New Order - Crystal (UK CD singles 1 & 2)

CRYSTAL: the edit
This is an absolutely fabulous comeback single. The Edit version on CD1 cuts off the wonderful beginning and final you can hear on the album version. The main difference form the demo I previewed on The Neworders main page is a really beautiful piano interlude. I love how the sound is balanced between the keyboard, guitar, the strong rhythm and bass. That, and the kind of tune, makes this song a classic New Order song.
The backing vocals come like an answer to Bernard's verses: "we're like crystal [oooh] / we break easy [yeeah]" and that makes a kind of swinging rhythm which is very cool put together with the regular 4/4 base rhythm. The verse is rather calm, and then comes a storming chorus: "I don't know - what to say / you don't care - anyway" above a touching keyboard; the end of the chorus is fabulous, the first "you shock me to the core" has a dramatic dissonance that's put straight with a sense of release in the second (this is just an apparently easy song), while Hooky enters with a nice bass tune. Another great moment is the keyboard echoing chord answering to "keep it coming", it grows very intense.
A melancholic guitar/keyboard/bass song in New Order's best tradition, it's nothing innovative, but we must not expect this at this point, after eight years with New Order in their mid 40s, the age of your father when you were 20, probably. If they do what they can do at their best that's great, and it's just what's happening. This song also puts again in perspective the side projects, it's better than any of their songs, though they all made excellent tracks, once again when the four unite together the result is a magic, better than the simple sum of the parts. It won't win many new fans, no hip garage, no new metal, just New Order at their best (though not at the level of Blue Monday, Perfect Kiss or True Faith of course, but there are just like half a dozen of songs so good they won't ever be like that again and we should never expect it), probably one of their top 15 or 20 songs and that's an excellent result. But it's conquering back some old Joy Division-only fans, with its new wave sound under a contemporary perspective, thanks also to the excellent production by Steve Osborne.
The video is very funny, a band of actors mimes the song, they look like those stupid Britpop artists of the 90s. All very ironic, but let's hope the younger audience of music TV channels don't mistake them for the true New Order.

BEHIND CLOSED DOORS
As in their best times, just like in 1981 with Cries And Whispers which even was the only one to not be included later on Substance, New Order waste one of their best songs ever as a B side. This alone makes worthy the single, it's maybe even better than the lead track. Arthur Baker produces here and does a great job with the wonderful instrumentation. It's a very melancholic song, Bernard's voice at the beginning, sounds like trying to imitate Hooky in Monaco, on "the things that you will see will open up your eyes" there's an amazing dissonance. The song grows and grows dramatically to the fabulous chorus with excellent lyrics: "I don't know what makes me stay / the city life just ain't the same / there's something wrong with kids today / I blame the parents anyway... please don't take my drugs away / I'm gonna give them up some day". Bernard examples boring himself with listening to The Corrs and Hooky's on great form in the final over magnificent synths, piano and samples.

crystal: THE REMIXES
The first CD is closed by the Digweed & Muir "Bedrock" Mix Edit, and you have to wonder how long the full version is, since this is already 10.06... nothing special, really, but pleasant enough with its work on noises and rhythms.
What's really great on CD2 is the Lee Coombs Remix: you gotta have patience with the first two intro minutes, but then it becomes excellent. Great rhythm, deep bass and a wonderful sampling of a beautiful guitar tune which is too buried in the original. The piano interlude, with its four touching notes, receives also a smart treatment, with the "keep it coming" bit growing and growing. Essential.
The John Creamer & Stephane K Main Remix Edit sounds harder, but also less inspired, though there's a good booming sound in the rhythm and at some point nice keyboards reminding Depeche Mode arrive.
The Digweed & Muir "Bedrock" Radio Edit is shorter and better than the mix on CD1, with its marvellous atmospheric keyboard, the dry electro rhythm, and the voice effects.