Technique – New Order ★★★½

Year	Album	Artist	Stars	Score	Genre
1989	Technique	New Order	★★★½	70	Rock	New Wave	Alternative Dance

I really enjoy New Order’s Technique because it fits perfectly into its time period. Are the lyrics corny? Sure. Are the synths and dancy percussion over the top? You bet. Do their basslines take the lead from the guitar more often than not? Absolutely. But for 80s alternative dance, it’s a lot of fun, if maybe a little unoriginal at times. 

I liked most of the songs here, particularly “All the Way,” “Guilty Partner,” “Run” and “Mr. Disco,” but the album is missing a big hit or standout track. 

New Order has had some really great singles throughout their more than four decade run as a band (and as Joy Division), but this is the one album from their peak that didn’t have a hit. It’s probably more consistent from start to finish than some of the others, but without a hit it loses a bit of its appeal, and doesn’t have the same draw as Power, Corruption & Lies, Brotherhood or even Get Ready. 

Also, I may not totally mind the corniness, but it is corny, and some of the love lyrics are sooo lame. Songwriting in a lyrical sense has never really been Bernard Sumner’s forte, but here it’s more noticeable than on some other records.