Low-Life

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

Couple of good tracks

B- Love Vigilantes 3 The Perfect Kiss 3 This Time of Night 3 Sunrise 3 Elegia 3 Sooner Than You Think 3 Sub-culture 4 Face Up 3 This was good. I'm burnt out with these reviews man.

Some good things on the album, but it tends to be boring listening to the whole piece.

Enjoyed it

I’m still new to knowing that I like any New Order after discovering that Blue Monday is by them. I had higher hopes for this one because of that. I do like them probably more than any other 80s synth pop band, but I have some caveats. This is good overall. Not great. Not one I’ll put on again, knowingly. Wouldn’t mind hearing a song or two. Elegia was great! Otherwise I found the vocals lacking, and at certain points just bad. I can deal with some imperfect singing, but from time to time it sounded like drunken karaoke. This gets a 3 because I honestly don’t hate it, but I’ll probably rate other New Order higher. Looking forward to Substance

Amazing the journey from Joy Division to this. That New Order sound is atmospheric and compelling. No crazy hooks here, solid.

80s classics nothing that stood out except the first song, could be missing something here

2.75 per track.

Lots of the same sounding. Not bad, but not my favourite.

Not too bad.

Not a huge fan of the genre, but came away enjoying this album.

- ich hab dem Album beim ersten mal 2/5 Punkten gegeben - beim zweiten hören hat sich an dem Gesamteindruck nicht wirklich viel geändert. ich muss aber gestehen, dass ich manche riffs und melodien doch ziemlich cool finde. - mir gefällt leider der gesamte vibe nicht so gut und der leicht schiefe Gesang, der in vielen anderen Beispielen Stilmittel oder interessant sein kann wirkt hier auf mich leider nur daneben. 2,75/5

Some times I really enjoyed it. Some times, though, all I could think was "dated". Usually that means I need a couple more listens to get past it. It feels like they both lost and gained something important after Joy Division, anyway. I'll listen again. Also, that CHIN. whoa.

I might revisit this some other time.

I really enjoyed the sound of this album. 80s pop punk that delivers on just that. Synth and consistent bass lines with moody lyrics

Needs a deeper dive

Nothing that really stuck out, but no skips or songs I hated

Dark and ominous. This certainly isn’t New Orders final form but it is one that is well produced and right catchy! I cannot be mad at this one at all. The one, glaring, flaw is quite big and that is that most of the songs drone on just the same.

3.7 - I like a lot of this record, and I dislike some of it. Likes: elegant synth lines blended with post-punk sounding guitars; wide arrangements that especially dominate the mid-range; splashy percussions that add nice white noise in the background. Dislikes: flat vocal delivery; meandering lyrics especially on "Sooner Than You Think." Ultimately, I had really high hopes but this record fell short. Standouts: "Love Vigilantes", "The Perfect Kiss", "Sunrise."

The song Elegia made me think of Stranger Things, which speaks to how much their music shaped the sound of the 80’s. Yet, I think I prefer Joy Division. 3.0

Not bad. Vocals are little tough though. Decent musically, but some songs are super dated. 3.4

Fine. Cool songs. Bad singer.

New wave, I would say. Electronic-ey rock with echoey percussion

Good tune, guy was a bad singer

An album of two halves - the first half being much better than the second

Hmm, it's just okay.

Okay album but the vocals are pretty punk-inspired which I just don't like for personal reasons. Too monotone. The synth vibes were good though!

First saw the albums year, “oh great another 80’s album” This album gave me man coked up hovering over the newest synthboard saying, THIS IS GONNA FKIN HIT” and it actually kinda did.

Pretty solid, gave me images of classic 80s lasers and chromo coloring while people dance the shoo rag

Nice album m80

Quality post Joy Division band, but no standouts

best tracks: love vigilantes/sub-culture/face up worst track: this time of night overall: 6/10 or 3/5. good.

Upbeat music. Good for listening to at work.

ok, don't actually like the voice of the dude. music ok.

Mid but understandable I guess

Normally, I'd say the 80s were my least favorite decade of music. I hate the overuse of synth and how pop music sounded like in general. There are a few silver linings though, and I'd say this album is one of them. The lyrics feel personal and not overly generalized for the radio, so I'd say that's the album's biggest strength. Still, overall it still has that 80s feel that I'm not very big on, but I'd listen to this again sometime.

