Search - New Order :: Back to Mine

NOT eclectisism for its own sake, just GOOD

djkell | 01/10/2003

(5 out of 5 stars)

"I was stunned when I read some of the reviews of this wonderful album. Every single track on this disc is brilliant. If you were expecting formulaic downtempo house music then you will be let down. i wouldn't even call this a 'mix' cd, as it would be impossible to beat-match these tracks. It's more like a mix tape you'd give to a friend. The Captain Beefheart track I thought I'd hate but it's actually really cool. The lyrics are B-movie, drug-addled nonsense. Primal Scream's 'Higher then the Sun' is good to hear again. Missy Elliot is probably the most mainstream track on here. Then it leads into Velvet Underground's 'Venus in Furs', which in its own bizarre way is kind of reminiscent of New Order. It sounds like it's about S&M and it is a very wierd track, mostly because it sounds like they're playing a schreeching violin in the background. The Roxy Music track is some guy singing to his plastic sex doll, then it explodes into a Pink Floyd-ish jam. The Cat Stevens track is sort of 70's electro, I've never heard anything like it. Sounds more like Plaid then Cat Stevens. The Doves track is beautiful. The Mantronix one is a cool electro groove but the rapping is so bad it's almost entertaining in a cheesy way. The Groundhogs sound like a typical classic rock band, a loathsome genre, but it's really GOOD classic rock. Tight and tuneful with an amazing drummer. Donna Summer's 'I Feel Love' is given a psychedelic guitar over the sequencers and it sounds brilliant, like a musical orgasm. The only track on here that is mediocre is the Can-'Mushroom' track. Can have a reputation for being incredibly influential, but I just don't get it. It isn't terrible, the drums sound kind of cool but what the big deal is is beyond me. It's the only self-consciously arty for arts sake. Rhythm is Rhthym (ie. techno pioneer Derrick May) 'the Dance' is good, but he has some MUCH better tracks, I don't know why they picked this one. They mixed the sound of thunder into it and it sounds great, remeniscent of acid house circa late 80's. Giorgio Moroder's 'E=MC2' closes the album and you can tell that Daft Punk were heavily influenced by this track. It's not that great, kind of a silly novelty song but the production on it is really cool-sounding.If you're a casual fan of New Order and foolishly believe New Order=80s synth pop, then you will not like this album. If you seriously admire the band and are familiar with and enjoy their impressive back catalogue you will probably really dig this. Or if you just want to hear a collection of non-boring, non-formulaic music."