I was simultaneously impressed and underwhelmed by this album. The only New Order I knew before listening to this was "Bizarre Love Triangle," and when I hit "play" on Power, Corruption and Lies, I was eagerly anticipating hot, catchy dance-hall synth-pop with deceptively deep lyrics.
What I got was an '80s rock band playing pseudo-african beats with layers of synth. Raw production. Cool hooks. But nothing was really strikingly catchy...at least not to me.
Notable, though, how Robert Smith completely bit the guitar riff from Your Silent Face for the melody of "Pictures of You" nearly a decade later. In fact, the sparse, bass-heavy sound here really seems to have had a deep impact on The Cure and other later popular '80s acts.
While listening to the album earlier, I jotted down "Ultraviolence is cool," but for the life of me I can't remember anything about the song. I think that captures the way this album appealed to me perfectly. Nice listening, but a bit forgettable.
Like schnitzel, I knew love triangle, and was looking forward to more in the same vein. Instead, I got repetitive, uninspired, unspectacular, unmemorable electronicky tunes which I'm sure sounded really fresh at the time, and which I'm equally sure inspired many other, greater works.
trying to keep an open mind about this -- is this one of those situations where the importance and influence of the album truly cannot be measured by considering the songs in isolation of the larger musical world at the time? I'm really at a loss.
pitchfork's top 100 of the 70's + top 100 of the 80's, considered, scrutinized, explored, assailed, defended, appreciated and deprecated, fussed over, held up high, kicked to the curb and held back up again. education by fire and a middle finger to disdain. tea, anyone?
I was simultaneously impressed and underwhelmed by this album. The only New Order I knew before listening to this was "Bizarre Love Triangle," and when I hit "play" on Power, Corruption and Lies, I was eagerly anticipating hot, catchy dance-hall synth-pop with deceptively deep lyrics.
ReplyDeleteWhat I got was an '80s rock band playing pseudo-african beats with layers of synth. Raw production. Cool hooks. But nothing was really strikingly catchy...at least not to me.
Notable, though, how Robert Smith completely bit the guitar riff from Your Silent Face for the melody of "Pictures of You" nearly a decade later. In fact, the sparse, bass-heavy sound here really seems to have had a deep impact on The Cure and other later popular '80s acts.
While listening to the album earlier, I jotted down "Ultraviolence is cool," but for the life of me I can't remember anything about the song. I think that captures the way this album appealed to me perfectly. Nice listening, but a bit forgettable.
"little moments to pay attention to lost in a haze of unremarkable mellow" -- me
ReplyDeleteseriously, what was this?
ReplyDeleteLike schnitzel, I knew love triangle, and was looking forward to more in the same vein. Instead, I got repetitive, uninspired, unspectacular, unmemorable electronicky tunes which I'm sure sounded really fresh at the time, and which I'm equally sure inspired many other, greater works.
trying to keep an open mind about this -- is this one of those situations where the importance and influence of the album truly cannot be measured by considering the songs in isolation of the larger musical world at the time? I'm really at a loss.