26×26 – N is for New Order
Power, Corruption and Lies is the sound of New Order breaking free of those cumbersome long grey post-punk overcoats for ever and moving onto the dancefloor, a direction the clattering propulsive 1982 single Temptation had more than hinted at. Just listen to the surging joy of Age Of Consent or the unfettered The Village – Gillian and the boys are drunk on the possibility of a bright new future.
There’s more of a Kraftwerk/Giorgio Moroder influence on PC&L – stronger, clearer beats allied to wistful, soulful melody and Bernard’s often plaintive vocals. The iconic shape-throwing Peter Hook ‘s bass playing is more selective, but still distinctive. Gillian pilots her keyboards with taste and quiet restraint, and Stephen is a four-on-the-floor drumming machine.
The best selling independent 12″ single of all time, Blue Monday (inspired by Donna Summer and Sylvester, with an iconic die-cut sleeve it cost a fortune to make) isn’t on PC&L, it stands alone: an cultural event, almost. The album is stronger thanks to that brave decision. It doesn’t quite fit here.**
Subsequent (and harsher sounding) album Low-Life was the dance-rock hybrid, before New Order’s Balearic and acid house influences appeared on Technique, but PC&L is the most effective marriage of the band’s fan-boy new wave moodiness and electronic magic.
** Allegedly written in response to crowd disappointment at the fact that they never played encores, Blue Monday allowed New Order to return to the stage, press ‘play’ on a synthesiser and leave again, they said. Hmm.
N.B. A quick word for the 12″ version of Thieves Like Us – lovely.
P.S. I could have just as easily written about: The National and the album Alligator
Wonder what O will be?
I’m not sure that Blue Monday was written “…in response to crowd disappointment at the fact that they never played encores”.
Certainly in the dozen or more times that I’ve seen New Order live they’ve rarely done encores, it’s true, and that pre-dates Blue Monday back to when they first started. The lazy buggers.
Top choice for New Order. I remember the first time I saw the cover to the album, which I thought was a bit odd and then hearing this great record under the flowers.
TD: Yup, that’s why I said ‘Hm’.. don’t believe the encore story for a minute.
Talcy: How did I get through that review without mentioning the brilliant Peter Saville?