Brotherhood is the fourth studio album by the English rock band New Order, released on 29 September 1986 by Factory Records. It contains a mixture of post-punk and electronic styles, roughly divided between the two sides. The album includes "Bizarre Love Triangle", the band's breakthrough single in the United States and Australia; it was the only track from the album released as a single and as a video (although "State of the Nation" was added to most CD editions).
The album sleeve, created by Peter Saville, is a photograph of a sheet of titanium–zinc alloy. Some early releases came in a metallic sleeve.
Music
Brotherhood saw the band further exploring their mix of post-punk and electronic styles, with the track listing being conceptually divided into "disco and rock sides".
In a 1987 interview with Option, Morris commented that the "mad ending" to "Every Little Counts" – which sounds like a vinyl record needle skipping the groove – is similar to the ending of the Beatles' "A Day in the Life". Morris said: "What we should have done is make the tape version sound like the tape getting chewed up. The CD could have the sticking sound."
| rev2 = The A.V. Club
| rev2score = A−
| rev3 = Blender
| rev3score =
| rev4 = Entertainment Weekly
| rev4score = A−
| rev5 = Pitchfork
| rev5score = 9.5/10
| rev6 = Q
| rev6score =
| rev7 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide
| rev7score =
| rev8 = Select
| rev8score = 3/5
| rev9 = Uncut
| rev9score =
| rev10 = The Village Voice
| rev10score = A
Reviewing Brotherhood for the Los Angeles Times, Steve Hochman wrote that New Order "makes atmospheric grooves with more finesse than any contemporary computer-rocker." In his "Consumer Guide" column for The Village Voice, Robert Christgau selected the album as a "pick hit" and said: "The tempos are a touch less stately, the hooks a touch less subliminal. Bernard Albrecht's vocals have taken on so much affect they're humane. And the joke closer softens up a skeptic like me to the pure, physically exalting sensation of the music."
Alongside the release of the box-set, repressed 12" singles "Bizarre Love Triangle", "State of the Nation", and "Touched By The Hand of God" were issued.
2024 Definitive Edition bonus DVD 1
2024 Definitive Edition bonus DVD 2
Personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Brotherhood.
- New Order – production
- Michael Johnson – engineering
- Peter Saville Associates – design
- Trevor Key – photography
Charts
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ 1986 chart performance for Brotherhood
|-
! scope="col"| Chart (1986)
! scope="col"| Peak<br/>position
|-
! scope="row"| Australian Albums (Kent Music Report)
| 15
|-
|-
! scope="row"| European Albums (Music & Media)
| 50
|-
|-
|-
|-
! scope="row"| UK Independent Albums (MRIB)
| 1
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ 2025 chart performance for Brotherhood
|-
! scope="col"| Chart (2025)
! scope="col"| Peak<br/>position
|-
! scope="row"| Croatian International Albums (HDU)
| 14
|-
! scope="row"| Hungarian Physical Albums (MAHASZ)
| 27
|}
Release history
- UK LP – Factory Records (FACT 150)
- UK CD – Factory Records (FACD 150)
- UK Music cassette – Factory Records (FACT 150C)
- US LP – Qwest (25511–1)
- US cassette – Qwest (9 25511–4)
- Canada CD – Factory Records / PolyGram (830,527-2)
- UK CD (1993 re-release) – London Records (520,021-2)