At the end of the video Steve grabs a surfboard and runs straight to the beach!
― the girl from spirea x (f. hazel), Thursday, 27 October 2011 02:41 (twelve years ago) link
I was more fascinated by Bernard Sumner's dancing! Aciiieeed!
― Turrican, Thursday, 27 October 2011 02:59 (twelve years ago) link
Best album by the best band of all time!!!!
― John Lennon, Thursday, 27 October 2011 03:29 (twelve years ago) link
I'm unsure about 'best band of all time', but it's easy to see why 'Technique' is so highly praised. The consistently strong songwriting, and a clarity in the production that its predecessor 'Brotherhood' lacked (even though I understand some might find the murky production of 'Brotherhood' part of the charm of that record). Those throbbing DX7 basslines, augmented by Peter Hook's unique bass sound. It's probably the New Order album that features the least amount of lyrical clunkers, and I think this was the record where Bernard Sumner truly became a good singer. His voice on the earlier albums was a bit all over the place, although at the same time arguably more expressive - but his vocals here are just sublime, IMO.
― Turrican, Friday, 28 October 2011 00:45 (twelve years ago) link
On the first Electronic record Sumner showed how much he'd learned from this album.
― lumber up, limbaugh down (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 28 October 2011 00:56 (twelve years ago) link
I'll admit, I haven't heard the first Electronic record aside from the singles ('Getting Away With It', 'Disappointed', 'Get The Message') which I really really liked. I have heard 'Raise The Pressure', though, which I didn't like at all.
― Turrican, Friday, 28 October 2011 01:00 (twelve years ago) link
You must listen to that first record immediately.
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 28 October 2011 01:04 (twelve years ago) link
― Ned Raggett, Friday, October 28, 2011 1:04 AM (18 seconds ago) Bookmark
Noted Ned, will get a hold of it ASAP! Enjoyed your write-up of 'Brotherhood' in the 'Brotherhood' thread, btw!
― Turrican, Friday, 28 October 2011 01:06 (twelve years ago) link
The Best album evahhh
― John Lennon, Friday, 28 October 2011 03:58 (twelve years ago) link
crikey yeah Electronic wipes the floor with Republic or Brotherhood IMO. it's fantastic in places. this is one of those places
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ahvctVWv18
― piscesx, Friday, 28 October 2011 04:31 (twelve years ago) link
also here's a nice B side which james 'LCD' murphy is very fond of
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VD6-bMRJJZY
― piscesx, Friday, 28 October 2011 04:33 (twelve years ago) link
I was singing the first track of Electronic's first album in the shower this morning. Great record, don't think it hits the heights of Technique though.
I will stick up for "Raise the Pressure", some nice breezy pop songs on that record. Holds some good memories for me too.
― good luck in your pyramid (Neil S), Friday, 28 October 2011 08:14 (twelve years ago) link
Wait -- really? Awesome!
― lumber up, limbaugh down (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 28 October 2011 10:59 (twelve years ago) link
it's a great b-side regardless of james murphy
― dayo, Friday, 28 October 2011 11:27 (twelve years ago) link
going on a downloading spree, this sounds strangely very modern!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-HXXIsgZZkg
― dayo, Friday, 28 October 2011 12:10 (twelve years ago) link
I'm very fond of the "Feel Every Beat" b-side "Second to None" – as good as any album track. Love all those synths over the outro.
― lumber up, limbaugh down (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 28 October 2011 13:04 (twelve years ago) link
Love that 808 State remix, dayo.
― DavidM, Friday, 28 October 2011 13:31 (twelve years ago) link
I've given the first Electronic album a listen as per Ned's recommendation and it is indeed great, of the tracks I hadn't heard before I really enjoyed 'Tighten Up' especially. I guess what prevented me from checking it out was I'd heard 'Raise The Pressure' and thought "hmm... maybe the singles were the best thing about this collaboration", and thus avoided going back and checking the first one out. I'm glad I eventually did. I don't think it gives me the 'lift' that 'Technique' does, but I found it to be a much, much more solid album than 'Republic', easily!
― Turrican, Friday, 28 October 2011 14:31 (twelve years ago) link
got plenty of love for Republic but anyway - "Some Distant Memory" is the true hidden gem on that first Electronic album (the oboe part!)
― licorice oratorio (baaderonixx), Friday, 28 October 2011 14:51 (twelve years ago) link
I'm finally starting to get Technique---"Fine Time" is a weird opener, I think, jagged & herky-jerky, not anthemic, not particularly melodic: it never brings me into the album. It would work fine as a side 2 track album (I don't mean on *this* album, I mean in terms of the album pacing I prefer). But if I kinda don't pay attention to that opening, "All The Way" gets things started just right.
But yeah, the first Electronic album is a classic, as are the remixes & b-sides.
― Euler, Friday, 28 October 2011 15:16 (twelve years ago) link
o_O I think "Fine Time" is ALL anthem and melody!
― he carried yellow flowers (DJP), Friday, 28 October 2011 15:17 (twelve years ago) link
maybe I'm too young
― Euler, Friday, 28 October 2011 15:18 (twelve years ago) link
much too young
― he carried yellow flowers (DJP), Friday, 28 October 2011 15:20 (twelve years ago) link
― he carried yellow flowers (DJP), Friday, October 28, 2011 3:17 PM (4 minutes ago) Bookmark
Completely agree! And as a statement, it can't be beaten either.