(cred că) Primul album cu sunet 80s pe care l-am ascultat. Good grooves, catchy leads

Good album. Definitely starts to suffer in the second one half with subpar vocals but the instrumentals really carry the album. Solid 80s vibes. 3.5/5.

meh

Not my vibe but respect the innovation at the time

Good instrumentation and decent songwriting in places. Poor vocals

I don't know much about 80's music, it was a generation of music that I never really got into. There was something about the sound that I never really enjoyed, and I know I can't dump all albums into a single thought, so obviously I need to try to make more of an effort. I do prefer New Order to Joy Division and I don't know why. This album didn't have much I was familiar with but it was still enjoyable. The incorporation of synthesisers and samplers was surprisingly good, I think The Perfect Kiss might be one of the best new wave/synthpop songs out there. This was a very catchy album and that feels like an interesting juxtaposition to the lyrics. Standouts: Love Vigilantes, The Perfect Kiss, Elegia

Surprisingly good but not entirely my cup of tee

It played on repeat like 2 and a half times before I realized? It was fine, with some moments.

I definitely listened to this album in its entirety yesterday morning but I could not tell you a single thing about it. 3/5 by default because if it had left a good or a bad impression I'd remember it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

not my favorite new order but it was nice to spend some time with them regardless!

Forest Hills accepted our application.

it's alright init

Some gooduns some 80s workout video music

It’s very New Order, even though this is New Order trying to find their New Order sound. I don’t mind it. But it hasn’t persuaded me to explore any further than their hits.

Blind album and artist. Know them, never listened. Nothing much really to say, I guess it's also cause I am not a huge fan of joy division either... See the appeal, it's okay to me.

As much as I like Joy Division, I still can't get into New Order :(

This was a fun pop rock album. The second half of the album really made me feel like I was at the roller rink in the 80s. I especially enjoyed the bass. That being said there weren't any elements that really stood out to me as particularly impressive. Kind of reminds me of a filler episode in a long running TV show. All of the pieces of a good pop album are there but the end result came out kind of bland.

It was good! Nothing special, but it's not bad

It was a fun one, I could see myself listening to this again.

Man, I don’t know. Feels like I should like this album, but only one or two songs stood out. A bit mediocre, if you ask me.

A record that clearly holds promise, but too many songs sound alike and run into each other. Sunrise and Elegia are superb (probably because they sound more like Cure and Joy Division tracks, respectively), but the rest of the record does little to distinguish itself, while trending just above average. I'd happily listen to this again in the background, but am unlikely to put it on through choice. A mid to high 3.

det får bli en stark trea. vissa låtar är fina, framförallt öppningen av albumet men ibland är det för mycket konstig synth

Nothing that stands out about this album but also nothing bad as well. The Electronica is good in some parts. Pretty much your standard 80's punk/electronica album. I don't plan to relisten. 3 out of 5.

I feel bad demoting it a star for not liking the vocals because I feel like this is how I sound when I sing too. Still pretty solid.

Synth pop. Weird that their song titles don't match their lyrics. Their songs all kinda sound the same to me but if that's the sound you like then it's a good thing. Favorite songs were Love Vigilantes and Elegia

Ik vind het veel weg hebben van the cure qua sound. Cool album, heb hem een hartje gegeven op spotify, denk dat het leuk is op een chille avond met vrienden als achtergrond

Liked Elegia and sub-culture

Didn't vibe with it that much, but couldn't listen to all of it.

3,5

I was surprised to not enjoy this as much as I expected, considering how much I like Blue Monday. It was ok, though.

Yeah. It wasn't bad. A new Peter Saville /Steven Morris project, CP1919, featuring an extract of the voice of Ian Curtis is getting its preview on 6 Music as I type. ###

I actually enjoyed this UK band, didn’t sound overplayed but had a familiar feel.

