Reviews (page 10 of 14)
- Familiar with the band, less with the actual music. Thought I was going to love this, because I adore the first track ("Disorder"). Sounds like it could be from an indie rock band from the early 00s. That fast bassline is super fun and modern. - Unfortunately, the rest of the album did not live up to that initial jam. Definitely find their faster stuff more interesting. The rest gets monotonous. - Feels like a mix of the Doors and David Bowie?
It's not bad, but my overriding thought was "oh, it's all the stuff that makes me think The National is boring as hell."
Didn't know any of this one. Woulda been my vibe in the 90s though.
Nice ending. Reminded me of The Stooges a little.
I used to love it. Now kinda meh on it. Definitely for a certain mood, though I think even if I were in that sort of mood I believe that this would make it worse. Would revisit.
Brytyjski rock / 5 Album, który ginie trochę w zalewie sobie podobnych krążków innych brytyjskich zespołów. Zgodnie z tym, co mówili z niezadowoleniem sami muzycy - przez produkcję brzmi to bardzo jak Pink Floyd. Solidny album, fajna głębia dźwięku przy względnej prostocie muzyki. Ciekawy krążek, ale nie jakoś przesadnie wciągający, przynajmniej dla mnie. Przy drugim przesłuchaniu lepszy. Nie wiem, czy coś by zyskał, gdybym nie robił na boku czegoś innego, ale nie sądzę.
No joy nor division. The album is mid. There was a moment when I was suprised to hear something more engaging but I found out that the album was over and it was random rock song.
The hipster kids who have been wearing this album cover on their shirts my whole life tricked me into thinking this would be a top-tier album. It’s okay.
Typical sound of late 70s/early 80. Ok, but not more.
Hard to get into, I hated it at first. It's still not one of my favorites but I at least enjoy and understand its importance in music history.
a very moody and tense album. one that i think is very well put together and has some cool instrumentation when it does show up (some songs feel a bit barebones), but frankly it is not an album i could listen to all the time. it would require a proper mood i feel to properly enjoy this album, one that i dont always experience or feel. still, the alhum is competent and gives the feeling it conveys well enough, its just not for me
Bien, pero nunca he sido muy fan de Joy Division. Ya sé, es pecado, pero qué le vamos a hacer. Buen álbum, claro.
Unknown Pleasures ist mehr als nur ein Album – es ist ein emotionales Erlebnis, das auch über 40 Jahre nach seiner Veröffentlichung nichts von seiner Intensität verloren hat. Es verlangt zwar nach einem offenen Ohr und einer Vorliebe für dunklere Klänge, belohnt den Hörer jedoch mit einer unvergleichlichen musikalischen Reise. Ob man ein Fan des Genres ist oder einfach nur ein Stück Musikgeschichte erleben möchte – dieses Album ist ein Muss.
Lind of dark and melancholy, which is understand. An album without much actual joy, but still musically OK.
6.5/10 Second JD album in a couple of weeks, liked this more but I am still not sure they are for me. Production wise this was much more route one, but in a good way. Sounded pretty fresh and the sound still exists and is relevant. Bass very good. Preferred the vocals this time, seemed less affected. Overall less intense and doom-laden than the other one, but it still was slightly dragging for me at the end Best: Day of the Lords
Unknown why this album made the 1001 List, maybe the cover art. Pretty good threefer from Shadowplay, Wilderness, and Interzone but the rest of the songs are mediocre. (2.7*s) Pleasure.
Joy Division made (pulsar) waves in the post-punk world by being moody instead of upbeat, down instead of up, and singing about emotions other than anger. They blended electronic, somewhat industrial soundscapes with dance music and glitchy guitars. You can hear how they were the predecessors to a lot of melancholic music to come (yes, including Seventeen Seconds by The Cure). Is Unknown Pleasures great? No. Is this four 20 year olds exploring introspective, dark themes and displaying raw emotion at a time when all music (in the UK) was the Sex Pistols? Yes. There's a few good songs on here but it's missing "Love Will Tear Us Apart" which is undeniably great. I like their sparse, angular sound for a few songs and dig the very well-known cover art. 3.0 for the short-lived epileptic.
Dank, dark, and pulsating. Some good guitar work and sound effects. Top tracks like "Disorder" and "Shadowplay" carry the album. I listened to it once before years ago after watching seasons of Ink Master. The only shirt judge Dave Navarro owns apparently is one with the cover art on a T. Had to look it up and this time around it left a similar impression...pretty good but not that memorable. The cover of the album is obviously more famous than the music. The pulsar image is cool as well as the band name. Album content however is not as radiating...3.05.
Did not enjoy it as much as I thought...
Not as good a Closer but shows the promise of what was to come. A little rough around the edges but has a certain power and atmosphere
It was a little boring. It sounded a bit like talking heads with the emotionless yet passionate singing.
Never heard any of this before which is not surprising as there were never any singles released and the album never charted. I found it a bit boring but good in parts. I feel it deserved more commercial success than it had especially as this was the only Joy Division album released before the untimely death of singer Ian Curtis
259/1001
I have never intentionally listened Joy Division. Some songs I have heard and overall sound is familiar. Sparse start and gaining speed towards end and getting me more and more hooked but without final crescendo.
This album is more of a downer than I remember. Hah! A classic, for sure, but just not my personal speed.
Some good hits, and I should love it, but something about it just misses the mark for me. First listening to it on an airport bus in Pisa, Italy probably didn't help. High 3*
3.5
First song is great, the rest blends.
This was a known hole in my cultural lexicon. They were just before when I started getting into the alt rock scene and I never went back to listen to them. I'm a little surprised to hear this be regarded as one of the best albums of all time, but it's solid. I still don't think it's getting above 3, though.
