"DREAM ATTACK" NEW ORDER (1989)

For October, the Mental Jukebox is dialing it way back to the eighties and going deep. Deep cuts have always been an important element of music listening to me because they’re often the songs that resonate with me most. Deep cuts are usually the ones that the true fans appreciate most. I like my singles and hits, but I love my deep cuts.

Technique will always be my favorite New Order album. The way those songs sounded one after another made it truly difficult for me to hear the individual tracks in isolation. The troubles with the band have been well-documented in Peter Hook’s memoir Substance. But it’s the chaos and the backdrop of Ibiza that led to one of the band’s greatest recordings. Album aside, if I had to pick a standout, “Dream Attack” is it.

One of the greatest closing tracks of the eighties, “Dream Attack” ended strong with a mid-tempo symphony of driving synth bass, iconic real bass lines by Hooky, piano-sounding synth and a medley of synth and guitar flourishes. Hooky has mentioned that some of Barney’s best vocals are when he’s stretching his range. While I tend to agree with that overall assessment, I think the lower key on “Dream Attack” really served the song well in terms of the vocals. Nothing in this world can touch it.

“Nothing in this world Can touch the music that I heard.”

"1963" NEW ORDER (1987)

As an eighties kid, synth pop has been pumping in my blood ever since that first day I turned on my MTV. There’s some debate as to who’s considered a synth pop band and who isn’t. For this September Music Twitter challenge – #SynthPopSeptember – I’m focusing more on what’s considered synth pop, not who. The songs I’m featuring on Mental Jukebox this month aren’t solely composed of synthesizers. There may be drums, bass, and dare I say, electric guitars. But each of these songs were picked because the synthesizer is core to its being.

More than the average band, New Order recorded dozens of tracks that never made their way onto their studio releases. “1963” was one of them. This was a song that seemed vastly undervalued by the band at first. But luckily it didn’t stay off the radar for long, despite being the b-side to the bold and brash “True Faith” single. I remember first discovering the song on Long Island’s WDRE (WLIR), which had a healthy habit of playing deep cuts and forgotten tracks. Nearly a decade later, “1963” eventually became a single in its own right. My question for the band is, what took so long?

“1963” was a rare treat for New Order fans like me. A lot of the band’s synth-driven work was either slow-tempo or up-tempo. But this track is as pure mid-tempo as it gets. The highlight for me are the lyrics. This just might be the most well-written song from Sumner. He created a peculiar fictional narrative around J.F.K., Marilyn Monroe and Lee Harvey Oswald. It’s brilliant storytelling. Then, musically, Sumner’s shimmery riffs give way to Gillian Gilbert’s synth grooves that toggle between dreamy and doom.

“I saw hatred in his eyes. But he never meant to hurt me.”

"TEMPTATION" NEW ORDER (1982)

This month, I’m looking back at movies and tv shows to rediscover songs that graced the screen. The scenes and the music are inseparable. They’re engrained in our heads and our hearts. And they’re proof that the best music we have doesn’t exist in isolation. It attaches itself to a moment or an experience. #SceneSongs

Movie: Trainspotting

The Trainspotting soundtrack required vivid songs to match the movie’s vivid scenes. Lou Reed’s “Perfect Day” and Iggy Pop’s. “Lust for Life” captured the mood and energy of two very well-known scenes. But in an atypical move, the director chose to only have the character Diane sing “Temptation” instead of feature the full New Order version. But as an homage to the band, the ‘87 version of the song made its way onto this brilliant soundtrack.

“Temptation” was somewhat easy to miss the first time around if you’re from the States. It was only released as a single at first — and only charted in the U.K. But the singles compilation Substance became a post-punk must-have in the late 80s, which gave me my first exposure to the song. Like the entire Substance double-disc, I loved “Temptation” from the get go. It was devoid of any remnants of Joy Division, but Sumner, Hooky, Morris and Gilbert reinvented a new sound together with swagger and tenacity. In my mind, it is one of the true great New Order anthems. Each band member firing on all cylinders.

“TONIGHT, I THINK I'LL WALK ALONE. I'LL FIND MY SOUL AS I GO HOME.”

