Low-Life

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

You have new messages (last change).
This article is about the album by New Order. For the Scottish band, see Lowlife (band)
Low-Life
Low-Life cover
Studio album by New Order
Released 13 May 1985
Recorded Jam and Britannia Row Studios, London (1984)
Genre Alternative dance
Alternative rock
Techno
Electro
Synthpop
Electronica
Length 40:05
Label Factory Records
Producer(s) New Order
Professional reviews
New Order chronology
Power, Corruption & Lies
(1983)		 Low-Life
(1985)		 Brotherhood
(1986)


Low-Life is the third studio album of the English rock band New Order. Released in May 1985, "Low-Life" is considered to be amongst New Order's strongest work, displaying the moment in which the band completed its transformation from post-punk hold overs to dance rock pioneers. The album shows New Order's increased incorporation of synthesizers and samplers, while still preserving the rock aspects of their earlier work.

The album's artwork is the only New Order release to feature photographs of the band members on its sleeve. On most issues, drummer/keyboardist Stephen Morris is on the front cover. Some re-releases, including the 1993 London Records CD, feature four photographs inside the case and a semi-transparent piece of paper with the band's name on. Owners can choose which band member is seen through the sleeve.

The album was preceded by the release of the full-length version of "The Perfect Kiss" as a single (only an edited version appears on the album). A John Robie remix of "Sub-culture" was also released as a 12" single. Both of these extended versions eventually wound up on 1987's Substance.

The songs on this album formed the basis of New Order's live concert video, Pumped Full Of Drugs, filmed in Tokyo shortly before the album's release.

The music video for "The Perfect Kiss" was directed by Jonathan Demme.

As a side note, the song "Elegia" was featured in the Academy Award-nominated short film More by Mark Osborne.

In 2000 Q magazine placed Low-Life at number 97 in its list of the 100 Greatest British Albums Ever.

Contents

[edit] Track listing

(all songs written by New Order)

  1. "Love Vigilantes" – 4:16
  2. "The Perfect Kiss" – 4:51
  3. "This Time of Night" – 4:45
  4. "Sunrise" – 6:01
  5. "Elegia" – 4:56
  6. "Sooner Than You Think" – 5:12
  7. "Sub-culture" – 4:48
  8. "Face Up" – 5:02

"Elegia" is in fact an edit; the original 17 minute version eventually surfaced on the bonus 5th disc of 2002's Retro boxset. Stephen Morris mentioned in an interview in Select (September 1993) that ".. the album version [of Elegia] are the highlights of the 20 minute song."[1]

[edit] Personnel

[edit] Release details

  • UK 12" – Factory Records (FACT 100)
  • UK cassette – Factory Records (FACT 100C)
  • US 12" – Qwest (25289-1)
  • US cassette – Qwest (9 25289-4)
  • UK CD (1993 re-release) – London Records (520 020-2)

[edit] Chart positions

  • UK – #7
  • US – #94

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

New Order
Bernard Sumner | Peter Hook | Stephen Morris | Phil Cunningham
Former member: Gillian Gilbert
Discography
Albums: Movement | Power, Corruption & Lies | Low-Life | Brotherhood |
Technique | Republic | Get Ready | Waiting for the Sirens' Call
Compilation Albums: Substance | (The Best of) New Order |
(The Rest of) New Order | International | Retro | Singles
EPs: 1981-1982 New Order | Peel Sessions 1982 | Peel Sessions 1981 |
The Peter Saville Show Soundtrack
Singles: New Order discography
Related articles
Side projects: Electronic | Revenge | Monaco | The Other Two
Topics: Joy Division | Factory Records | The Haçienda | 24 Hour Party People
People: Ian Curtis | Martin Hannett | Peter Saville | Tony Wilson | Rob Gretton | Stephen Hague
This box: view • talk • edit
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org../../../l/o/w/Low-Life_9814.html"