New Order's 2015 album, Music Complete was a remarkable return to classic form...everything you could ever want....classic post punk meets disco and probably one of the top synth bands out there. Everything that made them the force that they were throughout the 80's. Despite the loss of Peter Hook, the hardcore survivors managed to scrape together something that had been missing for about 10 years....ofcourse, you don't need to be told this, every review at the time hailed Music Complete as a classic...you can check them out yourself.
The idea of an album of extended versions is not new. No, I'm not talking about remixes...extensions....but this idea can fail miserably. What can be a bloody great pop song, can become a tedious bore....shorter can be sweeter. This is where a dance remix rescues and becomes a brilliant dancefloor tool (although depending on the remixer...you can end up with something that sounds nothing like the original!!)
Complete Music is New Orders album of extended versions from Music Complete. Nothing released previously, not even if you've bought all the single remixes...nothing to piss you off..and it's perfect and it does it well, just like it should do. It really is Complimentary and Complete. It keeps your attention and holds all those bits that New Order are about. Sequenced in the order that you would expect from a classic New Order album. Bass driven indie pop song followed by a dance stomper, with some brilliant instrumental work chucked in.
This really could have been a major downer.....a classic case of 80's pop hero's trying to hold on to modern day youth by using a bunch of rave plug-ins.... Although it could just be a case of my biasedness(I don't think so, I haven't rated a NO album for about a decade), but Morris and Gilbert have programmed in such a way it seems they have really timed the release perfectly, keeping what was always great about New Order. There is minimal modern hype here. This is an album to play loud and bounce around to.
I have a soft spot...and it's big and it's called Tutti Frutti. the mix on Complete Music has not been released before. 6 Minutes in and one of those classic Stephen Morris drum machine breaks.....it's just 808 heaven.......yes...it really is. Oh...and a chorus to die for..classic New Order...go on...this is briliant....This is a fantastic track that is a pure dancefloor classic...just like those brilliant dance 12's that NO could craft in the 80's. The video is reminiscent of Bizarre Love Triangle.....infact Tutti Frutti is the new Bizarre Love Triangle for me....Your That Girl...........
What's so brilliant is that this track is followed by such a brilliant dace floor classic...People On The High Line...it's so Technique.......and I thought that album could never be topped.
So should I kick my self for not buying the limited edition clear vinyl or limited 6 x 12" vinyl set...yes I should...but nevermind...Peter Saville is a genius and this album is...artwork aswell.
Is this New Order's Piece de Resistance? You know what...if they chuck it in now, I'd be happy knowing that they went out having Completed the Music.....now get in your car, wind the windows down and play it loud on a drive you'll never forget.