Reviews (page 6 of 9)
3.7/5. I like.
Interesting listen as they move further from post-punk proto goth towards dance. Kind of an awkward in between album
yep it sure is joy division but not
3 out of 5. Really just an ok album for me with some nice parts along the way. I can see this one getting better on repeat listens.
Disappointing. Lacking strong songs
Partly great! Partly not so great. For sure not Joy Division.
Good but not great, enjoyable album but lacks sufficient variety to soar.
Love the first track - maybe that’s a sign that the rest av this record isn’t for me really… I will return tho, it might grow on me.
J’en suis à l’avant-dernière toune. C’est pas mauvais. J’imagine qu’il fallait être là pour apprécier ce genre musical (est-ce que c’est du new wave ?). Mais bon. Je peux reconnaître que ce n’est pas mauvais, mais ce n’est juste pas pour moi.
Was ok. Like the sound, the singing not so much
Disappointing. No hooks or singles worth mentioning.
Hot take, but New Order is basically '80s music with the campiness removed to make it palatable for music nerds. The album was alright, but it peaks with the first two or three tracks and doesn't quite reach the same heights again.
Rv
This record is a prime example of how a band that has a LOT of bangers can have only some bangers.
fine. 3
I was not previously familiar with this album. It was good, I suppose, although for much of the album I would not say it really held my attention. The track Elegia stood out to me, however. I suppose I would listen to this album again, but am not really in any sort of rush to do so.
As far as New Wave / Post-Punk goes, this is solid. But I generally don’t like the genre outside of some standouts (namely, The Cure) so it didn’t entirely land for me.
New Order is another band Jason introduced to me back in my college days. Shell Shock was the song. Pretty sure in the Pretty in Pink (another great tune!) soundtrack. While this is not a bad album and contains one of my favorites songs, Love Vigilantes, I'm not sure this would be the album I would pick if I were trying to get you to check out the band. I actually spent the better part of the last couple days going through there musical library. These guys have a lot of very good material. Back to this album, Love Vigilantes is a great tune. Love it. As far as the rest of this album, I will say most of the tunes are decent. A little too nightclub dance stuff for me, but overall not bad. They kept it relatively short so it doesn't wear you down. I'm from a time when the thing to do was go to dance clubs Thursday through Saturday. Mindy loved the club scene and hearing music much like this. I'm sure some of you old time clubbers are aware of a few other dance hits from these guys! Anyway, decent album, but certainly not their best. 3
3.5 New Order is one of those groups whose music I generally enjoy, but I would say only have a handful of great songs - and this album pretty much exemplifies that, with Love Vigilantes being the only song here that I would call great. That said, the rest of this album still mostly succeeds in establishing that sort of new-wavey, danceable, bass-driven sound the group does so well, and while it doesn’t provide a ton of noteworthy moments, it did provide me with a listening experience that I enjoyed each time through. There are some songs stronger than others, in this case The Perfect Kiss, Sunrise, and Elegia all being ones that stood out to me a touch more, with that last one feeling especially poignant knowing it’s a tribute to their late Joy Division bandmate, Ian Curtis. I’m not normally someone super into instrumentals, but the direction with it here did a great job of imparting a sense of catharsis and eulogization without any words feeling necessary - given it’s the most streamed song on the album, it seems most would agree with me in that regard. However, on that note, one thing that kind of surprised me in reading what others had to say about this album was the lambasting of Bernard Sumner’s vocals. I’ve always enjoyed the guy as a singer personally, but in re-listening to this album with that context, I can admit he’s a little out of tune a couple of times toward the end, like on Sub-culture and Face Up in particular, but idk, it’s never grating by any means, and if anything, I think it adds to the personality of the music. I guess I can see how someone might not enjoy it though. I’m happy to have been exposed to some new stuff from these guys, but my initial sentiment on New Order remains the same after listening to this. That said, I am hoping for a Power, Corruption, and Lies appearance on this list - if I had to point to what I would consider their best album, it’s definitely that one, and their best song, no contest, is Age of Consent. However, considering the track record with some of the selections, I’m not holding my breath.
New Order have some amazing songs and it’s too bad only one of them is on this album. Another example of a band’s best-of being a more appropriate entry on this list instead of a specific album.
Didn’t light my world on fire. Had some cool stuff.
It’s good but getting a bit to dancy for my taste.
Another 3 not too bad
alright
Interessanter Sound, ging stellenweise in so eine Film-Soundtrack Richtung find ich. Bin ehrlich gesagt unentschlossen
Medium Rock New Wave Zeugs, ganz i.O.
I’m starting to realize that I not only really love new wave, but that I’m actually a pretty big fan of New Order and Joy Division. This album is no exception. It has super punchy and memorable production even if it’s very much of its time. Seriously, if you have a biased against 80s music you are gunna struggle with this album, is super “80s” sounding. My only big complaint is that I didn’t enjoy their most played song off the album “Elegia”. It was super epic and enjoyable near the end but the first 2 minutes of the song are really grating, and honestly just sounds like a wall of noise cause it’s so abrasive. That being said I do really enjoy this album, to the point where if I see it in a record store I’m gunna snag myself a copy. Honestly it’s hard to hate on this album in any major way, cause my album for today (I got low-life a few days ago and are catching up) is The suburbs by Arcade Fire, and that album is trash, so in comparison, this album is like a true work of art.
