The Rundown: Power, Corruption & Lies

The Rundown is a semi-regular feature on Def in June where we assess old and new albums on a track by track basis. Not to be taken strictly as a review of the record in question, it is intended to serve as an assessment of album craft, songwriting quirks and the album's overall place in the artist's discography. Yes, it's quite nerdy. This is what we do.

Arguably the album that most typifies New Order's coming of age as a band in their own right, Power, Corruption & Lies was born from the band's desire to create a record that mixed the tight sequencing and synthetic texture of their monster single "Blue Monday" with their origins as a rock band. Although the attempt might have yielded awkward transitions between bouncy synthpop and guitar, bass and drum driven songs, the uniformity of production and spirit of studio based experimentation insures that it holds together as a consistent long player.

The Rundown: New Order Power, Corruption & Lies (Factory Records)
Released: May 2nd, 1983
Personnel: Bernard Sumner, Peter Hook, Gillian Gilbert, Stephen Morris
Producer: New Order

AGE OF CONSENT

A propulsive blast of Stephen Morris' frenetic drumming anchored by an insistent bass riff. Notable for a hundred different reasons, including it's inclusion of several soon to be familiar vocal tics and Bernard Sumner's attempts to emulate the guitar sound of disco legends Chic (no really). A stone classic, and possibly the group's most notable side one track one.

WE ALL STAND

Calm and reflective, a meandering melody over a snaking bassline with a wide variety of synth noises and drum reverb leftover from the movement era. Not especially fantastic but fittingly melancholic and not at all out of place.

THE VILLAGE

Borrowing some electro bounce from Arthur Baker (who they would later work with to produce "Confusion") and featuring some of Bernard's careless but genuine lyrics. Upbeat and charming in it's naivete.

586

After a solid minute and 45 seconds of drum machine and synth fuckery, it breaks into a nascent version of Blue Monday. Legend has it it was partially written as part of the group's desire to have a song that was based on computer sequencing so they could leave the stage during shows to get a start on drinking before the gig was officially over. Hence there exists a version that is 20 minutes long and was released as a single under the name "Video 5 8 6".

YOUR SILENT FACE

Not hard to tell why the working title of this piece was TK1 (an abbreviation of "The Kraftwerk One"). Reminiscent of the German robot's seminal The Man Machine for it's cool, measured synthetic blips and textures and immaculately programmed drum machine. Also it's out of the blue final lyric where Bernard encourages an unnamed muse to "piss off", a sentiment so out of touch with the song it stands out as a profoundly anti-intuitive and characteristically New Order-like.

ULTRAVIOLENCE

Mostly notable for Stephen's drumming mixing fluidly with chirping synthetic percussion. Not violent really, but somehow kind of Ultra.

ECSTASY

A nice workout for various bits of sampling and processing gear. Evidence of the time Stephen and Bernard allegedly spent in the band's studio playing with then cutting edge equipment from E-Mu and Oberheim.

LEAVE ME ALONE

A perfect bookend for the album, revisiting the elements and sentiment of "Age of Consent" with a much more elegiac and downbeat feel. One of the most heartfelt vocal performances of the band's career, and one of the few where they let themselves to be unremittingly pensive without self-sabotaging in some way.

REISSUE BONUS MATERIAL

Well, it has "Blue Monday" which is essential but also kind of unnecessary for a package like this really. The instrumental takes on "Thieves Like Us" and "Confusion" are both nice to have.


New Order - Your Silent Face