Reviews (page 4 of 15)
Good noises. Fav song: Disorder
A classic.
Grim but good
Did not like
Thought this would be a lot cooler but it all blended together.
mostly fine, kinda boring
I expected to like this more, but there's not much to grab onto.
Me apetecía que me gustase mucho, pero no. Normal
This was an unknown pleasure, in that I didn’t know I would like it so much. They put their instruments to great use, have a cool turn of the 80s sound and it’s not too poppy. Maybe a marmite song but really enjoyed the brooding bass on I Remember Nothing to finish, and there’s other moments of general broodiness in earlier tracks. A weak 4 but I’m on a mediocre run so willing to give some benefit of the doubt.
I find myself in a weird slow mosh trance with this music. The riffy bass tunes drag you through a bleak urban scape. Like a mind magnet to meander through the slightly messy and imperfect world. Its all tight drums, bass and more bass with the low vocals. "New Dawn Fades" - For example is a really cool song. Plodding, melodic and really enjoyed the bleak feel of it all. I don't love some of it but I really need to give this more of a go so giving it a decent score as on balance I think its solid. This this is a new one to me and can't put my finger on who they sound like. Probably the Cure.
My first reaction to this album is that it sounds amazing (2019 Remaster). It's not musically complicated, just clear and well executed production. Real instruments augmented with just enough synth to give the vibes. My second reaction was that it is satisfyingly British. The vocals are a bit theatrical but it's delivered without a hint of self consciousness which I can't help but admire. The style gives it a slightly camp vibe which is juxtaposed with the music that is actually quite heavy. If you you took "Day of the Lords" and added some distortion, you'd have a metal track. Generally quite surprised at how much I enjoyed this. Am I a Joy Division fan?? Not quite but I can definitely see the appeal.
Cool sound and I can hear its influence but I found it to boring and repetitive.
An innovative debut that's acclaim is more so through its groundbreaking sound than being a great listen on its own. I didn't enjoy it as much as I would. Disorder is a noticeable hit from the group that I have heard many times, but I felt I expected more from it. Maybe this is because LWTUAA was only a single. Anyways, this album inspired 1980s British music and for the better deserves its acclaim.
Did not really care for this. Too monotonous and weird. 2/5
This album started strong in a way I wasn't really expecting and then to my mind fell off a cliff. First track is the best. Not sure I get them to be honest.
I love Joy Division and this didn't connect with me thaaaaaat much. This sound in 1979 is so crazy though, spawned so much Indie music
Not my style
top 3 - Shadowplay, Days of the Lords, She’s Lost Control. Amazing! I really like the bass on this, would relisten.
uno de los albums mas importantes en la historia no se puede decir mas de los que fue joy divison en lo que es la musica creo que la mayoria de la musica actual que me gusta le debe algo a este disco
I don't get it.
What a beautifully dissonant album! From start to end, just a great sounding album.
It might be my biggest unpopular musical opinion, because usually I like the classics. In this case, I just don't get it. While I came appreciate the darkness and moodiness, I listened to it a few times over the years, and nothing stayed with me. I'm sorry. I don't like the vocals, I don't find the melodies memorable, and maybe the most important, as an atmospheric experience, I don't find the playing especially good. They play well, but not better. Maybe it's an integral album for the genre, and I appreciate it for that, but I don't like it. A shocking 2.7
Gran disco. Icónico, vanguardista, atrevido. Es difícil saber cuántos grandes artistas con grandes sonidos sacaron su influencia de este disco. Definitivamente uno de los grandes.
Can't belive it but still not a fan
meh
God it's so much sadness. Feels like I'm listening to The Smiths. 3/5
I'm surprised I've never listened to this before today. On paper, this should be a 5 star album. It inspired basically all of my favorite bands, U2, R.E.M., Depeche Mode, The Cure, Radiohead, etc. and Joy Division became New Order, who I also like. But this just doesn't affect me like I thought it would. It's good, just not 5 stars. Also, I'd always assumed this had Love Will Tear Us Apart, but it doesn't. In fact I recognized nothing on this. A good album, but not 5 stars.
least annoying punk album on this list so far
i loved this in high school. lost my cd somewhere down the line and never replaced it but it was fun to revisit it. happy to see that subsequent generations of teenagers love it as much as i did.
Not really familiar with Joy Division. Never explored them at all. It’s kind of a harder rock sometimes punk, guess they call this post punk. Some of it has a bit of that distorted sound on the guitar with a heavy drum and bass. Overall this has a solid sound, but also is pretty dark and dreary at times. Some of these songs are just depressing. Some have a bit of a Doors vibe randomly but mostly a garage rock sound. I liked the opening track, New Dawn Fades and Shadowplay. Some of the darker sound I don’t really enjoy. It’s just not fun. But a few of these songs are really good. Can hear the influence of this on some later bands that would emerge in the 90s. I’m debating between a 2 and 3, but think the better stuff gives it an edge to a 3. It’s got some great guitars. I wouldn’t mind throwing some of this on a playlist. There is a slowed down distorted vibe on a handful of songs that doesn’t click at all for me, but like enough of it.
New order is a lot better ….
A great album
I don’t get the appeal. Their best song isn’t even on this album. I guess I can see Depeche Mode in this, whatever came first the chicken or the egg. I didn’t really enjoy this.
my favorite gloom and doom and joy album
Can't go wrong with a little JD
Intense, dark. Joy Division are one of the best bands ever. A simple, heavy, serious sound. Great cover art.
I don't know why it took me so long to get to this album, but it's definitely a classic for a reason. Simple in it's production and letting the space between instruments give way to emotive lyrics/vocals supported by Peter Hook's creative bass lines. A real downer of an album, but in a good way!