A solid new wave record for its time, but likely enjoyed most by New Order’s most ardent fans.
mellow. chill. airy. guitar. 80s.
Would’ve probably been a fan if I was born earlier. Alt
I went off New Order a bit when they transitioned to Dance-Rock so this is not one of my favourite New Order albums. For me, I prefer tracks like "Sunrise" which hark back to the "old" New Order.
6.5/10
80’s New wave
Vieną dainą žinojau, overall visos dainos pamašios, visai nieko, bet nelabai išskirtinės.
Pretty solid 80s dance pop record. Enjoyed it overall, pretty nostalgic as everything sounded like this for a minute when I was a kid. Love Vigilantes, Perfect Kiss and Sunrise are great tracks.
Dad- 4 Mom- 6 Mike- NA Lori- 4.5 Michael- 6 Miles- NA Cole- NA Avg- 5.13
Pretty cut and dry 80's alt-pop.
5/10
Nice album by this great band
Exactly what you would expect a New Order record to sound like. Nothing more, nothing less.
Baseline
Lacking Substance, but otherwise I always welcome the New Order. Very much 'of its time' in a good and bad way. Highlights of Lowlife: The Perfect Kiss
I do like New Order but as quality as their work is and as much as I’d like to sing their praises I find it hard to justify objectively. Still, 3.5 stars.
I'm a huge fan of synth pop but this album didn't stand out to me as much as I was expecting it to. Face Up is the highlight track for me. The other songs don't really do too much to stand out. Elegia is an instrumental which builds up to nothing and then begins to fade out when you're expecting a big crescendo.
Ganz ok. Ich mag den beat.
Most intensive album of New Order.
I love new order. Compared to their other output this album is just ok and doesn’t grab me emotionally like the more synth punk oriented work. 3/5
There's a lot of 80's vibes here that is just not my cup of tea. For the most part, the album didn't stand out in one way or another. With that said, there are a couple entries that are solid.
Low-Life is the kind of album that makes you picture a group of sad goth kids with spiky hair, wearing eyeliner, chain-smoking in a damp Manchester basement while it rains for the eighth consecutive day and then heading out to a different dank basement to all sadly dance together in. This version of New Order sounds like the Cure trying to emulate Duran Duran, but not as good as either of them. That’s not to say Low-Life is without its moments. Tracks like “Love Vigilantes” and “The Perfect Kiss” are catchy enough. The synths are moody and the basslines are danceable. And there’s no question that New Order are, at least, better than Joy Division. But that’s a low bar. Low-Life isn’t unlistenable, its just has a “neither fish nor fowl” problem that it never escapes for its entire 40 minute run time. When it’s good, you can hear what they’re trying to do and halfway get on board. But when it’s bad it’s haunted house background music.
3
Amalgam of rock and new wave
That singer is killing me, man. Couldn't carry a tune in a wheelbarrow. Weirdly charming album despite (or perhaps because of) that though. 3.5/5
Wasn't sure how I felt about this initially but it grew on me. It especially took a while to get used to the vocals for some reason but in the end I enjoyed the album. Would probably listen again to see if it's better the second time
it was nice, I am not sure whether I liked or disliked the very long intros. But overall a nice discovery!
6/10 - not as good as the other new order but still solid
it’s alright! very repetitive but i had fun listening.
I probably need to come back to this. I found the lyrics and vocal delivery to be a bit grating (pleasure zone!?) but as usual there is some great production. I should dig into the influences and see if the album grows on me.
I had not realized just how off key he was singing on this labum.
Definitely not New Order's best work. Some of the vocals on the tracks feel really weak, which takes away from the overall experience. While I’ll continue to enjoy their hits, I don’t see myself returning to this album anytime soon.
A good-quality new wave album
Low-Life is the third album from New Order, an English band that made synth-pop. New Order was successful throughout their very long career; the band members' history with Joy Division gave them international renown before they even produced music. Low-Life was regarded as the band's strongest work at the time of its release, and established them as more than just their noteworthy past. At the time, New Order's synth-pop was groundbreaking. They were so integral to the sound of the 80's that, in retrospect, it sounds cliche (admittedly, this cliche is one that New Order helped define). Outside of the few big hits - "Love Vigilantes" and "The Perfect Kiss" - the album feels predictable.
The music is OK for background. No songs are above mid. I prefer a more professional sounding lead singer.
I think New Order are great but not sure about this album being on the list. Had this on tape back in the day. I prefer Brotherhood and Technique. Good but not great. Love Vigilantes and Face Up my highlights
מאוד אייטיז חוץ מרצף של שלושה שירים לקראת הסוף שמתחיל ב sunrise אם כל האלבום היה כמו הרצף הזה הוא היה 4 ובלי הרצף הזה הוא היה 2 Sunrise שיר מועדף
It’s was good.
I really like Joy Division
Solid album, but nothing stood out to me
3+ is gonna be my new categorization for an album that is a 3 but I feel good about. The songs here aren’t super strong but WOW the instrumentation and the synth arrangements are so cool. Almost a 4, if the songs themselves were a bit stronger I think.