I know we've had one other from New Order so far, and I also know they've got hits that still haven't shown up. That makes this inclusion a little frustrating, but it's alright. The first track really hooked me, but there wasn't much after that to maintain the hold. Not bad by any means, it's New Order, I like their style. But we could do better. Favorite tracks: Love Vigilantes, Face Up. Album art: A shadowy man's face looking down from an odd angle. Band name is written in a confusing way on the right side of the frame. This one's weird, but it's striking and pretty memorable. 3/5

chill electronic piece to put on and turn your brain off. I enjoyed it

I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Love the darker-sounding songs. Will probably play again at some point. Solid 3.5 stars.

Now the earliest New Order album I've heard. The sound is predictably less refined than Substance or Republic, but perhaps more sincere. I think that sincerity that comes through has been their appeal to me, and why I liked this one immediately, despite the greater-than-typical strained vocals and weak lyrical phrasing. As with The Cure and Slayer, I'm willing to look past some things because I like them. New Order music has that sense of having always been there, as though it acts as the form of a certain type of music.

Music for dancing under the influence of the 80s. How did joy division become this??? not their best album

Such a unique sound, there's no mistaking who this is. Favorite: Love Vigilantes

I don't like the mix. Vocals are too much in the background for some of the songs, not making it personal/intimate. Bit of a waste, as some songs seem pretty good.

de unaaa 7/10

Nothing crazy, very 80s new wave

My thing with New Wave is that i really dig the new wave tunes that sound less like new wave. so this one is right on the fringe for me. there's a few tracks that harken back to the punk(ish) roots of this band and their previous incarnation, Joy Division(vastly superior, IMO), and then the dancy, drum machined "new wavey" remainder gets lost on me, for the most part.

Hate to say it, but it does not sound like anything too special. I read the Wikipedia article and that did not mention anything about the album that was revolutionary, or an unexpected turn by the band. Did learn that New Order has people from Joy Division. I think I should treat the album for what it is, and appreciate the calm 80's sounds that it brings. Eight tracks that are quite busy instrumentally but still bring calmth. The instrumental tracks build a serene yet intense mood. With only eight tracks, this album brings eight solid pieces and does not need filler or clutter.

Fantastic album and not one I’ve given any time to previously. It felt rough in a good way. I’d absolutely come back to this. It’s good to hear the building bricks of what came next for New Order and so many other artists too.

I’d never ‘got’ New Order first time round even though they are my era. Never got past the feeble vocals. Listening to this tonight though, while cooking, at one point round about track 4/5 I could see the appeal of the warbling synth angst.

mildly annoying generic 80s music

First half is better

3 stars

Heard it before?: No Enjoy it?: Yes I enjoyed this one, first time hearing this one and just shows their stuff stood the test of time! Favourite song: Track 2 - The Perfect Kiss

Jag tycker det är ganska bra cool stil

Väldigt synligt, som om Edwin Falkstrand komponerat musiken. Sen tyckte jag albumet var rätt så bra ändå. Konstigt omslagsbild Favorit: Elegia, Sunrise

2nd New Order album I've gotten. I think I liked the other album (Technique) better, but this is still fun, that electronic 80s pop sound. My favorite track was Sub-Culture.

4/5 start, 2/5 end, solid 3/5

5/10 solid, good songwriting, but not my fav sound design - sometimes sounds like they put midi into a blender fav song: sunrise

Enjoyable album, however, in my opinion, it has a very weak b-side. After Elegia, things start to fall apart, resulting in an incoherent mess of an ending.

it’s not bad i guess.

I don’t get it. Seems like a watered down version of The Cure.

This was one of those albums that feels like it was probably groundbreaking at the time and only sounds generic now because of how many bands aped its sound, but coming to it decades later it just sounded like good-but-basic 80s music to me.

They’re still coming together here.

It was good but not my taste

Good

Eeeeh this was okay. I think I'm in a shit mood though.

Better than I was expecting

En ple moment dolç per la banda, editen un àlbum que continua elaborant el so tan propi i original que els va fer diferents. Synth pop allunyat de la resta de bandes del génere, amb una identitat molt marcada. No hi ha singles clars, però tot el disc flueix i t'arrossega amb les seves capes d'efectes, sintes, i més presència de guitarres que els seus discos anteriors

Synth pop SUURET FÄÄRIT.. Mahdollisia.. Paska synth pop... voi esittää parempaa.. helposti.. vingahtaa... samalla tavalla silti.. Paskuus märkyys ja Ruskean skaala... Objektia.. 3 tähteä.. 85 vuosi.. obj.. vuosi.. merkittävä... sounds like 1987.. Holy hell.. its 85...