Дождь и туман, лес, озеро, позднее лето или осень. Интересный атмосферный альбом, но не на каждый день
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Not as lame as I thought it'd be, but probably not as good as the gooners would have you believe. Idk tho, there's something in the details of this album that makes me think.. With 2 or 3 more listens, I might unearth the secret genius of this record and become a Joy Division stan.. Kind of a scary thought
Disorder - 5/5 Day of the Lords - 4/5 Candidate - 2/5 Insight - 4/5 New dawn fades - 4/5 She's lost control - 5/5 Shadowplay - 5/5 Wilderness - 3/5 Interzone - 3/5 I remember nothing - 1/5
Solid
disorder- cool bass, fast upbeat, cool drum fills, nice lead guitar, like this song 7/10. Day of the Lords - moody same kind of bass 5\10 candidate-basic drums, moody again, very lost boys, 5\10 insight-vocal recording is worse on this track than the others, dont know how i feel about the vocals in genral and the lazer sounds dont fit its ment to be punk not techno idk what happened with this one the backing track had so much potential at the strat the whole song feels like an into and never really went anywhere 4\10 new dawn fades-moody again stopped lisingingn the whole thing is depressing and im not in the right mood
que es esta porquería
Enjoyably dark. I do prefer a lot of their singles but there's still some great stuff on here.
I'm typically a fan of new wave and have enjoyed Joy Division whenever I've heard them.
It's like the Cure but worse
As with Closer, the other Joy Division album on this list, I had heard of it but probably never listened to it before. This album is quite different. It is an interesting listen, and I feel like I need to listen several more times to fully enjoy it. It was interesting enough that I'm willing to do that.
A dense, layered, darkly atmospheric soundscape. Those basslines are perfection.
Liked: Disorder, She's Lost Control, Shadowplay, Interzone Added: Disorder, She's Lost Control
I’ve heard this album before but a long time ago so it definitely needed a refresh in my mind. I hear so many different styles here, Ian Curtis’ low voice and some of the slow pace reminds me of Jim Morrison/The Doors, but “Day of the Lords” has a doomy heavy feel, which continues on “Candidate” which has a super trippy vibe and I’m here for it. I love music like this – you feel that the person in the song is losing their mind and you are too, questioning everything. I have to say I love the imperfections in his voice you can often hear when he starts shou9ng and putting more power in. There’s a strange sort of cadence that just feels raw and real. Though I’m much too young to have been around to see these in concert (I wasn’t born until 1993) I’ve been to see Peter Hook and the Light with my dad where they played this album in full plus New Order stuff. It was absolutely fantastic and I’d highly recommend.
I've always known that based on my taste in music, I should love this album, but...I just don't. It's the singing. Feels like there's a lack of anything to hold on to.
Heard this album before, all of it sucks except for like 2 songs. Everyone treats this group so well and frankly, I don't get it
Consistently bleak, which has the effect of rendering it quite one-note. 3.5
my sweet baby curtis 😞
Découverte. Hormis Disorder et 2-3 autres musiques, pas envoûté par cet album qui est pourtant reconnu comme un classique du post-punk.
Sympa dans l’ensemble mais je m’attendais à quelque chose de plus impactant. Il mange son 3.
Maybe I haven't given them enough listens, but Joy Division has never really clicked for me, though I can hear the influence.
unhhh
It's really hard to imagine what Post Punk would have become without Joy Division. The power of this album resonates through so many styles and artists to come. Joy Division's influence can be felt in genre's to come as well: hardcore, goth, post punk, new wave. I am glad Bernard did not stop making music, but Ian Curtis had something special, and it is a shame his life of artistry was cut so short.
it was cool found out the main guy killed himself all similar vibe songs
I always knew about this band and that they were one of the first to do post punk, but I've never heard this record before. After listening to it, I kinda get why it is so iconic. This is exactly how much of the post punk stuff sounds, except these guys did it first. The driving bass line and the gloomy guitars and everything. This was pretty cool to be honest, I enjoyed it a lot.
I don’t find this an enjoyable album to listen to. There’s some good songs on there though. I’m gonna be generous with a 4
makes me wanna die, i love it
The singer's voice is so deep and so is the sounds of the music. I think it is cool but I feel like a whole album of songs that are so deep and gloomy was not it for me, not on a beautiful spring day like today. This is something that I will have to revisit on a cold and rainy winter day when I am in that mindset.
10/10! Super influential and just gets me in that mood where I wanna move around the room real slow and wave my arms around to the beat
Didn't care for this, Didn't even finish it
Interesting sound, not for me. Fave song Wolderness
JEg gætter på det er noget post punk pga de sådan lidt utraditionelle sangstrukturer osv. Det har en meget mørk lyd. Eneste album fra joydivision som blev udgivet mens ian curtis stadig levede. Bassen bliver brugt meget som et hovedinstrument og synes også mange lyde er industrielle, nogle gange hørte jeg næsten hvad jeg troede ville være tallerkerner som blev smadret. Har generelt bare en meget dyster tone og lyder kunstnerisk også. Det har en meget tung atmosfære jeg godt kan lide, men har også kunne lide mørk musik i lang tid efterhånden. Jeg synes det er et virkelig kanon album,
They’ve got some good guitar riffs, but still I am yet to get the hype around Joy Division
Favorite Track: Shadowplay
It's really dour and I'm not enjoying it.
