Waiting For The Sirens' Call

Let's start with the low. OK, some of the tracks go on slightly longer than needed (the album clocks in at 57 minutes). Some middle 8's and outro's could have been trimmed.

The much-heralded & supposed return to the Technique dance-era is a bit of a lie. Much of this album is straight-forward vocal/guitar/bass/drum set up. Only the track Guilt Is A Useless Emotion could be considered dance. Unfortunately, it sounds a bit embarassing - like Rave Dads down the disco. But still a good, whistling tune. Fifth song I Told You So is propelled by a ragga-lite backing track and is plainly naff and easily the worst track on here. Not even a B-side in my opinion.

Standout tracks are the 3 opening tracks: very cool, very New Order guitar tracks perfect for the Summer. Krafty follows - a good, solid single. Jetstream is great and the fact that the annoying smiley woman, Ana Matronic, from Scissor Sisters is on it doesn't harm the tune at all. Although, the single edit (out in May) trims the unnecessary parts and is ultimately better than this mix.

Penultimate track Turn is classic New Order - apparently knocked out in one afternoon when they wanted to cheer themselves up. And it sounds it! Final track Working Overtime is a great Stooges-like stomp but sounds a bit contrived & overworked on (if you excuse the pun). Certainly not as rough and ready as reviewers have claimed it to be.

Overall though, this is a strong album. Better tunes than Get Ready or Republic, it does feel like their first complete work since Technique. It's quite clear that the band have not yet drained their well of tunes dry. I would recommend this for every New Order fan and anybody who has a passing interest in the band or just somebody who wants classic British pop on their car stereo this Summer.

Having heard this album several times now and just read all the online reviews here on Amazon, I have reached the conclusion that there is a very definite split between hardcore NO fans.

Tracks evoke different emotions and some are loved or hated seemingly equally. Perhaps that is the genius of NO - they have a huge following yet nobody can quite put their finger on and agree on where that genius lies.

For my part I think the tracks here owe more to Electronic, Johnny Marr, and Bernard Sumner and the NO of "Get Ready" than they do to the New Order behind Technique, Blue Monday, True Faith, and Republic. There are undertones of "Republic" but anyone who says there is a strong vein of pop songs like "Technique" must be listening to a completely different album.

One thing bothering me at the moment is the track listing - Who's Joe and Hey Now What You Doing have lyrically identical first lines! Didn't someone point this out to the boys before they decided to put them together on the album?!

Personally I like "I told you so", "Morning Night & Day" and "Jetstream" - dislikes are "Dracula's Castle" which I find really doesn't fit in with the other tracks here and "Working Overtime" which is just kind of blah really.

Doubtless some will agree with me, but like I said, many other NO fans will totally disagree. I think it is testimony to NO's diversity that this is so, and proves that no matter your taste in music there is always room for NO in your music collection.

Things that never change are Bernard Sumners voice (which lets be honest, may be unique, but is ultimately rubbish) and Hooky's unmistakable bass sound. I think they could have been bolder with this album and drifted more towards electronic pop (an updated Technique style that they claimed it would be) so it kind of ends up in a musical no mans land as a result. Some of the reviews that claim this is a bit of a dull album aren't far from the mark therefore.

It's by no means a bad album, just not genius.