"DOUBTS EVEN HERE" NEW ORDER (1981)

I started Mental Jukebox nearly three years ago at the beginning of the pandemic. During this time, I’ve discovered new music, rediscovered old favorites and I’ve met passionate music fans around the world. And when things opened up, I kept on blogging. This month, the jukebox goes deeper. The term “deep cut” has multiple meanings. It can refer to lesser known album tracks from well-known artists. It can also refer to tracks from lesser known artists. This month, I’ll be featuring both types. #DeepCutsFeb

It is sobering, yet also somewhat disorienting to think that Movement came out just a year and a half after Ian Curtis’ suicide. In some ways, it seemed much too soon to be getting back to writing, playing and recording. But this was how Sumner, Hooky and Morris moved forward. Movement, in many ways, was a way to keep Ian Curtis’ legacy alive. Many of the songs unequivocally feel more like Joy Division than New Order, including “The Him” and the lesser heralded “Doubts Even Here”.

While Movement isn’t my favorite New Order album by any stretch, ”Doubts Even Here” has been captivating and, at times, it has possessed this magnetic quality. There’s something in the song that continually pulls me back into it. Before the changeover to a brighter, synth-driven sound, here New Order saluted the post-punk agenda of Joy Division. “Doubts Even Here” conjured up a complex melee of emotions, from sadness to despair, to fury. And they pulled it off magnificently here before the mold was set – with Stephen Morris writing all the lyrics and Hooky on lead vocals.

“Too much of heaven's eyes I saw through.”

"LEAVE ME ALONE" NEW ORDER (1983)

You can get off to a fast start. You can sustain your opener with the main course, not filler. But can you end on a high note? Sometimes I wonder if recording a strong closer is the most difficult thing to pull off when it comes to album rock. When it comes to the cream of the crop in music, I can think of more strong openers than strong closers. Nonetheless, I still have my favorites which I’ll be featuring on Mental Jukebox all month.

Power, Corruption And Lies is the album where New Order’s unique identity began to come to fruition. On their debut recording, Movement, they seemed almost chained up by the ghosts of Joy Division and Ian Curtis. After all, it was literally months after the death of both entities when the began headed back to the recording studio. Probably the two biggest changes that occurred on PC&L were the larger emphasis on synthesizers and the distinctly different vocal approach of Bernard Sumner, which was far lighter than Curtis, even whimsical at times. However, for the final track on the PC&L, New Order chose a song that still has delightful tinges of Joy Division.

This is the strength of “Leave Me Alone”, the fact that it straddles the fence between both eras without compromising artistically. In fact, it’s the influences of both bands’ sounds that make this track so good. Barney is no Ian and would never be mistaken for him. But this is also a far cry away from the dance rock approach that New Order would become famous for. In his depression, Ian often sounded detached from everyone. But with Barney, his own struggles seem much more relatable and within reach. The guitars on “Leave Me Alone” stretch upward to a more New Order-esque sound, but the song maintains strong roots to the Joy Division sound especially with Stephen’s drum finale.

“On a thousand islands in the sea, I see a thousand people just like me.”

"MR. DISCO" NEW ORDER (1989)

Electronic albums play a huge role in my fascination with music. For me, synthesizers and drum machines aren’t better or worse than live drums and guitars. They’re just different. They make music much more imaginative for me. I think Nick Rhodes’ synth parts on those early Duran Duran albums were some of my first loves. Shimmery one moment, jarring the next. Rhodes’ keyboard flourishes changed the complexion of every song. This month, I’m featuring my Top 15 electronic albums along with one featured track.

Album: Technique (1989)

There are two sides to one of my favorite bands of all time, New Order. There’s the rock-based side, which has always been my preference. There, the band relies mainly on Hooky’s melodic bass lines, Sumner’s contributions on guitar and Stephen Morris on live drums. Then there’s the dance rock side where Stephen typically joins his wife on keyboards and sequencers and the drum machines kick in for a more electronic aesthetic. Technique undoubtedly is an example of the latter, born out of the group’s time in Ibiza, soaking in the rays during the day and the club scene at night. While it’s not my favorite side of the band’s sound, I believe Technique is New Order’s most cohesive and consistent album. Every track could’ve been a single, including the fan favorite, “Mr. Disco”.

The track starts with that throbbing, sputtering synth bass line with Hooky’s own electric bass line humbly – and perhaps resistantly – taking a backseat by dotting the club-like landscape in the background. The band wastes little time getting to Sumner’s catchy melody and lyrics, affirming his ability to write lasting pop songs with the best of ‘em. But Gillian is the star here, concocting not just one irresistible synth hook, not two, not three, but four. “Mr. Disco” is surprisingly resilient over thirty years later.

