Album
Low-life
1985 · Electronic, Rock
54 collectors on Gatefold own this
Low-life is an Alt/Indie album by New Order, originally released in 1985. On Gatefold: 143 pressings tracked, owned by 54 collectors.
About
As the members of New Order approached their third full-length album, the group was nearing another crossroads—though one not nearly as consequential as its members had faced following Joy Division’s tragic demise. Having slowly shed the sullen elements of post-punk in favor of more affirmative dance rock, New Order had landed several beloved club-oriented singles, including the Arthur Baker-assisted “Confusion,” and found critical acclaim with 1983’s <i>Power, Corruption and Lies</i>, which yielded the unexpected smash “Blue Monday.” New Order’s next step, obviously, was to aim for the stars. Despite being courted by folks like David Geffen—who was eager to capitalize on the band’s potential—the band members chose to work with relative newcomer Tom Atencio, and signed with Quincy Jones’ Qwest Records. Considering the label’s roster included R&B star Patti Labelle, soap-opera sex symbol Jack Wagner, and an arguably past-his-prime Frank Sinatra, it wasn’t the most obvious home for the post-punkers-turned-synth-savants. Yet <i>Low-Life</i>, released in 1985, was proof that New Order was never going to take the easy route. While the bandmates agreed to promote the album with a big lead-off single—an industry-standard practice they’d so far shunned—they did so with a caveat, releasing an 8-minute-long thumper, “The Perfect Kiss,” that didn’t exactly lend itself to radio play. And while <i>Low-Life</i>’s “Sub-culture” took its rhythms from Latin freestyle music, its lyrics focused on London fetish clubs. Still, despite some dark turns—and the album’s title—the overall mood of <i>Low-Life</i> is noticeably lighter than anything Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook, and Stephen Morris had worked before. The lads had always been able to write catchy singles, but their album cuts were often po-faced dirges. With <i>Low-Life</i>, they were crafting vibrant tunes like the delicate, Ennio Morricone-inspired instrumental “Elegia”—a song that wound up in the hit teen film <i>Pretty in Pink</i>, bringing the band’s popularity to new highs.
via Apple Music
The Clerk says
The Clerk knows this whole record — the pressing quirks, the credits, the take.
Tracklist
Side A
- A1Love Vigilantes
- A2The Perfect Kiss
- A3This Time Of Night
- A4Sunrise
Side B
- B1Elegia
- B2Sooner Than You Think
- B3Sub-Culture
- B4Face Up
Sound DNA
- Alt/Indie
- Alternative Rock
- shimmering
- bittersweet
- nocturnal
New Order's third album, released in May 1985.
The title is inconsistently written as Low-life, Low-Life, or Low Life, sometimes in single quotes. It's unclear if the quotation marks are meant to be part of the title; it's either a reference to British journalist Jeffrey Bernard's weekly "Low Life" column in The Spectator magazine or a quotation of Jeffrey's voice saying "I'm one of the few people who live what's called 'the low life'", which is on this album at the beginning of "This Time of Night".
This is the only New Order album with the band on the cover, which was again designed by Peter Saville. They were photographed individually by using a Polaroid film (the band never really believed those photos would end up on the cover). The sleeve itself contained an onion skin obi.
The album was self-produced and recorded at Jam Studios and Britannia Row Studios in London. Notable cuts are Love Vigilantes, a solid, purely guitar-driven narrative about a soldier presumed dead coming home; Elegia, featured in the John Hughes movie "Pretty In Pink" (but only Shell-Shock, rumored to be an homage to Ian Curtis, made it onto the Soundtrack); as well as the two synth-driven tracks The Perfect Kiss (undoubtedly pop music's only frog sample solo) and Sub-Culture.
Some cassette issues include the The Perfect Kiss 12" version.
Peaked at #7 in the UK album charts.
Also ranked:
#50 in NME's list of the "Greatest Albums Of All Time" and #346 in "500 Greatest Albums Of All Time" (2013)
#10 in Spin's list of the "25 Greatest Albums Of All Time" (April 1989)
#10 among The NME's "50 Greatest Albums Of The '80s": "The perfect rock album you could also dance..." (1993)
In 2008 the album was re-released as 2×CD Collector's Edition set, with the bonus disc containing non-album singles, 12" mixes and b-sides.
Factory Australia's initial CD release was based on imported UK copies with "Factory Records Australasia IMPORT" stickers on front of the jewel case.
UK re-releases and re-pressings:
September 1985: Cassettes (cat# FACT 100c) - boxed and plastic cases.
October 1985: CD (cat# FACD 100), initially with car carry case; repressings in 1986.
July 1993: LP, MC, CD (cat# 520 020-1 / 2 / 4), with repressings in 1994, 1996 and 1998.
January 2000: CD (cat# 8573 81313-2), with repressings in 2005 and 2017.
October 2008: CD (cat# 2564 69370 0) - Collector's Edition, with remastered reissue in 2009
July 2009: LP (cat# 2564-68879-8) - 180 gram remaster in original artwork, with repressings in 2015.
US releases:
May 1985: LP, MC (cat# 9 25289-1 / 4)
C. March 1988: CD (cat# 9 25289-2), with repressings in 1998, 2001, 2005.
November 2008: CD (cat# R2 516184) - Collector's Edition, with remastered repress in 2009.
October 2009: LP (cat# R1 25289) - 180 gram remaster.
Japanese releases:
May 1985: LP (cat# YX-7352-AX), CD (cat# 33C38-7413).
February 1989: CD (cat# 25CY-3110).
November 1993: CD (cat# POCD-1885).
March 2000: CD (cat# AMCE-6102).
June 2005: CD (cat# WPCR-75043).
March 2008: CD (cat# WCPR-13170/1) - Collector's Edition.
January 2010: CD (cat# WPCR-13585~6) - Collector's Edition - remastered.
July 2013: CD (WPCR-78096).
Credits
The people behind it.
Performers
- Bernard SumnerLEAD VOCALS, GUITAR
- Gillian GilbertKEYBOARDS
- Peter HookBASS
- Stephen MorrisDRUMS
54 collectors on Gatefold own this · 143 pressings tracked on Gatefold
Start your shelf.
Track your pressings of Low-life, get the Clerk's take, and see what the record is worth — free.
Start your shelf →Free forever. Works with 10 records or 10,000.