New Order — Technique

• Artist: New Order
• Title: Technique
• Year: 1989
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 6
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1989 – A promo at our store
• Keeper: Yes

If I have any attachment to this record, New Order’s Technique, it’s that I got it when my brother and I had a record store in Norfolk, VA. And that’s about it because this is not an album I played a lot. I’m not a huge New Order fan, but I love some of their stuff. Technique is a little bland and maybe too pop for me. My favorite song by far is the last one, “Dream attack.” And the lower case “a” is how they spell it.

The second pic is from the liner. The back of the jacket is the usual NO minimalism with just a bar code in the center.

Leftfield — Leftism

• Artist: Leftfield
• Title: Leftism
• Year: 1995
• Format: CD
• Rating (1-10): 8
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 2007 – SecondSpin.com
• Keeper: Yes

More than once I’ve read reviews that called Leftfield’s Leftism “the greatest dance record ever.” To that I say, “OK.” It’s good all right; that’s for sure. Leftism was their debut. I’ve had their second, darker and somewhat minimalist, record Rhythm and Stealth for some years, and it’s one of my favorites. I couldn’t find Leftism easily because it’s now out of print. Then, just recently I discovered SecondSpin.com. I’m sure they’ve been in business for quite a while, but they’re new to me. They have used CDs, DVDs and games, the prices are great, and best of all they have hard to get stuff like this record. You can bet I’m going to be picking up a lot of back catalog stuff from them.

Anyhow, the Leftfield deal is like this: They are two DJs with numerous guest vocalists (no less than John Lydon on this one) and have been described as the finest example of freestyle British club music. Yes.

Read more about Leftfield at Wikipedia.

Orb — Asylum

• Artist: Orb
• Title: Asylum
• Year: 1997
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 5
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 2000 ? – I think my brother Grayson handed this down to me

The best part of this Orb 12 inch is the sleeve. Though it is a bit mechanical, antiseptic even, in its design. Which matches the four extremely different remixes of “Asylum” that are on this record. I often find mechanical sounds musical in their own way, I rarely listen to music in the car for instance because I like the sounds of the car itself. But music this mechanized can sometimes get a little boring, like today.

My favorite mix is also the least danceable, and the least frenetic, “A.1” by Thomas Fehlmann. Now dance sucka!

Baby Ford — Children of The Revolution

• Artist: Baby Ford
• Title: Children of The Revolution
• Year: 1989
• Format: Vinyl 12 in.
• Rating (1-10): 7
• Owner: Tracy
• Acquired: 1989 — Promo received at our store RIP Records in Norfolk, VA.
• Keeper: Yes

This is a 12 inch single by Baby Ford with two mixes of Marc Bolan’s (T-Rex) “Children of The Revolution.” The flipside contains “Oochy Koochy (Konrad Cadet Version)” and “Ford Trax.” I was sure this belonged to Mary, but based on the year it came out and the promo stamp on the cover it must be something I got at our store. I’m not that into it and wouldn’t keep it, but Mary digs it and rates it a generous, in my opinion, 7. Last thing, does this belong under “B” or “F”? When artists have stage names I’m never sure where to put them. His real name is Peter Ford.