Overall an enjoyable new wave sort of record, but also didn't feel like anything that I hadn't already heard before. Could be really fun if you're in the mood for it, but I didn't really have that connection. The backtracks seemed pretty well thought out, but the vocals tended to take me out of it

Bit confused by this album. I’m not a fan of the band and I don’t like vocal style, it sounds weak and out of tune. I never usually notice lyrics but from the first track they stuck out as quite bad to me. The style varied quite a lot, the first few songs seem to have a kraftwerk influence but the 4th track Sunrise sounds like the Cure. I did really enjoy Elegia which was moody and cinematic sounding. It’s an instrumental and I could imagine Ian Curtis’s voice over it which made me feel quite sad. I think I will always see New Order as Ian’s backing band. I preferred the second half but it has the same flaws, the vocals and lyrics grate on me, e.g. Sub Culture starts well but it loses me when Sumner comes in with “I like walking in the park”.

7/10

Quintessential 80s sadboy music

A handful of their songs are classics, and Peter Hook is a great lead bassist, but damn, Bernard's voice is like nails on a chalkboard to me.

Pushing a 4.

Likeable if you're into this genre. I don't know if I'll return to this album, but I can totally see how Low-Life:Gen X/Boomers:: the xx : millennials

I really like the bleepy bloop synths and bops Bernard's voice 😖 otherwise might have been a 4

I like New Order better than Joy Division, but both bands suffer badly from being more mood setters than tune makers — you know it’s them playing but apart from a few singles you couldn’t pin down the song. Despite the dance pop pretensions, this album isn’t exactly exuberant, either. Between Bernard’s demoish warble and all the minor key synths, it's an ugly comedown at the factory.

very good post punk album

I generally really like New Order and like Joy Division even more but this album felt like kind of a snooze to me. I would add some of the standout tracks to a mix but wouldn't go back to this album as a whole. A lot of the non-standout tracks felt similar to me and just kind of blended together. I'm actually kind of surprised how universally praised this album is for New Order, who I just think has stronger music elsewhere. Standout Tracks: Love Vigilantes, Sunrise, Face Up

This didn't really do it for me, but it's certainly better than a ton of albums I've given 2-star ratings, so I'll give it a 3.

Some of the synths are really good. And I have a lot of respect for the direction that this album pushed music in. That being said the main vocalist is so wildly off key that the album is tough to listen to. It makes you wish auto tune was invented earlier to prop this album up.

Liked that instrumental one.

A couple great songs - Love Vigilantes, Sunrise - surrounded by mostly average to decent 80's synth pop. I've heard better new wave.

The instrumental song was the best one.

Decently enjoyable.

This was a perfectly fine listen. Wouldn't skip any of the songs, maybe would seek a couple out? Solidly average all around.

Such strong Cure vibes on “Sunrise”! Interesting thing: as I listened I just kept thinking of what other great bands they sounded like. That means they were epically influential or they were riding a wave. Not sure which, but ultimately I like the bands they remind me of more than them.

Can't get into this 80s sound

Enjoyed this more than the previous NO album on here

Not bad, not great IMO. Might have to go back and listen to this again with a more mature ear.

Listened Before? Y Ah yes, New Order. Kings of noisy, frantic new wave. I really like this album, it's less hectic than some of their others. No big hits here, but a bunch of quality new wave songs. Thoroughly enjoyed. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Love Vigilantes

When it sounds like Italo, i love it. When it sounds like New Order, i don't

English rock, surprisingly the best song had no words. 3/5 wasn’t sure how to place it but it warrants another look down the line

Dit zijn nou echt nummers met een 80's vibe, ook al haat ik die term. Kende het album en de nummers niet (New Order zelf natuurlijk wel), werd blij verrast door elegia.

Not bad, not terrible, just average I'd say. Makes me wonder if there are actually 1,001 albums I really need to hear before I die. The use of croaking frogs in one of the songs was interesting. Not a big fan of the fake sounding drums and hand claps. Best track: Love Vigilantes

This feels like generic 80's pop music. Synths are nice and the (what I assume are 808s) are pretty good. Not bad, not particularly great. The instrumentation is good, but not a fan of the singing. This is an album that would get sampled in modern music solely for the backing track. Probably a 3/5

Good for the genre, but not my favorite genre.

