FOLLOWING THE SALTMEN

What’s your all-time favorite album?

Throughout the 1980s, New Order were always a cut above the rest. Yes, the Bunnymen were great and The Smiths had some really good moments too, but NO always seemed a class apart. Despite its name, Lowlife marks the pinnacle of NO’s creative endeavours. Opening with Love Vigilantes, the story of a soldier travelling home to see his family then discovering he is dead! Still makes the hairs on my neck stand up and I’m not even listening to the song. Another highlight is Sunrise, a pulsing leviathan of a song driven along by Peter Hook’s impatient bass line. It sometimes seems that its battle with structure will be lost but the insistence of Hooky’s contribution just manages to guide our heroes through to the end. A perfect song.

Side 2 is good too!

Even the sleeve art on the original vinyl was stunning with its innovative use of semi transparent paper partially obscuring drummer Stephen Morris’s portrait. It still feels as fresh today as it did on release in 1985. I thought it would be the soundtrack to my O levels but in-fact it became the soundtrack to my life.

Give it a listen. You owe it to yourself!

Cheers

Steve from Following the Saltmen.