New Order - New York Felt Forum 01 August 1985
NME - BOUND FOR BILLBOARD ! NEW ORDER A CERTAIN RATIO New York Felt Forum SWITCHING FROM haphazard indie distribution in the US to Quincy Jones‘ Qwest label, distributed by Warner Brothers, has made a big difference for New Order's Stateside commercial prospects. One major signal that things are changing was that this 5,000-capacity venue sold by word of mouth alone. The support act is the same one they had at their American debut at the tiny Tier 3 club in ’79. New Order have moved forward. A Certain Ratio haven't. 'Shack Up' may have been a nice, tightly-wound moment, but aside from that I can't see what has given these guys a reputation as some kind of mutant funk firebreathers. They have settled into a stagnant muck. The rhythms lack all attack, yet the band preens with self-importance as they play them. They end with a half-baked salsafied jam that any rag-tag Central Park Saturday ensemble could cut to shreds. New Order, on the other hand, ar...