We are in peak Spring, with the trees and flowers in full blush greenery and likewise it seems as if the New Release tree is overloaded with fruit already. I review eight new records this week: Le Volume Courbe (ft Noel Gallagher and the late Terry Hall); Bauhaus frontman Peter Murphy‘s first album in 11 years; Preoccupations’ fifth album that blends dark and light; Mclusky‘s first album in 21 years; Kvelertak guitarist Vidar Landa’s indie rock solo debut as King Hüsky; the second album from Super Furry Animals offshoot Das Koolies; the debut album from Brooklyn’s TVOD; and Hot Chip‘s Joe Goddard‘s UK-garage-inspired new EP. For this week’s Indie Basement Classic I look back at the debut album from Britpop band Gene.

Over in Notable Releases, Andrew also reviews the Mclusky album along with Mark Pritchard & Thom Yorke, billy woods, Adult Mom, and more.

More Basement-friendly news from this week: Grandaddy announced their first North American tour in two decades; The Raincoats’ Gina Birch announced her second solo album (and a tour with Miki Berenyi); Allo Darlin’ announced their first album in 11 years; and Baxter Dury, US Girls and Wand’s Cory Hanson announced new albums.

Also pour one out for James Baker who put the big beat in The Scientists, Hoodoo Gurus, Beasts of Bourbon and more. RIP.

ALBUM OF THE WEEK: Le Volume Courbe – Planet Ping Pong (Duophonic)
Contributions from Noel Gallagher, and the late Terry Hall and Martin Duffy highlight Charlotte Marionneau’s first LVC album in a decade

Charlotte Marionneau has been making records as Le Volume Courbe for more than two decades now, crafting delicate music that sounds handmade, rough around the edges, and quirky, but all perfectly so. Think Vashti Bunyan or Claudine Longet by way of Broadcast or Cate Le Bon. She is also very much a musician’s musician — her records over the years have featured contributions from My Bloody Valentine’s Kevin Shields, Mazzy Star’s Hope Sandoval, members of Primal Scream and more, and she spent a good chunk of the 2010s playing the scissors (yes, the scissors) in Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds. What a life! Planet Ping Pong, which is out on Stereolab’s Duophonic imprint, is the first Le Volume Courbe in 10 years, and if you’ve never heard of her before this, all the comparisons and bonafides in the sentences you just read are probably enough to get the readers of this column to listen. Co-produced by Brendan Lynch (Paul Weller, Primal Scream), this is bewitching stuff, mixing excellent originals and well-curated covers that Charlotte makes sound like she wrote them. There are also lots of guests: Noel Gallagher features on whimsical, piano-and-meow-filled highlight “Two-Love,” the late Martin Duffy (Primal Scream, Felt) contributes beautiful piano and gets a title namecheck on “Duffy and Mr Seagull,” and the late Terry Hall duets on a wonderful cover of Daniel Johnston’s “Mind Contorted” that Noel also plays on. She also delivers a spectral version of Phil Spector’s “To Know Him is to Love Him,” and her spare, transformative take on High Flying Birds b-side “Alone of the Rope” is gorgeous. Le Volume Courbe appears out of the mist at unexpected times and any time she does is a gift.

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Mclusky – The World Is Still Here And So Are We (Ipecac)
Andy Falkous spits bile like no one else on their very welcome first Mclusky album in 21 years

2025, in all its constant shitshow glory, seems like a perfect time for the first Mclusky album in two decades. Frontman Andy Falkous has stayed busy since 2004’s The Difference Between Me and You Is That I’m Not on Fire — most notably with Future of the Left — but his bile ducts seem like they’ve been working overtime or saving up the good stuff. He comes out of the gate swinging on The World is Still Here and So Are We — “delicate seeds come from delicate flowers / that was the horseshit she fed me for hours” are the album’s opening lines from “unpopular parts of a pig” — as do the rest of the band who sound as flinty, hard-hitting, compelling, and darkly hilarious as you remember them being. Mclusky’s fourth album is not just great for a return but is also as essential as the three previous records, and just what we need in the craziest year most of us have experienced. “it’s never complicated til it’s always complicated” — ain’t that the truth.

the world is still here and so are we by mclusky

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Peter Murphy – Silver Shade (Metropolis)
The Bauhaus frontman’s first solo album in 11 years is also the only new album you’ll hear this year to feature both Trent Reznor and Boy George