Look, I love New Order and new wave in general. But I oscillated constantly between these two states: 1) when the hard-hitting synths played: locking eyes with a mysterious hot stranger across the night club as the teal/pink lights flicker, what a vibe. Perfect Kiss is fun like that, including the froggy sounds. to 2) as soon as the vocalist Bernard...vocalizes?, especially way out of his range (think of like 1:40 in Face Up), I just shrivel inside. No more hot mysterious stranger. More like embarrasing overly obnoxious cousin. It does seem like he finds his suitable vocal range (and/or just improves) in later albums.
This sounds like ambient music, but with words. It just kind of exists in a non-offensive way without anything to draw your attention to it. It's not bad, but it's definitely not good.
Top Three Songs: 1) Elegia 2) Sooner Than You Think 3) Love Vigilantes Bottom Three Songs: 1) Sub-Culture 2) Face Up 3) Sunrise
Elegia is such an incredible instrumental. Didn’t vibe too much with the rest of the album, nothing stand out for me.
3.5
This wasn't terrible. Probably wouldn't seek it out again though.
Off the cuff remark: Never really "got" New Order. Generally not a fan of too much synthi sound perhaps? Tend to prefer the music over Bernard Sumners voice and iffy lyrics Standout Track: Sunrise Revisit?: Probably
I like it more than I probably should. 3.
I enjoyed some songs and others felt underwhelming. Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 2/5
A nostalgic listen for sure. I was never one for Brit synth pop though aside from a bit of Depeche Mode from time to time. I prefer Joy Division, but this ain't bad. 3/5 Album 69/1001
Euuh, niet heel speciaal maar ook echt niet slecht. Beter dan 3, maar weet niet of het echt 4 waard is.
Pretty good
it
This album (and band) were a great listen. This Time of Night was most certainly my favorite song by a long shot. However, all of the other songs were quite good as well. The instruments hooked me the most with some great beats. The vocals were also quite good but at times could stay monotone for a bit too long, which took some excitement away on a couple of the tracks. Overall, I enjoyed it and hope to see New Order pop up on here again to revisit.
Good sound, kinda blurs together and the lead singer shoots for notes he can't hit. Forgettable but thats ok, I enjoyed it for what it was.
Seemed to start slow, but I enjoyed it more the longer it went
Couple of decent tracks but don't think I'd listen again
This just sounds like a more sanitized, less interesting version of their earlier stuff.
i cant tell if i love this or hate it
Not bad. Some good lyrics, and overall nice feel.
Solid New Wave tunes.
Another bland and middling offer from a British act. The amount of bias picks on this list that amount to this mediocrity is wild. 2.5 / 5
Meh, it's OK. 3/5
A solid record, with cool sounds and neat melodies. I don’t think I appreciated the guitar work in New Order before.
Bon, tu vois que quand ça fait plus d'une semaine qu'on a pas vu un album new-wave/post-punk, l'expérience est tout de suite plus agréable. C'est pas top non plus, faut pas se mentir, mais disons que ça se digère mieux
Very 80s
Very much what you expect from mid eighties English rock. Generally enjoyable, vocals aren’t great when he is belting, but otherwise, ok.
If you're looking for 80s pop, this is it. Not my forte of music, but I can understand why it's popular with some folks. It's bouncy, upbeat and catchy. Not the best acoustics for my ears, personally, but it's not terrible.
I've heard stuff like this before, nothing special. Decent but meh
Stuck in the 80's
Not bad at all. I am generally pretty resistant to this 80s, dance-y, synthy stuff, but there is enough dark goth vibe to this to keep it interesting.
I like a bit of New Order, Blue Monday is a great song but unfortunately it’s not on this album. Elegia is though and it’s great. Overall it’s a pretty unique album and quite a lovely listen.
This album would’ve been ten times better if they AI’d his vocals because the beats are out of this world.
Decent album
Songs such as Perfect Kiss are pretty good, but they're not Blue Monday
I thought I might have recognised some songs on here but I didn't. Instrumentals are obviously great, however I think some definitely work more than others, I like the synth stabs and bassline, and chorus guitars. Singing is really good in some places, but quite bad in others, but I think thats the main drawback with their music generally, as clearly he does know how to use his voice, but doesn't always do it. Favourite songs: This time of night, Elegia, sooner than you think. Overall around 6/10
Yeah wasn’t the the worst the instrumental bits weren’t bad
Eh, decent 80s vibes but none of the songs had substance. Just 80s sounds
A very 80s album, even from these guys. I like New Order and everything they stood for, but I can’t help but feel I’d rather be listening to Joy Division whenever I hear them, no matter how good their stuff is.
Don't know why everyone thinks this is their best album. Power Corruption and lies is much better....its still pretty good though.
Enjoyed this. I tended to like the rock aspects rather than the synth, which, sometimes veers into the corny. Liked the vibe. Sunrise is awesome. Vocals sometimes seem a little uneven, which could take me out of the song, but enjoyed the passionate delivery. Will listen to this again. Has potential to be something that grows on me.