A distinct sound recognized it from their main song instantly. I liked it, needs a better listen v rock
Overall I enjoyed listening to the album. Felt very mellow and somber in a sense. It was also very nice album to drive to as well. The guitar and drums in this album was absolutely stellar as well as the production, the singing was great as well. Favorite song was probably Shadowplay, with Disorder being second. Least favorite was Wilderness, which was just okay. Im still trying to figure out what the lyrics mean, but I get the sense that its supposed to be about love and the pleasures it brings, whether those be good or bad. 9.8/10.
Not a pleasure for me
Iconic. Sounds very modern, aged really well. Liked this album a lot in high school. It just doesn't hit at hard anymore for some reason.
Fantastic album from a fantastic group, dark and brooding and a great summation of life at the end of the 70's
Great record, real vibey and that razor thin production of the era. My one comment would be that I wish that they studio metronome had more than one speed on it
mega geil, nicht lang und eif geile musik lowk
Joy Division paved the way for many others to follow.
8/10
Not really for me but good
Wasn't that impressed with this, for an album who's cover precedes them. It was a bit morose and bland, which is maybe the vibe they were going for - don't actually know the lore behind them. But yeah, below mid for me
One of my all-time favourites!
Very dark.
Bom disco!
My friend wanted me to listen to this album. I did now.
Iconic cover. Decent album, but didn't blow me away.
bro literally my favorite album
***
While not outstanding, Joy Division manages to put a nice spin on the concept of an depressed Englishman yelling into a mic. By utilizing faster and more energetic progressions, the music sounds enjoyable enough. Best songs are Disorder and Interzone. 7/10, more please.
Rating unashamedly influenced by subsequent events. Also hard to believe New Order was born from the ashes of this
Sees someone wearing this shirt: OMG THEY LISTEN TO JOY DIVISION???
i feel like i'm missing something here
Love the sound of the instrumentals. Not a big fan of the vocals, sorry.
Álbum de postar nos storys pra comer perereca depressiva
Meio depressivo demais. Mas tem uma bela capa
Legends
me deprime.
A difficult album to review as liked quite a lot about it. The gloomy brooding atmosphere, harsh angular sounds and driving rhythms. Sadly though I failed to connect with it the way others seem to, though I did very much enjoy “New Dawn Fades” and “Shadowplay” Could definitely be one that grows on me in the future though.
I'm aware of how iconic this is but to me it's just miserable, grumpy mumbling over tinny production, boring basslines and a world of reverb. Bleak and boring.
STANDOUTS: Disorder, Day of the Lords, Shadowplay For a band called Joy Division, this album is depressing as hell!! Jokes aside, this album is great, albeit I think it is a bit weaker compared to the works from other post-punk bands like The Cure, Talking Heads, and even Siouxsie and the Banshees. Even then, it's impossible to deny this album's influence and greatness. 7.5/10
Now we’re talking. This is an album I would absolutely consider a must-hear.
Good album
I'm just going to say the quiet part out loud: Joy Division is one of the most iconic bands of all time AND Ian Curtis is a terrible vocalist. On Unknown Pleasures, the best song is the one Peter Hook sings on (Interzone). He gets better on Closer (or maybe they just did more vocal takes). But his singing is just distracting on this first album. For me it is so bad that it undermines the whole vibe they're shooting for. Curtis (God rest his troubled soul) sings these long held out notes and they are hopelessly flat. So a few hot takes: First: New Order > Joy Division. (At least in listenability--they never reached JD's iconic vibe) Second, While Joy Division basically wrote the blueprint for post punk and the best possible version of Joy Division is Interpol.
yeah. still perfect
A very good album that is clearly formative in the post-punk genre (maybe the first of its kind?). It’s very well composed, but maybe one I’d have to be in the right mood for to give 5*.
This is an album where the phrase ‘ahead of its time’ is very much applicable; it sounds incredibly modern for something recorded in 1979, and you can hear its influence in so much subsequent indie/alternative rock, even up to the present day. I don’t think there was anything else quite like it at that time. Despite some of the band’s misgivings, for me the cold, sparse and echoey production, and the unusual effects, work perfectly with the material. A brilliant debut, and they would get even better with their second (and sadly final) album. A very strong 4 stars.
Given how often I see the iconic cover art, I was really expecting a lot more from this album. It's fine but a bit mush-mouthed and the instruments are minimalist. This sounds like the band is playing underwater, or at the bottom of a hollow metal tube.
pas méga kiffé
en avance sur son temps et en même temps ancré dans son époque
Tres sympa c’est comme depeche mode et c’est ok
No
Acho que eu só gostei realmente de interzone
- thank god - nothing compares to the bass line on disorder - "Ive got the spirit, but lose the feeling" as fuck - drums on "insight" woah - Just found out smiling friends was cancelled while listening Faves: Disorder, Day of the Lords, New Dawn Fades, Shadowplay Least Favorite: nada
В целом прикольно. Грустный рок. Возможно это буерак на Английским. 7/10
Not really my thing... yet. I can definitely see this growing on me.
Not too bad. +1 star for album cover. Music wise nothing stands out. Very simple and easy 4/4 songs.
this is a terrible album to work out to it was overall pretty meh. again, not sure why this separates itself as an album i need to hear before i die.
Maybe I’m not cool enough to fully ‘get’ Joy Division, maybe this album has been overhyped by one of the most recognizable album covers of all time. I thought this one was pretty solid, but nothing really stood out. I’m going middle of the road but I’m curious if giving this another try over the weekend would change my rating.
I liked this album, but I still think it's really overrated. Maybe it's because of the time it came out, but I don't think it's that special. I still enjoyed it, but I wish it was a different singer.
Snooze fest. You would think this would be beyond exciting with how universally recognized this cover art is, for better or worse.