I get the appeal, maar niet voor mij gemaakt
Not Bad, not into the lyrics too much. It is definitely very heavy on the psychedelic side. It does make you tap your foot a lot,catchy. Interzone and shes lost control were the favorites.
Day346 - i believe joy division/new order is an influential band and they have some pretty good songs but they might even be to depressing for me
I'm sure at the right moment in life this album hits like a train.
Nothing on this album jumped, 3 stars
I did not use a private session for Spotify. I have listened to Joy Division songs, but never sat through an album. I liked this album, but I didn't find anything in this that would keep me coming back.
Very gloomy vibe to this. Kind of reminds me of the early "The Cure" album that came up earlier on this list. I don't really care for it tbh
Det är ok rock. Lite seg bitvis. Som shadowplay. Känns som det finns en annan låt däri någonstans. Aja, hört talas om barnet men aldrig lyssnat. Nu är det gjort!
Truly never heard any of their stuff, that I am aware of. I do have an idea of the type of music they deliver. So excited to check this out. Very gothy. Very interesting. Not really my style but I get it.
Got bored halfway through
Went into this with no expectations but was pleasantly surprised. His voice sounds a lot like Gord Downie to me and there was a darker Hip sound there at times. I always have to be in the right mood for Joy Division but when the mood hits I’ll definitely reach for this album.
ooh this sure makes me feel GOTHIC. Not really my thing, but its interesting to see where this music goes from here as a genre.
Good
This is not what I expected from joy division. This was guitars and bass and drums. Didn’t hear a ton of poppy synths. Maybe that comes later with them. Dark, kind of whiny. It’s fine, don’t hate.
ok
It was fine.
Thoroughly enjoyed the music throughout this album. The guitar riffs, powerful kick drums and just out and out cool gothic rock, in terms of the instrumentals, was great to listen to. I appreciate though, as far as this sort of music goes, the music and the vocals come as a package deal. You can't enjoy Roller Coasters and complain about the heights.. or bang Katie Price and then complain about the syphilis that inevitably comes with it. But that's exactly what I'm going to do, I want my cake and I want to eat it too.. and I want to eat it without having to listen to the bleak, ethereal tones of Ian Curtis. It's not even that bad necessarily, it's just a style of music that has never resonated with me. I do get that having these slower vocals juxtaposed against the heavier rock is part of the charm.. but to me, I can't help but hear a Scooby Doo type ghoul or swamp monster, talking in a wobbly, spooky voice to me, whilst I just try and listen to a nice bit of rock music.. I find it boring and interfering (It always turns out to be the janitor anyway). 3 stars, could have been 4 or 5.. and they'd have gotten away with that rating too, if it hadn't been for that meddling vocalist.
Musically I thought it was really impressive. Lead singers voice is often drowned out by the music though. Perhaps for the best as he sounds like Frankenstein's monster just moaning all over the gaff. Not particularly for me, but there was one song that I really really liked. It even got the wheel up. 'She's Lost Control' is fucking sick. Sounds like it's from a movie soundtrack, the guitar in it is particularly what gets me bricked up. That song alone takes this from a measly 2 stars up to a 3, I enjoyed it so much it felt necessary to have it bump the score up. Count yourself lucky, Joy Division... As the rest is very 'meh'
This album is so highly regarded by so many people as the album that made alternative or indie music... I didn't hate it, but it wasn't particularly engaging or enjoyable. It's a cool sound for the late 70's, but overall meh.
It has great instrumental's, the vocals didn’t match in my opinion. Quite relaxing though good if you want a kip.
Was ok. A bit boring for me
Excellent producing but too dark for me
Not a bad album, just not really my thing.
"Disorder" is one of my favourite songs of all time. That makes this album a hit. "New Dawn Fades" and "Interzone" are good songs as well. It's a shame that the rest of "Unknown Pleasures" wasn't as great as "Disorder". Would've been an all time classic for sure. Looks like I'll have to give "Unknown Pleasures" a 3 star rating.
No strong opinion on this one.
would give it 2.5 if i could do half stars but im going to round up
får nog säga att det är överskattat, det är inte längre jag som inte fattar
Some tracks are good
Very dark post-punk proto New Wave stuff. Occasionally one can recognize that this is the predecessor of New Order. I might have liked it back then, but now it is a bit too gloomy for me.
Listened while reading Murakami's 1Q84. It matched the vibe perfectly. But I wouldn't listen on a daily basis. I'm not cool enough.
I prefer Closer but this is a pretty good album. Couple of tracks I'm not mad about. 3.5
It is a good album and notable historically, but I don't think the songs are strong enough front to back for me to really get into it. I much prefer the follow up album, which to me is one of the best of the 80's.
A JOY to listen to!
Ok if in the right mood. Mostly instrumental
I know nothing about this album except for its cover. This started ok but tracks were hit or miss (insight's vocals were meh). It's wild that this is from the 70s, many tracks sounds like NIN or the 90s. This led to some cool ambient stuff, so that was neat. 3*
I really liked parts of this album, but the out of key bass parts weren’t fun
Better than a lot of other albums on this list but not good enough for me to add to my collection.
Pretty good, I like the instrumentals but the vocals get old after a while. I didn’t realize this album was from the 70s!
It's alright. Very emo/goth sounding to my ears, which isn't a bad thing. It's just not my listening mood right at this moment.
Very moody album. Not sure if I like the singing. But the guitar and sound definitely works. 3/5
already heard but i might as well run it back since i didn’t really get it first time
Too depressing
Didn’t really stand out to me. I kind of liked it’s discordance.
I didn't know what to think... It was ok? I guess It's not really music for me.
Not great, not bad. 3/5.