Sometimes hits, mostly misses. Smack dab in the middle of the scale. Got to This Time of Night and was like, "hey man I guess it's New Order." Then I get to Elegia and I'm like, "oh damn, maybe this is enough to take it up a notch!" but then it goes back to standard New Order, which I like but don't love. An unfair 3 that maybe should be a 4.
I liked it, but don’t remember much about it
It's fine but not very exciting.
Voelt soms een beetje alsof hij U2 na doet, daarna weer compleet anders
This was OK. They did a decent job of making synth pop sound more like rock here. I didn't mind this album but I probably wouldn't go back to it. I think I prefer Joy Division to New Order.
A bit repetitive
Wenn der Sänger nicht so schlecht wäre, würde ich gerne 4* vergeben. Aber es bluten mir bei einigen Titeln die Ohren wenn er den Mund aufmacht. Grandios ist übrigens das Video zu The Perfect Kiss. Live aufgenommen, und man hört wie sich alle Zutaten (inkl. Froschgequake, Kuhglocke, Nichtsingen können, Bassist der seinen Job verwechselt) zu einem genialen Ganzen verbinden. Das wären 5* wert.
New Wave sounds like a really cool genre and maybe it will grow on me but for now its an alright album.
fun album. listened to twice. Good stuff
Definitely very 80s feeling but I'm a fan regardless. They did a good job integrating synths while still feeling like a rock band here.
Good for what it is.
Old Order was better.
I enjoyed it, but it's pretty forgettable
#489. Seems like something that would be used for the soundtrack of a modern 80s period piece, but probably wouldn't have been good enough to be in actual movies from the time. 3/5: fine
Oh no it deleted everything I wrote while listening. I enjoyed this even though it’s not my vibe necessarily. Since I love a lot of more indie music, New Order is one of those bands that were proto to a lot of the stuff I grew up listening to. I expected it to be more depressing than it was, and part of me felt like I would have loved to be in a dance club in the 80s jamming hard.
Synth pop goodness shame about the pretty tragic vocals. Can't say I enjoyed as much as Substance
New Order is a band I really tried to like over the years. Unfortunately I never took to them, finding them distinctly ordinary. Lyrics are clunky, boringly delivered, and (mostly) the music lacks engagement.
Something really cool about this. Very far from anything I’d ever put on. The music is just really well put together. Elegia a stand out for me. But because its just music that I like, I struggle to know when I’d listen to it, I’ve saved a few but I dont know when or what situation would lead to me revisiting it…
I think I need to get drunk and take a long walk to really understand this album
High-life for your musical ears.
Lead singer has a bad voice but I liked the vibe
This album has a lot of the classic sounds of New Order but ultimately is a bit disappointing. Guess I'm more into the singles.
Не мое
Muy bueno
Bob Dylan-esque, jangly bar music. Super retro. New Order's lyrics are quite silly and their general song structure is predictable, but their sound is simple and satisfying. Vocals a little rough at times.
Decent, liked it.
02/01/25 I had no issues with the album, don't think I've listened to them before.
Certainly an important record for them....
‘Low-Life’ is good but patchy. Opening songs ‘Love Vigilantes’ and The Perfect Kiss’, are the big singles and the well-known hits. ‘Sunrise’ is the surprise throwback to their previous life as Joy Division, with a bit of early Cure thrown in and It’s my favourite song on the record. The second half isn’t as compelling. ‘Elegia’ is an atmospheric and nice enough instrumental tribute to Ian Curtis but on an album with only 8 songs on it, I kind of want more. And album closers ‘Sub-culture’ and ‘Face Up’, just sound like generic Euro Pop Trash and frankly aren’t all that memorable.
I liked this more than I expected to. It still wasn’t super attention grabbing, but the instrumentals were on point in quite a few songs and the instrumental track was probably my favorite on the album.
Pretty good synth pop but nothing blew me away.
Clásico new order. Nada fuera de lo comun
Not a bad album, but largely forgettable. Pretty standard 80s pop fare. Elegia is the most well-known track, and it's good. But honestly, it could cease to exist and I'm fairly certain that zero people would actually care. It's fine. It's not a poor listen, but it's not particularly enjoyable either. It's fine and safe.
Ive been enjoying alotta stuff of this style lately.
For me, synth pop as a whole gets annoying after a while and this wasn't really different. I don't think this was bad by any means, just forgettable. I didn't like the vocals either. It had some cool parts, like Elegia. Not likely to revisit this however
Pretty good, not what I was expecting.
I could take more instrumental synth tracks like Elegia. There's some good groovy synth work across, but the vocals are rough for most of the project.
Synths coming out of every hole
Pretty good! Enjoyed the second half when it got a bit weirder and more instrumental. Favourite: Elegia
Felt on-brand for them, but not my fave.
Started off strong (love vigilantes etc) but then petered out in the middle (Elegia) and then finished strong (Face up) Favourite songs: Face up Felt repetitive and not much stood out Still a decent album but wouldn't choose to listen to it with headphones, only in background I really enjoyed face up though Didn't compare to some of their other works that are more brave such as age of consent
perfectly unremarkable for me. this is the standard of synthpop in its time, but new order trade a certain angst & emotional depth for danceability. with credit, i think they've done so successfully. but it makes me feel as if i wish i hadn't heard joy division before. i can't see past it. sonically low-life is intricate but the vocals could be more polished. the lyrical performances & content have nowhere near enough weight to me. as a standout, sunset is inherently the cure-esque but perfectly unique & unalike at the same time.
fine but not for me; too electronic
ok
Starts very strong, but the last third is underwhelming and doesn’t have the same urgency of the first third.
