Low-life [ORIGINAL RECORDING REISSUED]

New Order

Product Details

• Audio CD (October 25, 1990)
• Original Release Date: 1985
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Original recording reissued
• Label: Qwest / Wea
• ASIN: B000002L7S
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (37 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #9,838 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

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Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com essential recording

With the 1985 release of Low Life, New Order put forth their most commercially accessible effort to date. While some of the dark-wave drippings of their Joy Division roots are evident, high energy progressions, which would carry them for years to come, began to emerge here. Hits like "Perfect Kiss" and "Sub-Culture," with their synth hooks, club-stomping accents, and visceral lyrics, helped bridge the gap for growing synth-pop audiences who bolstered their success. Other refined techniques on the album became standard New Order conventions: sweeping analogue rolls, live and sequenced drum percussion, tight bass melodies, and edgy guitar leads. Sustained by a peerless level of emotional involvement, the vocals and lyrics further entice the listener with the obliquely nuanced style of Bernard Sumner. Standing the test of time, this release is a must-have in order to understand the origins of introspective pop-wave culture. --Lucas Hilbert

Product Description

Digitally remastered and expanded two CD edition of this 1985 album from the Manchester quartet, one of the most successful and consistent bands of the '80s and beyond. After the suicide of vocalist, Ian Curtis, the three surviving members of Joy Division regrouped under the band name New Order, adding Gillian Gilbert on keyboards. The rest, as they say, is history. Disc One in this package contains the original album in its digitally remastered glory. Disc Two is filled with eight non-album singles, B-sides and remixes. This is as great as it gets! Rhino UK. 2008. --This text refers to an alternate Audio CD edition.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

55 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Loaded with errors, November 12, 2008

By	paul "slop" (Orange County) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Low-Life (2 CD Collector's Edition) (Audio CD)

The MUSIC on these New Order reissues get a 5/5, easily. However, there were far too many egregious mistakes made in the creation of the discs themselves to give them a pass. Only the first discs were re-mastered though they still have some problems, it is the bonus discs that are an absolute mess.

Warner Music/Rhino know about these problems, but there is yet no word on any forthcoming fixes. So I'd hold off until these issues are addressed.

Noted below are the specific problems with the Low Life reissue:

Low-Life (1985) Digipak spine says "1983"
1. Love Vigilantes 4:19
2. The Perfect Kiss 4:50
3. This Time of Night 4:45
4. Sunrise 6:01 - Sudden volume drop in right channel at 2:36
5. Elegia 4:55
6. Sooner Than You Think 5:11
7. Sub-culture 4:58
8. Face Up 5:06
Overall: the album tracks "sound like they've been mastered from the Centredate cd's and not the masters themselves" "this release is a massive disappointment. I would advise to NOT buy it - "Sleeve notes full of errors" "Did anyone proof read these?"

Low-Life - bonus disc
1. The Perfect Kiss 8:50 - Dubious sound quality, clicks, 'crackles', and pops at 0:07, 0:11, 0:16, 0:20, 0:23, 0:25, 0:30, 0:42, 0:50, 0:54, 1:08, 1:19, 1:23, 1:28, 1:32, 1:38, 1:56, 2:12, 2:32, 3:01, 3:03, 3:10, 3:11, 3:15, 3:24, 3:29, 3:40, 3:54, 3:57, 4:52, 4:59, 5:04, 5:06, 5:11, 5:13, 5:15, 5:18, 5:20, 5:27, 5:41, 6:08, 6:09, 6:37, 6:42, 6:44, 6:47, 6:51, 6:56, 7:12, 7:47, 7:49, 8:10, 8:15, 8:20, 8:36, and 8:38.
2. Subculture 7:27 - Glitches "run the whole way through it", namely at: 0:02, 0:04, 0:07, 0:08, 0:23, 0:48, 0:56, 1:24, 1:32, 1:58, 2:09, 2:47, 2:50, 3:13, 3:52, 3:55, 3:57, 3:59, 4:30, 4:35, 4:48, 4:55, 4:57, 5:04, 5:18, 5:46, 5:49, 6:38, and 6:52.
3. Shellshock - Plays the Substance edit, not the full 12" version. sounds messy, more bass but also no presence"
4. Shame Of The Nation
5. Elegia 17:30
6. Let's Go - "Clicks" at 1:24 and 3:23(at 1:31 it sounds like the tape slowed suddenly)
7. Salvation Theme 2:16
8. Dub Vulture 7:56 - Has "rumble" as if it were taken from vinyl. Clicks and pops at 0:07, 0:09, 0:14 ....

Overall, "mastering for the bonus tracks is on the loud side" and clipping may be present. "The tracks on the bonus disc sound mostly awful". "I just can't believe this release passed the quality control of band, management and label."

13 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Their high point, February 27, 2004

By	Bighairydoofus "-" (Brooklyn Park, MN United States) - See all my reviews

This is the album that best strikes the balance between what they once were and what they were to become. They still remembered their beginnings while breaking new ground. Dance and club beats aside, listen to elegia and tell me that it isn't a powerful piece of music.

I just wish they'd come out with a remastered CD. The original I've had since 86 pales to the UK vinyl... come on, guys. Break out the master tapes and show us what's really there. We deserve it after all these years.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars New Order's finest long form achievement., March 2, 1998

By A Customer

In my opinion, this is New Order's greatest achievement, album-wise. I may be way off here, but to me it seems to be the last album in which the suicide of their former Joy Division singer Ian Curtis is a priority in the lyrics. Perhaps they said all they needed to say to him and about him with this album and were finally able to go on their on way with each successive work. The leadoff song "Love Vigilantes" may very well be the finest kickoff album track of the 80's, a defiantly rock and roll song that almost seems out of place in New Order's quite impressive canon. Along the way you will be treated to such typical NO tracks as The Perfect Kiss and Subculture along with a stunningly beautiful instrumental "Eligia" and such amazingly perfect electronic-flavored masterpieces as Face Up and Sunrise. It's an album you can dance to and album you can listen to with the headphones on and the shades drawn and not be disappointed. If you only know New Order through Bizarre Love Triangle or True Faith, then this album will open your eyes to what else they can accomplish. If you don't know New Order at all, then I suggest you buy this and get prepared to lay out big money for everything else they've ever recorded. END