The Best of New Order

(the best of) New Order
Greatest hits album by New Order
Released 21 November 1994
Recorded 1981–92
Length 70:08
Label London
Producer New Order, Stephen Hague, Arthur Baker, John Robie, Martin Hannett
New Order chronology

Republic
(1993)		 (the best of) New Order
(1994)		 (the rest of) New Order
(1995)
Singles from (the best of) New Order
  1. "True Faith-94"
    Released: 7 November 1994
  2. "1963–95"
    Released: 9 January 1995

(the best of) NewOrder (or The Best of New Order) is a compilation album by English band New Order. It was released in the United Kingdom in November 1994 by London Records and, with a different track listing, in the United States on 14 March 1995 by Qwest Records and Warner Bros. Records.[1] The cover and liner notes - on the U.S. CD at least - give the group's name as one word (NewOrder) instead of the usual New Order.

Background

(the best of) New Order is the second compilation album released by the group and follows their first, the hugely successful Substance album by seven years. The group had taken a hiatus due to tensions and disputes during the recording and touring of their 1993 album, Republic. Republic had been the first album that the group had released for London Records, and with the group announcing little intention of working together the label went ahead compiling (the best of) New Order.

The compilation primarily consists of seven-inch mixes of the group's singles from 1985 onwards. New versions of "True Faith", "Bizarre Love Triangle", "1963" and "Round & Round" appear in alternative mixes. The collection also includes one non-single track, "Vanishing Point" (from the LP Technique), though this was made famous as the theme tune to the BBC series Making Out. Only "Thieves Like Us" (the oldest track included, dating from 1984) appears in the same form as on the earlier compilation, Substance. The liner notes (first on a New Order album) were provided by Paul Morley.[2]

The US version of the album omits three tracks ("The Perfect Kiss", "Shellshock" and "Thieves Like Us"), but adds one track from each of New Order's first three albums ("Dreams Never End" from Movement, "Age of Consent" from Power, Corruption & Lies, and "Love Vigilantes" from Low-Life), and a previously unreleased vocal version of a track from the 1987 film soundtrack Salvation!, "Let's Go (Nothing for Me)".

The following year, the remix album The Rest of New Order was released, with similar cover art.

Release and reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
AllMusic [3]
Robert Christgau A[4]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music [5]
Entertainment Weekly B+[6]

(the best of) New Order was released on CD, cassette, double LP, VHS and Laserdisc. Limited editions bundled together the cassette and CD in a box set. Video and Laserdisc versions included singles that do not appear on other versions, namely "Confusion", "State of the Nation" and "Spooky". Although he felt it is not as good a compilation as Substance (1987), AllMusic's William Ruhlmann viewed the album as an exceptional overview of New Order's 1980s and early 1990s music.[3] In his review for The Village Voice of the US edition, Robert Christgau said that the album shows why he prefers Bernard Sumner's impassive quality over the despairing Ian Curtis:

“ Where 1987's Substance showcased [their] music's remixed, interwoven glory, this pushes [Sumner's] mild-mannered vocals as far front as they'll go. Turns out he has normal feelings about love and rejection and such, dislikes war and guns without getting preachy—just super-unassumingly super-catchy, as befits Britannia's ranking pop group. I mean, could Blur or Oasis write a World Cup anthem so rousing, danceable, and informative?[4] ”

The album sold well in the Christmas market and reached number 4 on the UK Albums Chart,[7] and was certificated Platinum by the BPI. The compilation did well internationally, charting at #30[8] in Australia, No. 23 in Canada, and #78[9] in the US.

"True Faith-94" and "1963" were released as singles to promote the compilation. "True Faith-94" was released in November 1994, and reached #9[7] in the UK and #11[10] in Ireland. "1963" (dubbed "1963–95") was remixed by Arthur Baker in a guitar-driven arrangement and released the following January; it reached #21[7] in the UK and #29[10] in Ireland.

The unusual shape on the album cover is a stylised question mark, and indeed, sometimes in chart books, the album is listed as ? (The Best of) New Order.

Track listing

All songs written by New Order, except where noted.

