The dissolution of New Order in these last few years has had the feeling of Marx’s old line, “History tends to repeat itself … the first time as tragedy, the second time as farce.” [note: that’s Karl, not Groucho…] The very public back-and-forth between bassist Peter Hook and guitarist Bernard Sumner over whether or not Hook’s departure meant the ‘end’ of New Order was the farce, coming as it did almost thirty years after the suicide of singer Ian Curtis brought the band to follow through on a promise, that should any member leave the band, they’d change the name – and thus tragic New Wave pioneers Joy Division became eighties electro-dance hits New Order. Now that New Order has finally dissolved, Sumner and keyboardist Phil Cunningham, along with additional guitarist Jake Evans, have formed the ‘new’ New Order, Bad Lieutenant. Debut release Never Cry Another Tear reaches higher than New Order did, but also lower.
Divide Never cry roughly in half, and focus on its strong first side. After the enjoyable electro-pop/rock of opener “Sink or Swim”, “Twist of Fate” brings more emotional power and grandeur, but is still accessible. That darker side outshines the brighter one on “This Is Home”, but the following “Running Out of Luck” does the sweeter, brighter thing much better. The band also doesn’t abandon New Order’s electro-dance, such as with “Summer Days” or “Dynamo”. Other than some out-of-place eighties nighttime guitar solos on “Summer” and “Running” (that’s what happens when a band is built around three guitarists – though Hook went onto form bass ‘supergroup’, Freebass…), Bad Lieutenant sounds better than New Order has in a long time.
That is until the second side. Starting with the disco-rhythm wa-wa of “Poisonous Intent”, Never seriously drops in quality. The following “These Changes” is emotional to the point of emo, while “Walk On Silver Water” has too much simple synth/reverb, and “Runaway” too bright, with all three too cheesy. There are a few better moments, like the almost alt-country twang-into-electro “Shine Like the Sun”, or the eighties expanse-press out of strum closer “Head Into Tomorrow” (which unfortunately goes on too long), but the back half is a major disappointment after the strong first.
The three guitarists obviously makes Bad Lieutenant a more guitar-heavy band than New Order (Order drummer Stephen Morris contributed some drums, and is touring with them – but they couldn’t get their recording bassist to join them on the road, but that was Alex James of Blur…), but what is most prominent is the varying in quality on Never Cry Another Tear. It’s certain to make you take notice of Bad Lieutenant, after having forgotten about New Order a few years before their 1993-1998 hiatus. They’re halfway to greatness.
MP3 Stream: “Twist of Fate”
