New Order: TrueFaith-94 (1994)

NewOrder, again! Holy hell. This is the lineup for this 12" single, copied from Discogs:

TrueFaith (Perfecto Mix)
TrueFaith (Sexy Disco Dub)
TrueFaith (TWA Grim Up North Mix)
TrueFaith (The 94 Remix)

You read that right: whoever entered this data ran True Faith together as one word, obviously missing the fact that Perfecto Mix, judging by the tracks listing on the record, should be Perfecto mix. Moreover, Sexy Disco Dub should be Sexy Disco dub, TWA Grim Up North Mix should be TWA Grim Up North mix, and, finally, that The 94 Remix should be the 94 remix. I say, if you are going to be pedantic, go all in.

New Order: Regret (1993)

This European pressing has four mixes of Regret. It's almost 15 minutes of Regret. I think this is a top-ten or top-twenty New Order track for me. The image used on the jacket has always mystified me. It does really match the lyrics at all.

Once again, Discogs refers to the band on this release as NewOrder. Jesus, here we go again.  Whoever entered this information ignored the front cover and the labels (which use all caps with uniform spacing between the letters, meaning that, in Discogs' view at least, the band probably should have been called: N E W O R D E R

Instead, someone looked at the back cover and saw NewOrder, and used that. OK then. Even the official music video uses New Order as the band's name.

New Order: World (The Price of Love) (1993)

This track is from Republic or Republic©. You choose. My copy is the double 12" promotional version, which contains eight edits of this track. They are:

World (The Price Of Love) (Perfecto Mix)
World (The Price Of Love) (Brothers Dubstrumental)
World (The Price Of Love) (Pharmacy Dub)
World (The Price Of Love) (Album Version)
World (The Price Of Love) (Brothers In Rhythm Mix)
World (The Price Of Love) (Sexy Disco Dub Mix)
World (The Price Of Love) (World In Action Mix)
World (The Price Of Love) (Radio Edit)

It's a lot to listen to in one go. Do I have to mention that the band is, once again, referred to as NewOrder on Discogs? 

New Order: Spooky (1993)

Here we have six mixes of Spooky, spread over two discs. They are: Stadium Mix, Night Tripper Mix, New Order In Heaven Mix, Magimix, Moulimix, Boo! Dub Mix. The track originally appeared on Republic. Yup, once again, the band is known here, and no where else, as Neworder.

I have a US pressing from 1993. The UK pressing has only three mixes, one of which is the album version. It sounds like New Order with a techno jam.

New Order: Republic (1993)

I was buying very small amounts of vinyl in 1993, so I didn't buy this when it was released. An original pressing of this one is a bit pricey, so I eventually bought the180g remastered LP in 2015, for a good price.

Discogs:

New Order's sixth studio album, appearing four years after Technique.
And the first one after the demise of their former label Factory, with traces about the partnership gone bitter found on tracks like Ruined In A Day and Liar.

The album is often considered being an economic necessity as New Order have lost large amounts of money because of the deal with Factory Records and their involvement with the Hacienda.

Additionally, the tensions within the band made this “a very, very unpleasant record to make" (according to drummer Stephen Morris), and subsequently the band went into a hiatus for eight years soon after the release.

Discogs insists that the band's name is still NewOrder, and yet they fail to take into consideration the full name of the record. It is referred to as Republic, rather than Republic©. If you look at the jacket, it's clear, so take that, Discogs. The best track on this record is Regret. This isn't a bad record.

New Order: World in Motion (1990)

How is it that this somewhat ridiculous tune is New Order's only UK #1 hit? Of course, Discogs  calls the band Englandneworder. If that site is so interested in precision, the name should be ENGLANDneworder. 

The song was produced for England's 1990 FIFA World Cup campaign, and features several members of the English squad (i.e. shouting "Express Yourself") and John Barnes doing the rap. Comedian Keith Allen co-wrote the lyrics and is also featured. The single was issued on two separate 12" singles, where the second contains remixes by Graeme Park, Mike Pickering, Andrew Weatherall and Terry Farley.

This is not a terrible tune. It's OK and I'd give it a seven out of ten. It is way down the list of best New Order songs, however.  I don't know much about football songs, but this is probably one of the better ones. It didn't help the British lads, though.

New Order: Round and Round (1989)

Man, I'm really beginning to hate Discogs for the asinine way it refers to New Order as Neworder. It's insane and way too anal retentive, even for a librarian, like me. I mean, look at this note, which refers to the band by its legitimate name as New Order! Why the idiotic Neworder in the entry for this record? Jerks.

