Album Reviews |

Bad Lieutenant



Never Cry Another Tear 5 ( 2009 )
Sink Or Swim / Twist Of Fate / Summer Days / This Is Home / Running Out Of Luck / Dynamo / Poisonous Intent / These Changes / Walk On Silver Water / Shine Like The Sun / Runaway / Head Into Tomorrow / Falling Trees / Split The Atom

Bernard Sumner of New Order must have some friends in high places as virtually no-one in the music press has dared say a single unkind word about his 'Bad Lieutenant' project. This is a project where he works with some of his mates and some of his former band-mates. Thus, Bernard isn't the sole singer/player/creative force here, this is 'a band' and he'll give whatever undeserving airtime to his fellow vocalist and co-conspirator that he sees fit. Kind of like Jimi Hendrix allowing some rubbish busker to have half the tracks on a Jimi Hendrix album out of some kind of weird, distorted generosity. You may be thinking then, am I Hook or Sumner camp? Neither actually, i'm in the Joy Division camp and although a huge New Order fan upto and including 1989's 'Technique', believe the music world wouldn't have missed much if New Order had called it a day after releasing the world cup anthem 'World In Motion' back in 1990.

'Sink Or Swim' was the first single and shines like a latter day slice of New Order pop. It's not groundbreaking or remarkable, but it's the kind of nice guitar-pop we simply don't see in the charts these days. The bass-parts by the way, for Peter Hook fans, are largely played by Blur man Alex James. Wisely, he avoids sounding like a clone of Peter Hook and just does his job, filling in the parts. 'Twist Of Fate' sounds like a future single and amplifies the electric guitars, 'This Is Home' is co-sung by Jake Evans and sounds like exactly what you'd expect a bunch of New Order touring musicians and roadies to sound like. A piss-poor weak imitation of New Order then? Well, yes. Even Bernard's vocals when he enters the fray for the choruses don't really help. It's all rather strange actually as Bad Lieutenant' are essentially just New Order without Peter Hook. I suppose it's less about what's technically been lost and rather something more esoteric.

What am I drivelling on about? Well, there's absolutely no tension anywhere on 'Never Cry Another Tear'. It's also a front-loaded affair that simply peters out as it goes along, tunes such as the semi-acoustic 'Runaway' hardly even registering.

Add A Comment?

Readers Comments Danny sparksmachine@gmail.com Sounds like New Order's "Momentary lapse of Reason". I still think Bernard's 'Electronic' output is oddly underrated though. Neema Agha Irvine, CA Contrary to your assessment, I think this album picks up right where NO left off with their last album. However, I welcome the guitar-driven nature of the album. I've always been more partial to their guitar drive work (starting with JD, really) and frankly, this is the first album since 'Technique' that I've really enjoyed.