While I understand how influential this album was, both from a listening and album art perspective; I can't help but feel like it hasn't aged as well as it should have. Part of it stems from being able to find works that have built off this album that are better, another is I just don't find it interesting sound-wise. If I heard this in 1979 I'm sure I would have lost my mind but it really feels dated in 2026.
Me encanta pero ya no lo puedo escuchar completo porque me deprimo
Es mi playera favorita. Fuera de broma (aunque si tengo dos, incluso) la reputación del disco habla por sí sola. Dicen que en vivo JD sonaban muy punk (y si lo creo por los live recordings) pero que bueno que la producción cambió eso por ese sonido pionero de post-punk
Es un disco perfecto. Tienes los radio-friendly hits–Disorder, She's Lost Control, Shadowplay— y las canciones donde la voz de Ian y sus letras lucen, sin olvidar la producción de Martin Hannett. Bernard, Hooky y Stephen son igual de importantes para el sonido, unos genios. Este disco SÍ es una obra maestra que salió de Manchester. 20/5
alch luego se me olvidan las rolas pero inmaculada la fokin vibra. ese riff de new dawn fades sientes que se va a acabar el mundo. y disorder. disorder disorder disorder disorder disorder disorder. disorder disorder di
Vocal quality aside, the music is dark, ominous and almost industrial. You can almost hear Depeche Mode and the Violent Femmes in the cradle here, with the promise of Nine Inch Nails. I can hardly believe this was recorded in 1979, the same year as Siouxsie and the Banshees’ Join Hands (which this reminds me of). Great stuff if you need a little more schadenfreude in your day. 4 stars
I finally decided to listen to this album and more of Joy Division a few years back, and definitely felt foolish for having missed out for so long. The music in haunting, sombre and beautiful all at once. I come back to this album often.
A major blindspot for me, as I was a massive Interpol fan as a teenager and the comparison was and is inescapable.
Not for me
Amo
Grim, grey, sparse, on t-shirts worn by people who have probably never listened to it. I admit, I'm not the biggest Joy Division fan in the world, they are prone to droning but when they're good they're good!
One of the absolute best debut albums of all time. Their time was short due to the passing of Ian Curtis, but they made an impact felt even to this day. Haunting and atmospheric, punchy and prosaic. The rhythm section of Peter Hook and Stephen Morris are top notch, Bernard Summer ebbs and flows throughout with heartfelt guitars, and Ian Curtis commands the whole thing with achingly beautiful lyrics and a commanding, if not exactly typical, voice.
Hell yeah.
Probably will get lots of 5s, I do see that it’s an amazing album. Very creative with their sound and Ian with his vocals gives this uncomfortable but emotional tone which I really enjoy. Strong bass throughout the album which is also good, lacks something to be a full 5/5 for me, 4.5
Obviously super influential and very original. Peter Hook's bass is great and his band still puts on a great show as of 2025. Dipped a bit in the middle I thought but otherwise, a good one.
it was fine
Way too moody and brooding for me. The bass is excellent though.
A few genuinely brilliant songs on this. Highlights are Disorder, Day of the Lords and New Dawn Fades. My only beef is so many of the songs on this sound exactly the same. Actually had to keep checking the name of the song to make sure it was a new one. Iconic album cover too, so many middle aged blokes with this t-shirt. RIP Ian Curtis.
Joy Division – Unknown Pleasures (1979) On Day 62, Unknown Pleasures was exactly what I was waiting for. The LP is great and carries a dark energy that is somehow relaxing while still making you want to dance a little. The riffs and drums add a massive vibe to the experience, and the haunting storytelling in the lyrics is pure cinema. Tracks like Disorder, Shadowplay, She’s Lost Control, and New Dawn Fades were absolute standouts for me. While there were a few skips along the way that keep it at a 4/5 for now, I can definitely see this growing on me with more time. It’s a project I’ll certainly be coming back to, as the high-level production and unique atmosphere are hard to ignore. A strong 4/5. Edit: Well it grew on me 5/5
Top 3: 1. New Dawn Fades 2. Disorder 3. Day of the Lords Least Favourite: Interzone
Music to slit your wrists to.
3.0/10
nice - 3.5
i liked this and i think that makes me a loser now or something? 4/5
wowie never heard of this band pretty peak
Disorder, New Dawn Fades, She's Lost Control - awesome to hear this whole album again Dark emotions instead of punk anger - it stood apart in 1979 and influenced the post-punk and alternative scene that emerged after their transformation into New Order Fabulous!
Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures is an incredible statement. Perfectly encapsulating the post-punk movement, Ian Curtis' tortured baritone perfectly matches the bleak lyrics and nervous energy of the music. From funeral dirges to punk songs, the haunting energy of Unknown Pleasure pervades. Special shout out to the rhythm section for keeping everything moving. Easily a 5.
