New Order was the first real band I fell in love with. I found New Order as a disillusioned 15 year old who in so many attempts to be "cool" ended up listening to festering garbage like the Red Hot Chili Peppers and Ben Folds. Whereas my discovery of Joy Division soon after rocked my world--New Order has been the kitschy and wonderful soundtrack to the last four years of my life. New Order started off uncertain of their sound and began releasing material in 1981, a year after the death of Ian Curtis. If you're reading my blog you probably know this history already--but I do consider myself the expert on Joy Division-New Order relations and if given the slightest chance to expound upon it, I won't stop talking for a very, very long time.
Though my top played NO songs are the synthpop anthems "Age of Consent" and "The Perfect Kiss," I consider Movement to be New Order's most solid release, which is a tad bit depressing, considering it was their first. Don't get me wrong--NO deserves praise for their longevity and their influence, but when it comes to pure quality, Movement is unrivaled. Movement is a hybrid sound of Joy Division basslines and New Order's increased experimentation with synthesizers, which would later become the backbone of their music.
Movement begins with "Dreams Never End", which seems to promise a tender, upbeat collection of tracks--however the third track, "Senses", is a dark, brooding composition, full of echoes and sharp clanging noises, and in classic Joy Division style, heavy emphasis on bass. The mood lightens for a spell and then comes "Doubts Even Here", which, as the title suggests, brings a numbed, monotone piece to the table, very much reminiscent of "Heart and Soul", off Joy Division's Closer.
Here are the two songs for comparative purposes:
I love Movement because it's the missing link between Joy Division and New Order, and a transition into a sound that we immediately label as "so 80's." How did we get from goth rock to synthpop? Movement is the answer to that question.
Michos Gracias from Austin,Tejas.
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