Great Songs from My Favorite Year in Music: 1985, Part 20

New Order - "The Perfect Kiss"



(Single Release: May 1985)
There's a reason I say that 1985 is a landmark year in music, at least in a personal sense. To put it bluntly, 1985 rocked my world. Not in a "rawk" sense, but in the original sense of the phrase, meaning that I was blown away when I discovered a certain genre of music for the first time. New Order, Echo & the Bunnymen, and the Smiths were my holy triumvirate. There is no doubt in my mind that these were my three favorite bands. Sure, there was room for the Cure, Depeche Mode, and U2, but the former three were unassailable in my eyes and ears. In New Order's case, the song that represented this paradigm shift in style was "The Perfect Kiss." With the 12" version clocking in at just under ten minutes, there was a lot to love without ever being mired in homogeneity. Sounds of car crashes, the melodic croaking of frogs, and a sheep bleating all added to the song's mystique, which was intriguing enough due to Bernard Sumner's story within the lyrics that could rival "In the Air Tonight." If we were to piece apart the lyrics and take them in a literal sense, we can surmise that an outing with a friend comes to disastrous end (poetry not intended). "The Perfect Kiss" is the ultimate example of why I love New Order. There is a brilliant balance between every instrument. At different times, I can marvel at Peter Hook's sinuous bass, Sumner's imperfect vocals and staccato guitar, Gillian Gilbert's sleek synths, and Stephen Morris's dance club drums. The most amazing thing about this song is that it still sounds fresh, now over a quarter century later.