Low-life

Low-life (or Low Life) is the title of the third studio album by British group New Order released on Factory records, FACT 100, on 13 May 1985. It was the much anticipated follow-up to 1983's Power, Corruption & Lies album and the much revered singles Blue Monday, Confusion and Thieves Like Us which had seen the group achieve their first commercial success with a move towards an electronic dance/rock crossover style.

The album hit no.7 in the UK charts on its release, although stayed in the Top 40 for just five weeks. It was produced by the group themselves and recorded at Jam Studios and Britannia Row Studios in London.

The sleeve design, as usual by Peter Saville Associates, is the only album by New Order to feature photographs of the band members themselves. The cassette differs slightly from the vinyl LP design although still features the four band members.

A CD edition was released later in the year as the medium started to gain ground.

A full-length version of album track The Perfect Kiss was released as a single on the same day as Low-life. A remix of Sub-culture was also later released as a single. This was the first time that New Order had lifted album tracks for single release, albeit in remixed forms.

As was customary, there was little publicity for the launch of the album, or singles, although some of the tracks had already been performed live by the group prior to the release of the album versions.

A 'Definitive' box set version of Low-Life on vinyl, CD and DVD was released on 27 January 2023.

Personnel
uncredited


 * Bernard Sumner - lead vocals, guitar, keyboards
 * Peter Hook - bass guitar
 * Gillian Gilbert - keyboards
 * Stephen Morris - drums, keyboards

Tracklisting

 * original UK LP FACT 100


 * Side One


 * 1) Love Vigilantes
 * 2) The Perfect Kiss
 * 3) This Time of Night
 * 4) Sunrise


 * Side Two


 * 1) Elegia
 * 2) Sooner Than You Think
 * 3) Sub-culture
 * 4) Face Up

as above plus
 * MC FACT 100c
 * The Perfect Kiss (fac 123) - end of side one
 * Perfect Pit - end of side two

tracks 1-8 as per LP
 * CD FACD 100

all songs written by New Order


 * 2008 re-issue


 * CD 1 - as above
 * CD 2
 * 1) The Perfect Kiss full length version (8:51)
 * 2) Sub-culture (John Robie remix)
 * 3) Shellshock (Substance edit)
 * 4) Shame of the Nation
 * 5) Elegia full length version (17:29)
 * 6) Let's Go
 * 7) Salvation Theme
 * 8) Dub-vulture