Best extended version

Which is the best extended version compared to the album original?

Is this “most improved over original version” or “best track out of the extended versions”?

Plastic and The Game are both SO much better in these mixes than the normal album version, but some of the other songs are still better (in both forms).

Plastic on the extended album set, the best overall for me is TF (12" Extended Mix 2) from the upcoming single.

Academic is also lo-ve-ly.

seems as if "Stray Dog" has already dropped out of any "Favourites" poll

Best extended version = Academic

Most improved compared to original = Stray Dog

ive just voted Academic...but if given 2 choices I would have picked Singularity as well.

The extended mixes are absolutely fantastic - There isn't a turkey amongst them... I don't know, but I'm presuming the NO crew did these themselves; just goes to show that superstar DJ mixes aren't superior, although they can be interesting at times.

UpDownTurnAround wrote: The extended mixes are absolutely fantastic - There isn't a turkey amongst them... I don't know, but I'm presuming the NO crew did these themselves; just goes to show that superstar DJ mixes aren't superior, although they can be interesting at times.

It was actually Richard X that did the remixes of these, but it sounds like he stuck to only what was on the original tapes recorded by band, focusing on what got cut or buried on the standard album. For example, the extended version of Academic sounds entirely different, but you can faintly hear the bass sequence on the original mix. On the remix, it becomes the driving point of the song.

I don't think Richard X had anything to do with Academic.

The tracks he did work on… he deserves huge thanks for. The list is on his website if you're interested… but only Plastic really has “his sound”, everything else is just very New Order. Clever chappy.

http://blackmelody.com/

Spittingcat wrote: I don't think Richard X had anything to do with Academic.

The tracks he did work on… he deserves huge thanks for. The list is on his website if you're interested… but only Plastic really has “his sound”, everything else is just very New Order. Clever chappy.

http://blackmelody.com/

Ah, gotcha. I don't actually have the box set, so I was going by memory. I was aware that "Plastic" was one of the tracks he produced for the album. It makes me wonder the origin of the song since they debuted it live a full year before the recording. Same thing with Singularity. Maybe these were the two tracks they were going to release as individual EPs prior to the full album coming out. Either way, it's amazing how great all the tracks fit well together as an album, despite all the different producers involved.

Think I prefer the original version of Plastic though I seem to be the only one that does. I find the extended not as engaging . Obviously I'm not listening hard enough or something. The original has the bit three quarters way through when the beat drops out and there's the brilliantly disorientating effects and then the beats come back in with a massive punch which really hits the spot. The extended though ok doesn't have any really stand out moments like that for me- it's just kind of the same thing all the way through with a few vocal effects added. Dunno, why do you all prefer it? 😕

if you read the credits here:

http://www.discogs.com/New-Order-Music-Complete/release/7675196

you will know who did what on the remixes:

extended mixes credits

restless academic nothing but a fool superheated

restructure and additonal mix by gareth jones

singularity unlearn this hatred restructure and additional mix by steve dub

plastic tutti frutti people on the high line stray dog the game restructured by richard x for blackmelody.com

additional mix by richard x and peted hofmann mastered by frank arkright at abbey road studios

art direction peter saville design paul hetherington

c 2015

later -1

Fotzepolitic wrote: Think I prefer the original version of Plastic though I seem to be the only one that does. I find the extended not as engaging . Obviously I'm not listening hard enough or something. The original has the bit three quarters way through when the beat drops out and there's the brilliantly disorientating effects and then the beats come back in with a massive punch which really hits the spot. The extended though ok doesn't have any really stand out moments like that for me- it's just kind of the same thing all the way through with a few vocal effects added. Dunno, why do you all prefer it? 😕

I'm with you. I like the original of Plastic for the same reason. Same with Tutti Frutti - on the album there's a bit with Elly singing the chorus by herself which lightens the mood, as well as a false ending. Those bits make me smile and they aren't on the extended mix so for now I prefer the original version.

Ok...dumb question...but, where can you find the "extended versions" of the album songs? Are they only available via their official site?

NotAMod wrote: I'm really liking the rougher edge Nothing But A Fool has; it sounds a bit "premixy". More distortion and fuzzy guitars but still retains the melody.

The structure isn't too dissimilar from the regular album version but clearly Craig Silvey and Gareth Jones had different ideas for the song.

Aside from that, the Academic extended is just brilliant. Perhaps repeats the chorus once too often but otherwise the way the intro builds is superb.

McGuirk wrote: Ok...dumb question...but, where can you find the "extended versions" of the album songs? Are they only available via their official site?

At the moment they are only available on the Music Complete Deluxe Vinyl Box Set; you get them on 6 bits of coloured vinyl plus a download card is included for FLAC/MP3 versions.

They have not yet been made available to buy outside of the box and it's probably doubtful they will as it would make it fairly redundant.

