NEW ORDER'S BEST when they were truly NEW->from 1981 to 1982
St. Jerome | orange county, USA | 07/10/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Classic! For me, this is an early best of. The liners say the group were in search of their new sound/direction, but they'd clearly found it and then went just a touch too far and had to back-track in search of this lost-sound, which you can hear on their best effort Low-Life. Their cover of "TURN THE HEATER ON" is worth it alone because it represents the road not taken. That track has just a crazy uncategorizable vibe that is New Order with a hint of dub and the influence of their pals Section 25. If not for transition period S25 there'd be an entirely crazy huge void left in the fact that they never wrote or recorded more in this sadly under-explored vein. Taking that with "TOO LATE" you have two exclusive tracks that would alone make this a must-have for N.O. completists, except that we also get "WE ALL STAND" and "5-8-6" here in *drastically* different versions than on PCL to the degree that these 4 tracks are vital to the serious NewOrder enthusiast. In total, there's an intimacy to recording live in the studio, especially for the wildly influential John Peel sessions that reveals them really exploring and discovering in earnest the directions they were seeking. I seriously HOPE that they find more demos like this in their vaults and release them soon if only to inspire more young groups to take up these abandoned spaces of designer music-making. If it were allowed, I'd give my contact info if there are any takers who'd like to try it with me, that's how sincerely I believe in the best of their '81-'82 sound."
Back To Basics
Steven Alexander | Tracy, CA United States | 01/19/2001
(4 out of 5 stars)
"To be honest, I'm not sure what it is about this compilation. Although I'm a big New Order fan I, for the most part, appreciate their later work more than their earlier releases. But even at first listen this album just intrigues me and I can't stop listening to it. It finds its way to my CD player at least once a day since I've bought it. While I've always loved the song "Dreams Never End", the first three JP tracks caused me to delve deeper into their first album "Movement" and have given me a new sense of appreciation for it. Their cover of the reggae song "Turn the Heater On" is intriguing, if not somewhat catchy. And although I've never liked the song that much, their rendition of "We All Stand" on here is actually a bit more upbeat than the version on "Power Corruption and Lies" and I like it better. The next track, "Too Late" is probably the only track here that I'm not too fond of. Still, seeing as how its not available on any other release, it is a rarity and may be a hidden gem for many hardcore New Order fans. Now the last track has to be the greatest. The version of 586 on these sessions is quite different from the more poppy anthem it later became. While vocally inferior to the album version, the heavy synths and other instrumental components are amazing and to me this track has by far the best replay value! Personally I like both 586 versions better than "Blue Monday". Its worth the admission price all by itself, but all the tracks, including this one, make an odd, yet somehow beautiful blend of sounds that is undeniably irristable if you're really looking for something different than the stuff on the radio today. It may not be a necessity, but I certainly recommend it for any well-versed New Order fan. Whether out of curiosity or a longing to go back to the old New Order and Joy Division days, this album should provide more than its money's worth of entertainment."
The Missing Link between Joy Division & New Order
Dan Nino Cenido | Manila, Philippines | 01/09/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Peel Session CDs are the hidden gems in the music industry. Hats off to John Peel for coming up with this brillant and innovative venue in showcasing new music talents. This "rough" Peel Session collection showcases one of the very first live performances of New Order, fresh from their Joy Division transformation. Though, their style and sound is much closer to Joy Division, than their current electric alternative sound, shows the evolution of the band breaking through the gloom and doom atmosphere and into the light. A definite must have for Joy Division and New Order fans, and for followers of the Manchester music scene."
Track Listings (8) - Disc #1