What if the Cure played dance music? I liked this more than I expected. Not everything from the '80s is bad. I don't think anyone would think this was from any other decade, but unlike a lot of '80s music, it still holds up pretty well. 7/10

not my fave New Order, but still enjoyed it

Ágætis plata. Mjög sterk tengsl úr sumum af þessum lögum í t.d. seinni tíma projectið Electronic.

Released in 1985, New Order's third album finds them grasping ever more boldly for the light switch, while riding the wave of synth-pop and dance-rock through the decade. On first listen, it may seem difficult to identify any of the gloomy post-punk Joy Division were celebrated for. But even though the synths are perkier, the tonality brighter, the tempos quicker, "Low-Life" is still a dark record, tinged with sorrow and despair. It makes for an engaging listen, without reaching the heights of their best work (sadly, no "Age of Consent" here). The cynicism and grief is dragged out screaming in the opening track, "Love Vigilantes." While the soaring melodica and three major-chord progression suggest an unabashed optimism, dig a little deeper and we're chronicling the tale of a trigger-happy war patriot who gallantly fights for his country and then returns home to find his wife laying dead, tears frozen in her eyes, a telegram in her hand telling of his death. The narrative approach really helps to sell the song, kicking off "Low-Life" on a promising note. "The Perfect Kiss" conjures up a wistful, nostalgic sentiment. It's full of thunderous tom fills, sweeping synths with thousand-yard stares, Bernard Sumner's frayed, ailing vocals. Samples of frogs and sheep add an air of novelty which, mercifully, isn't too distracting. The climax of "Sunrise" is perhaps the high point of the record, where the frantic rhythm guitars are dialled up into a maelstrom. Elsewhere, "Elegia" is an expansive instrumental, and a welcome opportunity for the band to envelope the listener in atmosphere alone. And "Face Up" is a wonderful pop-leaning closer, from the opening arpeggiator and booming drums to the cathartic final run of the chorus. The vocals are decidedly flawed, and the songwriting isn't always gripping ("This Time of Night" and "Sub-culture" in particular both come across as hurried filler). But the sheer sound of New Order is surely their greatest asset: a winning interplay between bang-on-trend synthesisers, programmed drums, and Peter Hook's iconic shimmering basslines.

Underwhelming. I can appreciate the music and the synth pop feel but I'm not a huge fan.

Completely fine. Could tell it was NO right away. No surprises really. Liked one song I had never heard before. Made me want to listen to their hits.

For all of the brit-pop cluttering this list, some actual good british albums can get lost in the crowd, but this one stands out to me as one of the true gems. Still, 80s brit-pop as a genre was never my favorite, but I gotta hand it to them, they made an original album album that was, not only bearable, but downright enjoyable at parts. Not too many complaints, vocals aren’t very strong and almost got repetitive, but it hung in there. 3/5

Not my favorite New Order work. Still a good album that I enjoyed. Just nothing too special for me.

Leuk

Pop tranquilo y sosegado con algún toque electrónico. Sin grandes estridencias, buena voz.

Nice to listen to this on vinyl! Although this album doesn't include really any of their major hits, I do appreciate the 80s vibes and boppy beats, it's a good time and is apparently considered their best work by many. Especially love the full 80s synth on Sub-culture. There is something very trashy about the low-effort vocals haha but I kind of don't mind it and it does give the music something unique and interesting about it. I did get kind of bored and lose interest in this album and had to listen twice to check. Glad I did because on second listen I loved half the tracks and found half of them were boring.

New Order aren't really my kind of thing apart from the hits which are banging. I didn't mind this but it's just not something I fancy listening to much

Bright spots

Not the best but good

Less pop-y than a lot of the other 80's stuff on the list, and that uniqueness is what makes it less forgettable. Good effort from the lads.

kewl

The music is not bad but fuck those 80’s synths.

It's not their best (Technique) but is still not bad. (But still not something that's worthy for the 1001) One of those albums I don't listen too regularly but when I do I end up thinking I should listen to it more often. Happy memories of being in band and sitting around teaching ourselves how to play Love Vigilantes.

