This album encapsulates the twenty-four years of singles released by New Order, a full 31 tracks of recording history. These masters of re-invention who've always been part of the zeitgeist, never disappearing off the radar, hugely relevant to the world of pop, to the stage and to the dancefloor... Born on the back of Joy Division and the loss of their lead singer - Ian Curtis - New Order traded on their Factory Records alliance and a sound that was more upbeat and open than Joy Division. Barney's lyrics were more pedestrian and everyday-accessible than the arcane musings of Ian Curtis.
With 31 tracks and many stars in the firmament, there's lots that will appeal to fans and many forgotten singles that provide for a continuity and stylising of how New Order's sound has been shaped by the passing of the years - shades in the programming that point towards landmarks such as 'Blue Monday' and 'True Faith'. Beginning with the bell-ringing charms of 'Ceremony' bursting out of its bud like the throes of spring, a monumental track of staccato rhythms and textured guitars to Mr Hook's bass, a restrained Barney - "Heaven knows its got to be this time" - Delightful-plus! 'Everything's Gone Green' has those synth-sequences, echoed-bass and Barney singing as from a distance that point towards 'Blue Monday', a track that stands up on its own for Moroder-style sequences.
Elswhere, 'Temptation' followed on the tails, full of pop-joy, Barney opening up to beautiful chorus - "Up, down, turnaround...oh you've got green eyes, oh you've got blue eyes, oh you've got grey eyes, and I've not seen anyone quite like you before", a magnificent trifle of a track. 'Blue Monday' sits in there proud and statuesque, and gets a 'Blue Monday '88' remix on Side 2. Changing styles are chronicled with tracks such as 'Confusion', where drum-programming comes spliced and ricochets all-over, nodding to the dancefloor; whilst electro-pop is underpinning for 'Thieves Like Us', 'The Perfect Kiss', 'Sub-Culture' and 'Touched By The Hand Of God' - tracks that sound like Pet Shop Boys and Dead Or Alive. 'True Faith' has all the freshness and life-affirming zest of first hearing, a defining moment in lots of personal historys, were song and instrumentation explode like November the 5th.
Side 2 reveals the changing scenery, where the dancefloor and the mechanics of programming takes precedence over the charts and flagrant-commerciality, then switches back again. Forgettable tracks precede 'World In Motion', England's Footballing anthem - a rallying call to the Nation, with 1966 commentary-samples to nudge-nudge the memory, and stimulate the hope that like the lion - reclines. 'Regret' has all the New Order tradings - accessible and buoyant with Barney singing, "I would like a place I can call my own, have a conversation on the telephone". Other standout tracks abound, none more so than 'Crystal', which shows these masters of re-invention breathing fire from the old dragon - a track full of menace and relevance that belies their age and may just be their finest - "Shock me to the core". My God, they've saved their best stuff 'til last. Remaining tracks bring things up to date with latest releases and feel-good pop that is their 'flower in the lapel'.
The first disc has many landmark moments that eclipse the recordings of the second - yet, the two remain entirely complementary. It's tricky not to recommend this highly enough. It'd slip sweetly into many collections, and in their unique way chronicles the changing face of indie-pop and electronic-rock that has changed our British music scene down the years for the better and inspired numerous bands to have a go. Barney, Hook and Co. - we salute ya as you take your well-earned places in the British 'Hall Of Fame'.
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