Movement's worst song

"The Him" is the worst track, the vocals are poor even for Movement standards, plus it seems to go on forever.

That being said, I don't mind listening to the album every once in awhile; interesting (albeit not great) stuff on there.

I can't decide either, Spotty. I'm not saying there isn't a lousy track or two on there, I just can't say one way or the other.

I used to really hate Truth, but it's sort of grown on me a bit recently. The Him is still crap though.

"Pokemon is the slave master, and Pikachu is the slave trader!"

Tab, we apparently saw the same SNL rerun recently

Personally, The Him is my favorite. I don't know why.

None of the vocals by Barney are very good on this album, he's just starting out, you know? I don't think there's a bad track on the album though. If I don't like the vocals, I just ignore them. I just can't badmouth this album for some reason... even though everyone else, including the band, seems to.

I never cared for Doubts Even Here. It just sounds like a cheesy goth song to me. I hate to think that these were probably how the next batch of JD songs were going to sound like. They sound like they were running out of ideas on the first album, so maybe that's why they turned to disco shortly after.

Also, what's with the votes againts Chosen Time? That's the only New Orderish sounding song on the bloody album.

i don't own it...but it's like a joy division record without ian, right?

The HIM is the worst song. However Movement is not such a bad album as some imply, I really enjoy listening to it while I am driving.

Originally posted by Snucker i don't own it...but it's like a joy division record without ian, right?

No, not right. There's only a handful of Joy Division-ish tracks on there, the rest are a band not really in control of where they are heading, but knowing they are heading somewhere. It almost seems as though Ian was "Head of Quality Control", as ICB and The Him drone on and on in an alienated manner. Dreams Never End is a little nugget of light that has been swamped by the deliberately foggy production. Chosen Time is a song that could be played now (and one which they certainly confined to the archives far too soon), but which borrows the drum pattern from These Days. Most of them are loosely connected to previous JD songs in some form or other - they probably evolved through rehearsal jams in the studio.

The annoying thing about Movement is that a lot of the tracks sounded really good live, 'Senses' & 'Denial' in particular were excellent in concert. The production killed both of those tracks on the album. I won't hear a word against Movement though as it's still means much more to me than their later stuff. I think it has a delicacy and dignity that they lost with their more pop stuff.

Time for a re-evaluation of this LP perhaps? I think it's a genuine under-rated classic meself.

I've listened to it quite a lot recently, and my perspective hasn't changed since the early 80s. It sounds withdrawn, unsure, as though the way forward hadn't been decided, and it took until the writing of Temptation and the PCL songs for this direction to be determined. The production certainly doesn't help - the songs are intrinsically powerful enough to have come across much better than they do in this setting. I'm quite conscious that for most listeners, the recorded version is their initial contact with the songs, and as such the way in which they will be principally defined from here on in. My slant on it is that the production of Movement doesn't do the songs enough justice - anyone who saw an earlyish gig or who has seen Taras Shevchenko knows that they have a lot more guts live.

Fair points well put BCE. I'll admit I have a boot of an old SO36 gig which has total kick-ass versions of most of the songs, which do stomp all over the recorded ones. I do still feel it's a very brave attempt, which may not come off perfectly, but is worthy of respect in it's own right, rather than the incessant knocking it tends to get.

personally, i do not think the production on MOVEMENT is that bad... the songs sound unifinished/unsure and all that, but they're still great. and yes, of course the songs sound better/gutsier live. the same can be said for joy division. i read that JD hated the way UKNOWN PLEASURES sounded, because it was too polished. eventually, they went with it because of the critically acclaim and of course, record sales.

I'd never have thought of Unknown Pleasures as "polished", but there you go. Each to their own.

oh crap..the him has gotten the most votes..and its my favorite new order song..

i love mellotrons you see...and eerie drums.

I'm listening to The Him at the moment. Can't hear any mellotrons in it on Movement !

mellotron or mellotron samples??..they did use them ..

you know the choir sound?,thats it.

Oh right, cheers :)

'It sounds withdrawn, unsure, as though the way forward hadn't been decided'

I think this is why it's so special. That whole 81-83 era has a dignity carried over from JD that they lost soon after. You just have to look at the performances on 'Taras' and 'Celebration' to see that this was a band that was different. They were very solemn and serious because they made solemn and serious music which meant something.

The Him and Doubts Even Here are my favourites. Like Ceremony and In a Lonely Place, New Order, but with the dark atmosphere of Joy Division. Yes, when Temptation came out it was a revelation, but I think this album was still special. Many bands released gloomy albums in 1981 (the cure, etc), it was a bloody gloomy year in Britain.

Has to be 'doubts even here' - worst vocals, worst melody, worst production :barf:

THERE ARE NO BAD SONGS ON MOVEMENT OBVIUSLY THIS IS NOT FOR YOUR POPPY YEARS ...SOUNDS LIKE JOY DIVISION? NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Originally posted by CUERVO DEALMA THERE ARE NO BAD SONGS ON MOVEMENT OBVIUSLY THIS IS NOT FOR YOUR POPPY YEARS...SOUNDS LIKE JOY DIVISION?NOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

Hey, the guy is nervous... he even put a "Y" where he shouldn't, making it almost uncomprehensible.

But despite some passionate preferences, I'd like to make a defense on "Movement". Bernard says he doesn't even have a copy - hey, so what? What are these guys listening to, anyway? Hook was in PINK's concert, for God's sake... - but I really think it is a good album.

I can tell by myself: I'm a 26 year-old adult-now, and I know - as a previous poll demonstrated - that most of the people in this Forum is about the same age. So, what were we listening in 1981? Not Joy Division, I bet. So, most of us got into NO with the release of Substance - some earlier, some later -, when they were already in full force of talent and style. With the hits as parameters, it is really not easy to listen to those weird vocals and I-wanna-be-Ian lyrics and say "fuckin' great". But I do.

I think that "Movement" is a awesome album. It is NO's album with more unity between songs - closely followed (IN THIS ASPECT, OK?) by Low Life. And the Taras' video - which captures all that atmosphere ("don't walk away...") - is wonderful, I never get tired of watching it!!

Of course JD's fans are more likely to enjoy that recording. But, as we've said over and over: aren't them the same band after all?

Oh, and I voted for Truth, which is very boring, I have to say...

It's "incomprehensible".

What were we listening to in 1981? Movement.

Originally posted by Benny's Cobweb Eyes It's "incomprehensible".What were we listening to in 1981? Movement.

Thanks for the English class, Benny, it made all the difference. ;) And you don't count, since you're from a generation that saw all of this happen.

Anybody who thinks this album is shit has no idea.

It is a very powerfull record, one that you could only wish to write yourself.