The delayed kiss
Here we go again. A confession on a Sunday. Or even two. One – New Order is one of the few bands that I like so much that my deep aversion to fandom almost seems like a problem. Two – as much as I love what they do, the magic of “The Perfect Kiss” somehow slipped by me. As in most of these cases, the reasons are sort of autobiographical. I was blown away by “Blue Monday”, and I fell in love with “True Faith” – most of what happened between those two eluded me.
It’s a strange blind spot, though. I bought “Substance” (in 1989, in Toronto, that much I remember), and I loved it, of course. More or less everything that’s great about New Order is on it, “Perfect Kiss” included. In 2002, I somehow got my hands on a promo CD of “International”, which then was still called “Here To Stay”. Again, it’s among the selections. Third chance: “Total – From Joy Division To New Order” in 2018. Yep, you guessed it. Released with a Kiss.
Well, I got the message in the end. When this beautiful re-release was announced. What got my full attention was the fact that the 12″ would finally be issued with the original design concept by Peter Saville, the sleeve being a mirror, the title embossed and spanning both sides of the sleeve. Saville, New Order, original concept… yeah, these things trigger a simple urge in me. Must have.
The inexplicability of that blind spot grew even more when I finally gave it the attention it deserved. The design, the track, the video, the story behind it – all of these things fascinate me, aspects that got me to write about music… But as much as that may be a lementable miss at the time, it’s a wonderful late kiss, a great delayed discovery, like stumbling over an envelope with a stack of photos from way back when, never unpacked before, and full of emotions, stories, memories.
The design. Of course it’s part of the fascination. No need to tell anyone that design has always been a big part of any New Order release. Saville and Neville Brody were the main reasons why I seriously contemplated becoming a graphic designer. Didn’t think I was good enough, but no regrets, choosing writing instead wasn’t a bad choice at all.
Everything about “The Perfect Kiss” makes you understand everything that was fascinating about music in the 80s. Record sleeves that were true works of art and concept, songs that didn’t have to give a damn about how long they were, dance music that didn’t have to get moronic extended mixes because the song itself already lasted eight or nine minutes, videos that were conceived and shot by directors that didn’t make much of a distinction between ten minute masterpieces for New Order or two hour Oscar winners like “Silence Of The Lambs”, and lyrics that ran deep without having to be fully comprehensible.
As with so many other New Order songs, the enormous emotionality of “The Perfect Kiss” makes it absolutely irresistible to me. It’s the same for “True Faith” or “Bizarre Love Triangle” – it resonates heavily, and I don’t really care much for the why and the how, yes, maybe the way Bernard Sumner isn’t that much of a singer extends a special kind of authenticity, and yes, sure, the melodies, the bass, the frogs, the uniqueness of all of this… as I said, being a fan is not my thing, but New Order are close.
Release for review:
NEW ORDER – THE PERFECT KISS – FACTORY – FAC 123
Get this vinyl release: Click
If sold out, try Discogs: Click