These days Peter Murphy is best-known as the former frontman of goth icons Bauhaus, but he was also one of the most popular artists in alternative rock in the late-’80s and early-’90s, with his 1990 album Deep being a particularly unstoppable juggernaut. Murphy has had a bit of an extended rough patch lately, with health problems and old grievances with his Bauhaus bandmates rearing their ugly heads again, but he seems to have found himself on stable ground for his first solo album in 11 years. His producer and chief collaborator here is Killing Joke’s Youth who has become to go-to for alt-rock/post-punk vets who need help finding their mojo, and the album delivers on a sound and style that befits Murphy’s still powerful baritone. Silver Shade opens with “Swoon,” arguably his strongest single since the ’90s, and features noticeable vocal assistance from old friend and tourmate Trent Reznor. A much more surprising collab comes at the end of the album in “Let the Flowers Grow,” an anthemic dark power ballad duet with Boy George that works much better than you’d ever think it would. The rest of Silver Shade follows suit with a modern update of his signature sound — high drama noir rock full of slashing guitars, big choruses, glam and, new for 2025, a strong, gurgling electronic undercurrent. Murphy says it’s “as powerful as any of my work to date,” and while he stumbles a few times letting things go too far over the top, listening to “Hot Roy” (also ft Reznor), “Art School Wonder,” “Conchita is Lame,” and the album’s bookends, it’s hard to argue with him.

Silver Shade by Peter Murphy

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TVOD – Party Time (Mothland)
Debut album from ambitious NYC post-punks debates the pros and cons of partying

Led by frontman and band founder Tyler Wright and his distinctive, plaintive vocals, Brooklyn six-piece TVOD deliver on their debut album’s title, as the lion’s share of these 11 songs falling on the danceable side of post punk. Or as they put it, Party Time is “hangxiety-induced punk to dance or mosh to. Like taking a shot of tequila and doing cardio.” Is that a good thing? The album wonders that too. The songs are all about partying — the highs, the lows, the uh-ohs — taking us on a tour NYC underground nightlife, from DIY shows, to warehouse parties, to dragging yourself to your day party after a long night. “I need a therapist,” Tyler snarls on “Uniform,” “I’ll take the drugs instead.” Made in Montreal with Choses Sauvages’ Félix Belisle and Samuel Gemme as producers, TVOD have made a record that dodges mid-’00s indie sleaze nostalgia, forging their own sound, sliding around the outside of the scene and occasionally stage-diving into the thick of it. Guitars are heavy, leaning more toward punk than “angular” that are nicely layered with synthesizers. Behind them are a powerful, taut rhythm section, and gang vocal choruses that, along with strong melodicism and song construction, give the album an all-inclusive feel. Party Time almost feels like a night out, with the bangers loaded at the front and the more weary, self-loathing material coming more near the end as if you’re wondering what you’re still doing up at 5:30 AM. Nightlife thrives in New York and while the indie music landscape has changed a lot in the last decade, it’s good to know bands like TVOD are still keeping things weird. And real.

Party Time by TVOD

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Preoccupations – Ill at ease (Born Losers)
The Canadian’s band’s dark streak gets a welcome dose of of sunshine in the arrangements on their fifth album

The title of Preoccupations’ fifth album spells more doom and gloom — which has been the bread and butter of this Canadian post-punk group since they formed from the ashes of Women some 13 years ago (how has it been that long?) — and frontman Matt Flegel doesn’t dispute that at all. “The well of dark things to write about seemingly has not dried up, and lyrically, it’s where I still tend to draw from,” he said in Ill at ease‘s press notes. “Draining all my anxieties into a song is often the only way I can get through a day.” But even more than on 2022’s Arrangements, the band are tempering those long stares into void with brighter music. “Bastards,” “Ill at Ease” and “Focus” are still powered by driving, dark basslines but are augmented with buoyant keyboard arrangements and shimmering guitars. Then there’s the soaring “Andromeda,” which which looks upwards and onwards with one of their catchiest choruses yet. Bad news seems like it will be still in the headlines for a while, but here’s some good news: hope is a welcome new weapon in Preoccupations’ arsenal.