"AGE OF CONSENT" NEW ORDER (1983)

Great album openers get the listeners to keep on listening. They can do this in any number of ways. Some openers set the tone by easing us in. Others jump right in and blow our minds from the very beginning. A great album opener isn’t an easy thing to create. More than a great song, it’s all about the sequence. Track 1 has to be the perfect starter. This month, I’m highlighting my favorites. #AlbumOpeningSongs

On the day of the show, one of my concert buddies and I snagged well-priced tickets on the floor at the Garden to see the Unity tour, featuring New Order, Pet Shop Boys and Paul Oakenfold. The songs brought me back to a really good place. A place where only the music matters. No matter what other crap is happening in the world, we still have these songs. And that means something. It’s why I often feel this sense of euphoria when I’m at a concert, particularly one at the Garden. The second song on the setlist was the opening track to Power, Corruption and Lies, the song that made it clear New Order was forging its own path forward, not simply wandering the same path of Joy Division.

The word “infectious” maybe gets a little overused when describing music. But, I mean, is there a better word to describe “Age of Consent”? It sucks you in with that iconic bass line from Peter Hook. Played high up on the neck as was typical for Hooky, it stays firmly in the foreground of the song. The lyrics spewing from Sumner are like a confession. Something to get off your chest. Which leads me to the next word that best describes this New Order classic. Liberating. Did Sumner write this so that we can somehow be free?

“And I'm not the kind that likes to tell you just what I want to do. I'm not the kind that needs to tell you just what you want me to.”

"1963" NEW ORDER (1987)

I generally gravitate to the music first before the lyrics. But as a writer, I still marvel at well-spun verses and choruses. This month, I’m joining the music Twitter community in #31DaySongLyricChallenge

Day 19

One of my favorite b-sides of all time. The highlight for me on “1963” are the lyrics. This just might be the most well-written song from Bernard Sumner. He created a peculiar fictional narrative around J.F.K., Marilyn Monroe and Lee Harvey Oswald that showcased brilliant storytelling. Then, musically, Sumner’s shimmery riffs give way to Gillian Gilbert’s synth grooves that toggle between dreamy and doom, which worked perfectly with the narrative.

“He told me to close my eyes. My gift would be a great surprise. I saw hatred in his eyes. But he never meant to hurt me.”

"REGRET" NEW ORDER (1993)

One of the most powerful things about music is that it is the soundtrack of our lives. Fellow music fanatic Sharon Hepworth started a music challenge on Twitter for the month of July. Each day, fans around the world will select a song from their life and describe what it means to us. These are my songs. #SoundtrackToYourLife

Day 13

Even with the epic influence that Joy Division had on the music world, New Order was always the band that I connected with more between the two. Bernard Sumner’s vocals and lyrics were at my level. I think I understood him, but I couldn’t say the same for Ian Curtis. And while I believe New Order peaked in the late eighties, no other song from the band resonated with me more than the nineties hit “Regret”. It’s one of my summer songs.

The track brings me back to the Summer of ‘93. I was home from college, spending my days working a crap internship and my nights hanging out with old high school friends. It was a great, great summer, and “Regret” was on full rotation on my go-to radio station WDRE. The big concert of the summer for us was New Order with 808 State at the old Brendan Byrne Arena in Jersey. The acoustics sucked, but the song still radiated. “Regret” contained one of Sumner’s more memorable guitar hooks with the band, which had these pregnant-like pauses built into them, which helped frame Hooky’s infectious bass lines that skittishly danced along the upper octaves. As Hooky said himself, I think “Regret” is one of the last great New Order tracks.

“You used to be a stranger. Now you are mine.”

"THE PERFECT KISS" NEW ORDER (1985)

One of the most powerful things about music is that it is the soundtrack of our lives. Fellow music fanatic Sharon Hepworth started a music challenge on Twitter for the month of July. Each day, fans around the world will select a song from their life and describe what it means to us. These are my songs. #SoundtrackToYourLife

Day 10

It’s hard for me to find a song that has been more entangled with my life than this one. It’s a song that played on the dance floor at a club that I started going to during my senior year of high school. Fridays were alternative rock nights – and that’s when I begged my friends to go. Not Saturdays or Thursdays, Friday night was the night. That dance floor felt like freedom, especially when “The Perfect Kiss” came on. I also can’t separate the song from my first relationship. My girlfriend loved singing to it, grooving to it, and dancing to it. “The Perfect Kiss” is undoubtedly a key part of my life’s soundtrack.

