Originally released on 1983's Power, Corruption and Lies, this live version of Your Silent Face (from NOMC15) captures the enduring sound of New Order at Brixton Academy in 2015. On their third album, the band embraced synthesizers and romanticism wholeheartedly. They were emerging from the ashes of Joy Division and the more guitar-driven sound of their first two albums. This song is exemplary of my favorite period of New Order's music -- the threshold of synth pop and post-punk. It's amazing to hear them, nearly 35 years later, performing the song with such vitality.
Jonathan Richman 's I Was Dancing In A Lesbian Bar reminds me of last night. Yesterday was my birthday. In typical fashion, after my responsibilities as husband and father were lovingly fulfilled and the sun had set on the quiet suburbs of Portland, I drove straight into the city for some karaoke. Throughout the evening I sang three songs and danced harder than I have in years. In Richman's song, the protagonist finds himself feeling like an outsider at a night club. The clientele is too cool to dance and less than welcoming. Soon he is invited to go dancing in a new spot by some kind strangers. They lead him to a lesbian bar that is the polar opposite of the first club. Everybody's dancing and having a good time. Richman has found a place of belonging in the most unlikely setting. That's how I felt at the karaoke club last night. I've been in literally hundreds of karaoke bars in a handful of countries. As a first-timer, singers can be met with indifference,...

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