A great leap forward from their understandably funereal debut album,
Power, Corruption & Lies cemented
New Order's place as the most exciting dance-rock hybrid in music (and it didn't even include the massive "Blue Monday" single, released earlier that year). Confident and invigorating where
Movement had sounded disconsolate and lost, the record simply pops with energy from the beginning with "Age of Consent," a shimmering pop song with only a smattering of synthesizers overlaying
Bernard Sumner's yearning vocals (and his most assured yet). Unlike most of their synth pop compatriots,
New Order not only utilized a wide range of synthesizers and sequencers but also experimented heavily with them. Bolstered by the addition of
Gillian Gilbert, the band make the most out of their electronic gadgets, crafting indelible sequences, complex drum patterns, and oddly emotional washes of sound. What's more, while most synth pop acts kept an eye on the charts when writing and recording, if
New Order were looking anywhere (aside from within), it was the clubs -- both The Village and 586 had all the technological firepower and propulsive rhythmic strength of the mighty "Blue Monday." But whenever the electronics threatened to take over,
Peter Hook's dubby, melodic basslines,
Sumner's plaintive vocals, and
Stephen Morris' point-perfect drum fills reintroduced the human element. Granted, they still had the will for moodiness; the second track was "We All Stand," with over five minutes of dubbed-out melancholia. Aside from all the bright dance music and inventive production on display,
Power, Corruption & Lies also portrayed the band's growing penchant for beauty: "Your Silent Face" is a sublime piece of electronic balladry and "Leave Me Alone" is a wonderfully melancholic slice of post-punk guitar pop. The album stands as a thrilling introduction to a band finding its feet and leaping ahead of the pack, combining superior songwriting skills, imaginative playing, and stunning arrangements that mixed the present with the future. [
Rhino's 2020 deluxe edition of the album is loaded with extras, along with a remastered edition of the album itself that is the first one made from the original master tapes. The immaculately designed box includes an impressive amount of video content: Full live shows recorded at the Hacienda in 1982 and 1983, a 1983 from Ireland, excerpts from performances at various clubs across the world during that time, a handful of television appearances, and the Play at Home documentary the band filmed for Channel 4 in 1984. On the music side, there's a disc with a treasure trove of unreleased tracks plus a 1982 Peel Session that had the band recording a suitably dubby version of
Ian Curtis' favorite reggae song,
Keith Hudson's "Turn the Heater On." The working tapes of songs from the album show the band getting their sound together and working out melodies in often shambolic, but always fascinating fashion. The version of "Blue Monday" that has the band playing at about half the tempo of the final version is almost worth the price of admission alone. Altogether, the collection is absolutely essential listening and viewing for fans of the band.] ~ John Bush & Tim Sendra
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