Mmmmheeeee? Some good hits but some reaaallly speciale singing in some of theem

Sunrise👍 Elegia, sounds like a movie soundtrack.

the beginnings of a great band, but not a great album

3.5 A few really good songs, more if you include the extended 2CD version. Love the additional songs and instrumentals. Standouts: "Love Vigilantes", "The Perfect Kiss", "Shellshock", "Sub-culture" The rest is really great. Enjoyable.

Un album au cours duquel New order passera son temps à essayer de nous convaincre qu'un nouvel ordre mondial est en marche. L'artiste passera en revue toutes ses théories complotistes de la plus vraisemblable à la plus absurde et finit contre toute attente par nous convaincre. Une belle découverte.

it's okay, but I want to listen again with more attention

I fully understand, why someone would fall completely in love with New Order. Their sound is haunting, desperate and still quite danceable at times - a feat. This is the album, where New Order emerges as a complete band after Joy Division. I find myself fully emerged in the sound and I’m almost lulled into a trance. Then it’s all over. And I have a hard time pinpointing standout tracks. It’s all just kind of there. When I’m in the mood this is easily a 4. But in general I think this grading is more true to my gut feeling.

strong start! Love the strummed guitar and drum tambre. Starting to be over this raw vocals trend. I could use some polish. After listening to the whole album, the voice really turns me off. The first and last songs save it from a two star rating

This list leans pretty hard on this post-punk to new wave transitional era in British rock, though so guess I can see the argument for its importance on the non-hip hop side of pop music. Though by 1985 I’m not sure this is bringing all that much new to the table. Some interesting things going on lyrically here, at least at times, but the vocals are very much the weakest link.

Meh it was ok for what it was

6/10 catchy but the lyrics made it quite hard to listen to

Favourite song: The Perfect Kiss

I give this one a 3, balancing action-packed and diverse tracks against a bit of all-over-the-placeness. Nice listening.

Low-Life is the third album by English rock band New Order, and it's considered their best work. This synth-pop album was well-received by critics, and its release was propped up by the single "The Perfect Kiss". I enjoyed this album more than I thought I would going into it. It's a wonderful 80's dance-pop album.

Vocals are bad but still work for the most part, beats are fun and high energy

7/10 parte muy bien las primeras canciones pero dsp se ponia medio monotono. igual mgto caleta

It really was acceptable in the 80s

Some very new-wavey new-wave

meh ok

3/5

3.5/5

Much better than our previous New Order album, but still doesn't massively grab me. Didn't know any of the songs, but the hook on Love Vigilantes is somehow familiar. It's a nice listen, but there's not a lot there that I'll remember. 3/5.

This is okay. I really like the song Love Vigilantes, but I really dislike the bouncy, synth-based rhythms that underlie most of the other songs. That prototypical 80's new wave synth rhythms - not sure how else to describe it. It just sounds so inorganic and tiresome after the 100th time hearing that sound. Overall the songs are decent, just not a fan of that sound. 3 stars.

Love Vigilantes and Face-Up are the gems here. Can’t give half stars but this is a solid 3.5

7/10

This synth-pop is punctured with punchy, punky guitar, loosely strewn. I like it well enough, but the songs don't really stick.

Generally good

Enjoyed it, but probably wouldn't listen to it again. I liked most songs but felt that the singing was kind of weak at times.

Meh, not my bag. Singer is pretty awful, tone wise. Never been much of a new wave fan. Didn't hate it though.

Not the best vocals, but still manages to be pretty good.

Excellent. Liked the synth sound. Closer to 4 than 2.

Klassischer 80s Sound. Stellenweise sehr gut, größten Teils aber mittelmäßig.

It was OK. His voice was a lot worse than I remember

Music is excellent but can’t get past the vocals. This would be so much better if he could actually sing.

O pós punk mais interessante que escutei.

New order definitely make music but they are also completely uninteresting.

Good 80s dance-synth-pop. The benefit to New Order with Low-Life is this is their album that turned them into the New Order they are known as. This is their inspirational album that leads off a new genre. 3.5/5.