Ill at ease by Preoccupations

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Das Koolies – Pando (Strangetown)
Second album from the Welsh group featuring all of Super Furry Animals except Gruff Rhys goes even further into psychedelic dance territory

Das Koolies are like a Sliding Doors moment for Welsh greats Super Furry Animals: what if instead of just occasionally dabbling in dance music, they dove in head first? The group, which features Huw Bunford, Cian Ciarán, Daf Ieuan and Guto Pryce — aka all of SFA except for frontman Gruff Rhys — were created as a concept in the ’90s but didn’t really come into being until well into the band’s current hiatus, releasing their debut single in 2020. Even more than on their 2023 debut album DK.01, their second album has them flying the rave rock flag at full mast, armed with strobes, glowsticks, squelchy acid house gurgles, throbs of sub bass, vocoder and trancy grooves. It is a delight to see four 50-somethings going this hard, making music this tripped out, finally realizing their space disco dreams in flashing technicolor. Pando could use a little more melody though. For that matter, Gruff could use a little more sizzle every now and then. What we could all really use is a new Super Furry Animals album. If Pulp and Stereolab can do it, so can you!

Pando by Das Koolies

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King Hüsky – King Hüsky (Hype City Music)
Kvelertak’s Vidar Landa swaps metal for moody jangle pop on his debut as King Hüsky

Norwegian metal band Kvelertak have always had a sugary softer side, and guitarist Vidar Landa has been exploring that even further outside of his main band. He and bassist Marvin Nygaard make ultracatchy power pop with Beachheads, and now he’s exploring moody indiepop as King Hüsky. Made with his partner, Anne Lise Frøkedal (who played in Norwegian bands Harrys Gym and I Was a King), his solo debut falls on the pastoral side of things with richly detailed, warmly bummed-out indie rock decorated in strummy acoustics, strings, swaying rhythms and the occasional whistling. Melodies hang on minor chords and recall the moody, lightly emo-ish days of millenium-era indie (Death Cab, Last Days of April, Aloha), and the songs are hooky and memorable. King Hüsky may not be crushing you under heavy riffage, but Landa still makes room for lots of subtle guitar flash, like the very satisfying twin leads of “Change of Heart” and the intricate arpeggios on “Running.” He does let it rip on the punkish “Bürn in Hell,” unleashing all manner of noisy fretwork fireworks, but on the rest of the album Landa is happy to sing softly, knowing he’s got that big stick in his back pocket when he needs it.

King Hüsky by King Hüsky

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Joe Goddard – Kinetic EP (Domino)
The Hot Chip cofounder aims straight for the club on this UK-garage-inspired EP featuring collabs with Dynamite, Suku and more

While Alexis Taylor has drifted more towards soulful ambience on his solo records, his Hot Chip cofounder Joe Goddard remains a club producer at heart. Following last year’s excellent Harmonics, Goddard is back with this all-bangers EP that really wants to make you sweat. “I have been playing these tracks whilst DJing for the last year,” Goddard says. “Seeing the resurgence of UK garage recently it felt like a good moment to work in that genre again as it has always been so close to my heart. Seeing it bloom around the world is so cool.” If you like skipping beats and wub wub bass, Joe’s got you covered and his always inventive production keeps things interesting.

Kinetic by Joe Goddard

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INDIE BASEMENT CLASSIC: Gene – Olympian (Polydor, 1995)
With the band back in action after a 20-year hiatus, it’s a great time to revisit the Britpop band’s debut album which just turned 30

Britpop is back, if you were not aware. Pulp have their new album in 24 years out in a month, Oasis’ much-anticipated reunion tour kicks off this month, Supergrass are back as well. The trickle-down effect, and the 30th anniversary of Britpop’s biggest year, have some of the smaller bands back in action, too, like Gene who will be on their first tour in 21 years this fall and who just celebrated 30 years of their terrific debut album. When they first arrived, Gene were dogged by comparisons to The Smiths, due mostly to frontman Martin Rossitter’s at times uncanny vocal resemblance to Morrissey, but also their purple-prosed lyrics, album art, and a propensity for sticking their best songs on b-sides. Those comparisons were fairly superficial, though, with guitarist Steve Mason drawing more from Small Faces’ Steve Marriott or Paul Weller than Johnny Marr, and Rossitter offering a more positive, romantic, us-vs-the-world outlook than Moz. Gene also tended to swing for the fences with big riffs and bigger anthemic choruses, and Olympian found them connecting with real power, whether it was swaggering rock like “Haunted by You,” “Car That Sped” and “To the City,” or more windswept numbers like “London, Can You Wait” and the title track.