Classic post-punk/early New Wave. Good but wouldn't go out of my way to listen to it. 7/10
This is what 80s “alternative rock” sounded like. If you like 80s alternative rock, you can listen to this. Or the Cure. Or the Smiths. Or Echo & the Bunnymen. Or maybe even the Pixies.
First two and last two songs were the best here, but the album was just okay. Terrible name for the sound.
The Joy Division brought me very little joy. The music was alright, but I did not like the singer.
3/5
Much less intense than anticipated. All in all, a bit like listening to people politely learning how to play their instruments. Makes a lot of 90s band seem less interesting than first thought....
Felt generally kind of dull at first, but kept growing on me the more I listened to it.
A solid 3. Great bass obviously.
perfect for this autumn weather :3
Хотя музыка и приятная, но альбом совсем не запомнился. New wave в современном виде напоминает слабо, хотя это даже и нравится (как будто экспериментальный альбом слушаешь).
A bleak album with some interesting production. I do like this and I appreciate its legacy, but I don’t love it. I’m just not super into the sound of a lot of post-punk in general
Not as depressing as I thought it was going to be. Still not really my thing overall.
I am supposed to like this more than I do. But all I wanted to do was go to the mall to buy Doc Martin's.
Good album, but I don't love it like I'm supposed to. I enjoy it and I think I do like it a bit more on each listen. Still, it's not something I find myself coming back to often. 3.25/5
Significantly better than their other album. 3.5
Really good instrumental, bad vocal audio quality.
I always lowkey thought this album was overrated. Yes it has a t shirt worthy album cover but past that and a select couple of tracks like disorder I was never super engaged by this album like other people. I get that it’s very influential and important in certain ways but that doesn’t help the fact that I get bored listening to this.
The music is not bad however a few songs are a little repetitive at times. Liked tracks: Disorder, Shadowplay
Sounds a bit like a mix of Talking Heads and the Doors. 3 stars or C+ for me but that might improve some on a second listen.
I was a bit disappointed with this one. You really have to be in a mood to get something out of it. Not even a bad mood or depressed mood, just something different than a feeling of just existing I guess. This is the 3rd album I’ve listened to and maybe it’s me but I really feel the blues in this one. I wouldn’t suggest a first time listener to listen to this album though. Choice cut: New Dawn Fades
Yeah, it's pretty good, but Blue Monday has the whole album covered
sad british boys clock in! eerie vocals / guitar really evokes being sad numb and hopeless! finally glad to know the album from the t shirt 🙏
Cool vibe, felt like proto-Talking Heads almost?
Reminds me of a mix of the Doors and Velvet Underground. Some of the songs drone on a bit, but most were solid.
cool but not much diverse
Classic album for sure but not my jam
Shame, shame, shame on me. I thought Joy Division started making music in the 2010s. Oopsie. 3/5
Intresting, impressive that it came out in 1979. Enjoyed it instrumentally but the vocals and/or lyrics were a miss for me.
I feel like I have to like this album. it is a OK album, nothing that puts me way over the top.
Dark and brooding. Love it
Depressive as expected but not too bad
I’ve never truly known the pleasures of this album myself….
Joy Division has never clicked with me in any meaningful way. Enjoyed this listening the most that I ever have. which is not a lot.
I am at a point in my life where I can enjoy things devoid of irony and expectation... this is like the biggest meme album ever and obviously its the t-shirt of the century... but I can say with certainly devoid of influence that this album is just okay! lol. I am a way bigger new order fan and always found joy division to be pretty underwhelming
Joy Division is a kind of precursor to Nirvana in that they got their fame and accolades as a result of their lead singer removing himself from the gene pool. And just like Nirvana, Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures is a mediocre output that was popularized for reasons other than 'good music'. 3/5.
Sludge. And lots of it. You can see how prominent of a step Joy Division was in the ladder new wave made between punk and grunge.
I generally like Joy Division but I guess I don’t love Joy Division. The couple of albums I’ve listened to because of this project have only been pretty good rather than great. 3.5/5
I enjoyed it. I feel i’ve tried to listen to it 3 or 4 times before but I felt a new feeling listening to it tonight. but is some part of me listening to it as if it’s feminist ironic punk?
Another band that I know of, but don’t really know, it’s not bad. I had it playing at work and nothing really stood out, but I can see how it was influential at the time.
I think I’d need listen to this one a few more times to get it. Pre goth, super mopey - not a go to album for me. Not bad, some great riffs and snippets.
It grew on me over the course of the album. Warrants a second listen.
These songs kinda sneak up on you. Not gonna lie, kinda surprised, because I listened to this album years ago and found no enjoyment in it.
Doing this in 1979 is really impressive, and it really nails post-punk vibes, but I just can't bring myself to like it all that much. I respect it for being an incredible debut record and for ushering in the 80s, and it's got an incredible concept that it sticks to through the whole runtime. I just don't vibe with it.
Really good album
The songs I like, I love.
It was strong i especially liked the last song
hmmm okej det lilla jag hört av joy division sen innan har jag gillat, men det här albumet var kanske inte superintressant. De har ju verkligen ett distinkt burkigt ljud som jag tyvärr nästan kände att jag behövde vänja mig vid här. Men vid andra genomlyssningen tycker jag ändå det var fint Bästa låt: disorder 😍
Good rock album, this could be a four after further listening but a 3 right now. I didn't pay much attention to the lyrics but the guitar was really good
In the right mood (miserable, depressed, angry, hopeless) Unknown Pleasures is the perfect cocktail of innovative post-punk bleakness. Much of this album piddles forth in somber despair. And then there are standout tracks like She’s Lost Control, Shadowplay, and album opener Disorder, the second strongest song Joy Division ever made behind Love Will Tear Us Apart. It’s an undeniably groundbreaking album, but also one I hardly ever want to listen to in its entirety. Maybe I should consider myself lucky for that.
