NEW ORDER
Waiting For The Sirens' Call
Although New Order are certainly among my very favourite bands they are also a band I can be fairly objective about... they've recorded some of my favourite songs ever but for me some of their previous albums have sometimes been a bit hit or miss!
Of their recent output I loved 'Republic' and quite liked 'Get Ready' so it was a relief to hear 'Krafty' the first single from this album on the radio in advance of getting this album. 'Krafty' simply couldn't be a song from anyone else; it just oozes New Order from that distinctive rumbling bass and the insistent electronic beat to Bernard Sumner's unmistakable deadpan vocals... 'Krafty' is a song which effortlessly seems to pull off the impossible - it simultaneously sounds extremely contemporary and classic which is a trick the band repeat again and again throughout this excellent new album 'Waiting For The Siren's Call'.
Opening track 'Who's Joe' is trademark New Order, boosted this time by impressive guitar sounds from the band's new guitarist, former Marion player Phil Cunningham who also uses his considerable skills to great effect on the swooping 'Morning Night And Day'. His influence on the album is subtle but very effective and credit to him for moulding himself into the band so well. 'Turn' is another song which benefits from toning down the electronic and turning to a rockier, more stripped down structure which makes the track sound very fresh and carefree with Bernard Sumner in fine voice.
In darker mood 'Dracula's Castle' is a fine New Order song... fat retro beats, strings and a brooding, growling instrumental section this is one of my personal favourites which ends in a celebration of all those trademark sounds that make New Order so special.
When I first heard the title track 'Waiting For The Sirens' Call' I didn't quite get it, something didn't quite engage straight away, but I've listened to this album a lot over the last couple of weeks and now I love it and can't really remember why it was a stumbling point first time around... it's a breezy summery song, similar in many ways to Republic's excellent first single 'Regret'. Rather ironically there are now whispers that the band's next single will be 'Jetstream' which to my ears is a bit throwaway and lightweight and is probably my least favourite track here - so much for my ability to spot the hits!
'I Told You So' opens with Depeche Mode style electronic beats which quickly give way to a curiously reggae-tinted track which features prominent female soul vocals which bring to mind the Black Box dance era of the early nineties and take the band in a new direction. This glossiness is echoed on the celebration that is 'Guilt Is A Useless Emotion', 100% pop with a singalong chorus, again the female vocals rob the track of some of it's 'New Orderness' but the computer bleeps, clattering drums and distinctive bass would make this an ideal track to remix in all sorts of directions... too much of a kiss of death to nominate this as a single?
The album ends with a nod to the more distant past - 'Working Overtime' is pure rock and roll and shows the band have not forgotten their punk rock roots. Bernard does a fine job of sounding like Iggy Pop and although the track is something of an oddity in the context of this album it's a welcome reminder that when they want to New Order can rock!
NME recently awarded New Order the title of 'Godlike Geniuses' and on the strength of this album they may well have a point!
Of their recent output I loved 'Republic' and quite liked 'Get Ready' so it was a relief to hear 'Krafty' the first single from this album on the radio in advance of getting this album. 'Krafty' simply couldn't be a song from anyone else; it just oozes New Order from that distinctive rumbling bass and the insistent electronic beat to Bernard Sumner's unmistakable deadpan vocals... 'Krafty' is a song which effortlessly seems to pull off the impossible - it simultaneously sounds extremely contemporary and classic which is a trick the band repeat again and again throughout this excellent new album 'Waiting For The Siren's Call'.
Opening track 'Who's Joe' is trademark New Order, boosted this time by impressive guitar sounds from the band's new guitarist, former Marion player Phil Cunningham who also uses his considerable skills to great effect on the swooping 'Morning Night And Day'. His influence on the album is subtle but very effective and credit to him for moulding himself into the band so well. 'Turn' is another song which benefits from toning down the electronic and turning to a rockier, more stripped down structure which makes the track sound very fresh and carefree with Bernard Sumner in fine voice.
In darker mood 'Dracula's Castle' is a fine New Order song... fat retro beats, strings and a brooding, growling instrumental section this is one of my personal favourites which ends in a celebration of all those trademark sounds that make New Order so special.
When I first heard the title track 'Waiting For The Sirens' Call' I didn't quite get it, something didn't quite engage straight away, but I've listened to this album a lot over the last couple of weeks and now I love it and can't really remember why it was a stumbling point first time around... it's a breezy summery song, similar in many ways to Republic's excellent first single 'Regret'. Rather ironically there are now whispers that the band's next single will be 'Jetstream' which to my ears is a bit throwaway and lightweight and is probably my least favourite track here - so much for my ability to spot the hits!
'I Told You So' opens with Depeche Mode style electronic beats which quickly give way to a curiously reggae-tinted track which features prominent female soul vocals which bring to mind the Black Box dance era of the early nineties and take the band in a new direction. This glossiness is echoed on the celebration that is 'Guilt Is A Useless Emotion', 100% pop with a singalong chorus, again the female vocals rob the track of some of it's 'New Orderness' but the computer bleeps, clattering drums and distinctive bass would make this an ideal track to remix in all sorts of directions... too much of a kiss of death to nominate this as a single?
The album ends with a nod to the more distant past - 'Working Overtime' is pure rock and roll and shows the band have not forgotten their punk rock roots. Bernard does a fine job of sounding like Iggy Pop and although the track is something of an oddity in the context of this album it's a welcome reminder that when they want to New Order can rock!
NME recently awarded New Order the title of 'Godlike Geniuses' and on the strength of this album they may well have a point!
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