New Order is a member of an elite group of long-standing bands whose sound remains innovative, despite a nearly unchanged musical direction. No one touches Peter Hook's warm, startlingly melodic basslines or Bernard Sumner's slightly unsure but instantly recognizable singing. Get Ready is a classic New Order album with a few twists. Smashing Pumpkins' Billy Corgan (who no doubt hero-worshipped the band, like most angst-ridden alterna-youth of his generation) is invited for a guest appearance on "Turn My Way," and Primal Scream's Bobby Gillespie aids New Order in producing the dirty, Stones-ripping tune "Rock the Shack," an imitation of Scream's 1994 single, "Rocks." Fans might be taken aback by the disc's occasional sophomoric lyrics, but given the band's standard for poetic prowess, it may be safe to assume that lyrics like "Here comes love/it's like honey/you can't buy/it with money" are tongue-in-cheek. The CD is bookended with its best songs: "Crystal" is one of their finest singles ever, layered with synthesized rhythm tracks and a beautiful interplay between Sumner and a backing female vocal, and "Run Wild" is a tastefully lush ballad that summons those painful and glorious emotions that somehow are unique to the band's music. Few rock groups that equally utilize keyboards and guitars have survived the post-Nirvana shakeout, but Get Ready is further testimony that while trends and musical movements come and go, New Order will always matter. --Beth Massa