Dark, sparse album but has a thread to it that makes it compelling. A long way from Joy.
Emo album starter kit
First joy division album i heard
oh i had no idea that this bougie shirt i got at h&m was actually a design of album cover of this album! wowie! i love the waves!! it was alright, its significant, but it failed to really resonate with me, too many drawbacks to the record. i like some of the singles tho YNN over the last two weeks i listened to the king crimson album from two weeks ago off my list like 5 times its actually quite good, some parts are total bangers, but the second half of moonchild is complete dogshit also, minus points for not splitting tracks into actual tracks, instead of having 10 minute long abominations. just split the tracks, what if i dont wanna wait or skip through 6 minutes of the previous thing? YNN
Good
Bit difficult to listen to. Not a fan of the vocal style but still a well produced album
1979 was a strange time in Britain. The energy of punk had evaporated and no one yet knew what to expect from the 80s. This album captured a particular zeitgeist with icily precise production and the immense bass line of Peter Hook. I was never really a fan of Ian Curtis’s gloomy, monotone vocals but this really was something quite unique. A shoutout for one of the most iconic album covers of all time, showing the radio pulses from a neutron star.
Kind of a one note album. Almost every song was the same. Wasn’t necessarily bad, just not very interesting. 3/5 Probably won’t listen again
Old alt
Have heard this before. I love Disorder. The rest of the album is a bit of a slog. It's a 3 I think.
1. Good for testing bass dynamics 2. Good for testing guitar tonality 3. Good for testing separation of instruments 4. A chill and slow burn rock album 5. Listening to the album was great but nothing standout to me.
One of those albums where the cover is more iconic than any of the songs contained within. While it deserves praise for being a trailblazer, it's just not an album that has ever appealed to me.
Good
pretty good
Some good ol' manc goth music. Not terrible, but definitely wouldn't seek out again.
My least favorite band name of all time. Just puts a rotten taste in my mouth.
Dunno why all those hipsters wear t-shirts of this album. The Substance comp was always way superior -- it even has a way better version of 'She's Lost Control' on it. 3/5
I'm not sure the circumstance one is supposed to listen to this. If I heard it playing from someone's open car window I'd stay clear of them. But it was an enjoyable listen while doing yard work on a cloudy day. Definitely a grower.
I really wanted to like this one, as this is the second time I've listened to this with the first one being a while back in 2020. Sadly, it just does not click. The opening track is good but it does not go anywhere other than that and it is just dull for the most part.
I feel like I’m missing something honestly. I need to give this especially another listen. I want to love this the same way all the critics do. I wanna understand why this is the new t-shirt album.
Like the last couple of goth rock albums we've gotten, I imagine I'd be into it way more if I was a goth girl. Since I'm just a regular girl, though, it's... Fine, y'know. I'll admit, there's some stuff here that made me like this album a bit more than some of the other goth albums we've gotten—I mean, that one guitar lick that sounds like it came from a surf rock song? I dig that all the way! On the whole, though, it just had a hard time keeping my attention for too long.
I’m at a 3. Really, the biggest thing I can knock this album for are the vocals; the monotone feel works on about half the tracks, but on the other half, they either just don’t fit, or he’s trying way too hard to make them fit. I Remember Nothing, in particular, has a really captivating and haunting moody soundscape that just gets dragged down so hard by his vocals that it almost killed the song for me. Regardless, it’s a solid album. There’s good tracks, there’s not really any bad tracks (ok, I fucking hated Candidate though), but there’s not that many captivating and memorable tracks. A lot of it blended together for me, and part of it is from some of the songs just having slightly dull and repetitive soundscapes. The drums are super hit and miss on this album to me; when they’re hot, they are red hot and add a great energy. When they’re missing, it’s basically just because it’s a remarkably basic pattern that sort of drains the energy from the guitar. The guitar usually doesn’t miss though. I dunno, that’s a lot of words to say “it’s fine, it could have been better, the instrumentation was bland at times, and the vocals are the weakest part”. It’s a solid 3, and I’m sure other people will “get it” more deeply than I did.
I like Joy Division but not really this particular record. Just nothing stood out.
3.7
I enjoyed this album but honestly I forgot it was on
Post-punk. Un tanto repetitivo. Ni fu ni fa.
Undeniably an inspirational album but not my favourite piece of music in the world ever. Still, some very strong sounds on here.
I don't know where the hype comes from around some groups, but here it's really over the top, the whole album is nothing more than average.
3.5
legal, mas parece que a primeira música carrega o resto do álbum
i wish i had liked it more. the mixing on the vocals bothered me and it dragged a bit. a shame! i knew some songs off it already and it turned out those were the best ones, didn't get anything new out of finally listening to the full album imo, but it was still fun.
It's okay. I'm not a huge fan of Joy Division but I wouldn't skip if one of these songs came across my playlist.
The dark and gothic sound can be really cool if used effectively, but the slower, monotonous pace just doesn't quite do it for me. Not bad, not great
None of the songs really stood out to me
Not my taste but some songs were good. 5/10
A 3 because it has very high peaks and is the bedrock of a lot of stuff I like, but I don’t particularly enjoy listening to it as a full album
One of those landmark albums that doesn't sound so great anymore. Bleak for bleakness sake perhaps. I was about to write the whole album off, but Shadow play, Interzone and Wilderness all still sound great.