在85年的专里找到一堆20年国摇的影子
I liked this album. Not many of these songs made it onto my playlist of songs that I loved, but the vibe of the album was very good and I thoroughly enjoyed the album. It felt VERY 80s to me. More of a 3.5 Liked Songs: "Love Vigilantes" , "Sunrise" , "Sooner Than You Think", "Face Up"
Really cool album. definitely gonna revisit this one.
It's good. I like the sound even though I may have drifted off from focusing on it. New Order is definitely a hole in my musical history that I would like to fill more.
It was aight
Good but they have done better.
When this came up was extremely excited because Joy Division/New Order are two bands I love (and I consider them One and the same). This album opens amazing with “Love Vigilantes” which is such a great opener and super catchy. The follow up “The Perfect Kiss” is my favourite song by this group (though will say I prefer the Longer single version) After this the album never reaches the HIGHS again with those two songs. It’s still extremely enjoyable but nothing AMAZING, besides maybe the instrumental “Elegia” which almost screams Joy Division in its dark tone. As much as I love New Order and this is still one of their better albums I think I’m gonna go with a High 3.5/5 (wish it could be a 4) However those 3 songs I’ve mentioned are WORTH price of Admission and don’t skip on them
Incredible for a band to come back from losing their lead singer.
Tedious
Nice because I like New Order, but I feel like these aren't that special and get a bit boring. Bernard's voice is really clear, which I'm not sure is the best idea. I would say a 3.5, as I like it, but I think New Order has done better.
I thought that this was Okay. I really don't know anything about this band. It sounds a bit like the Smiths. I don't love the vocals but I could get into the tracks. I spent some time listening just wondering what the listening experience for this was meant to be? Was it for dancing, smoking, a cafe? Punk adjacent music can be difficult to pin down in that way. It's not meant to be played softly but when you soften up punk music that's kind of what happens. Elegia is my favorite track. It sounds like they made a song so good that they couldn't find words to do it justice so they left it. I think that's a smart choice.
I can see why you would absolutely love Low-Life if this kind of music is your bag. It's not really for me, but I can appreciate it. A high three. I feel almost churlish not giving it a four, but it just lacked the enjoyment factor for me. This was like visiting a ceramics museum in a small Dutch town for an afternoon, y'know?
I'm a huge fan of Joy Division however that appreciation never translated to New Order. There are songs that are the exception, Ceremony and Temptation and to a lesser extent, Love Vigilantes from this album. I've had this album in my collection for many years but have listened to it maybe 3 or 4 times previously. I enjoyed it this time more than I thought I would, maybe because I gave it more time, listening in my car as well as a couple undistracted listens. I still resist the overtly electronic overall sound but I do have a greater appreciation of the songcraft on display. 3.5 stars
I'm not usually into the 80's synth rock sound, but this kind of caught my attention. Not great but not bad either.
I know NO but never listened to this album and I don't know any of the tracks from the radio. From the looks of it "Love Vigilantes", "The Perfect Kiss" and "Elegia" were all popular songs. None ring a bell and I was fully immersed in pop and dance music back in 1985. I don't know if this is ground breaking or influential but all of it is enjoyable, it sounds very mid-80's and a sound they would grow into the 90's. I hear snippets of The Cure in instrumentals like Elegia, similar guitar work. The other track I really enjoyed was "Sooner Than You Think" which was a tablesetter for the hits they would release a year or two later. Better than average but not Top 1001 unless you can explain its significance in the world of music recordings!
New Order leave some of their post-punkiness behind in favor of danciness (a bit brighter, more synth) but their unique sound is still there. That applies in particular to Hook’s basslines, which are a highlight melodically and rhymically, often driving the song (as per usual). The album is fine and pretty fun, some good songs but not hugely memorable to me.
Nod bad sounds similar to stuff of that era
Ok.
Best wel vibes
As good as the music is, I've just never been able to get past Sumner's vocals. The comparisons to Joy Division are unfair but inevitable, and they don't do this album any favors.
Demasiado baile. No son Joy divison
Not crazy about dancy stuff. Perfect Kiss is pretty good.
Idk, I never quite like New Order quite as much as I'd expect myself to. Shellshock is great though.
Enjoyed more than expected, figured it’d be more British trash especially with no Curtis but it’s actually pretty gooood
Very nice, but not the best songs of New Order (it's Blue Monday, yk).
Pretty cool album Standout songs: Sunrise Sooner than you think
It's not horrible, but it's not great, and the vocals are pretty terrible. If I'm going to listen to New Order it's going to be Blue Monday or True Faith, not anything from this album.
No strong opinions :)
Great guitar sounds and when some of the beats are left to play out I genuinely felt I was listening to the progression of musical ideas. That said, on a first listen, not much has left a lasting impression.
Incredibly fun and catchy synth and dance and post punk record. A lot of great songs and a great sound and energy all around.
