PLENTY OF SUBSTANCE

One of the most revealing tests of a 'best of'—or indeed any compilation—is whether it scores in two very different categories. In the first instance, will it introduce new listeners to the highlights of a band’s career? As one would expect, that is of course the primary goal of a retrospective album. But there is another, equally valid test. Is this collection an essential purchase for existing fans? Not just the exploitative addition of one new song, but a significant addition to an artist’s catalogue. In the case of New Order’s Substance the result is clear: double gold.

New Order arose out of the grief-infused ashes of Joy Division following the suicide of Ian Curtis. Substance 1987 (the year of release is often added to the title) gathers the band’s 12" singles from formation to the year on the cover. It is, by any standards, a fine collection.

Opening with the sparse intensity of "Ceremony" (written by Joy Division) and progressing through the next six years to the insanely catchy "True Faith", we hear New Order develop and incorporate new influences while remaining true to their own sound. The incessant, 'Krautrock’ influenced drumming of Stephen Morris melded with Peter Hook’s resonant bass lines provide a rock solid base for a band intent on finding their own voice and keeping the 'new' in New Order. 

Fans certainly went along for the ride. With the exception of the excellent "Everything’s Gone Green" (#3), every other cut on this 2LP set reached the summit of the UK Indie Chart. 

It is surprising how many non-album singles New Order released early in their career. As well as those already mentioned, we have "Temptation" and "Confusion," both newly recorded for this collection, "Thieves Like Us," and the classic "Blue Monday." This last was the biggest selling 12" single of all time in the UK, massively popular in both clubs and bedrooms. The combination of downbeat lyrics and danceable rhythms was irresistible, despite 'disco' being a dirty word at the time. It is reasonable to claim that "Blue Monday" helped bridge 1970s disco with the dance/house music of the mid-to-late 1980s.

New Order went from strength to strength during this period. "The Perfect Kiss" from 1985’s Low-Life was a hugely successful single, while "Shellshock", the band’s contribution to the Pretty In Pink soundtrack, became another Indie-chart #1. This highly satisfying double album concludes with "True Faith", a single whose first album appearance was on the original issue of Substance. This was the song that got New Order into the pop chart, reaching #4 in the UK and breaking into the top ten in Australia. It signalled a shift towards a dance aesthetic (Pet Shop Boys were huge at the time) and caused some discord within the band. Yet they persevered until 1993 before taking the first of two significant breaks. At the time of writing New Order are still touring to packed houses.

The first (of many) New Order compilations, Substance was well received in 1987 and is considered a core element in the band’s discography. It ticks both the boxes identified at the beginning of this article, delivering key early songs while deepening existing fans’ appreciation of a significant 80s band. The Allmusic Guide and Rolling Stone Album Guide both awarded it five stars, which is essentially two gold medals, isn’t it?

© Bruce Jenkins—October 2024