Arguably even better is To See the Sights, a 1996 compilation that collects non-LP singles and b-sides from this era, including indispensable songs like “Sick, Sober and Sorry,” “For the Dead,” “I Can’t Decide If She Really Loves Me,” “Be My Light, Be My Guide,” “I Can’t Help Myself,” To See The Lights‘ title track, a terrific live cover of Burt Bacharach’s “Save a Little Prayer,” and more. To further that Smiths comparison, it’s Gene’s Hatful of Hollow and a great companion to Olympian.

Looking for more? Browse the Indie Basement archives.

And check out what’s new in our shop.

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Beyond “Blue Monday”: New Order’s Best Deep Cuts

“Dreams Never End” (1981)

New Order were still underneath the shadow of Joy Division in 1981, a hard shackle to shake. Unsure how to progress after the death of Ian Curtis, both guitarist Bernard Sumner and Peter Hook sing lead on New Order's debut album, Movement, and both sound like they're trying to mimic him. "Dreams Never End," which features Hook on vocals, is musically bright and sunny, with Hook, Sumner and Gilbert's instruments swirling around Stephen Morris' insistent, danceable beat. The Cure would crib liberally from this for their 1986 single "Inbetween Days."

“Procession” (1981)

Following their debut single, "Ceremony" (which had been played live with Joy Division), their next release was "Procession" which felt like a natural progression from Joy Division's Closer, with glacial synths washing over a frantic rhythm section and Bernard Sumner's brittle guitars. Recorded and released before Movement, "Procession" nonetheless feels past it, with Bernard Sumner coming into his own as lead vocalist. While a single, "Procession" didn't make it on to the main tracklist for 1987's Substance, but was instead relegated to the bonus disc of the CD. But it's a pivotal song in their evolution.

“Turn the Heater On” (1982 John Peel Session)

Keith Hudson's "Turn the Heater On" was Ian Curtis' favorite reggae song, says Peter Hook in his Substance memoir, saying it was where Bernard Sumner "got the got the idea for using the melodica," an instrument which would turn up in New Order songs like "Your Silent Face" and "Love Vigilantes." Barney's only playing guitar at the end, after he's stopped singing," adds Hook, only kinda joking that "That became the whole template for the band."

“The Village” (1983)

Power, Corruption & Lies is a perfect record, and none of the songs were released as singles -- "Blue Monday" was tacked onto the U.S. CD release -- so every song could theoretically fit on this list. There are moments of sadness and desolation, but there are also songs of unabashed joy. In much the same spirit as "Age of Consent," "The Village" bounces along like the first day of spring with Sumner singing "Our love is like the flowers / The rain, the sea and the hours." The mid-section instrumental -- with guitars, synthesizers and drum machines joining forces -- remains one of New Order's most magical moments.

"The synths are incredible from 1:45 so in your face but not overpowering ... then they disappear - my whole taste in music seemed to change because of this song" - The Charlatan's Tim Burgess on "The Village"

“Leave Me Alone” (1983)

Many of New Order's most genius moments come from the interplay between Peter Hook's bass -- which is almost always played high up on the neck to where some mistake it for guitar -- and Bernard Sumner's guitar. Is there a more perfect example than on Power Corruption & Lies' closing track? The bass hook opens the song, but it's when the chiming guitar lead enters that "Leave Me Alone" truly blooms. (Gillian Gilbert adds further, crucial, counterpoint guitar lines.) A grey-hued portrait of loneliness ("On a thousand islands in the sea / I see a thousand people just like me"), it's one of New Order's crowning achievements, fading out with two more minutes of gorgeous instrumental melancholia.

“Thieves Like Us” (1984)

This is the big concession to the "no singles" rule on this list. While "Thieves Like Us" went to #18 in the UK in 1984, it does not have the stature of "Bizarre Love Triangle," "Temptation," "Blue Monday," "Sub-Culture," "True Faith" or even LP tracks like "Age of Consent" or "Love Vigilantes." But it is one of New Order's best, most deeply emotive songs -- it's Peter Hook's favorite (you can see his full Top 10 below) -- that needs all six minutes and 36 seconds to work its magic. Bernard Sumner's vocals doesn't even come in till two-and-a-half minutes into the song, long after we've been seduced by the song's NYC hip-hop inspired rhythm section and majestic washes of synths. While the song works well as an instrumental -- it plays over the "making the dress" montage in Pretty in Pink -- Sumner gives a great delivery with a whole lot of "Loves," in his signature, fragile style.

