernard sings the first verse as if constipated, or somehow in a testicular harness. Most dreadful . I could listen to "out of control" by the chipmunks backwards and feel much better. I do not know any other chem bros songs, so maybe it is Bernard's fault completely.

Are these people for real ?!?

Still, their half formed ramblings are sort of entertaining. I hope we get to hear more… or perhaps I really don't care.

I like the album, from start to finish, which is a first for a New Order album in this century. No skipping required. I even like the guest spots, and I was very worried about them, considering the guest spots dragging down their other 21st Century albums. In fact, I REALLY like the guest spots on this album.

Hello, Peter Hook! Nice to see that you visit these boards...

McGuirk wrote: Hello, Peter Hook! Nice to see that you visit these boards...

Perhaps its more like 'hello, Jack Bates!'...Hooky's pretty busy lately while the Pumpkins aint touring anything at the moment

Nah, cynicism aside.... this album might not sit well with many. I got one of my close music friends (we share interest in liking JAMC, Stone Roses, MBV, etc...) to listen to Music Complete. He was puzzled at my raving on about how good the album, etc.... upon listening to it about 3 times (in his car road trips) his reception was lukewarm - his comments include "...a bit too dense in places, too many things happening all at once, direction-less, etc....." 😕

Well, no matter what, he'll have to put up with my constant raving for the next 6 months at least cuz I really think Music Complete is a highly accomplished album

uberpsycho wrote: I know I can't be the only one who thinks this 😕

Yes. Yes, you are.

I like the album, not their best album. But I accept it in my collection. If you just want to compare or hear their older stuff, fine put on Low-Life or Technique or PCL.

Like I always say, everyone's entitled to an opinion.

No matter how wrong it may be.

Coops wrote: Like I always say, everyone's entitled to an opinion.

Yeah i was going to say much the same.

No music is ever universal even to die hard fans. There's people on this site who dislike lowlife and Technique. Never heard anyone say a bad word about PC&L though.............

I love the album but my Mrs who is a casual fan after years of me playing it to her does say it misses Hooky's bass in parts.....

The problem with music is that once it has aged a certain length, people would die to defend its brilliance because they have associated memories with it. Therefore, any attack on a particular band, song or album is taken as a personal attack on somebody's life.

Because new music has yet to accumulate any associated memories (whoever the band is), it is easy to dismiss it as 'not as good as their previous stuff' for those same reasons.

As for this album, both Nothing but a Fool and Academic elicited the same emotional response that I had when I first heard tracks like Your Silent Face and Love Vigilantes. Those two moments alone will form the final soundtrack to my life even if the rest of the album becomes tiresome over the next few hundred listens.

That's good enough for me.

Okay, fine. (This is English for not okay or fine at all). Everyone's entitled to their opinion. (This is English for I don't agree.) Dare to be different. I'm the most negative person I know but I'm enjoying the album. New albums from PIL AND NO just before my birthday? It must be fate. Like waiting for a bus innit.