Monday 21 November 2016

New Order Covered, part 2

'Power, Corruption And Lies' is widely accepted as being New Order's best album. You can debate that as much as you like, but it was the one that probably made the band's biggest statement. The gloom of Joy Division was still evident, but on PC&L New Order decided that electronic was the way to go. The drum machine used was cutting edge at the time and the experimentation that came with learning to use it resulted in Blue Monday being written.

You know of my love for Buffalo Tom, so little point in banging on about it. In 2011 they put out an acoustic EP which featured their take on PC&L's opener Age Of Consent. The original is one of my favourite New Order tracks. As much as I love BT and, in particular Bill Janovitz's voice, I'm not sure they really do it justice here. It is a live take, mind, so that probably accounts for its roughness.

Destroyer, from Canada, are one of those bands I feel I really should know more about, but don't. I call them a band, but they're actually more of a conduit for the musical talents of Dan Bejar. This version of Leave Me Alone, PC&L's closing track, was recorded for Mojo magazine's 'Power, Corruption & Lies Covered' CD from 2012.

And finally, well how could I miss this one out? The Jolly Boys have been one of Jamaica's top folk bands for more than six decades. Some of their members are well into their 70s and 80s. The style of music they play is called mento, a form of folk music that heavily influenced ska and reggae. In 2010, The Jolly Boys released 'Great Expectation', a collection of covers including Passenger (Iggy Pop), Rehab (Amy Winehouse), Ring Of Fire (Johnny Cash) and New Order's Blue Monday. It's even more utterly brilliant than it sounds!


(Think I've found a file host that allows streaming of the file as well as download. Not as malware-laden as Zippyshare, with any luck. Let me know how well it works for you.)


Soundtrack:

8 comments:

  1. Sorry to have to say, solidfiles is naughty. 'Your pc is infected, credit cards details and facebook login blah, blah ,,,,'

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  2. This seems to work OK, Rob, without re-direction. Don't know if it's a free service though.

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    1. I use Malwarebytes. It blocks Zippy completely, but allows Solidfiles. Not sure what you're seeing when it tells you your PC is infected - again, I use AdBlock, Malwarebytes, etc so I probably don't see that. I'd recommend everyone has this stuff installed anyway.

      Solidiles does seem to be free and no sign-up required either.

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  3. A new tab opens when I play each track for the first time, but doesn't reappear after that, so all good this end. Really enjoyed the Jolly Boys version of 'Blue Monday'.

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  4. Yes, you get new tabs opening up offering all sorts of "goodies", including the one that KevinM mentions. I use Adblock etx but still get these new tabs.

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  5. Thanks for the feedback Kev, Swede and George. I think I've found a better one with no ads or anything that I'm trying out from tomorrow.

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  6. Robster, There are moments in the Destroyer discography I think you would really like. Dan isn't really known for this one, but try this song on for size. It might remind you of another artist you hold in high regard. Let it build until the end, my friend.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7aqSvggjv8

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  7. OK....not been around for a long while....profuse apologies which which I hope you'll accept.

    I often get into arguments with folk about PC&L as I think it's third in line behind Technique and Lowlife. But it's still a great piece of work and in 'Age of Consent' offers the band's finest ever few minutes...better even than Temptation which I know now, at 53 years of age, will never be toppled from its position as my all time favourite single.

    Really loving this cover of Blue Monday which I'd never heard before.

    Cheers.

    JC

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