PETER HOOK: THE TEN BEST NEW ORDER SONGS from his memoir "Substance: Inside New Order" 1. "Thieves Like Us"
2. "Leave Me Alone"
3. "Homage" (unreleased)
4. "Too Late" (John Peel session)
5. "Someone Like You"
6. "Ruined in a Day" (K-KLass Remix)
7. "Every Little Counts"
8. "Age of Consent"
9. "Temptation"
10. "Eligia"

“Lonesome Tonight” (1984)

"Lonesome Tonight" is, according to Peter Hook, New Order's ode to Elvis Presley. Bernard Sumner was apparently obsessed with a version of "Lonesome Tonight" (where The King can't stop laughing) and suggested to the rest of New Order they try jamming it on stage one night. That bit of C-F chord improvisation became this song, which Hook calls "a glorious tune even though it's nothing like Elvis', given away in true fashion as a b-side." (It's the flip to "Thieves Like Us.") New Order rarely needed more than two chords to create something amazing (see all of Power, Corruption and Lies), and when the synthesizers crest halfway through, it evokes Joy Division's "Atmosphere." If you're wondering, that is Peter Hook clearing his sinuses at the four-minute mark. "When Barney heard me hocking up phlegm into a handkerchief he suggested we put it on at the end because the contrast between something so beautiful and something so awful might be interesting. He was absolutely right."

“Murder” (1984)

New Order have always had a way with instrumentals and this one's a real tour-de-force, a pounding goth nightmare powered by Stephen Morris' propulsive drumming, a sinister bass line from Hook and Sumner's three-note, cyclical guitar hook. The song also makes great, creepy use of movie samples of Hal in 2001: A Space Odyssey and Malcolm McDowell in infamous big-budget softcore film Caligula. "Murder," which has been covered by The Charlatans and K-X-P, was originally only released as a single in Belgium, but later appeared on the second disc of the Substance two-CD set.

“Elegia” (full version) (1985)

An ode to Ennio Morricone's spaghetti western scores, specifically the pocket watch scene from A Few Dollars More, "Elegia" opens side two of 1985's highly underrated Low-Life. While the five-minute instrumental is carefully paced, exploding into full Sergio Leone glory in the last minute, the original 17-minute version is even better. "Dylan Jones - then editor at id magazine --asked us if we’d like to do some music for a short 15-20 min art film," Stephen Morris says. "We went into a studio in Wembley and did a marathon all night session. The film never happened, but we liked 'Elegia' so much it got edited down to fit on the LP." As Morris says, "Hooky's bass melodies on 'Elegia' are majestic."

"Elegia" is one of three New Order tracks to appear in Pretty in Pink ("Thieves Like Us" and "Shellshock," which appears on the soundtrack album, are the others), and you may have also heard it in Stranger Things, and the trailer for video game "Metal Gear Solid 5: Phantom Pain."

“Sooner Than You Think” (1985)

Like Power, Corruption and Lies, Low-Life is a near-perfect album and picking from the many great songs is difficult. Following "Blue Monday" and "Thieves Like Us," New Order really came into their own as far as blending rock and club music. While the albums that follow would more often than not have songs that were either "rock" or "synth," Low-Life let things intermingle in wonderful and surprising ways. After a building, minute-long intro that is mostly guitar, bass and drums, "Sooner Than You Think" shifts gears and lets the keyboards take over. "A very unusual tune, showing exactly why I used to love New Order," says Peter Hook in his memoir. "We were so versatile." As the lyrics describe, the song was actually written after "a party in [New Order's] hotel" in Zurich in 1984. "I think some members of the Furious Five were there, no Grandmaster Flash," recalls Stephen Morris. "There was a very loud blaster in a very small room - other hotel guests were not amused - complaints were made, maybe I dreamt the Furious Five bit? But not the Swiss police though."