Definitely not New Order’s best album but still awesome
Mid
I know some don’t like the background music but it’s decent and somewhat enjoyable
meh. It was better than I expected I guess, the instruments sounded pretty nice but didn't really like the dude's voice and couldn't understand much of the lyrics at times. Also when I could they did not resonate withe me so I didn't really care. Very mid didn't need to hear this before I died.
198/1001 🌕🌕🌕🌑🌑
Listened 6th October, owned on vinyl but probably the New Order album I've listened to least. Feels like it marks the mid point of the transition to New Order from Joy Division, finding the balance between electronic experiment and post punk industrial.
80s dance pop that, while it sounds pretty cool and the production is well done, doesn't have any sounds that pulled my attention. I like the riffing in Face Up in its opening moments, though I think Sunrise is my favorite here.
Actually really liked elegía and sunrise, could actually hear some of joy division in those songs which was cool because I never liked the poppy sound of new order. Would give it a 3.5 but that’s not an option and it’s definitely not a 4
Enjoyable but not remarkable. Obviously very 80s
3.75
This was actually pretty enjoyable. I'd give it a 3.5/5, but I think it could go up on additional listens.
Solid but very unremarkable. Most songs sounded the same
I didn't use a private Spotify session. More of a Joy Division fan, mainly because New Order is to synth. Too many keyboards. Morris's steady drum work sounds programmed. I can hear how it influenced a fair number of 80's bands, mostly bands a didn't care for.
Indefinito, ha un non so che di pop anni '80, ma non si fa contaminare troppo. 3/4
This 80's style dance music is not really my cup of tea, but being honest the music itself is above average. The singer however isn't up to the task.
Pretty good, but largely not unique vs other bands in this time period
kinda jammy and got better near the end, like Sunrise and Sooner than you think
Taking the suicidal depressing aspects out of Joy Division kind of takes the joy out of it for me. Not a bad record by any means I just don't like it too much personally. Same guitar tones as Joy Division but sounds more commercial and poppy.
I like New Order’s vibe. Nothing super duper grabbed me on this particular album, but it was a fun and groovin’ listen.
Questionable vocals and simple lyrics, often mundane subject matter, great production.
***An ok album
# 309 : Fairly generic 80s synth music for the most part, great in places and might even listen to it again.
I'd consider this pretty generic 80s "dark disco," though with how influential this album was, perhaps quintessential is a more appropriate word. There are some unique moments, like the outro in The Perfect Kiss. Vocals aren't great and lyrics are often difficult to discern. Listened to: at 5MW. Favorite tracks: This Time of Night
This was just alright. I wasn't a fan of the vocalist but everything else was nice.
Quintessential 80s sound. Not as terrible as I thought, but still not my thing.
3.5
Perfect mix between synths and guitars in the evolution of New Order. You can hear where so many later bands were inspired by New Order’s use of synthesizers and drum machines in dance music, and putting the vocals low in the mix. I like it, but can’t help comparing it to later New Order that is more well known, and I think, better. 3-ish⭐️ (4 for the pioneering instrumental parts, and 2 for the vocals and lyrics)
Meh. The only song that stood out for me, Elegia, is coincidentally also the only song without vocals and the basic 80s synth pop beat.
3/5
Most of this is pretty good. My god "Sub-Culture" is awful tho.
Makes me wanna move. Voice occasionally whiney? But a great sound overall. Energetic sadboiz? I like it. Opener is a banger. Wow, I love elegia. He really can't sing sometimes, but it works so well as a whole. yeah, this is a 3.7
Elegia is really good! The rest is standard New Order though, jingle bass and off key singing.
OK its a great album. The elegia son I hate cause it interrupts the flow of the album. Thats a producer error. I would have done a intrumental side and a vocals side as its a dance album it would have worked. Best 3/4 are intstumental songs which Im not really into for listening at home but work as a dance club music it kills. Too many bands were playing too much alike when this movement exploded in the scene and they all sound similar. Cure and New Order were the best for sure commercially and as musicians as well.
Meh
Very British, which is par for the course on this list, but this is the good kind of very British (3.5/5)
Not too bad, but kind of blended together too much
It was ok. Don’t really care for synth pop or whatever this is. Apparently the author does however. 2.5
This actually reminded me a lot of The Cure (mainly Disintegration) in some parts. Obviously not all of it but I'd say a few of the earlier tracks definitely had a similar sound. But yeah this album is pretty dam solid. Fav songs: - Love Vigilantes - Sunrise - Elegia
New Order in metamorphosis from post-punk to synthy dance rock. Catchy and atmospheric. Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: Love Vigilantes Date listened: 05/07/24
Album 460 of 1001 New Order - Low-Life Rating : 3.5 / 5 Good album. Won't go on my favorites list but it is a fine album.
maybe the weakest of the new order albums but they're a great band so it's still good. I just always think of this band as more of a singles band anyway. Has their signature blend of post punk rhythms with synth pop/jangle pop instrumentation.
They've got a sound and they execute it competently. A week out nothing really sticks. Love vigilantes, and all the little guitar riffs are nice.
Hmm, good bit could need a hook, something exciting or something which makes me want to listen again.
The epitome sound of 80s British pop.
