Rating:Three star

MANC band New Order were once synonymous with cutting-edge electronica but their latest album sees a departure from the previous style which spawned the likes of the legendary Blue Monday.

Get Ready sees the band making a comeback following their heyday in the 80s and early 90s but they appear to be ditching the synthesiser sound which made them so great in favour of a more guitar-based feel.

On first listen, there are only two of 10 stand-out tracks - the infectious Crystal and the fantastic Turn My Way, featuring Billy Corgan, of Smashing Pumpkins fame - while the rest is just run-of-the-mill background music.

But lo and behold, a strong synthesiser intro kicks in on Someone Like You which will certainly bring a smile to the faces of New Order fans of old.

And eventually, after a few listens, something strange happens. Individually, each track turns into a mini musical gem which is sadly lacking in the majority of music released today.

All in all it's a good album - except for Rock The Shack, which is just bizarre.

It's got a sort of mild-mannered punk/rock thing going on in which you can almost see Bernard Sumner sneering. Weird.

Now where have I put that Blue Monday LP...

MC