Album of the Day

After POWER, CORRUPTION AND LIES and “Blue Monday” propelled New Order to prominence, LOW LIFE took the quartet a step further in terms of accessibility. From the 1-2 punch of opening tracks “Love Vigilantes” and “The Perfect Kiss,” the 1985 collection neatly straddles the urgent rock of the band's Joy Division roots with the synth-driven dance grooves for which they'd become more closely identified. As catchy as the album is, it's also filled with strange beauty (the instrumental “Elegia”) and, thanks to Bernard Sumner's plaintive vocals and Peter Hook's melodic bass work, plenty of soul. Released 35 years ago today, LOW-LIFE encapsulates everything that's great about New Order and remains a high-water mark among fans.