The influence is all there but after many listens is the quality still there for me, yes and no. I still adore this album and would still happily throw it into my 90's but I don't think it will never rank as highly as the first time I heard this album and honestly I am ok with that. Insight, Wilderness, and I Remember Nothing are really what holds this album down a lot, but the other tracks are certified classics in my mind. Everything else on this album is heavenly at times bringing in the Post-Punk sound I love oh so much. It hurts finally not giving this album a 5/5 but I think with time I find better albums but this will always have a sweet spot in my heart.
few albums in music history can claim to be this iconic. Unknown Pleasures might have the greatest cover art in the history of punk rock; it might also be the inception point of the gothic rock genre as a whole. producer Martin Hannett takes a set of ten songs which should sound like a ball of fury and makes them gloomy, sparse, and incredibly dark. there's all kinds of weird, ambient sounds creeping into the mix of these songs to give them a sense of depth, what with Bernard Sumner's guitars being so scaled back (compared to what the band were used to them sounding like when they played live, anyway). broken glass, tape echoes, whooshing wind sounds. there's tiny little hints of synthesizers (and some electronic drums from Stephen Morris) that poke through every now and then to remind you that, oh yeah, this will be a totally different band within just a couple years. Peter Hook's basslines might be my favorite element of the whole mixture; he truly is the keystone of this entire twisted project. Ian Curtis is clearly carrying the torch for Jim Morrison here, but his stanzas are less surreal and drug-addled, more resigned and bleak. his struggles with epilepsy and his mental health resulted in Unknown Pleasures being the only Joy Division album to release while he was alive. the posthumous follow-up, Closer, gives an even more depressing insight into Curtis' state of mind during the final year of his life. I'm pretty flabbergasted at how Sumner, Hook and Morris managed to be so hugely influential in both the realms of goth rock and synthpop; I'm probably going to listen to Power, Corruption & Lies after I write this, on account of it not being in this list for some reason! decent 9/10.
i get more pleasure from the later album and i know why
When i’m in an overrated album competition and my opponent is Unknown Pleasures 🫥. Nah but for real, fine album that just never clicked for me and still hasn’t, though its impact on punk and alt-rock can’t be understated, because i can hear a lot of elements from my favourite bands in here. Shadowplay rocks though.
My loord, pure masterpiece
Good
Not quite as fab as I remember tbh
213/1089 a solid punky album. i think it started really strong with Disorder and didn’t quite keep that up. and never quite hit the highs of Love Will Tear Us Apart but it was a good listen and i’ll definitely return to it 74/100
3 / 5 stars
Banger
That was pretty depressing to listen to even while viewing the rainy day outside my window.
this isn't unlistenable but it isn't good. no thank you.
More my style, but I haven't had the time today to really let it sit. Was a great listen while I was getting my work done, though.
Good
Emo classic
I’ve seen very cool people over th years wearing a shirt with this image on it but didn’t realize what it was until now.
Instrumentation: the drums and guitars sound loose, if that makes sense; not reverb, just not tight. Vocals: neither sharp or flat all the time, just damn pitchy (Mick Jagger sings that way as well but Mick doesn't irritate me so much). This album is so darkly moody and just left me in a downwardly spiraling angst (on Valentines Day FFS). Thanks 1001albumsgenerator.... I don't want to hear this one again. ⭐⭐
Where will it end? No, really. Vocals are so awful. Am I being pranked? I give up.
Moody, eccentric, unpolished yet refined. One of those albums I always meant to listen to but always forgot. It’s like the soundtrack to getting lost on hallucinogens while vibing oit at a rock show.
Often imitated, but never equalled. This album is dark, depressing, and angry but in the best possible way. This album has such an iconic and identifiable sound through the melodic basslines, robotic drumming and Ian Curtis's baritone vocals. Every song is a banger and the album feels cohesive without feeling repetitive. Iconic for a reason, an easy 5 stars.
I enjoyed this more than I thought I was going to. It reminds me of Interpol and Editors with maybe some The Sisters of Mercy as well.
7/10 Best songs: New Dawn Fades Somewhere between rock and punk (leaning more rock). Pretty good album, I just think the vocals let it down a bit.
всё-таки какую же большую роль играет то, в какой момент тебе попадется то или иной альбом
0/10 bekannt 5,5/10 Beste Songs: day of the lords, new dawn fades, she’s lost control again
Classic album takes me back! Although to be honest...there's a lot of hype for this album for what it meant and the broody lyrics and music that create a unique atmosphere.
This was a known pleasure.
I’m going to forget this album exists as soon as it finishes
I expected more from an album on so many tshirts
I'm ashamed to say I've never listened to this all the way through, and that's on me. It's a groundbreaking debut album. Bleak and clinical sound but there's some real emotional strength. I've never loved the Peter Hook bass tone but the lines are great, and the synth work here is worth a shout. Most iconic album cover as well, I still see it on tshirts whenever I'm out.
Plz stop reccomended rock
One of my favorite albums ever. Maybe the best rock debut ever. It’s the culmination of The Velvet Underground’s effortless cool, the Euro-exploration and experimental eeriness of Bowie and Iggy’s Berlin output, and the punk explosion. Not may albums are as influential, and only a select few compete on a quality, and purity of artist vision.
-3.5/5
I didn’t pay attention
База, ґрунт, фундамент, основа!
What's there to say about this album that hasn't been said already. 10/10.
Why are people so obsessed with this band? They are fine I guess. The singer isn't very melodic, but not in an interesting way. He sounds like a less flamboyant version of the guy from the B52s.
The birth of emo, can dig it, probably more of a 3.5 but going 4 for the vibes
i prefer new order
Total classic, bit raw of course but solid gold.
