Even though the disk does not compile all of New Order's hits, it does pack enough great New Order songs like "True Faith", which is a supposed remix version, but in my opinion is exactlly like the video version of the song which is a shortened version of the original song, "Love Vigilantes", "Regret" and England's number 1 charting World Cup song, "World In Motion". And also, the disk has a sense of chronology to it. Although "Let's Go" starts off the disk, which is not one of New Order's earlier songs. But "The Best of New Order" is still a great listen.


Very Innovative   January 5, 2006
 5 out of 5 found this review helpful

I'm a college student, and I find that current pop music doesn't do it for me. In fact, most of my friends listen to music that dates from the 1960s to the early 90s. I love this CD, New Order is very easy to listen to and enjoy. You can even hear the foundations of modern day house music within some of the tracks. The melancholy tone of the lead singer is definitive of a lot of the pop in the 80s, yet he does not bore you. Although I do admit, you can tell that all the tracks have somewhat of a general way of being constructed; so I recommend listening to the 30 second snippets that Amazon provides to decided if you really want to buy it. However, if you want a CD that is somewhat definitive of 80s Brit Pop, and made a huge impact on the Pop scene, I would definitely recommend buying this. It's a great compilation of the music by New Order.


Great Collection   October 16, 2003
 4 out of 5 found this review helpful

When I bought this CD I was only familir with some of the New Order singles so I love this album mainly because this is where I heard the rest of the singles. For that fact I recommend this album but I'm not sure how the tracks compare to the album cuts since I'm not as familiar with their albums so I can't say if this is just a collection of the album versions of songs. Great collection though, highly recommended if you're new to this group.


Theres NO better techno band than New Order   September 2, 2004
 4 out of 16 found this review helpful

Forgett about Depeche Mode, Forgett about Kraftwerk
NEW ORDER rules the techno world.
thats all i have to say
HM


don't pass this up, don't be stubborn!   July 7, 2005
 4 out of 5 found this review helpful

FYI- I'm reviewing the U.S. domestic version of this compilation.

This compilation has been slagged by the fans who think that Substance is the be-all, end-all for New Order. Yes, Substance is absolute perfection, but it isn't a HERESY to own both Substance and The Best Of!

The biggest way that The Best Of is different from Substance is that it sounds like a typical compilation, while Substance sounds like a "super-album" (if that makes sense). There are no seven-minute opuses on The Best Of, and some of the greatest hits have been tinkered with. The 94 mix of Bizarre Love Triangle pares down the song, but still keeps enough of the "good bits". Round & Round and True Faith pretty much sound like the radio versions we all heard before, while Blue Monday has been given the trailer-park makeover (all flash, no elegance).

What The Best Of has else to offer is either impressive, or banal, depending on what kind of N.O. fan you are. I think prety much all of the fans wish that Touched By the Hand of God could have made the cut for Substance; here, you have it, thank God (no pun intended). There is also the 94 version of 1963, which is infinitely better than the original b-side version from Substance. It really is a beautiful rendering that highlights the elegaic nature of the song. And, as others have stated, you have World in Motion, which ranks up there with all of their greatest singles.

Technique was the album that followed the release of Substance, and you have all four singles- Fine Time, Vanishing Point, Run, and the aforementioned Round & Round. Four impressive singles that you don't get on Substance. From Republic, we have the superlative Regret, the iffy-but-sturdy World, and the haunting Ruined in a Day. What I really miss are Spooky and Everyone Everywhere. Forgive me, fans of early-80's New Order, but I could have done without Dreams Never End and Age of Consent, in favor of these two.

The one early-days song that is really affecting is Love Vigilantes. It has a post-punk sound, and tells of a dead soldier who doesn't know he is dead yet, a relevant theme for today, don't you think?

Let's Go (Nothing for Me) was a new song at the time of this release, though I'm not sure if it was intended as a sort-of new single for the compilation. In any case, it is another classic New Order song, combinining synth and guitar, and lyrics like, "I don't need your sympathy."

Please, don't pass this compilation up, and don't listen to the Substance-only diehards!