General Release
No. TitleWriter(s)Album Length
1. "True Faith-94"  New Order, Stephen HaguePreviously unreleased 5:34
2. "Bizarre Love Triangle-94"  N.O.Previously unreleased 3:54
3. "1963–94"  N.O., Stephen HaguePreviously unreleased 3:46
4. "Regret"  N.O., Stephen HagueRepublic 4:08
5. "Fine Time"  N.O.Technique 3:08
6. "The Perfect Kiss"  N.O.Low-Life 4:49
7. "Shellshock"  N.O., John RobiePretty in Pink 4:23
8. "Thieves Like Us"  N.O., Arthur BakerSingle release only 6:36
9. "Vanishing Point"  N.O.Technique 5:14
10. "Run" (Incorrectly credited on UK editions as "Run 2")N.O., John DenverTechnique 4:29
11. "Round & Round-94"  N.O.Single release only 4:00
12. "World (The Price of Love)"  N.O., Stephen HagueRepublic 3:38
13. "Ruined in a Day"  N.O., Stephen HagueRepublic 3:57
14. "Touched by the Hand of God"  N.O.Salvation! 3:42
15. "Blue Monday-88"  N.O.Single release only 4:07
16. "World in Motion"  N.O., Keith AllenSingle release only 4:30
US version
No. TitleWriter(s)Album Length
1. "Let's Go (Nothing for Me)"  New Order, Arthur BakerSalvation! 4:02
2. "Dreams Never End"  N.O.Movement 3:11
3. "Age of Consent"  N.O.Power, Corruption & Lies 5:13
4. "Love Vigilantes"  N.O.Low-Life 4:18
5. "True Faith-94"  N.O., Stephen HaguePreviously unreleased 4:27
6. "Bizarre Love Triangle-94"  N.O.Previously unreleased 3:54
7. "1963–95" (Actually the Arthur Baker Radio Remix)N.O., Stephen HaguePreviously unreleased 4:02
8. "Fine Time"  N.O.Technique 3:08
9. "Vanishing Point"  N.O.Technique 5:14
10. "Run"  N.O., John DenverTechnique 4:28
11. "Round & Round-94"  N.O.Technique 4:00
12. "Regret"  N.O., Stephen HagueRepublic 4:08
13. "World (The Price of Love)"  N.O.Republic 3:38
14. "Ruined in a Day"  N.O.Republic 4:22
15. "Touched by the Hand of God"  N.O.Salvation! 3:41
16. "Blue Monday-88"  N.O.Single release only 4:07
17. "World in Motion"  N.O., Keith AllenSingle release only 4:29

Video release

  1. "True Faith-94"
  2. "Regret"
  3. "Run"
  4. "Bizarre Love Triangle"
  5. "Fine Time"
  6. "The Perfect Kiss"
  7. "Shellshock"
  8. "Confusion"
  9. "Blue Monday-88"
  10. "Round & Round-94"
  11. "World"
  12. "Ruined in a Day"
  13. "State of the Nation"
  14. "Touched by the Hand of God"
  15. "World in Motion"
  16. "Spooky"
  17. "True Faith"
  18. "Round & Round" "Patti"

Personnel

Chart positions

Chart (1994/5) Peak
position
Australian ARIA Albums Chart[8] 30
Canadian RPM Albums Chart 23
New Zealand RIANZ Album Chart[11] 27
UK Albums Chart[7] 4
US Billboard 200 Albums Chart[9] 78

References

  1. ↑ Atwood, Brett (25 March 1995). "Qwest Issues New Order Best-Of Set". Billboard: 10. Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  2. ↑ ARTISTdirect
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Ruhlmann, William. "Review: The Best of New Order – New Order (US Version)". AllMusic. Retrieved 29 June 2010.
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 Christgau, Robert (26 December 1995). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice (New York). Retrieved 2 January 2014.
  5. ↑ Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music 10 (4th ed.). p. 170. ISBN 0195313739.
  6. ↑ EW review
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 "Chart Stats: New Order". ChartStats.com. Archived from the original on 25 May 2012. Retrieved 2008-10-02.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 "Discography Depeche Mode". Australian-Charts.com. Retrieved 2008-11-03.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 "New Order > Charts & Awards > Billboard Albums". Allmusic. Retrieved 2009-05-20.
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 "The Irish Charts". IRMA. Retrieved 2008-10-02.
  11. ↑ "Discography New Order". Charts.ord.nz. Retrieved 2011-02-23.