Following Waiting for the Sirens' Call, New Order disbanded in 2007, with Sumner stating he didn't want to make music as New Order in 2009. However, that turned out to be wrong come 2011, when the band reformed. Sumner, Morris and Cunningham returned, however Peter Hook had by now permanently left, to be replaced by Tom Chapman; Gillian Gilbert also came back after leaving in 2001. For me, Hook's basslines were crucial to New Order's sound, so him not playing with the band is a big loss.
However, I don't need to worry about that when it comes to Lost Sirens. The touring band may have changed, but the songs on this album are performed by the same people who played on Waiting for the Sirens' Call. Lost Sirens is essentially an archival album, composed of tracks from the Sirens sessions that didn't make it, and for that reason is an unusual choice for a comeback album. It's also far shorter than Waiting was; for the first time since Low-life, the album has eight tracks lasting forty minutes - overall, it's an intriguing release for unexpected reasons.
On to the album, then. The cover is a colour grid, and not an appealing one at that - I'm not sure what the intent behind it was, yet considering its predecessor had a similarly dull, minimalistic cover, I reckon the intent was similar. I'm personally not a fan of the album art for the same reason as Waiting - it doesn't suggest an identity like the rest of the band's album art.
I'll Stay with You opens the album, exciting techno notes giving way to a decent song - I quite like the guitarwork and bass especially, and Sumner's vocals rouse by the chorus - though it is a bit too straightforward sounding, and doesn't work all too well as an opener.
Sugarcane starts off all pretty and drastically changes course after sixteen seconds, in an extremely jarring switch that leads us to a funky pop tune. There's a summery chorus with meaningless lyrics, all to the tune of Hook's distorted bassline, which will make you smile no matter what. It's not particularly outstanding, but it's great to hear another New Order "industrial-disco" track, it reminds me a bit of Chemical from Republic.
Recoil meanwhile is all breezy, with wonderful jazz-like drumming and piano, the occasional bass note shining through. Very atmospheric, letting each instrument breathe, an extended imstrumental break towards the end, it's nothing like New Order, and I love it - already, it's clear these tracks are more adventurous than Waiting had to offer, and Recoil is the best example of that.
Californian Grass is your standard rock affair, similar in style to Recoil though with a harsher guitar and stranger lyrics, creating a strangely yearning sound (especially come the chorus). The guitar playing is wonderful, especially come the solo, yet I'd argue the telephone sample near the end could be removed - the bleep sounds ruin the atmosphere created.
Previously released on a best of Joy Division and New Order album, Hellbent is an alright pop song, though feels a bit too derivative and is a weak point on the album. The electronic break following the first chorus is a highlight, the "yeah" backing vocals the lowlights. As always, Hook's bass is brilliant, and the keyboard playing is charming too.
Shake It Up is all in your face, with Sumner effectively shouting the verses and the synths creating an uptempo dance song, blended with deft guitarwork. Again, I'm not a big fan of the backing vocals (yeah!), they make the song sound cheaper in a way. I could also do without hearing the chorus again, it's repeated too often - admittedly it's catchy, but also gets on my nerves quickly.
I've Got a Feeling blends a blues-like guitar with a chorus perfect for arena crowds, yet otherwise doesn't make me feel anything. It plays it too safe, and is a bit too bland, though pleasant to the ear, for my liking.
The last song is familiar - I Told You So, remade with echoing drums coupled with bells that make it more industrial, like an impending march. It doesn't suit the lyrics well, though it suits the song far better, especially as the guitars get all distorted and give it some edge, edge that Sumner doesn't adequately provide. The song, though, doesn't really go anywhere - it's the same repeated melody, ending as soon as it gets interesting, and crashing into a fadeout. However, it's better than the version on Waiting, and at a minute shorter.
With that, Lost Sirens ends, and I personally think it's a level above Waiting for the Sirens' Call. It's far from New Order's best album - it's inconsistent at times, and often lacks innovation - but it's a solid effort that is worth the time. For a rather subdued archival album, it's also not a bad way to announce to the world that you're back, especially when Recoil is on the album.
Comments
Post a Comment