“Face Up” (1985)

This one should've been a single. "When we first wrote Face up in early 1984 we thought it was the best thing ever," says Stephen Morris. "Face Up" is another New Order song where two disparate parts have been grafted together, with an an atmospheric intro ("inspired by Caligula" says Hook) that then drastically shifts gears into music that all but demands you bounce up and down. Sonically, "Face Up" is pure ebullience, the kind few besides New Order can do with guitars, but the lyrics -- "Oh how I cannot bear the thought of you" -- are a decided kiss-off from a spurned lover. "I couldn’t understand why some people didn’t get Face Up’s euphoria, but maybe you had to be playing the drums to fully get that," adds Morris.

“Way of Life” (1986)

As the '80s progressed, New Order became more and more known as a synthpop band, but they remained a clever, inventive rock band on album tracks, as is evidenced by the entire first side of 1986's Brotherhood. "Way of Life" closes out Side A, beginning with another gloomy fake-out intro before blossoming into a wonderful pop song with a chorus so infectious it seems impossible they would bury it this deep into the album. Hook says "We were trying to emulate 'Age of Consent' so I just played the riff backwards, and voilà."

“Every Little Counts” (1986)

New Order were guilty a few times over the years of what Peter Hook calls "five o'clock in the morning lyrics." Sometimes that meant something special, like "you caught me at a bad time, so why don't you piss off" (Power, Corruption & Lies' "Your Silent Face") and sometimes it gives you the opening lines to Brotherhood's closing track. "Every second counts when I am with you / I think you are a pig, you should be in a zoo," which Bernard Sumner cannot get through without laughing. (He also didn't feel a need to do another take.) And yet, "Every Second Counts" is still pure gold, making great use of orchestral samples, harmony and Sumner's winning "do de do de dooh" chorus. "Every Little Counts" is also a perfect album-closer, with a massive, woozy swell from their Emulator sampling keyboard -- "with Barney holding all the keys down at once, using both arms" -- and then a great final joke that definitely freaked out some vinyl listeners at the time.

“1963” (1987)

Like "The Perfect Kiss," this b-side to 1987 single "True Faith" is a story-song about a doomed relationship -- and perhaps firearms -- set to ultra-catchy crystalline synthpop. There's a case to be made that it's better than the A-side (which was one of New Order's biggest hits and their first entry into the Billboard Top 40). For people like Peter Hook who wished more of Peter Hook's distinctive bass stylings made it into the the final product (it doesn't show up till right before the slow fade out), Arthur Baker's sublime remix adds in more string instruments -- bass and guitar -- throughout.

“Vanishing Point” (1989)

Both Stephen Morris and Peter Hook's favorite song on 1989's Technique, "Vanishing Point" is one of New Order's finest electronic dance songs (and it really should've been a single instead of either "Fine Time" or "Run"). Like "Thieves Like Us," this one is in no hurry to get to vocals, with the 90 second lead-in playing like an overture, leading us through the major melodic points; when Sumner does begin with "Grow up children don't you suffer / at the hands of one another" it's a cinematic experience. "Vanishing Point" has the best chorus on the album and the best breakdown and "drop" (before they called them that), that was clearly influenced by the two months spent in Ibiza making the album (and spending a lot of time at the club).

“Dream Attack” (1989)

individual lanes, but the album closes with the glorious "Dream Attack" that brings the whole record together, mixing ragged guitar solos, windswept acoustic guitars, sampled orchestra hits, sequencers and live drums -- plus another great chorus -- all together as only New Order can do. Bernard Sumner apparently had The Eagles' "Hotel California" in mind with the song's two-minute jam outro which, in their hands, works. Gillian Gilbert, who played those wonderful acoustic guitars, says, "To me, Dream Attack' sums up the whole album. It’s bright breezy and uplifting...a good song to walk off into the sunset to."

“Special” (1993)

New Order were not especially getting along in the early-'90s, but got back together to make a new album, as they were low on funds after their label Factory Records (which went belly-up the year prior) and their troubled Manchester club, The Hacienda, depleted their bank accounts. Republic was, by all accounts, not the most pleasant recording experience with Bernard Sumner and Peter Hook butting heads constantly. There's not much of Hook's signature bass on the album, but there is some unfortunate rapping by Sumner. Republic does contain "Regret," one of their best-ever singles (a Top 40 hit in the US), and some of the old magic can also be found tucked away near the end of Side 2 with the sultry, moody "Special," which is driven by Hook's bass and another great chorus. Lyrically the song is perhaps referencing the demise of Factory Records or the group itself: "It was always special, like water down the drain." New Order went on an eight-year hiatus not long after its release.