One of my favorite New Order anthems, the song contains some of the band’s most iconic moments. It all starts, of course, with Hooky’s trademark bass line that skids and skirts along the upper octaves like it’s the lead guitar. Then there’s Gillian’s shimmery synth chords that wash over you like a tsunami. And then we have the unforgettable percussion. Ahh, those electronic drums. No drum kit here. The dance-infused drum machine wasn’t just keeping time, it created a brand new groove defined largely by those hand clapping moments for the New Order faithful. “The Perfect Kiss” is, just, irresistible.

“Now I know the perfect kiss is the kiss of death.”

"TEMPTATION" NEW ORDER (1982)

This month, the Mental Jukebox revisits the movie soundtracks of the nineties. The music I’m highlighting are some of my personal favorites. In many cases, the movies themselves were huge for me as well. But the focus will still be on the music – as always. Let’s bring on the throwback classics, the grunge, the gangsta rap, and the indie gems. #31DaysOf90sMovieSongs

Movie: Trainspotting

The Trainspotting soundtrack required vivid songs to match the movie’s vivid scenes. Lou Reed’s “Perfect Day” and Iggy Pop’s. “Lust for Life” captured the mood and energy of two very well-known scenes. But in an atypical move, the director chose to only have the character Diane sing “Temptation” instead of feature the full New Order version. But as an homage to the band, the ‘87 version of the song made its way onto this brilliant soundtrack.

“Temptation” was somewhat easy to miss the first time around if you’re from the States. It was only released as a single at first — and only charted in the U.K. But the singles compilation Substance became a post-punk must-have in the late 80s, which gave me my first exposure to the song. Like the entire Substance double-disc, I loved “Temptation” from the get go. It was devoid of any remnants of Joy Division, but Sumner, Hooky, Morris and Gilbert reinvented a new sound together with swagger and tenacity. In my mind, it is one of the true great New Order anthems. Each band member firing on all cylinders.

“Tonight, I think I'll walk alone. I'll find my soul as I go home.”

"TRUE FAITH" NEW ORDER (1987)

After spending an entire month looking back at the 80’s, I realized one thing. I need more. Luckily, a couple of fellow music fans on Twitter came up with the brilliant idea to highlight #30DaysOf80sMovieSongs during the month of April. I couldn’t resist at the opportunity to keep going, to keep listening, and to keep celebrating the decade that has meant more to me than any other from a musical standpoint. Each day I’m playing a different soundtrack favorite on the Mental Jukebox.

Movie: Bright Lights, Big City

“True Faith” is far more than just a great song. It was a new direction for the band. A stake in the ground from New Order that, whether you liked it or not, stated they were now moving boldly into a new dance rock phase. There were clear signs of dance rock throughout the band’s history, the most notable examples being “Blue Monday”, “The Perfect Kiss” and “Bizarre Love Triangle”. But “True Faith” was the point where it started to feel like the synth gods won — and the rock roots were losing their hold.

The dance stuff from New Order is not my favorite side to the band, but “True Faith” is probably my favorite of the bunch — even ahead of the aforementioned classics. Stephen Morris’ drums are in attack mode from the get go. The bass synth does its thing, but then Hooky’s signature upper octave foray sneaks in like a slithering snake to break up the dance party. Sumner’s lyrics are some of the most memorable, endearing words he’s written — a nostalgic gift for their fans.

“My morning sun is the drug that brings me near to the childhood I lost, replaced by fear.”

"RUN" NEW ORDER (1989)

It’s time to get back to my favorite decade. For the month of March, I’ll be looking back at some of my favorite jams from the 80s. These songs often came to me via MTV or the radio. NYC-area stations WDRE, WPLJ, WNEW, K-ROCK and Z100 introduced me to everything from irresistible pop confections to under-the-radar post-punk anthems. I would not be who I am today if it weren’t for the 80s. It was the decade when I discovered music can be a truly powerful thing. #31DaysOf80sSongs

Power, Corruption & Lies is generally considered the band’s greatest album. “Age of Consent” and “Your Silent Face” are undoubtedly some of New Order’s finest songs. But when you look at the entire body of work, I think Technique is a stronger, more cohesive album. The moment I got the CD I couldn’t stop listening to it. And I always played it start to finish. On the contrary, I do a lot of track-skipping when I play Power, Corruption & Lies. There’s not a single letdown on Technique, including Track 6: “Run”.