Regarding Nothing but a Fool: I also like the rougher edge. Wished they'd gone the little bit further and done away with the backing vocals. It probably didn't need to be any longer either. But the mix is worth it in the end with the repeat of the title phrase slightly buried in the mix - it's pure goosebump material and should have made the LP version.

Academic swells nicely in its extended form. But Superheated also feels less compressed.

I love them all, apart from the Game, which i just struggle to love/

TomAngel wrote: Academic swells nicely in its extended form. But Superheated also feels less compressed.

I love them all, apart from the Game, which i just struggle to love/

Conversely for me, the LP version of The Game has that awkward lyric "...higher, than a man can reach." emphasized with a silly effect. I much prefer the Extended mix that doesn't draw attention to it. It also strikes me as the track that most needed room to stretch out and reveal it's qualities. Most improved.

Special mention goes to Plastic for not only receiving a much better ratio of music-to-vocal content, but I also like the ending verse moved to the middle.

Just listened to killers for the first time, singer writes and sounds like an olde Justin bieber

Just listened to some songs by the killers for the first time, singer writes and sounds like an older Justin Bieber, why ,why,why Bernard , why did that grotty little drip get to pollute the new record,

Andy wrote:

TomAngel wrote: Academic swells nicely in its extended form. But Superheated also feels less compressed.

I love them all, apart from the Game, which i just struggle to love/

Conversely for me, the LP version of The Game has that awkward lyric "...higher, than a man can reach." emphasized with a silly effect. I much prefer the Extended mix that doesn't draw attention to it. It also strikes me as the track that most needed room to stretch out and reveal it's qualities. Most improved.

Special mention goes to Plastic for not only receiving a much better ratio of music-to-vocal content, but I also like the ending verse moved to the middle.

The Game is slowly becoming my favorite of the extended bunch as well. It's funny you mention the lyrics because the one that bothers me most on the whole album is the line "For life is good, and it is special, I want more precious metal."

Precious metal?!?!?! [eek3]

I've played in a few live bands and have helped write lyrics on occasion, so that one really makes me groan. I would have written: "For life is good, and it is special, I want more than I could take hold." It doesn't exactly rhyme, but could be sung in such a way to sound as if it did.

Or

For life is good and it is special I want more than precious metal

Apparently there was a band called Precious Metal back in the 80s, haha!

http://www.preciousmetal-allgirlband.com/bio/

Moderne Decay wrote: Apparently there was a band called Precious Metal back in the 80s, haha!

http://www.preciousmetal-allgirlband.com/bio/

Oh god i remember that shower of shite.

Yeah the "precious metal" lyric is the one that sticks out like a sore thumb for me too

keepitcoming wrote: Just listened to some songs by the killers for the first time, singer writes and sounds like an older Justin Bieber, why ,why,why Bernard , why did that grotty little drip get to pollute the new record,

Taste is subjective, but this is one of the best TV studio (never the best environment) performances I've ever seen: Runaways

Andy wrote:

keepitcoming wrote: Just listened to some songs by the killers for the first time, singer writes and sounds like an older Justin Bieber, why ,why,why Bernard , why did that grotty little drip get to pollute the new record,

Taste is subjective, but this is one of the best TV studio (never the best environment) performances I've ever seen: Runaways

Yeah have to admit Brandon can certainly cut it live with the vocals.

i know am an idiot and often forget the depths of my inanity, but mr flowers is one of the great singers of all time . he enchants , and he drips cool sophistication . i just can't listen to screamers, belting it out like bono or thousands of others. when ian curtis screamed , i knew he meant it, he was not emoting or faking some semblance of emotion. ian mcculloch was also . bernard has so much more believability in every nuance and bernard is still learning .i know some fans think he is average - at guitar, at lyrics, at synths , at singing, but he is the most constantly enjoyable creator of music i know of-- his synths over eno , his guitar parts over hendrix or clapton, his voice over anyone currently working , with lyrics to match. also why not tim burgess instead of flowers, or iggy or ian brown, even the pet shop guy(cringe ). this is the first wonderful new order song with someone else singing a lot or too much of it . ella fitzgerald and nat king cole are the best singers ever and never resorted to histrionics .

The game is most improved, really like the extended versions. In fact most add that something extra making most tracks improved. Prefer the album cut of tutti Frutti though, like a previous poster mentioned the bit where la roux sings on her own really lifts the track and it's missing from the extended version

The Shadow wrote: The game is most improved, really like the extended versions. In fact most add that something extra making most tracks improved. Prefer the album cut of tutti Frutti though, like a previous poster mentioned the bit where la roux sings on her own really lifts the track and it's missing from the extended version

THIS IS ALL TRUE

Made a CD copy for someone who is unlikely to have heard any of the tracks (apart from Restless randomly on the radio) and chose the versions thus:

Restless Singularity extended Plastic extended Tutti Frutti People on the High Line Stray Dog Academic extended Nothing but a Fool extended Unlearn this Hatred The Game extended Superheated extended

Clocks in around 78 minutes, 22 seconds.