A little too much New order at once, got a little samesie

A very hit and miss album. A couple of songs in the middle, particularly Sunrise and Elegia, were great. The opening song had such an awful mix though, each part was so weirdly independent it just sounded like it was recorded over Skype, and the vocals were awful on the last two songs

This does little for me. Probably an important step between… boring 80s postpunk and boring 80s dance but that doesn’t interest me much. Is he out of tune half the time?

Classic brit pop, really good stuff from them

It’s surprising that most of these band members were from joy division. I think that shows how much one person can impact a band. New Order’s music is much different and not nearly as good. They are heavy on the synth pop sound which was big in the 80s but doesn’t hold well over time. This album wasn’t bad but it felt dated. 5.6/10

Some really good songs but also some not. The singer’s voice isn’t always up to the task.

Quand meme bon meme si c'est saturé de drum machine. Ca va avec l'epoque j'imagine. 3.15

3/5 80er Pop Mid Sehr Leicht experimentell Kate bush vibes Letzter Song the Cure vibes

OK. Unmemorable, but unoffensive.

Only good tracks were track 1 and the instrumentals. Didn't hurt my ears!

I love love an album with none of the filler dance tracks

I really dig the 80's sound. Makes me think of Depeche Mode work. That being said, I'm not really fan of the vocals. Don't really know why but it feels like a good match with the music. It's good that there are a couple of instrumental song kmon tbebalbhn

It’s fine. Nothing grabs me on this one.

It’s tragic I didn’t really care for this, because theoretically I should love it. I love 80s new wave synth music and yet I never engaged meaningfully with this album. I’m open to giving it another chance but I found it boring on the first listen.

Not really my style of music

17/08/2022 New Order – Low Life 2.5/5 80’s sound, good instrumentation, and punk and rock inspiration. New Order uses the synths well, with interesting and danceable tunes. Not something I will listen to constantly, but I’m happy of having discovered the band beyond Blue Monday and Elegia. The worst, vocal performance. How the vocalist sings is one of the most important things I value in a song, and Bernard Summer doesn’t have the best voice in the word. Their punk background is also stands out and is not a style I like. These two things make it something I would probalby not listen in the future. Love Vigilantes – 3/5 Doesn’t sound bad at all, could be in the soundtrack of any movie of the time (or some nostalgic current movie). But you could tell me that the song is played by any other 80’s band and I would not differ. The Perfect Kiss – 2.5/5 Similar to Love Vigilantes, but something is missing. Worse vocal arrangement (or production/editing). It has an interesting solo (a frog interlude), so not that bad. This Time of Night – 1.5/5 Awful vocals. The instrumentation becomes kind of linear and repetitive in this song too. Sunrise – 3.5/5 This song is a context where Bernard Summer vocals fit better, a “rockier” song. It is actually a highlight in the album. Elegia – 5/5 The only song I knew before listening to the whole album. A great instrumental song mixing guitar and synths masterfully creating a very magical atmosphere. And in memory of the singer of Joy Division, their previous band. Sooner Than You Think – 2.5/5 Other song I would probably like more if it weren’t because of the vocals. Sub-culture – 1.5/5 Worst vocal performance, and worst song of the album, in my opinion. Face Up – 3.5/5 Really like the sound of this song: its first minute, and the great little bass riff. Then Bernard start singing. Its quite original anyway.

Most of it was a bad Depeche Mode impression, but there was also one instrumental that was rich and lush and amazing, which was really confusing. I thought Spotify had messed up and started playing a different album. Best track: Elegia

Wauw. Dit is wel lekkere 80s popmuziek. Ik houd wel van die typische synthesizer popmuziek. ***

Literally none of these tracks are the stand-out New Order tracks. It's a decent enough listen, but New Order did so much betterer.

Don’t know these songs, but I always like their sound.

some good, some outdated

Mid 80s new wave, post punk, synthesizers, and drum machines.

Although this album is a bit more synth-heavy and techno than most of the music I enjoyed in the 80s, I do remember liking their work very much and listening to it fairly often. They add a bit more texture and drive to their songs than music I typically associate with techno and synthesizer-focused, and I like a lot of their composition and performance. It caught be by surprise back then because I usually had a strong negative response to anything I might have characterized as "dance music" (silly, I know -- so many things I closed off in my vain attempts to be cool). Listening to this album again for the first time in a few decades, I find it holds up nicely and although I doubt I'll make a regular habit of listening to this album or other New Order music, I think it's fun.