Joy Division is a sacred cow. They deserve the mantle of a religious relic. They were a stunning and sweeping cold fire. The whole Factory Records and Hacienda Club history basically starts with them. Ian Curtis took his own life. They left us two albums in the end. New Order emerged in their own powerful musical response to Ian's death, in a fashion which still has me confused that the gloomy, kind of ugly Joy Division chrysalis could birth such a radiant moth. If you are into music and read too much about it, you learn that you are supposed to love Joy Division and "Unknown Pleasures". Not just for fascination with the story, the legends behind the recording, the influence, but also the music. For the music, on a renewed close listen, my old religion for this gilded saint's bones of a recording is threatened by a new heresy. "Disorder" is untouchable. It is the walls of the city in an album opener. It is fast. The minimal tom tom beat is goth, punk, new wave, rock, and techno architecture: unmissable stone slabs laid into the earth in ways that if you follow their lines, you get somewhere amazing, even if you don't know why they were buried there in the first place. The ragged playing and singing, under the strain of the tempo, is visceral and emotional. "Feeling, feeling, feeling" is right. Not "practicing, practicing, practicing". This is Joy Division, vulnerable and shocking, giving permission to everyone that hears them to start a band before you know how to play. The feeling can come first, and if it's true and strong, and you are honest with it, the music will come without need for nuance or articulation. Emotions are tricky, and can be dangerous. The rest of "Unknown Pleasures" side A falls apart into mopey, juvenile, expressions of style, over substance. They still had purpose for expression, but the record feels like it's recovering from exhaustion in dealing with the raw nerve of "Disorder". Everything is mid-tempo and middling. Everyone in the band feels like they are playing to fill up space. Speaking the little language they posses, we ourselves know, should not be a problem when the territory is so black and bright red. Otherwise, expeditions fail. Driving into their emotional depths, Joy Division found nothing more than a dull grey English fog and thought that was also worth telling us about. "Day of the Lords", "Candidate", and "Insight" all suffer from the same issues of blandness. Side B of the record is great, thankfully. Speed helps when the band stutters, and the renewed energy in the final songs is an purposeful stride. Low tempos are not root of the the problem, though. "I Remember Nothing" is the best song on the album. It is severe and haunting. It is deep and dark and the band clearly shows us how to get in and out of that space. It's not through mining at the music with unneeded notes. The whole album attempts to prove a less is more theory when it comes to the bruised and depressed moments in life. The spare, monolithic weight of the album's closer is everything. This is not a perfect album. It's flaws are it's features in most cases. I understand that it's a classic, but I can't defend the worst parts of Joy Division by mistaking the death in a city for it's staggering walls. It is classic. It's worth listening to and talking about. But some of it is just bad, bad, bad.
This was okay. Really sounded like the B-52s were super depressed though.
I'm really drawn to Ian Curtis' voice. What a tragedy he didn't have more time. Having said that it, I didn't connect with the songs. 3
Dark, stirring, intense. Definitely not for every mood. But for brooding or self-loathing, this music is the balm. Shut the lights and just immerse yourself in it.
Ahhh Unknown Pleasures - this is a fun one. I've listened to this one quite a bit, but its been at least 15 years since I really sank my teeth into it. Having another listen was interesting. My main issue isn't that there are a ton of duds on this thing, it's just that they're right next to each other at the beginning of the album. "Candidate" is so bland. There is nothing interesting happening there at all. And then the follow up is "Insight," which again, just kind of lies there. Cut those two out completely and replace them with nothing and the album gets a lot better. There are so few records that created their own genre, and "Unknown Pleasures" is one of them. It sucks you into its bleak shadowscape. No album had sounded like this before. Also - why is Martin Hannett obsessed with putting clips of breaking glass on every recording he ever produced? FOUR STARS
Very nice experience, already have listened to this before, nice revisiting So grimm and dark oooof
An okay album, I liked Shadowplay the most.
God, what a depressing pile of shit
Joy Division was never my favorite early post punk band, some good tunes but never could hold up in a full album. This record is a vibe... but it's only a vibe and only one vibe. Any particular moment is great, but it's the same moment the whole time, and other bands would take this sound to further and greater heights.
I get the vibes and the timeliness, but sometimes it really boils down to a Brit being sad over cheery guitar track
Didn't really even need to listen to this one, but you bet I sure did!
Joy Division are so funny to me because this one album truly sounds like the same song over and over to me, but I really enjoy that one song, so I don't mind one bit.
No clue what im missing, but i really, really didnt enjoy listening to this
There are songs on this album I love, like disorder and she's lost control. There are a lot of songs that just sit in the background. It's never been one of my go to albums, but the influence on artists I love is huge. It was pretty enjoyable to give it some time.
Unknown Pleasures is a brilliant album: dark, moody, angry, melancholic and quietly aggressive. It’s one of those records I don’t put on often enough, but when I do, I end up binging it for days. It completely pulls you into its world. The basslines are immense, the lyrics feel tortured but full of meaning, and the songs are packed with atmosphere and melody. Tracks like Disorder, She’s Lost Control and Day of the Lords show just how much depth and tension Joy Division could create with such restraint. There’s an incredible balance here between bleakness and beauty. Favourite track: She’s Lost Control – absolutely superb. Least favourite tracks: None. Everything here is worth your time. Album artwork: A true classic – simple, stark, and instantly iconic.
I had already heard the album during my goth phase, and its a good album! Though sometimes I feel like I’m forcing myself to like some of the songs :^( taste is subjective i suppose Favorite: Disorder (crucify me)
I don't know how to explain it but this album sounds like a sketch to me. Or I guess just a demo but in a genre where demos don't have much charm. The ideas are all there and it's obviously super influential and basically inventing a new genre but it just feels so incomplete to me. I think I'm gonna dive in and listen to this album about 10+ times and then I get the feeling that I'll finally "get it" but yeah the mixing in particular and studio choices just feel wild and distracting to me. The drums sound otherworldly and everything sounds spacey and disjointed.......but perhaps that's the point.
meh. 2 for effort
Nunca he escuchado enserio a Joy Division, no tienen a priori demasiado de lo que a mi me atrae. Sin embargo, tras hacer una escucha atenta (lo más atenta que puedo permitirme) reconozco sus virtudes. Las líneas de bajo de Peter Hook me fascinan, las estructuras de las canciones son interesantísimas, pero la voz de Curtis se me atraganta. Tengo que dedicarle otra escucha en exclusiva con las letras delante, porque entiendo que ahí es donde está buena parte de lo que hace mítico a este disco (el trágico final de Ian también rema a favor, como en otros muchos ejemplos). En cualquier caso, me temo que sigo sin contarme entre los fans acérrimos de los de Salford.