3.5/5 - was nice to have on in the background while I worked. I can also appreciate just how important this album and sound is to a lot of the music I love. standout track: - Shadowplay 5/5 - I fell in love with this one
Whinging Poms. Actually that’s a bit harsh. I do prefer new order but hook et Al are a good band. That Ian Curtis needed more help than he could get is a recurring theme in the history of pop music. I find this stuff maudlin and dull but recognise that it has a significant following. And yes probably an album you should hear.
Really, there isn't much difference between Unknown Pleasures and Closer, so I am going basically re-run my review of Closer. Heretical opinion time: Joy Division were just a band (apologies to Scroobius Pip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWrMGXwhFLk&t=6s), and a barely competent band at that. But the way they channel the Velvet Underground through a Krautrock filter helped define what post-punk could be, and the tragic tale of Ian Curtis is now canonical rock and roll lore. Much credit to Martin Hannett for the production that presents the shortcomings of the band (noisy, minimal, basic, intense, ham-fisted) as features, creating an austere and claustrophobic setting for their weird charisma. As any self-respecting alternative music fan would, I own a bunch of Joy Division records. But I never, ever listen to them. Truth be told, I just find them too bleak. I admire the achievement, the atmosphere, the influence. But I can't shake the feeling that they are over-rated, that the actual records are over-shadowed by the legend of Ian Curtis and the band, which are, now 40 years later, inextricably linked by too many magazine articles, books, movies, and a million t-shirts. It's hard to listen to the record without the freight of all the baggage of the legend. If I squint hard and try to listen afresh, it's a not a bad album, focused and powerful, and unremittingly dour. Ian Curtis has a tendency to sing out of tune, which is annoying. Full disclosure, though: I might not listen to the records much, but I do wear the t-shirt. It's one of the great cover images of all time.
Album 391 of 1001 Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures Rating : 3.85 / 5 For some reason, I was prepared to dislike this album but have been pleasantly surprised. My main thought after listening is that I should listen again. Certainly not the most uplifting album but there is something there and I'm going to find it.
This is supposed to be a really cool album. I know because I've seen this cover on a lot of t-shirts. Is this some of that 80's goth stuff? It's OK. Shadowplay is a cool song but I like The Killers version better (Sawdust - 2007). Cool to hear the original. A few other fav's: She's Lost Control & Interzone. I Remember Nothing sounds like something from Sonic Youth's Confusion is Sex (1983). And alot of this music sounds similar to Bauhaus who release their first album a year after this one (1980) so I can definitely hear how Joy Division may have influenced alot of other bands.
A darker, moodier version of the Cars. Fair listen but unmemorable. I was surprised at the release date. I thought it was an early 80s release.
I'm POSITIVE this resonates with someone, but I am not that person. This kind of goes with my luke warm attitude for sad or emo stuff, similar to The Cure. I appreciate the effort and sound, but this would probably be a 2.5 for me. Giving it a bump to 3 since if I found it at 14 years old it would've been gold.
Never heard of or listened to this band before. Oooooooooooooooooooh.... so "Joy Division" is an ironic/sarcastic name... I get it. It's interesting, I'll give it that. I can certainly hear some parallels with The Cure which should be a compliment. Shadowplay was a good track. I don't know enough to call it a hidden gem. There were a few tracks I kind of wanted to skip (Wilderness, I Remember Nothing).
I was just ok on this one. I've listened to later joy division albums that I've really dug, but this one just felt too drone-y to me to LOVE
I want to like this album more but after the first 2 songs there’s very little else that’s good IMO. Hot take but Closer is the better Joy Division album. Disorder absolutely rips in Skate 3
Disorder & New Dawn Fades $ She’s Lost Control slapped. Other than that nothing to write home about. 1 star for each song i enjoyed
I'm giving it a 3 because of the inspiration it must have garnered for the genre moving forward. However the album for me was a 2. I found myself not enjoying it a majority of the time. However, I did really enjoy 2 tracks in specific: New Dawn Fades and Shadowplay.
Dark matter. I guess you have to be in a bad place in the wee hours of the morning to really get it.
This is rightly in the vanguard of the emerging post-punk scene - I really don't see the elements of punk itself except for maybe the intensity, but it just so clearly is the signpost of things to come in the 80s, particularly of goth. It's got an awful lot of space for punk. The rage evolving to angst. The Cure, Siouxie, Tears for Fears. Peter Hook's unique bass playing are present from the get-go. Shadowplay, Insight, She's Lost Control, and Interzone are my favorites.
It's a shame Love Will Tear Us Apart isn't on either album, because I reckon that is a perfect song. I kind of enjoyed this, but it wasn't quite there for me. 3.5.
After all the times I have seen the album art on t-shirts, I thought that it would be better.
Guess I never realized how minimalist Joy Division were, kinda like if Wire & Sabbath got together. Very new & dark for 1979. And genuinely sad in comparison to a lot of EMO-to-follow, particularly given Ian Curtis's tragic history. Affective.
Bit monotone for my liking. However this was only the beginning of greater progress unfortunately Curtis could not make that journey..
Dark and brooding with bloody great bass lines. I hadn't really listened Joy Division before this, but I really enjoyed this album
Very strong post-punk vibes. Creative album.
I like the album cover a lot. Before this album the only Joy Division I had listened to was their most popular song, so I had some expectations. I wasn't the biggest fan of the style of this album, but I enjoyed this more than the punk music on other albums we've listened to.
Another English rock album?? How many can there be? This was fine, didn’t love it didn’t hate it. Cool album cover. 6/10
Didn't find it that interesting to listen to. Was fine though
Joy Division is one of those bands I didn't listen to at the time and though I'm a fan of new wave, punk and rock from the late 70's, I didn't think I would enjoy their music. More recently, I've tried to listen to like-minded bands like New Order, the Cure and Bauhaus, but I never was enthused by their post-punk, goth sounds. I do enjoy a lot of Unknown Pleasures, especially the upbeat songs and some songs remind me of the Cramps. The guitar sound is nice and the bass work on Disorder (and throughout) is incredible. A solid debut album and though they're not essential to me, I can understand why they made the list.