Technique, as a whole, has a very dance-centric persona. The band’s time in Ibiza influenced the sound tremendously, which made fast dance tracks like “Round & Round” and “Mr. Disco” as well as mid-tempo numbers like “Run” and “Love Less” feel exceptionally consistent. It was a moment in time where New Order sounded different than what came before and what followed afterwards. “Run” seemed to put us in a daydream state. Sumner sang in his sweet spot while his guitar riff in the instrumental interlude seems to lash out and lament.

“You work your way to the top of the world. Then you break your life in two.”

"REGRET" NEW ORDER (1993)

Each day in November, I’m revisiting a song from the 90’s — a decade that was a sorta coming of age for me. In that span, I experienced high school, college and my time as a young single guy in New York City. It was a decade of ups and downs, and the music never stopped playing during that span. It was always there with me. #30DaysOf90sSongs

New Order was never Joy Division Lite, or Joy Division Part 2. It was just an entirely different entity, mainly because Ian Curtis’ persona loomed so large with JD that he was simply incomparable. But… as genius and as influential as Joy Division was, New Order was always the band that I connected with more between the two. Bernard Sumner’s vocals and lyrics were at my level. I think I understood him, but I couldn’t say the same for Ian. And while I believe New Order peaked in the late eighties, no other song from the band resonated with me more than the nineties hit “Regret”.

The track brings me back to the Summer of ‘93. I was home from college, spending my days working a crap internship and my nights hanging out with old high school friends. It was a great, great summer, and “Regret” was on full rotation on my go-to radio station WDRE. The big concert of the summer for us was New Order with 808 State at the old Brendan Byrne Arena in Jersey. The acoustics sucked, but the song still radiated. “Regret” contained one of Sumner’s more memorable guitar hooks with the band, which had these pregnant-like pauses built into them, which helped frame Hooky’s infectious bass lines that skittishly danced along the upper octaves. I think “Regret” is one of the last great New Order tracks.

“You used to be a stranger. Now you are mine.”

"TEMPTATION" NEW ORDER (1982)

Exceptional soundtracks can make good movies great. They can also take on a life of their own, becoming a greater highlight than their respective films. In this series, I’m selecting some of my favorite soundtrack songs. While quite a few are well-known recordings, I’m also including a few that have flown under the radar over the years.

The Trainspotting soundtrack required vivid songs to match the movie’s vivid scenes. “Perfect Day” and “Lust for Life” captured the mood and energy of two very well-known scenes. But in an atypical move, the director chose to only have the character Diane sing “Temptation” instead of feature the full New Order version. But as an homage to the band, the ‘87 version of the song made its way onto this brilliant soundtrack.

“Temptation” was somewhat easy to miss the first time around. It was only released as a single at first — and only charted in the U.K. But the singles compilation Substance became a post-punk must-have in the late 80s, which gave me my first exposure to the song. Like the entire Substance double-disc, I loved “Temptation” from the get go. It was devoid of any remnants of Joy Division, but Sumner, Hooky, Morris and Gilbert reinvented a new sound together with swagger and tenacity.

“Tonight, I think I'll walk alone. I'll find my soul as I go home.”

"YOUR SILENT FACE" NEW ORDER (1983)

This week I’m featuring 80’s deep cuts on Mental Jukebox. They’re the non-charting singles. The forgotten b-sides. The unheralded album staples. While they may not be the first songs that come to mind when you think of the 80’s, they’re some of the most important musical statements of the decade.

Listen past the dance anthems and Joy Division carryovers and you’ll soon realize New Order has a more impressive catalog than they get credit for. “Your Silent Face” is one such example. Hailing from one of the most influential post punk albums of the decade, it was living proof that New Order had discovered its own synth-driven world apart from its Joy Division roots. A world that was somehow both shimmering and somber at the same time.

“Rise and fall of shame. A search that shall remain.”

"AGE OF CONSENT" NEW ORDER (1983)

In many ways, Joy Division and New Order are a tale of two cities. Joy Division often casted a shadow of darkness, while New Order reflected light. Joy Division could make you miserable, while New Order could make you dance. But “Age of Consent” had elements of both. Inside this pop song, that Joy Division edge and madness is there. I’m not sure why it wasn’t included on the band’s greatest hits compilation, Substance. But I still think it’s one of New Order’s best.

“And I'm not the kind that likes to tell you just what I want to do. I'm not the kind that needs to tell you just what you want me to.”