es tan bueno como dicen
Doom punk. 4,5
I've been waiting for a guide to come and take me by the hand Could these sensations make me feel the pleasures of a normal man? Hai discos que, escoitados no momento oportuno, deixan unha marca indeleble dentro dun. Non lembro exactamente a primeira vez que me puxen diante deste Unknown Pleasures, pero tampouco sei contar con exactitude cantas terminei volvendo a el nin expresar con palabras o que me fan sentir os primeiros compases de 'Disorder'. A rabia do punk tornada escuridade. A velocidade feita calma tensa e insoportable. Ian Curtis exorcizando demos internos a través da voz. Unha atmosfera lóbrega que todo o impregna. Non sei que experimentaría de poder descubrir hoxe a Joy Division coma fixen de adolescente. De volver atopar música coa que identificar esa angustia que vai dentro dun e sentila, retorcela, pinchala. Afacerse a ela, comprendela, é un dos ritos de paso cara á madurez e esta música foi unha das compañeiras de viaxe. Merecido lugar o que ocupa no meu canon particular. I've got the spirit, lose the feeling, let it out somehow (#8 dos 1.001 discos que escoitar antes de morrer: 5/5)
l'obsacuritat industrial, la màquina que sagna, sent i pateix. el listillo de la classe et dirà que és simple i qualsevol podia fer un àlbum així, però sabeu què? només ells ho van poder fer
Recuerdo perfectamente la primera vez que escuché este disco. Me lo pasó mi colega "indie". Se supone que esto tenía algo de punk, pero entonces me pareció que no tenía nada que ver y pensé que no me gustaba. Pero al día siguiente volví a escucharlo y me gustó un poco más. Y luego un poco más. Y así hasta el día de hoy. Uno de esos discos que abrió mil puertas. Uno de esos discos que puedo escuchar sin problemas una vez al mes durante toda mi vida y me emociona cada vez que me lo vuelvo a poner. Si no te gusta estás sordo.
The shirt album. An album that I believe I tried to listen to once because of the omnipresent nature of this album cover. I’ve seen it everywhere. I’ve seen this record endlessly referenced and frankly, revered. My first thoughts were “why?” And my thoughts now are about the exact same. As I age, I really should stop questioning these things. The masses will enjoy stuff that is either beyond me or beneath me as I navigate life as the alien being I have come to recognize myself as. With that dramatic, overbearing introspection out of the way, I can firmly say that having “missed out” on this from the beginning was a blessing. This sounds like a parody of the new wave that was to come. One solid punk riff on “Interwave” cannot rescue a good album from the boring mechanical failure that is “Unknown Pleasures.” I don’t even think the art is interesting. Looks like something an investment banker has hanging in their palatial Manhattan condo. Yuck. 1 HIGHLIGHTS: Doesn’t the Gap sell this band’s merch?
Musically there's some really interesting stuff here, but oof those vocals are rough.
"Unknown Pleasures", prima facie, is mysterious and atmospheric with a dark, moody tilt. Such effects are resultant of a raspy, almost spoken sounding vocal delivery, strange lyrics, and experimental production techniques. Underneath the exterior, though, is a well-crafted post punk slash new wave album, of which most songs are distinguishable and enjoyable.
Pretty great
nice cover; didn't expect this... need to hear again at some point
The cover is a 5 but the actual album is only a 4.
"Unknown Pleasures" is a stark, visceral, and desolate debut, pulsing with both passion and despair. It is brought to life by the paradox of Martin Hannett’s production: a sound that is famously "thin" yet remains incredibly heavy. A particular standout is the drum sound; it is nothing short of fantastic, providing a cold, metronomic heartbeat to the record. Upon its release in 1979, nothing else sounded quite like this, and arguably, nothing has since. The song-writing is of a consistently excellent quality throughout. For me, the "heavy as hell" 'Day of the Lords' is a particular highlight, alongside the now-iconic 'She’s Lost Control' and the frenetic 'Shadowplay'. I can certainly understand why this album polarises opinion, as it is by no means for everyone. Firstly, there is the tone of the music itself - this is not a "happy" listen. Secondly, there is the deep, dark baritone of Ian Curtis’s vocals, which perfectly complements the atmospheric gloom. On "Unknown Pleasures", his delivery is distinctly more refined and haunting than the raw, snarling style found on the band's earlier releases as Warsaw. The artwork is arguably as famous as the music itself. Designed by Peter Saville, it is a masterclass in minimalism and has become one of the most iconic images in pop culture history. Even now, it always pleases me to see a young person wearing the pulsar image on a T-shirt, carrying that legacy forward into a new generation. "Unknown Pleasures" made an instant impact on me during my early teenage years when it was first released, and it remains as fresh today as it did back then. In that respect, it is truly timeless. Five stars. Side one (Outside) 1 "Disorder" (5/5) 2 "Day of the Lords" (5/5) 3 "Candidate" (4/5) 4 "Insight" (5/5) 5 "New Dawn Fades" (5/5) Side two (Inside) 6 "She's Lost Control" (5/5) 7 "Shadowplay" (5/5) 8 "Wilderness" (5/5) 9 "Interzone" (4/5) 10 "I Remember Nothing" (5/5) Total - 47 Average - 4.7 231/1001 127/231 albums reviewed were new to me
One of my favourite albums of all time
Definitely biased by my late 2000s/early 2010s tumblr use
2.5
When to listen: Don't! I've seen the album iconography but had never sat down and listened to this album and I... didn't like it?! To me, it sounded like boring, harsh, industrial noise.
