NEW ON CD

Cover of New Order's "Retro."

New Order’s 4-CD box set
is a real joy

"Retro" New Order (Rhino/Warner Bros./Qwest)

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By Gary C.W. Chun
gchun@starbulletin.com

While this won't be released in the United States until next Tuesday, the worldwide response to this four-CD box set has been favorable with the band's many fans.

Rising from the ashes of Joy Division after Ian Curtis' suicide in 1980, New Order has distinguished itself for years for its astute pop and dance sound. The planning behind "Retro" was an unconventional one: The first two discs are made up of singles and album tracks as chosen by two British journalists; the third disc contain remixes as selected by their club deejay, the Hacienda's John McCready; and the last contains unreleased live tracks as selected by both the band and Primal Scream's Bobby Gillespie.

Accompanying the package is an extensive 72-page booklet with liner notes from all four members -- Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook, Stephen Morris and Gillian Gilbert -- plus rare photos and new artwork by renowned Factory Records designer Peter Saville. A label executive said that the packaging is identical to last year's Joy Division box set "Heart and Soul," which is basically a companion piece to that set.

The band has released seven studio albums and 30 singles, including "Confusion," "Regret," "Bizarre Love Triangle," "True Faith" "World in Motion" and the best-selling 12-inch single of all time, "Blue Monday."

If you order a copy of "Retro" through the label's Web site at rhino.com, a limited-edition bonus disc will be included, containing nine tracks of unreleased studio and live material, including the full 17-minute-plus version of "Elegia."

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