New Order's 18th single, released on Factory in February 1989 and the second single pulled from the album "Technique". The remixes on Round&Remix are from Detroit Techno pioneer Kevin Saunderson.

The B-side contains the instrumental "Best & Marsh", originally composed as theme for the Granada TV series, featuring footballers George Best and Rodney Marsh.

 My Canadian pressing has four mixes of Round & Round, plus Best and Marsh. 

New Order; Technique (1989)

To tell the truth, I wasn't really listening to New Order very much by the time this record came out. I didn't buy this record at the time, but I picked up a copy later. Did I mention that I own only two New Order CDs? Those are Movement and Substance. Once again, Discogs fails by crediting this record to Neworder, even though, if they really wanted to be precise they should have called the band Neworder. Ugh. It's New Order!! The band did not change its name! Have these people never heard of stylized letters or names or logos?

New Order: Blue Monday-95 (1995)

Once again, Discogs insists that the band's name is NewOrder, rather than New Order. Oddly, they credit the song as Blue Monday-95, rather than BlueMonday-95, even though that latter is on the cover. I'd really like some consistency. I'm not a huge fan of this mix.

New Order: Blue Monday 88 (1988)

In 1988, "Blue Monday" was officially remixed by Quincy Jones and John Potoker under the title "Blue Monday 88."

It's OK and indeed, very similar to the original, but I wonder why they did it. Having said that, it is much better than the ridiculous 95 version.

There are two other versions of this track on my Canadian 12", plus Touched by the Hand of God (Single Version). Once again, Discogs screws up and credits this record to NewOrder. Sigh. Judging by the cover, using Discogs logic, the band should be NewOrder. Even the label credits the record to New Order. That site needs to hire a librarian.

New Order: Fine Time (1988)

Discogs says:

"New Order's 17th single, released November 1988. In addition to the regular 7", 12", and CD-Single, a second 12" was released with Steve "Silk" Hurley remixes.

Recorded in the Mediterranean Studios, Ibiza.
First single pulled from their 1989 album "Technique""

There are four tracks on my Canadian pressing:

Fine Time
Don't Do It
Fine Time (Silk Mix)
Fine Line

The last track is an instrumental version of Fine Time.

On the rear cover and labels, the band's name is written as Neworder. So, naturally, Discogs lists the band name for this release as Neworder! Insert sad face here. That's simply nuts, but at least no one added a second entry for Neworder. This was obviously a stylistic decision and it doesn't mean that the band changed the spelling or its name.

New Order: Substance (1987)

That photo is awful. I guess the light was too low. Anyway, my first copy Substance was the compact disc release, which contains twenty-four tracks, versus the twelve on the double LP. The CD edition has a bunch of b-sides, which are great to have. Some double cassette versions have even more tracks. I have never even seen a copy of the cassette version.

From Disocgs:

"Substance was the first widely released New Order compilation. Issued as a 12-track double LP, a 12-, 24- or 28-track double cassette, and a 24-track double CD, the compilation featured original 12" versions and B-sides, with a few exceptions: “Ceremony” is the 1981 re-recorded version with Gillian Gilbert; “Temptation” and “Confusion” are May 1987 re-recordings; and “The Perfect Kiss”, “Subculture”, “Shellshock”, and “Hurt” are edited versions. Additionally, all of the 24- or 28-track editions confuse the song titles “Cries and Whispers” and “Mesh”."

 And:

"Some copies came with a 4-panel insert/order form advertising the "SUBSTANCE 1987: THE VIDEO" VHS/Beta videocassette release, with a cost of $29.95, and "available no sooner than October 30, 1987". The eleven videos that this insert indicates were to be included are "True Faith, "Bizarre Love Triangle", "State Of The Nation", "Shellshock", "Subculture", "Perfect Kiss", "Thieves Like Us", "Confusion", "Blue Monday", "Temptation", and "Everything's Gone Green". However the video collection was not released until 1989 and contained seven videos including two for singles that were released after Substance 1987 ("Touched By The Hand Of God" and "Blue Monday 1988")."

My Canadian pressing did not include that flyer. It's a cool compilation, in whatever format.

New Order: True Faith (1987)

This version of True Faith (a US pressing) contains three tracks: 

True Faith (The Morning Sun Extended Remix)
True Faith (Alternate Faith Dub)
1963

In other words, it's different from the other 12" release.

