New Order - Retro

Bernard Sumner: "What's that song? You know the one, the B-side to '1963'".
Rest of New Order in unison: "True Faith…"

When the lead singer of one of the most important bands in history can't remember the name of one of the best pop songs ever then something's up. Cue a long overdue New Order box set -not just a collection of songs, but something that, like the band, will unite loved-up acid heads, dressed-down musos, handbaggers, housewives, spotty students and football hooligans alike. It'll also be a timely reminder to the band of exactly how much they've achieved over the last couple of decades. Cue Bernard on being played an early live New Order track by Primal Scream's Bobby Gillespie…

Bernard Sumner: "I swear I've never heard this track in my life. You've put this in as a joke."
Rest of band: "You wrote the fucking song…"

And so we arrive at 'Retro' -four CDs compiled by Miranda Sawyer, John McReady, Mike Pickering and Bobby Gillespie covering 'The Hits', 'The Early Years', 'Remixes' and 'Live' respectively and with New Order, as ever, showing the rest of the world how pop music should be done: with awkward genius, with spiky soul, with cool and with clear-eyed class.

TRACKLISTING

Disk One -Entitled 'Pop', chosen by Miranda Sawyer

1. 'Fine Time'
2. 'Temptation'
3. 'True Faith'
4. 'The Perfect Kiss'
5. 'Ceremony'
6. 'Regret'
7. 'Crystal'
8. 'Bizarre Love Triangle'
9. 'Confusion'
10. 'Round and Round'
11. 'Blue Monday'
12. 'Brutal'
13. 'Slow Jam'
14. 'Everyone Everywhere'

Disk Two -Entitled 'Fan', chosen by John McCready

1. 'Elegia'
2. 'In a Lonely Place'
3. 'Procession'
4. 'Your Silent Face'
5. 'Sunrise'
6. 'Let's Go'
7. 'Broken Promise'
8. 'Dreams Never End'
9. 'Cries and Whispers'
10. 'All Day Long'
11. 'Sooner Than You Think'
12. 'Leave Me Alone'
13. 'Lonesome Tonight'
14. 'Every Little Counts'
15. 'Run Wild'

1. Ceremony'
Studio 54, Barcelona on 7 July 1984
2. 'Procession'
Sunderland 15 August 1984
3. 'Everything's Gone Green'
Tolworth Rec. Centre, Kingston, London 6 December 1985
4. 'In a Lonely Place'
Glastonbury Festival 20th June 1981
5. 'Age of Consent'
Spectrum Arena, Warrington 1 March 1986
6. 'Elegia'
Glastonbury Festival 19th June 1987
7. 'The Perfect Kiss'
Fulcrum Centre, Slough 7 Dec 1985
8. 'Fine Time'
Hoffman Estates, Chicago 30 June 1989