I'm sure I bought this when it came out, so I'm puzzled that I seem to have the 1994 reissue which includes Getting Away With It. And it's troubling me more than it should, that I don't have the familiar orange sleeve. Perhaps I originally had it on vinyl, or lent it and never got it back?
Anyway, a collaboration between Johnny Marr (the decent half of the Smiths' creative hub) and Bernard Sumner (the least interesting member of Joy Division - come on, Curtis was Curtis, Hooky married Caroline Aherne and Morris collects tanks, FFS!) was always going to be something to be investigated.
Kicking of with the guitar chops and electro-rap of Idiot Country, it's an engaging sound from the off, with Reality and Tighten Up, both great songs. And it only gets better when guests, Pet Shop Boys, show up on the fantastic Patience Of A Saint.
But by comparison, Getting Away With It, sounds lightweight and limp, and Gangster doesn't feel particularly strong. However, the short instrumental Soviet, is a really powerful tune, and Get The Message is a catchy, enjoyable, well crafted song. Try All You Want is a bit bland and over discobeat for my liking, as is Some Distant Memory. But if you're expecting it to drift into ordinariness, the fantastic Feel Every Beat comes along to end the album on a banging high.
As time has gone on, I've grown to like the New Order electronic (small e) sound less and less, finding it hollow and soulless (especially compared to what came before), but there's enough Marr input to make this a decent listen, with a number of top tunes.
3* - this is a good collaboration, catching a moment in time well.
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