Not offensive, not great.

It feels wrong to get this album before Power, Corruption & Lies, but my thoughts on that album will be saved for another day. New Order's contributions to synthpop cannot be understated. Taking the styles and compositions of Joy Division and expanding on them through the synths and dance rhythms established by Kraftwerk in the prior decade. Admittedly, I am not a huge fan of New Order. This comes from carryover grievances with Joy Division in which I find them the overall product to be somewhat lackluster, but still worth talking about. I like New Order more as a concept in music history than the actual songs, but that doesn't extinguish their recognized quality on this album.

à la recherche des tubes de new order dans le top 1000 albums ↻↻↻

Like my Joy Division reviews, I found this also to be quite mediocre. Very bland, middle of the road and safe. It's not terrible music but it never goes beyond a certain point when it could.

Love this about the cover art from Wikipedia "The album's artwork is the only New Order release to feature photographs of the band members on its cover. The CD comes packaged with drummer/keyboardist Stephen Morris on the front cover, while inside the case are four photographs and a semi-transparent piece of paper with the band's name, allowing the owners to choose which band member is seen through the sleeve." I like New Order well enough, but have never listened to Low-Life straight through. Starts bare and sparse with Love Vigilantes. The reviewer that said the song could be The Alarm or Big Country was onto something with that observation. Then we move into the sound I'm expecting with The Perfect Kiss, a fantastic track. Most of these tracks are all quite good. Easier to pick out my least favorite, This Time of Night. That said, even though the songs are all individually good and the album hangs together well, it is just missing some magic ingredient to make me love it. Happy to listen if it is on, probably won't seek it out for repeated listening.

Not my favourite NO album. Vocals are thin. Missing Curtis more than ever.

Not as dark and gloomy as other New Order

Some good poppy stuff on here, offsets the proto-electronic stuff that I'm not a big fan of.

i wasn't into this album until i heard "elegia." that's the standout of this album. deep, beautiful, eerie. a nice tribute in their friend's memory. i like this album, and it's very of the time! synth eighties. it's a good listen, but i don't think it stands as i thought it would. it can be a little forgettable, but some of the instrumentation is top notch. "sunrise" and of course "elegia" stand out in that regard.

The first track is really good, then it devolves into 80's synth cheese.

Je suis très ambivalent sur ce groupe! Boîte à rythmes énergiques, riffs accrocheurs, bonnes tounes... mais un chanteur qui cherche sa note, quelques facilités...

It's new wave. I've heard worse, and I've heard better. I liked that doing from Stanger Things tho, Elegia.

interesting but not enough to rush out and buy it

Pretty unremarkable but not bad. Know some other New Order stuff but this was all new to me I think. 3.5

it's ok, 3/5

This got better as it went on, standout track was Elegia for me, possibly due to a lack of awful vocals.

Love Vigilantes sounds like a cover that I'm more familiar with. Maybe they did a harder version of this(?) I listened to the remastered version, so I suppose there's some alt versions out there. I'm not a fan of the electric piano and synthesizer doinks on songs like The Perfect Kiss and Face Up, but I really love the low flung guitar that eases in on Sunrise. Elegia is really Cure-ish instrumental, it's ethereal yet impending that builds over time. New Order fits into the category of Pet Shop Boys (not a fan), Depeche Mode (really not a fan) and the Cure (sometimes a fan). To describe the genre in 90's terms, this would be indy college rock. Definitely not mainstream but really cool and new music if you appreciated an alternative scene. In today's standards, it's decent, not Depeche Mode and not The Cure.

This is 4 star music paired with a 2 star voice. The lead singer’s voice sounds very thin. Love Vigilantes and Sunrise are my favorite songs.

👍

Decent but far from their best

Decent enough life

Elegia was so good it forced a second listen

New Order are great. Their use of synth combined with great bass playing defined an era. Sadly, they aren't great songwriters or singers. This album has some real highlights, but let down by some drab songwriting

Was okay

moody, synthy, like a disco but drugs

Lots of 80’s mood. Didn’t do a ton for me but I wasn’t bummed by it.