Newbuild [Original recording reissued]

I agree with everything that's been said below. This is a classic album. It's energetic and fun. It's not an accessible album, it's lo-fi, and full of flaws. When I first got it, I agreed with the reviewer who gave it 1 star. (Nice to have, not to listen to.) A yaer later, I listen to it all the time. It's charmingly old-school, and right at the forefront of the creation of acid house as a genre. This is a fresh sound brewed with cheap, second-hand electronic boxes that, as the liner notes say, wants nothing to do with guitars. Yeah, it's dated, but so's Public Enemy and the Eurythmics and a lot of other stuff from the '80s. Good music can be flagrantly dated but still hold up and impress years later. This album is like that.

LIFE IN A SCOTCH RECORD SHOP VOLUME 2

[DATE: Saturday 28 January 1989, late afternoon]

ME (tentatively, hoping for "Voodoo Ray", not knowing it was called "Voodoo Ray" at that point): "D'ye have anything by A Guy Called Gerald"?

FAT BOB: "Naw, but we've got State 808 FEATURING A Guy Called Gerald?"

ME (tentatively, noting the £5.69 price tag is marginally over-budget): "Aye, alright then, looks pretty cool, I'll take it"

LATER back at home...

Miraculously I've ALSO managed to acquire a copy of New Order's "Technique" a whole 48 hours before its official release (a big deal that, pre-internet) via my brother who worked in a record shop (a big deal that, pre-internet) and its cost me another £4 (brother's staff discount though I'll have to skip lunch for the rest of the week as I'm way over my record budget for the first quarter of 1989).

Naturally, as New Order are my favourite band I put Technique on first. "Fine Time" sounds groundbreaking and a bit mad but I'm underwhelmed by the Balearic-Smiths sound of the remainder...

Then I put on "Newbuild"...and it sounds like the best music I've ever heard. Every track sounds like "Fine Time". A life-changing record.

THE RESULT: I don't buy a non-electronic record for another 5 years (seemed like a long time then - but back then some people only bought one record every 5 years).

Section 25 and Bernard Sumner discovered the sound, and Phuture refined it and gave it a name, but Messrs. Simpson/Massey/Price saw the potential to use "acid" to create a work of modern art that ultimately defies any sort of categorisation. Newbuild should stand proudly in everyone's record collection (remember those?) - filed in between Circuses and Bread (Remastered) and Mozart: Symphonies Nos.35 "Haffner", 36 "Linzer", 38 "Prager", 39, 40, 41 "Jupiter".

All you really need to know is that Newbuild was the only album outing for the original line up of 808 State and within that line-up you have the meeting of minds of two geniuses in Graham Massey and Gerald Simpson. If your perception of 808 State is "Pacific", "Cubik", "In Yer Face" etc - well, whether you like those tracks or not Newbuild is a COMPLETELY different animal.

No further explanation is possible (at least, not from me) or required. You just have to listen.

An all-time classic. Doesn't have "Voodoo Ray" on it though.

I was shocked and amazed to find this title at my local dealer last night and picked it up. I have been an avid collector and fan of 808 State since 1990 with the release of the Utd. 90 album and just missed picking this up nearly 10 years ago. Now, having finally heard what I missed so long ago, I'm am just impressed with the progressive style of music coming from the 808 State group. This album, although it only has 7 tracks, contains examples of their early work which range from poor conglomerates of MIDI sound to electronica comparable to sounds heard even in TODAY's underground scene. 808 State is a group of visionary leaders, and they have my unending gratitude and respect for opening my mind to new possibilities. Peace - Love - Unity - Respect, All.