I love the New Order sound, especially the iconic bass lines but as always, Bernard’s vocals are as sketchy as. It doesn’t seem to matter on a lot of tracks but some are just far too much for him. Sunrise is the standout banger.
I was hoping to get more out of this. I do appreciate the skill and vibe they bring. I listened twice but couldn't think of a lot to comment on. Strange to read the above and still like it enough for a three.
Not usually my genre of music but I'm not minding this. This track Elegia is catching me. Closing track Face up is pretty good too. I think the vocals tho enjoyable could be a bit stronger.
Fine to good. Although pretty simple, I liked Love Vigilantes, and Elegia is wonderful wordless piece which I will always associate with the short film MORE by Mark Osborne.
Eeh.
Meh 3/5
So surprised by this one. Way better than the usual post punk synthy 80s fare. Lyrics are kinda weak tho
second half of the album was 4 stars but first half was 3 so i’ll stick with 3. liked when they leaned into the electronic stuff more
Some classics
Very 80’s. Kind of a European vibe. Not bad
it was ok. A couple songs I really enjoyed, and a couple sound kind of 80s pop. You could feel the there's something different in here, though, from normal 80s pop, and it's this new wave, electro-pop stuff that gave us Nine Inch Nails, so that's worth something. 3 stars.
The vocals are absolutely horrid. Everything else is solid.
Not too bad 80s sound.
Pretty solid album. 3.5. I think I like New Order remix/extended mixes more though.
Didn't make much of an impression. I've always been more of a JD guy .
Great instrumentation, but the singing was noticeably off.
So emo
I enjoyed this album, but I was honestly hoping to enjoy it more than I actually did. I enjoyed Technique by New Order, and Joy Division have plenty of excellent tracks (it’s hard not to compare them when they’re almost the same band). Low-Life was still a good listen, but it felt weaker than anything else I’ve heard so far by them. I can’t really pinpoint why this is either, I just didn’t feel as drawn in as usual.
im a casual new order enjoyer, seeing them last fall was fun, but ive never listened to this album in full. it started slow (except for perfect first kiss) and i was not that into it but after elegia it picked up. doubt i'll revisit the full album.
6/10
could i write poetry to this? y
Some good songs, but a little bit too long. Some of the vocals sound weak and possibly flat.
The Perfect Kiss really epitomizes 80s New Wave. Love it! I also really enjoyed This Time of Night. I really enjoyed the music to Sunrise but disliked the lyrics. They just didn’t meld well. Subculture is even worse. Terrible sound to the lyrics. Elegia may be my favorite track. No lyrics just beautiful music. This is a pretty uneven album. Some great tracks mixed with ok and some with terrible singing. It’s a 3 for me.
There are still traces of Joy Division post punk new wave stuff but blended with the dance sound they’d be more well known for.
Mostly forgettable. A couple of songs that were enjoyable but then off setted by some more annoying songs.
This is better than technique
3/5. I do like the instrumentation but the vocals do get tiresome and whiny at some points. That can be a vibe for sure but it doesn't feel like it fits this style of music. Like there is an epic backdrop with some of the instrumentals and then there is just a dude who is talking over it. I admit, I did enjoy some songs but it was mostly because of the music. Another instance of game-changing but not necessarily in the right direction. Best Song: Love Vigilantes, Sunrise, Elegia
I kind of like The Perfect Kiss (the instrumental parts)
Enjoyable if unremarkable.
Ok but nothing memorable.
I love Live Vigilantes, I just wish the rest of the album was that good. I tend to like my new wave fun and energetic, more Duran Duran, I have a lot of trouble taking the dour desperate lyrics seriously when a goofy synthesizer making it sound like Miami Vice. This is definitely a flaw of growing up when the 80s were glorified and parodied to death. Nothing here is bad but nothing captures me beyond the first track. Theres a couple of bright spots, I like when a bunch of frogs start croaking, that’s fun. But honestly it’s a forgettable ride 3/5
Ehhhhh
This album didn’t age well. It’s sounds like old school video game soundtrack in some parts, but I can still hear so much of its influence on modern music. Thats says something.
Really good dancey post-punk/synth-rock. The beats are great for dancing and grooving, the hooks are strong and the vibe is gloomy and goth. Good stuff!
I really, really love their album "Brotherhood", "Bizarre Love Triangle" is one of my favorite songs of all time, but somehow I never listened to more of their stuff. This kind of instantly grabs me. The melody of the first track oddly enough sounds like a melody I would write (just similar intervals, not trying to toot my own horn or anything), so it's easy for me to like. I really enjoy the overall sound. Clean yet crunchy guitars, super solid 80's drum beats, and interesting compositions that maintain a catchy and listenable sound. For lack of a better term, there's a couple of duds on this album that keep it from being rated higher. A few songs just have mismatched energies; like track 3, there are synths and drums that are all over the place, but the vocals are pretty monotone and feel very separate from the rest of the music. I love this album cover. It's very much like "teenage musician who just downloaded adobe photoshop for the first time and is making an album cover"-core, but of course this predates that sort of style.
Torn. Realistically, the twangy guitar and vocals make NO songs instantly recognizable. However, the songs on this album don’t simply blend into one another despite these similarities. I didn’t live it, I didn’t hate it. I’ve added a revisit to my calendar.
