2015 studio album by New Order

Music Complete is the tenth studio album by English rock band New Order. It was released on 25 September 2015 by Mute Records, their debut on the label.[4] The album features guest vocals from Elly Jackson of La Roux, Iggy Pop, and Brandon Flowers of The Killers.

Background

Music Complete marks a return to a more electronic direction compared to New Order`s previous two albums, which had been more guitar-based.[5] This is the first album without former bassist Peter Hook, as well as the recorded debut of Tom Chapman and the return of Gillian Gilbert, who had taken leave from the band in 2001, but toured with them from 2011 onwards. Guest backing vocals are provided by Denise Johnson and Dawn Zee, who have performed with the band on their last three albums.

In March and July 2014, the band revealed their first new songs on tour at Lollapalooza Chile and in the United States: "Plastic" and "Singularity".[6][7]

On 2 and 4 September 2014, Billboard, along with Stereogum and Consequence of Sound reported that New Order had signed on to Mute Records and that future releases were expected, at the time planned to be EPs which would then be "probably put together as an album." Billboard also announced Bernard Sumner`s autobiography, Chapter and Verse, which was released on 24 September of the same year.[8][9][10]

On 22 June, the official New Order site announced the release date and title of the album, Music Complete. The website also provided terms of distribution: CD, digital download, and limited edition clear vinyl, along with an exclusive 8-piece deluxe vinyl collection that includes the album plus extended versions of all 11 tracks on coloured vinyl.[11]

On 22 June, 30 June, and 7 July, the official New Order YouTube channel uploaded three separate teasers that included snippets of music from the album.[12][13][14]

On 29 July, "Restless" was released as the first single for the album.[15] On 19 October, "Tutti Frutti" was released as the album`s second single. A third single, "Singularity", was released 18 March 2016.[16] "People on the High Line" was released as the fourth single on 29 July 2016, announced with a fan music video competition.[17]

Promotion

Packaging

The artwork for Music Complete was created by New Order`s long-time art director and collaborator Peter Saville. The artwork features a montage of lines with the colours red, yellow, green and blue. Depending on the type of format, the colour schemes vary. For the CD, the pattern clockwise from top right is yellow, red, blue and green. The LPs are red, yellow, green and blue. Digital downloads are the regular format; blue, green, red and yellow. The deluxe edition`s artwork is the same as the album, but all six coloured vinyl sleeves are different styles, and have no colour. The six coloured vinyl range from red to purple.[18][19][20][21][22][23]

Release

Music Complete was released on 25 September in five different formats: CD, regular and limited-edition double-clear LP, digital download, and an 8-piece deluxe vinyl box set. All CD and LP orders come with MP3 and audio downloads of the album. The deluxe box set includes the clear double LP, along with extended versions of all 11 tracks on six different coloured vinyl. The box set was released on 6 November 2015. A limited edition re-release was issued for Love Record Stores day, 20 June 2020. The double vinyl LP was pressed in orange vinyl and issued in a gatefold sleeve. The release included a 12 page booklet.

Reception

Music Complete received generally positive reviews from critics. On Metacritic, the album has a weighted average score of 76 out of 100 based on 21 reviews, which indicates "generally favorable reviews".[25] Mixmag`s S. Worthy described the record as "an album of outstanding pop, shuddering dance-rock and intricate electronic moods.[1] Barry Walters of Rolling Stone wrote: "Just as Curtis` suicide inspired his bandmates to reinvent themselves as New Order in 1980, Hook`s departure frees them to create their most varied and substantial work in decades."[33] Michael Roffman of Consequence of Sound called Music Complete "the rare late era LP that blossoms with life, while also echoing the past",[35] while Tim Jonze of The Guardian wrote that the album "feels like the freshest thing they`ve done in ages."[28]

Pitchfork critic T. Cole Rachel called it their most refined album since Technique, and remarked that Music Complete sounds like "classic New Order" and that the album "certainly doesn’t do anything to diminish New Order’s formidable legacy, but it doesn’t necessarily expand upon it either."[31] Stephen Dalton of Uncut felt that it "drags and trundles in places", but is "easily New Order`s best album since Technique, and probably their most musically diverse ever."[34] In a less favourable review, Tim Sendra of AllMusic called it "a watered-down and uninspired album by a band that lost the plot long ago and can now only capture an occasional glimmer of what made it so great in the first place."[26] Concluding a less favourable 1 of 5 star review, Truck & Driver wrote: "...full of soggy, uninspired self-indulgent material that sounds like a mish-mash of 80s B-sides. Save your money."[36]

Accolades

Accolades for Music Complete

Track listing

All tracks are written by New Order, except where noted

Tour

The band embarked on an initial tour in support of Music Complete from 4 November 2015 to 20 December 2015, with tour dates held across Europe and the UK plus stops at the Clockenflap festival in Hong Kong and the Day for Night Festival in the United States.[39] Future tour plans include the 2016 Sónar Festival in Barcelona.[40]

Personnel

New Order

Musician credits for New Order are not listed in the liner notes of the album`s personnel. Below are the instruments that the group typically plays.

• Bernard Sumner – vocals, guitar, keyboards, synthesisers
• Stephen Morris – drums and percussion, keyboards, synthesisers, drum programming
• Gillian Gilbert – keyboards, synthesisers
• Phil Cunningham – guitars, keyboards, synthesisers, electronic percussion
• Tom Chapman – bass, backing vocals, synthesisers

Charts

Chart performance for Music Complete

Certifications

Certifications for Music Complete