New Order: True Faith (1987)

I used to think that the day would never come
I'd see delight in the shade of the morning sun
My morning sun is the drug that brings me near
To the childhood I lost, replaced by fear
I used to think that the day would never come
That my life would depend on the morning sun

Discogs:

"New Order's fourteenth single, released on Factory in July 1987.

True Faith was the first single where multiple versions were released. In addition to the regular 7" and 12", a second 12" was released with Shep Pettibone remixes. Additionally, the single was also released as CD-V, with additional track Evil Dust (an instrumental remix of the song Angel Dust from "Brotherhood"). The Australian remix 12" contained a unique Robert Racic remix of Paradise.

Peaked at # 4 in the UK singles charts.
First New Order single to chart on the US Hot 100
First ever US Top 40 hit, peaking at number 32.

The song is also featured in the movies and soundtracks of American Psycho and Bright Lights, Big City.

The Canadian pressing has True Faith (Remix), 1963, and True Dub. True Faith is a good song, but I prefer the single edit.

New Order: Touched By The Hand Of God (1987)

From Discogs:

New Order's fifteenth single, released on Factory in December 1987 as 7", 12" and CD-Single.
Originally written for the movie soundtrack Salvation!, the single versions are much more refined and the title track was remixed by Arthur Baker.

The music video was directed by Kathryn Bigelow, and contains footage of the band hilariously dressed up as a hairy heavy-metal act. Also featured are actors Bill Paxton and Rae Dawn Chong.

I have the Canadian release, with Touched by the Hand of Dub on side b. The video is for the single version, not the extended version.

New Order: The Peel Sessions (1987)

This is the first Peel Session recorded, but it was second one released. It contains Truth, Senses, I.C.B., and Dreams Never End. Mine (a Canadian pressing) has a delete drill hole, meaning that it was remaindered. And now, this is pricey.

New order: The Peel Sessions (1986)

This EP contains the tracks for the second Peel Session, broadcast on June 1, 1982. I have the original UK pressing. The tracks are:

Turn The Heater On
We All Stand
Too Late
5-8-6

The first track is a cover version, written by Jamaican reggae star, Keith Hudson. This EP is simply awesome.

New Order: Bizarre Love Triangle (1986)

Perhaps you have noticed that New Order song titles are rarely referenced in the lyrics, at least in the early days. Shell-shock and Confusion are two exceptions. Bizarre Love Triangle is probably the best track on Brotherhood, but I didn't really like the song the first few times I heard it. The flipside to this UK 12" single is Bizarre Dub Triangle.

New Order: Brotherhood (1986)

As noted in Discogs:

Peter Hook: "Listen to it and you can hear it has two different sides. There were battles raging on Brotherhood."

Bernard Sumner: "We'd always had that balance of electronics and band stuff. I was always pushing for electronics, and Hooky was always pushing for the band stuff, which was fair enough, I think we needed the band stuff. And by luck it got tipped the band way on Brotherhood. It was a very dense album, because we'd gone a bit mad on overdubs, so it was very layered, and very dense."

Allmusic notes that there is a rock side and a dance side. I prefer side two. I would also add that this is not a favourite of mine, even when it was released. The big hit from this record was Bizarre Love Triangle.

New Order: State of the Nation (1986)

The flipside to State of the Nation is Shame of the Nation.

From Discogs:

New Order's twelfth single, released September 1986, as third collaboration with John Robie.

While neither of the tracks is included on the UK vinyl LP of "Brotherhood", the UK CD of Brotherhood has State and the deluxe cassette of Brotherhood has both, State and Shame. On a rare occasion, the band broke form by not only giving the song a title that referenced the lyrics but is also featured in the chorus.

It's a good track.

New Order: Shell-Shock (1986)

The first time I saw a copy of this 12" single, in a used bin of some record store or other, I didn't buy it, despite wanting to have a copy in my collection. Here is the funny part: I didn't buy it because I thought that someone had written their name -- Alex -- with White-Out on the cover. I absolutely hate writing on album jackets, and I have passed over many many used records because of writing. I know, some refer to such defacement as being part of the record's patina. I just cannot have any destroyed records in my collection, though I do have some that were so cheap, I could not pass. I also will never buy a water-damaged cover, but I do have a couple that were somehow water-damaged while I owned them. That's sad.

So, the extended version of Shell-Shock is on side A, with Thieves Like Us bringing up the rear. Shell-Shock originally appeared on the Pretty in Pink soundtrack.