I know a number of people that swear by Joy Division. But the singer just... he didn't connect for me that first time. But listening to it a second time, I am coming to appreciate him more. The music is still a bit bleep blorp, but I get the sound they were going for. I feel like it's something I should come back to, unlike other albums where I was like "no, there's nothing there." Maybe I will...
Am starting to think the author(s) of this list is British
Dark and moody. Doesn’t hold up well. Coincidence that I just listened to New Order like two days ago??
Every song on this album goes something like: - Drums start - Keyboard adds ambience - sick guitar comes in - I start thinking “oh this gonna be good” - awful, excruciating, out of key vocals totally ruin it. - and repeat This is a 5 star instrumental album ruined by the bad singing. I know it’s probably a deliberate artistic decision, but it’s still a bad decision.
There were times during this album that I was considering 4 stars, and other times, I was considering 2 stars. All the way through I was thinking this could be a great song, if the vocals were different. It's better than other albums we've had in this genre.
Alright. Only ever heard Shadow Play before because of the killers' cover.
Get a bit of that atonal singing that I don't love. Sounds like the first step towards the British punk a bit. Cleaned up brit punk.
kind of good music, 3 stars
This album reminds me of being 15. Not because I listened to it then, although I am that old. But because I was in a band, and each of us had been playing for a year or so and we kind of knew chords and how music fit together, but for the most part, we just wanted to make interesting noise that didn't sound like anyone else, and we were just old enough to start to understand that life is hard no matter who you are, and no matter what you do it never actually makes any sense, and - most importantly - we were starting to have those moments when the five of us who almost but didn't quite know how to make our instrument do exactly what we wanted, but we did know how to make it kind of do what we wanted and could start to listen and react to each other. There's so much beauty and excitement and even transcendence in that moment. And this album captures it like few others. Add to that the knowledge we all now have that we're listening to this larva explore its musical world, but as soon as it becomes a pupa and is struggling to wrest itself from its youth and fly, a huge beast comes along and kills it.
Joy Division is a band I should like more but I cannot stand that snare sound. Clearly though, no Joy Division, no Interpol,
first listen, probably should've checked them out by now, honestly not *that* impressed, maybe I built it up in my head too much
Don't get joy division or most post punk, probably never will
liked a few songs but it was tough to get through for some reason.
Couple of good songs. Not worth the whole album though for me
It's fine. I know this album and it's story, and there are some interesting tracks. But it's telling that I haven't found cause to listen to it over the intervening 20 or so years.
The guitar and percussion on some songs were really good, but once again some songs just gave me a headache. It’s hard to hear the lyrics through how loud the instruments are. I think I would like these songs individually more in a playlist than I do as an album cohesively. Top Song: New Dawn Fades
interesante descenso a la depresión. Buen disco
I really like Joy Division's music but I don't love the vocals (may Ian Curtis RIP). Is it weird that I like Joy Division mostly for giving rise to New Order? In any case, I can appreciate the instrumentation of Sumner, Morris, and Hooky on this album (and on the second JD album as well as the Substance compilation). I think She's Lost Control is my favorite song here.
Tragic story
Man i really wanted to love this and buy into the hype but i cannot get into it despite trying 3 times. Some tracks i like and the guitar droning i vibe with but something about the vocals grates on me. I feel like the cure does this but better in disintegration.
The music is very strong, but the singing divides the hell outta my joy.
Not a fan
אני בטוח שהאלבום הזה טוב אם מקשיבים לו הרבה או יודעים את הסיפור או משהו, אבל לט התחברתי למוזיקה...
I know people love this album, and it's okay, but it is still sort of average for me. To 80s euro-pop for my tastes. Much better than The Cure however.
Actually kinda disappointing for me. I've heard so many great things about this album and I was prepared to have my mind blown. But, that was not the case. This album is not for me, and although I do find the lyrics to be great and profound and are actually a highlight of the album for me, the music itself is just "okay" to me. 7/10 or I guess 3/5 for this website.
Pretty good for new wave music but ultimately can’t get it over three
Kuunneltu muutaman kertaan... Listalle päätynyt coverin seurauksena... Hyvä thumbnaili.. sanokkona klikkibaitti ehkä ehkä.. laatua löytyy eri paikoista täältä sieltä.. Laitamma 3 tähtöstä.. Enemmän laatua olisi jostain toisista paikoista ehkäpä mielekkäämpi kuuntelu..
Liked it fine
No bad, not great.
7/10 Awesome bass. If only Ian Curtis could sing.
May have been repetitive. Not much to say about this album.
Some glimmers of greatness but unfortunately just doesn't quite do much for me, feels a little bit unfocused at times.
His voice is wonderful. The lyrics are incredibly sad. I couldn’t listen to the entire album. Heartbreaking
dark and moody, the bass especially stands out. overall sounds good, but not a lot really stands out. the singing gets pretty repetitive since it's lacking musicality
Post-punk drudge and sadness are apparent in the beginning, but eventually the record strikes a chord and hits that reinvention of rock stride. I think the ambition is phenomenal and the execution is acceptable. I still don’t understand why every 50 year old with a gray beard has to where the shirt, but perhaps if this has been released while I was in my formative years, I may have a softer spot for it? Idk… it’s just missing passion. It weaves some wicked guitar chords and SFX in, but doesn’t keep the pace.
