Bad Lieutenant, the new band formed by frontman Bernard Sumner (Joy Division, New Order), guest drummer Stephen Morris (Joy Division, New Order), guitarist Phil Cunningham (New Order), and guest Alex James (Blur) has released “Sink or Swim,” the first single off of Never Cry Another Tear on their MySpace page.
The song will be made available as a free download beginning August 28th and if you sign up as a member of the Bad Lieutenant mailing list at www.badlieutenant.net, you will receive the track as part of a mass mailing. The download will only be available for a limited time, and the album will not be released until October, so act quickly if you like it and you want continued access to it.
“Sink or Swim” is remniscent of 90’s era New Order (ala “Crystal,” “Regret,” etc…), but without the teeth. Sumner addresses the similarity in an interview where he was quoted as saying “There is some continuity to the music I’ve made in the past, but this is very different – because different people are playing on it.” The track itself feels familiar and though it is good, but one can’t help but wish for Hooky’s basslines to make it great. Lyrically, Sumner is not at his best, vaguely reminicent of the uninspired “Hey Now, What You Doing?” but the catchiness of the music cancels it out to a degree. All in all, it gives hope that Never Cry Another Tear will, if nothing else, give all of us Factory / Madchester geeks more Bernard Summner to obsess over for better or for worse.
Did you know that Jonathan Demme directed the 10 minute version of “The Perfect Kiss?” (above). If you didn’t, now you know, and knowing’s half the battle. Go Bernard!