Elegia was amazing, and I liked a few of the other songs, too. But on many of them, I was left unconvinced that the lead singer could actually sing.
Dance city vibes, great fun, super swell vibes. Good for riding too
As much as I like a lot of New Orders music, I just found this album very tame, boring and uninteresting.
New Order are more of a singles band for me. And it is hard to get away from Bernard’s rooey vocals. Elegia is a banger though. pretty in Pink is one of my guilty pleasures
I know production values have improved over the years, but on relisten Sub-Culture feels a lot more karaoke than I thought at the time!
New Order is so cool. I’m less familiar with the songs on this one, but they were all cool New Order songs, and so, I liked it.
I've never heard of this band/album before, but I liked the songs. Very much an '80s feel. Each track tended to linger, with the shortest one being about four and a half minutes. There were multiple times, most notably on the final song, when the vocals felt like they could have been cleaned up a bit.
Solid 3.
Shades of cure
I enjoyed this one! No complaints!
This one was cool, I would listen to it again but it wasn’t my favorite
The Perfect Kiss is the standout track, I like the rest but I don't love it like previous New Order records
i liked it, but nothing extraordinary
Really like the genre but some of those lyrics seem rather stalkerish
It's electronic music but with emotionless singing, which is why the instrumental songs sound best.
I liked this, but not enough to go back to it instead of the amazing Power Corruption and Lies. The instrumentals were all great. Favorite songs were Love Vigilantes, This Time of Night, and Elegia
Following the success of 'Blue Monday' in 1983, New Order released a string of fantastic non album singles, the best being 'Confusion' and 'Thieves like Us', which both still sound exciting and relevant. Sadly, however, not so this album. Unlike its outstanding predecessor, 'Power, Corruption and Lies', which boasted a variety of styles, tempos and instrumentation, 'Lowlife' is largely one dimensional, with the majority of tracks sharing that insidious 'claptrap' keyboard setting, which now sounds so dated. The one track which doesn't, and therefore slightly redeems the album, is 'Sunrise' which is surprisingly heavy and all the better for it. All in all, I think this album is the epitome of a water treading exercise.
3.3
Fun to hear some lesser known tracks
I've been a fan of New Order long before this album so I was excited to see it on here. This isn't my fave by them but it does showcase their mix of styles. Sooner Than You Think is a really good song. This album feels dark and moody but is also somehow upbeat, so that's New Order for ya.
I dig the synth pop 80s sound. Couple of good songs. I've been tangentially a fan of Joy Division and New Order for years. This might give me more of a reason to check out more of their work. 2.8 stars
I wasn't blown away
It's fine. Sounds like every other New Wave album.
A bouncy little excursion back to the ‘80s. We listened during a power outage, so it was our only music of the day.
Good stuff but not sure why it’s here. Doesn’t stand out from their other work, though
That guitar sound is sooo from this Era. Was an interesting listen. One song was like a movie soundtrack.
3.5, some nice songs. but in general not my style
Could hear the influences of so many 2000s albums I loved. Would give a 3.5 if I could, was great, probably wouldn’t listen again
Pretty solid but they have better albums
80s geluid is nice
Great composition, new wave in its full form. Compression was too intense at times making it sound very loud
Track 1 (Love Vigilantes): The vocals are very creamy and i like how the guitar follows the vocals in the chorus. I love the perspective of a dead man and it's reveal is a bit of a gut-punch. I like how his singing becomes more intense in the outro. A great opening track. 9/10 Track 2 (The Perfect Kiss): The crazy panning is an interesting hook to the song but it doesn't overstay its welcome. The synth during the song plays a good riff and it sounds great especially in the chorus. The drumming in the instrumental section is really driving. The final verse is a great use of lyrics. 8/10 Track 3 (This Time of Night): I like the e-drums intro as it builds up and adds other instruments. A good blending of British culture and synth-pop. The chorus does start to feel a bit repetitive. 6/10 Track 4 (Sunrise): I like the more guitar and drums driven song in this album. It seems to be more punk influenced. I like the lyrics in this song. The guitar tone is great and the riff is pretty good especially mixed with the synth. 8/10 Track 5 (Elegia): I like the instrumental nature of the track and the synth that sounds like a choir vocal is a nice addition. I like how the tracks starts to get heavier and it can carry emotions with it even though there are no lyrics. 8/10 Track 6 (Sooner Than You Think): The heavy synth and bass make it have a gravitas to it. The double tracked vocals in the chorus really fill out the space of the song. The instrumental intro is a good touch to the song, 7/10 Track 7 (Sub-culture): There is a hip-hop kind of feel to the song. The synth is good for the song the chorus is catchy and works for the song and it aligns really well with the themes of loneliness throughout the album. 7/10 Track 8 (Face Up): I like the heavy distorted guitar along with a bass and synth. The drums have reverb on them that fit the opening of the song. The vocals have a yelling aspect to them that I like. It is definitely a punk inspired song.
Non amo gli anni ‘80
Beetje saai, beetje Beatles/rolling Stones vibes
Good electronic rock album of the 80s
Decent, not my cup of tea