• Tror omslaget är kändare än innehållet i albumet, av rimliga skäl för det är väldigt fränt; en inspiration till AM antar jag. Funderar ibland på vilka album som kan dyka upp nån dag, och detta är en av dem som har passerat genom tankarna • Disorder = bra låt och ett coolt ord generellt • Candidate, Insight = inte den bästa direkt • Alla låtar har coolt sound, men det monotona sjungandet kan bli tråkigt efter en stund Betyg: Även fast jag gillar Joy Division, är jag nog mer för den Nya Ordningen. Jag kan inte heller med att ge albumet högre betyg bara för det är en klassiker och har ett snyggt omslag => 3/5
I like joy division but some are a lil weird for me
Pretty mid for me. I like the instrumentals but the vocals lose it for me. Ok as background music but not something I would purposely put on.
Obviously an outstanding album which sets up a special dark atmosphere with Ian Curtis' hypnotic voice. Great sounding production. However a little too post-punky and theatrical for my current taste.
Interesting album, and more enjoyable than I feared. First time I ever heard of this, thank you!
To be honest the whole time I was listening to this all I could think of was The Smiths but not as good. I know it's probably unfair to them but man is the style of singing so similar. One of my favorite songs was Shadowplay but it sounded off. Then I realized it was covered by The Killers and I much prefer that version. 6/10
Solid album but nothing crazy high 6
Cool, not entirely my thing, but can tell how highly influential this band was.
I think New Order is better. Not sure where all the hype comes from around the album. It was pretty good but not amazing.
Meh. Not my flavor of sad music but it’s objectively pretty good.
Interpol seems to take a ton of influence from Joy Division. Not a big fan. Cool to hear the progression of punk though, I suppose. Not sure why this album gets so much praise. Might need to listen through another time to understand better.
Okay
Pretty good!
Quality jam but not really my speed, wouldn't likely listen again or think back to it.
Ganz nette Sounds. Erinnert mich einwenig an die "Doors". Interresanter E-Sound ähnlich "Yes"
I do love music around that 144 bpm tempo, but production-wise, the whole album has a lot a gaps in the spectrum of audible frequencies - noticably not much low-end. I wasn't there (by which, I mean I never knew anyone who caught this buzz) and suspect those gaps are filled with nostalgia or substances for those who love this. I'm more into influenced bands like She Wants Revenge. Not for me, but there's definitely some artistic expression going on.
Haven't talked about The Eels yesterday and how you need to be in a certain (miserable) mood for it but I love it, it seems odd that I wouldn't like this. I am aware of Joy Division of course and they've always been around in references and, I don't know, "the ether" for want of a better phrase but they've never felt like "my music". It's stark and cold and that's good in it's place and I understand how they sound distinctive and can even appreciate the sound, but it's not an album I would choose to stick on. I think it's just the "Whigfield effect" where music I grew up with is more important to me than that I didn't. On the other hand, they've always sounded "real" to me, unlike some of the other stuff on this list which doesn't move me it all. Anyway, I've listened to it now. I kind of got into it more toward the end and I think if I put the effort in, I could probably grow to like it. Not sure I will though. 3 1/2 stars, for now. Might revisit.
I enjoyed this. I'm a sucker for guitar and repetition motifs.
this sounds like the smiths but a bit more punky and it's also kinda intricate and he talks about some vague experiences...... i think this album is best known for the cover rather than the music
Sounds like 80s music…which I suppose is groundbreaking since it came out in 1979. If you like that kinda thing, I guess you’ll like this. It’s a classic album cover though so I’ll add a star to my rating for that but I really wish it had better music to go with it
I like it, but I'm not sure why it gets so much love. I believe the emperor has new clothes.
New Order has always spoken to me a bit more, but I certainly liked this more than I like most sorta gothy new wave. Second half of this had some sick songs I’m not too familiar with, but overall I think there’s a bit too much fillery sounding stuff for a classic album.
The album art is more iconic than the music. The music is fine. It just doesn't really stand out to me
Love the first song but then they all started to sound the same
Love Disorder and She's lost control. I just never really liked Ian CUrtis' voice. Ironically, New Order is my favorite 80s band (Joy division post-Ian Curtis).
Music was good, lyrics ruined it
Kind of neutral, to be honest. It was nice but I wouldn't say that it was absolutely the best. This sounds like something they would play on Absolute Classic Rock Radio, which is great.
If this isn’t the soundtrack of every melancholy teenager I don’t know what is. What’s endearing and accessible is the fragility of the vocals.
Um, what?
Feels like I can’t fully rate this on one listen. While it’s not typically my thing I appreciate the singular vision of the sound that they went for. Very bleak and reverby. Standout track: Wilderness
Great album. Smooth pleasing sound
Pretty chill and easy to listen to. It was nice to finally listen to an album so familiar.
maybe im not depressed enough but this was just okay.
A decent album. Not much variety in the songs. No real good songs to hook you in. 3 stars only
I've never been fully on board with Joy Division. This is alright I guess
Meh, it's fine. I can clearly hear the influence it drove and why it was so influential, but as an album to actually listen to, droning with annoying vocals, musicianship is mediocre at best. Glad I've now heard Joy Division, but don't expect to be listening to them again in the near future.
Eh
like other reviewers, i wanted to like this more than i did. the moody and drab gothic rock feel just did not hit for me. everything's musically either a little too loose or too rigid and it all just comes off as amateurish and off-putting. eh favorites: disorder, day of the lords, shadowplay
I have heard of Joy Division for many years, but I’m not so sure that I’ve ever heard Joy Division. Not at all what I expected. I really liked parts of it and really hated other parts. That’s how averages work.
