New Order Album: “BBC Radio 1 Live in Concert”

I never had the chance to see New Order perform live, and having listened to this I'm sorry I never did. New Order on stage is a vastly different proposition than their fussy, perfect production studio albums. The music has a whole different feel live. The spontaneousness actually makes some of their songs more tuneful. The only regret is that the album contains only nine cuts, drawn heavilly from their 1986 album "Brotherhood." That said, this one is definately for fans only. Like most live albums, the appeal is likely to be lost on casual listeners.

This album is what made me fall in love with New Order once again. The people who dislike this album fall into two seemingly opposing categories: Joy division fans who don't like Bernard Summer's higher voice and synthesizer usage, and New Order fans who think every performance should soudn just like the studio. No man this is New Order singing with a heavy Manchester Accent putting forth all the passion and emotion their lyrics hold. You know how when that song you like is on the radio, but you always seem to tune into the middle part of the song. Then one day you hear a odd but familiar intro, and you finally realize that you are goign to hear the song the whole way through and it's awesome. That is what this album is like. My favorite track on this is Perfect Kiss, which is played in entirety, both verses and the little canto at the end of the second verse with the most elaborate and moving performance of Stephen Morris's Frog Croakings. My only complaint is wanting more.

To be fair, I'm not a major New Order fan, but I always liked "True Faith" and "Bizarre Love Triangle", and found others alright. That being said, given the fact the singer never had a tremendous voice in singing in such a bland way, that concert performances are generally not as well played as original versions, and that these performances add nothing to the original versions in terms of interesting reinterpretations, this performance is dreadful. I've read the band were taking drugs heavily during this 1987 tour. Perhaps this is why the singer's hardly difficult singing is off-tune and lazy throughout. I had to return this awful album. Buy "Substance" or the "International Hits", maybe even Joy Division's "Permanent".

As another reviewer noted, like many live albums the appear of this might be lost on the casual fan. It's a pretty good disc. Again, as others noted it sounds like Bernard Sumner is wasted, and as he never had a strong voice...it's probably not their best show of the tour. Recorded live in Glastonbury '87, it's not the usual BBC session disc in a studio with a live audience, but a regular concert.

The other New Order BBC discs (Peel Sessions and In Session)feature better performances and better sound, but this has a strong and attractive setlist. The recording isn't the best, either--the lead bass guitar is a bit drowned out, and Barney's drunken playing and lyric-spewing are downers. But it's not bad. If you want to hear these songs in a live setting, it's a good deal. There's a different quality in some of these tracks away from the cold, tinnier studio sound. Material from Brotherhood appears alongside Age of Consent, Temptation, and a cover of Sister Ray.

The disc first appeared in 1991, presumably it was remastered or something in the later editions (this one from 2000). I'd recommend the other two New Order BBC albums before this as they sound better and the band is tighter, but still a good disc for fans. However, the set list and the era do sell this one.

Especially to those who slammed the album...really, what do you expect from newOrder? Some sugarwalled and perfect concert live sound on stage? Well, just for your info, the music of newOrder is never meant for live anyway.

They never bother to dress up for their gigs, let alone getting the sound right and studio quality like. Ask any newOrder fan, and this is what they will say too.

This is newOrder, like it or not. They have those once in a blue room world tour, not because they are arrogant, but they never set out to be some kind of rock stars searching for fame or money (perhaps a little).

Not convinced? ;) join the Ceremony (only newOrder mailing list on the net)