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Amazon.co.uk Review
It's a simple concept--the first dozen singles by New Order collected, a couple of them rerecorded--but it's also a totally entertaining seven-year history of the band that married British post-punk alienation to the relentless hedonism of the dance floor. The band's hits were always deeply unconventional (like the haunting "Blue Monday", essentially a seven-minute drum machine test with a short lyric that alluded to the Falklands War), but they were brilliant productions, layering dozens of electronic countermelodies and percussion tricks over Bernard Sumner's uncertain warble and Peter Hook's lead bass parts. Though they're audio snapshots of the dance beats of their time, they've held up both as club classics and as idiosyncratic rock songs. --Douglas Wolk
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This superlative double album deserves to be mentioned alongside the likes of Highway 61 Revisited, Sergeant Pepper and so on. It may be a compilation album, but the range and quality of material is astounding, from the sombre beauty of Ceremony, the eerie psychedelia of Everything's Gone Green (one of NO's most underrated tracks), all the way through to True Faith, one of the most perfect pop singles ever recorded. The fact that some NO fans may carp at the reworkings of Temptation, Confusion and Subculture, (which are all fabulous, by the way) and so-called lesser tracks such as Shellshock and State of the Nation, only goes to show what high standards New Order had set themselves by the mid-eighties. The first disc is incontestable proof that, as a singles band, New Order are were (and are) simply untouchable.
The second disc, containing the corresponding B-sides, is fantastic too -although not as immediately gratifying as the first, you'll find yourself soming back to it more and more to get a different "take" on the A-Sides. Furthermore, it contains gems such as 1963 and Procession, which could quite easily have been singles in their own right.
A final note to all NO diehards out there: if you want the definitive version of Substance, try and get your hand on the cassette version, which contains extra tracks: the fragile beauty Mesh, as well the corking re-mixes Dubvulture, Shellcock and the mighty Shep Pettibone mix, Bizarre Dub Triangle. I know cassettes are crap, but you'll have a hard time finding these tracks otherwise!
The second disc, containing the corresponding B-sides, is fantastic too -although not as immediately gratifying as the first, you'll find yourself soming back to it more and more to get a different "take" on the A-Sides. Furthermore, it contains gems such as 1963 and Procession, which could quite easily have been singles in their own right.
A final note to all NO diehards out there: if you want the definitive version of Substance, try and get your hand on the cassette version, which contains extra tracks: the fragile beauty Mesh, as well the corking re-mixes Dubvulture, Shellcock and the mighty Shep Pettibone mix, Bizarre Dub Triangle. I know cassettes are crap, but you'll have a hard time finding these tracks otherwise!
16 of 19 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Not all the singles here are the original 12" versions: "Ceremony" is the re-recorded version, not the superb original rendition done before Gillian joined the band.
"Temptation" is a 1987 remixed edit, "Confusion" is also a dodgy sounding 1987 remix, "Subculture" is slightly altered from it's original form, "Hurt" has 2 minutes cut off from it's original 12" form and "The Perfect Kiss" has 40 seconds sliced off from the end of the song.
"Temptation" is a 1987 remixed edit, "Confusion" is also a dodgy sounding 1987 remix, "Subculture" is slightly altered from it's original form, "Hurt" has 2 minutes cut off from it's original 12" form and "The Perfect Kiss" has 40 seconds sliced off from the end of the song.
Despite all this it's still a fantastic album.
"Blue Monday", "True Faith", "Bizarre Love Triangle" and "Thieves Like Us" are the main highlights, but "Everything's Gone Green", "1963" and "Murder" are great too.
25 of 30 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
I could write an essay about this album, and of sorts, that is what it will be. First of all, the criticism part. There is one thing that annoys me most about this album. The idea of a compilation is to compile previously released songs on a single album. Quite why the producers saw fit to alter 'Confusion' and 'Subculture' from the brilliant songs they were to, quite honestly, noises, is beyond me. I have heard that 'Temptation' was changed too from its original form - I shall remain quiet until I own the original 12" single of it to form a judgement.
Now, after that, you may wonder why I gave this 5 stars. The answer is, this is the best compilation of songs ever. I am a largely emotionless soul, but every time I hear 'Thieves Like Us' I feel a tear swelling in my eye. '1963' is the only song I always, without fail sing along to. 'The Perfect Kiss' is, well, perfect. 'Ceremony', 'Procession', are lesser known classics. 'True Faith' and 'Bizarre Love Triangle' are New Order at their best.
Some feel that the second CD is merely an oversight, and is best left unmentioned. I will state my belief here that it is actually better than the first. 'Lonesome Tonight', 'Procession' and 'Kiss of Death' are so much better than the versions here of 'Confusion', 'Subculture' and the below par 'Shellshock' that even the overall brilliance of every other song on the album can't change this fact.
The reason why I have put so much negativity into this review is thus: I have owned this album for 3 years now. In the time I have owned it, I must have listened to it several hundred times, it is scarse that neither CD is in my player. Nothing is perfect, and the imperfections only become apparent after this length of time. To the newcomer, the world of New Order, 1981 to 1987, the best part of their career awaits you.
In short, my advice would be to buy it. If you always liked New Order, but didn't quite get round to buying anything of theirs, get this, ignore the 'Best Of' which is nothing more than a marketing game to make money. If you're a completist (like me) get this as well as all the singles you own.
Nobody could possibly make a mistake in buying this album. This is music for life.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
classics from the electro 80s
This collection of NO tracks from the 1980s perfectly showcases both their songwriting ability (see the b-side songs like 1963, Lonesome Tonight, Mesh and Procession) and their... Read more
Published 24 days ago by Kraftwerker
lacking in substance
first cd are the main releases and quite poor in substance , only blue monday carries this disc .. the second disc is better with b sides and remixes etc , the only disc i play .. Read more
Published 17 months ago by Keith Randall
Classic!
The reviews already posted on here combine outpourings of love and nostalgia and mini-essays on New Order. But at their best they WERE that good. Read more
Published on 25 Sep 2009 by L. N. Nixon
Not for me but good all the same
I bought this album for my wife as part of a birthday present. I'd not been a great New Order fan at the time of their rise to power - possibly still a bit miffed at the demise of... Read more
Published on 12 July 2007 by S. A. Mclean
A reminder of what we miss today
If ever their was an album to bring back memories of such an experimental time for music, Substance will spring to mind. Read more
Published on 11 Jan 2007 by Tom Cat
1987's comprehensive compilation...
Apparently the reason why 'Substance 1987' was released was down to the fact Anthony Wilson wanted to have a tape to play in his car of New Order's non-LP moments, which sounds... Read more
Published on 22 April 2006 by Jason Parkes
"the most influential band of the eighties"
Forget Depeche Mode, The Cure & The Smiths.Good as they were, New Order were the most influential band of the eighties alternative scene. Read more
Published on 24 Jan 2005 by V. Boxall
Substance, Indeed
There are quite a few New Order compilations on the market ("[The Best of] New Order," "Retro," and "International"), but none can top 1987's "Substance. Read more
Published on 22 July 2004 by Burjiz
a snapshot of genius
Legend has it that Factory boss Tony Wilson wanted to be able to listen to all his Favourite New Order songs on one cassette rather than trawling through their various albums. Read more
Published on 9 July 2003 by ravimotha
If you must own one album to dance to, this is it
It took me a while to get into New Order - apart from 'Blue Monday' I just thought it was really poor dance music. But when I bought this album it changed my opinion drastically. Read more
Published on 23 Mar 2003 by daki
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