Loving Superheated.You can imagine it being loved by anyone even if they're not a New Order fan.Would make a great single.Though New Order will probably do something completely mind boggling again and not release it but release Stray Dog as a single instead.

I'd love a link to it. I can't be bothered to hunt for it. Too busy with work, but if someone can throw me a bone. It would be appreciated. Cheers all! Love to hear your reviews!

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.


Wait, what? Where are we listening to this, pray tell?


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!

Edited by user 22 September 2015 17:04:06(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

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.

Edited by user 22 September 2015 20:00:05(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

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.

Edited by user 23 September 2015 00:57:31(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

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 like the song Superheated, but did anyone else mishear "bird caught on a wire" as "burka on a wire"? hahah

Edited by user 23 September 2015 05:07:43(UTC)  | Reason: fixed a typo

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.

probably true, good observation

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.

Edited by user 23 September 2015 06:00:09(UTC)  | Reason: Not specified

I'd love to hear this. Can anyone point me in the right place please :)

Or walk into a record store the day after tomorrow… that's my plan.

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.