― Turrican, Friday, 28 October 2011 15:25 (twelve years ago) link
"Fine Time" is also a ridiculously great album starter, one element after another continually built up to create the full song -- it's notable that one of the most stereotypical New Order elements, Hook's bass, is the last thing to appear after everything else, almost like it's the sudden new anchor to the song that slams everything else back into an overall context.
― Ned Raggett, Friday, 28 October 2011 15:34 (twelve years ago) link
abs.
― Mark G, Friday, 28 October 2011 15:38 (twelve years ago) link
That's precisely right, re: Hook's bass on the track. The curious thing is that until it kicks in, I don't find myself missing it!
― Turrican, Friday, 28 October 2011 15:38 (twelve years ago) link
also "All the Way" is my least favorite song on the album by some distance; I generally skip it
― he carried yellow flowers (DJP), Friday, 28 October 2011 15:42 (twelve years ago) link
haha yeah that's great. maybe what's going on is that I love NO firstly as a rock band & only secondly as a dance band? Both elements are there in all their best work, but "Fine Time" forefronts the dance side & "All The Way" forefronts the (folk) rock side.
― Euler, Friday, 28 October 2011 15:45 (twelve years ago) link
That's fair enough. When it comes to their 'dance' side, I think 'Fine Time' is one of their best... I definitely prefer it to stuff like 'Shellshock' and 'Confusion'!
― Turrican, Friday, 28 October 2011 16:04 (twelve years ago) link
I vividly recall unwrapping the Technique cassette and listening to the opening track on the drive home. It was stunning, thrilling, unexpected. Still my favorite album of all time. Electronic's debut is in my top 5. Rewound Tighten Up so many times I'm surprised the tape didn't break.
― brotherlovesdub, Friday, 28 October 2011 16:07 (twelve years ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPIoEr_ubEg
Fine Time sampled nicely in this track.
― brotherlovesdub, Friday, 28 October 2011 16:10 (twelve years ago) link
I had forgotten how effective the 1-2 closing punch of "Vanishing Point"/"Dream Attack" is; I actually almost never listen to this whole album front to back these days so playing the whole thing is a fresh experience all over again.
― he carried yellow flowers (DJP), Friday, 28 October 2011 16:11 (twelve years ago) link
"All The Way" was for a long time my favorite song. I'd never heard a "confessional" song with a bass track so muscular.
― lumber up, limbaugh down (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 28 October 2011 16:12 (twelve years ago) link
xxxpost:
Listening to Neil Tennant singing about driving his car 'bloody well' on 'The Patience Of A Saint' brought a smile to my face! Great electronic snare sound on that track as well.
― Turrican, Friday, 28 October 2011 16:14 (twelve years ago) link
I'd like to put forward the opinion that if you removed Bernard Sumner's vocal from 'Guilty Partner', and got Martin Hannett to produce the backing track, you'd have the makings of a Joy Division track.
― Turrican, Friday, 28 October 2011 16:18 (twelve years ago) link
but why on earth would you do that?
― lumber up, limbaugh down (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 28 October 2011 16:18 (twelve years ago) link
because it would sound murky and forlorn and awesome?
― he carried yellow flowers (DJP), Friday, 28 October 2011 16:19 (twelve years ago) link
("Guilty Partner" is one of my faves off of the album)
but it already sounds murky, forlorn, and awesome!
― lumber up, limbaugh down (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 28 October 2011 16:21 (twelve years ago) link
it sounds crisp, forlorn and awesome
― he carried yellow flowers (DJP), Friday, 28 October 2011 16:22 (twelve years ago) link
well, it's my least favorite song: the chorus is meh. But that massive synth wash at the end (and more thrusting Hook bass).
― lumber up, limbaugh down (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 28 October 2011 16:22 (twelve years ago) link
'Guilty Partner' is one of my favourites from the album as well, the moments where the chorus kicks in are so powerful for me.
― Turrican, Friday, 28 October 2011 16:24 (twelve years ago) link
I'm unsure about 'best band of all time'
They're in a toss-up with two other bands for me. Lean towards them, mostly.
― Spencer Chow, Friday, 28 October 2011 18:17 (twelve years ago) link
yeah Guilty Partner was always my least fave track; sticks out too much. oddly enough i was present when they played it live for the first time ever! didn't like it any more after that though either.
― piscesx, Sunday, 30 October 2011 10:05 (twelve years ago) link
xpost
What are the two other bands?
― Zelda Zonk, Sunday, 30 October 2011 11:21 (twelve years ago) link
When my roommate first played this for me in high school, I absolutely hated it. I couldn't stand the synths and could barely get past the first track. It was only about twenty years later that I realized how unbelievable the songwriting is and that the balance between the synth stuff like Vanishing Point and Hooky acoustic songs like All the Way is just about perfect. My favorite LP of theirs by some distance.
― Naive Teen Idol, Sunday, 30 October 2011 14:01 (twelve years ago) link
I find a lot of New Order's charm stems from the fact that it orbits "best band of all time" almost entirely by accident, and certainly barely by design.
― Josh in Chicago, Sunday, 30 October 2011 15:33 (twelve years ago) link
Yeah. Well put.
― tubby permacrocked whorefucker (Lostandfound), Sunday, 30 October 2011 20:14 (twelve years ago) link
My Bloody Valentine and Roxy Music (and sometimes also The Jesus and Mary Chain and Pulp)
― Spencer Chow, Sunday, 6 November 2011 00:50 (twelve years ago) link