ARTIST:
NEW ORDER


ALBUM:
POWER, CORRUPTION, & LIES


KEY TRACKS:  
AGE OF CONSENT
LEAVE ME ALONE
BLUE MONDAY



"I'm not the kind that likes to tell you just what you want me to"
Ah the 80s!  A time is distinct and unique as Crystal Pepsi (ok that was the early 90's but who cares!)!  This album was very much ahead of its time.  Released in 1983, New Order's Power, Corruption, & Lies sounds very much what is trending in current music.  It's no secret that 80's like sounds and beats are being heavily sampled by acts like Washed Out, LESANDS, The Drums, and even M83.  The 80's are back and it's not only evident in music, it's in fashion, makeup, even advertising.  There is an overall appreciation for regression not just to all things 80's but to that oh-so-fashionable word "vintage".

So why this need to go back to a different time?  Perhaps it's the recession?  Maybe people want to think of a time when gas wasn't $4+ and terms like "global warming", "war on terror", and "economic depression" were unheard of.  Maybe musicians are catching on to the importance of history and that timeless idea that you can't move forward until you know where you've been.  That's why New Order is an important band for me.  

I was first introduced to these English rockers on the Marie Antoinette soundtrack, which if you haven't heard I highly HIGHLY recommend.  Their single, "Ceremony" was used both in the film and for the previews as well.  It's interesting that this was the first track I heard from this band because this was an effort by New Order's earlier incarnation Joy Division.  However it was released under the new moniker and still remains to this day one of the most celebrated and recognizable tracks.  However, Power, Corruption, & Lies is a first listen of the rest of New Order's catalogue.

The album's opener Age of Consent is a firecracker of a start.  The guitar riff alone is a triumph.  the track steadily builds on that guitar riff to drums, vocals, and of course a bit of synth.  But fortunately it's just enough synth to keep this track timeless and not in the dated realm of the 80's.  

Of course there are some tracks on here that do fall prey to that categorization, however there are other tracks that are still memorable even today.  Case in point is Blue Monday.  I'm really embarrassed to admit that the first time I heard this track was from some shitty 90's band called Orgy.  What's worse is that I liked the song and didn't even realize it was a cover. Now, I'm enlightened.   Blue Monday has one of the most iconic kick drum beats in the history of music.  Trust me, you'll recognize it.  This is certainly a landmark of a track, not just for the 80's, but for music as a whole.  At over 7 minutes long, this track is a massive statement.  

Lastly, I've really fallen hard for the closing track.  It's a really nice way to end the album, and strategic, because it leaves you wanting more.  Sometimes artists drag out end tracks making the listener antsy.  I sometimes even find myself thinking "Jesus, is it over yet?!"  I don't get that sense from this album, or this ending track.  This track is New Order doing what they do best, solid guitar riffs with just enough electronics.  It's a perfect mix.  A perfect mix that not all 80's bands - or Crystal Pepsi - could sustain to survive their era.  

LISTEN:  AGE OF CONSENT  |  LEAVE ME ALONE  |  BLUE MONDAY

NEXT WEEK:  LESANDS  |  SWEET SKIN

ARTIST:
TV ON THE RADIO


ALBUM:
NINE TYPES OF LIGHT


KEY TRACKS:
NEW CANNONBALL BLUES
KEEP YOUR HEART
WILL DO
SECOND SONG


"hey girls, hey boys, no don't mind the noise"


"Why the fuck haven't I listened to this earlier?"  That's the statement that runs through my head every time I play this album.  Some people get mad when they hear a lousy album, or because it costs too much, or because they've "sold out".  But me?  I get angry when I've been ignorant of a great band that's been around for quite some time. 


TV on the Radio is the perfect example of this.  Founded in Brooklyn in 2001, TVOTR has been cranking out some of the most satisfying music I've heard in a long time.  I mean, I really, really like these guys!  Woven into the tracks are intricate, grunge laden synths, looping guitars, and pulsing bass lines that just hits the spot.  


With such diverse and varying sounds drifting in and out of the album, it makes their music pretty difficult to nail down into a genre, but no less enjoyable. 


This album is completely saturated with hits, which made it difficult to pick a few to discuss but the bass line alone in "New Cannonball Blues" is a triumph.  This song is a fantastic example of how explosive TVOTR's music is.  The whole track builds and builds from the simple bass line, to a finale complete with trumpets, rattling guitars, and clashing cymbals.  This track is fantastic and will be frequently played on my track list many years to come.  


Next, "Keep Your Heart" was a true grower for me.  It wasn't until I had the privilege of seeing these artists live that I truly appreciated this eclectic song.  The room grew quiet when (largely bearded) vocalist Kyp Malone humbly stated how beautiful the venue was and proceeded to  belt this song out with a backdrop of blood-red lights.  The beats pulse throughout the record, coupled with a guitar that trickles down the scales in the bridge.  Although less prominently featured as the lead vocalist, Kyp's unique voice is the perfect addition to equally unique music.  


"Will Do" is easily the favorite of the album.  Lead singer Tunde Adebimpe's voice is smooth and handles the the demanding range of this track effortlessly.  It's a fine example of how TVOTR handles a ballad in that just because the tempo slows, the bass doesn't need to stop, or the drums....or the synths.  


This band for me is one of the greats.  One that I'll continue to play - and enjoy - for years to come.  So listen now -don't put it off- or else you'll end up angry that you didn't.

LISTEN:  NEW CANNONBALL BLUES | KEEP YOUR HEART | WILL DO | SECOND SONG

                  NEXT WEEK:  FOUR TET | THERE IS LOVE IN YOU