Best Songs: Day of the Lords, New Dawn Fades, Dead Souls Listen Again: Yes
I didn't realize Joy Division could sound like Bore Division! Joking aside, I didn't realize they could sound like Leonard Cohen. Just that sort of night time driving music that doesn't really hit me one way or another. It's not a bad album, I just wasn't moved by it. I will say, for a debut and it being 1979, this would have felt super fresh back in the day. Had I just listened first, I'd have guessed much more recent.
meeeeh, I feel like i'm supposed to like this but i'm not sure. maybe i was not in the mood for it. I feel like some dudebro is judging me.
I really want to like this album more than I do, especially given how iconic it is. The music is pretty great - I like a lot of what they put in here, and I can tell it's a thoughtful group of musicians. The vocals just...remove any enjoyment you would derive from listening. If this was instrumental, I would love it. The mumbling/droning just doesn't do it for me. Fav tracks: New Dawn Fades, Shadowplay
Not the biggest new wave fan but this album could maybe change that.
1st Album of 1001. 1st Album listened to on new Surround system. Haunting, smoky bar vibes. Vocalist is a bit shit tho.
Not really my thing. I liked the bass driven sound, but something just doesn't work for me. Maybe the disinterested sounding vocals.
Was pretty cool!
Pretty good. Still can’t get into JD as much as I would like to, unfortunately :(
Het album begint met een vijfsterren waardige baslijn, maar blijkt helaas verder vrij saai en eentonige gitaarmuziek te zijn, waar de stem van de zanger net niet lekker bij past.
forgettable rock
Not something I couldn't listen to but not something if ever choose myself
Favorite Tracks: Disorder Shadowplay
Moody and a bit dark.
Unknown Pleasures has never captured my ears in the way I wish it would. I've listened to it a handful of times over the years, and each time I come away without much desire to return. Thats not to say there aren't some standout moments on the album, or to underplay its significance as a post-punk landmark, I just don't seem to connect very deeply with it, outside of a few personal highlights like Day of the Lords and Shadowplay. Its an album worth listening to, but for me at least, not one I find myself coming back to.
That bass line slaps so hard. You know which one I'm talking about. I wish they'd enjoy themselves a bit more. Sad sacks the entire time.
The album starts to get monotonous after a while, not saying it’s bad in any measure but it’s hard for me to listen to it straight through, vs having a couple songs I really enjoy on occasion. 3.4
2.9/5 Best Track: Interzone
No comment
Stand bei jedem Zweiten in der Plattensammlung. Früher cool, heute reißt die Platte nicht mehr vom Hocker.
Very influential album. I think this is some artist's ground zero. I liked it a lot! Fun in a sloppy, strange, disorienting way. I kind of love that the playing is so loose. Something unsettling about the lead singer. Makes you feel a little off balance. A great-time-had 3/5, definitely worth listening, I may get into it more with more listens.
i thought this was going to be something special. and i kept waiting for it to become that. and it never did. not bad by any means but i thought this was a classic and i didn’t get that sense while listening.
Guess I gotta think about this album in context. I don’t think I’ll re listen to it any time soon.
I'm not very far into this list, but I am already growing pretty numb to this style of music. The English post-punk music here is nothing I would ever call bad, but man was I wholly unimpressed. Spotify's play-count seems to reflect that this is a pretty popular album in the genre too, but maybe it's a style that never really will click with me.
It’s ok
While I intensely love the Peter Saville cover art and "Disorder", Joy Division's reputation rests on 4-6 songs and the fact that the remaining members became New Order. "She's lost control" and "New Dawn Fades" are ok and could be part of those 4-6 songs or not depending on one's subjective judgment of the band. That said, their two albums are dour, robotic and rough. Factory issue indeed.
Worst album I’ve literally ever heard
It was ok
Sounds like a lot of the music that was available in 1979, Devo etc. It has it's place and it isn't disco.
Ook Joy Division levert geen kandidaat voor beste 'zanger'. Zeker bij de verlengde lettergrepen houdt de zanger het niet. Doe dat dan gewoon minder. Joy Division weet soms op de een of andere manier wel muziek naast die zang te zetten, waarmee het ineens toch wel aardig klopt.
Favourite song - New Dawn Fades Didn't enjoy the album that much, but quite like the sound of dark post-punk.
This Album feels like you are alone drunk in a dark shady nighclub, with the band playing songs that sound familiar yet so different. It is sad and depressing. I appreciate it for what it is but i don't get all the hype.
Very much doesn’t sound like a 70s album. Dark broody stuff, very on brand for me but not spiky enough.
I didn’t enjoy this album as much as I have in the past. Not sure I was listening on the correct format or in the right mood. Anyway, gotta rate it based on current listen - 3.4
Oh, that 80’s melancholy. I can’t not see the goth kids from South Park shuffling back and forth to this.
Decent interesting album I hadn’t heard before
already heard this its a vibe but incredibly overrated
Mellow "post-punk". Echoey percussion with droning vocals and guitar
groot fan van het eerste nummer, eerst ging ik wel lekker op dat de rest een beetje duister is en zwartgallig. Het gehele album is best eentonig.
I've honestly never really got this album. Maybe I'm missing the context of the gloomy twilight zone atmosphere of Manchester in the 80s or something. Sick movie about Ian Curtis that's worth watching though.
“Unknown Pleasures” was much better than anticipated. Was it going to have too much obnoxious synth? Were the vocals going to drive me nuts? It turns out no, and mostly no. Joy Division’s debut was refreshingly guitar and bass driven, and created a much appreciated dark and gothic vibe that the synth-heavy bands always overshoot. And I wasn’t annoyed by Ian Curtis’ voice until the third song. Sometimes it’s just too silly and over the top, but sometimes it does work well. I liked “Unknown Pleasures” more than “Closer,” but it would still take Curtis reining in his excesses to win me over.
6/10