Really solid album.
It's cool, it's very one tone in all their songs in this project, it's not too bad, something I wouldn't mind that's background but doesn't fully draw my attention.
Not listened properly so will come back to it
Joy division nunca ha sido santo de mi devoción, está bien para un rato y reconozco su valor historico pero no me encanta 3.8
Что это было....музыка напоминает российский рок того периода, звучит довольно хорошо, но лично меня вокал оттолкнул
4 4.5
Kind of slow, good for slow mornings idk if it counts as goth but same vibes
Bleak, gloomy and dark. Not something I listen to often but when I'm in the right mood, it hits.
Dan Flashes can respect it but he doesn’t have to like it
ah the t-shirt album. sounds like a big empty room. i don't really like post punk but i kind of liked the bass-heavy brooding atmosphere. singing and melodies sucked. I'm not cool enough to enjoy this unfortunately
I've got a lot of respect for this album, but it's not really my thing.
I love this album. I don't know that there's anything I dislike about it. I could listen to it pretty much every day and I don't think it would grow old. I love the whole package, but Ian Curtis's voice and Bernard Sumner's guitar, I think, really make it for me. Day of the Lords may be one of the greatest songs ever written.
I like the doom and gloom. Guitar riffs are great. If I'm being critical, I think they become better players later. Iconic album artwork is worth a mention, too.
Too droning, too atonal
4.5/5 - "Disorder" is absolute genius. I really like "Interzone," "Wilderness," and "Shadowplay" as well. If it's a cloudy day, this is a 5, but I live in Denver, so it's not quite there.
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no what i expected funky it was alr Best song - Shadowplay
favs: disorder, candidate, new dawn fades
All time classic
The sound/vibe is somber and reminds me of The Cure, or even of later stuff like The Crow Soundtrack. The songs are OK.
One of those watershed albums that 100% deserves to be in this list, even if they don't move me the way some of their legions of bands they inspired do.
I sadly didn't really discover Joy Division until my early 20s - but I was all in once I did. How could I have never heard of the band that was basically an influence on so many bands I liked (if not downright copied by them)? Interpol, Depeche Mode, lesser also-rans from the 2000s indie revival like the Editors and She Wants Revenge - and of course all the sad Brits from the 80s. & this dumb list has gotten me to appreciate how darkly catchy and timeless they were out of the gate, unlike other genre-blazers who time has been a lot less kind to.
I enjoyed the music in this one, but the lyrics and delivery didn't work for me.
So dark and so grim but really amazing. I love new order and joy division and this record is just so ahead of its time. I definitely have to be in the right mood but it really works.
I just don’t get Joy Division. New Order is leagues better, and you can see where they were headed, but something doesn’t click into place for me with Joy Division. Even the opening track, which is pretty good, has this weird shit going on in the bass that simply doesn’t work. Ian Curtis’s vocals are strange and pitchy. So often, it sounds like they didn’t WRITE the song, they just kind of DID the song. I don’t know. I’ve tried. Great album cover though.
This started out great and then it kinda faded for me? I love Ian Curtis's voice throughout though but ended a little samey.
I couldn't say I enjoyed this record very much. Something about the pacing and oddity of the instrumentation didn't really resonate with me. Favourite Track(s): Shadowplay Least Favourite Track(s): Candidate, I Remember Nothing
Great for when you want to feel very sad.
Disorder is really great and thought I was onto a new favourite but shit me the rest is bleak. Fav tracks: Disorder RYM: Y (#48) Saved a song: N
Definitely a unique sound for its time
Hated it
I can tell it’s a good album. The atmosphere is strong, the sound is distinctive, but I’m not fully connecting with it. Parts of it pull me in, while other moments just feel too dark and gloomy. I don’t hate it at all; it just doesn’t feel like something I’d reach for often. For me, it works best as a one-time listen rather than a favorite.
Right after I get done saying I enjoy the gloomy gothy sounds of Depeche Mode, I get this album. It's clear that this was an influence for so many cool bands to follow, but this album doesn't really do it for me. It feels very middle of the road.
5/6
Well, that’s dreary innit?
Local legends.
Hated this one. Didn’t even make it through 4 songs
I like Joy Division and a lot of songs on this album, but the album as a whole was a tough listen honestly
When I die there will be a media frenzy about how a man listened to so much Joy Division and The Cure records and yet led a happy life without committing suicide or mass murder. I'm knocking half a point off because this is relentlessly bleak. 4.5
Pretty good. Very dark.
An easy 5 for me. Have listened to this pretty regularly since I first discovered them many years ago. Still sounds as fresh and exciting today.
eh alright
Whilst it all a bit one pitch - I really enjoyed - something quite intense about every song
An iconic album because of its cover... I guess. This album does not tell me anything at all. It has a very 70's-near-80's-punk-meets-atmospheric feeling, which does not imply anything bad, but the overall is not thrilling or exciting. Instead, it's some bland music guided by repetitive rhythms and sounds. I wouldn't consider it innovative either, so I am confused, I don't know what I'm searching for in this Unknown Pleasures. It isn't that the album is bad, and maybe I'm not currently in the mood to listen to it, but I haven't found anything really of my like on this album except for a few songs that were a bit better. But, again, nothing exciting.
On the short list for all time best album cover.
Klassiker. Das Album lebt von dieser abgründigen, düsteren Grundstimmung, die sich durchs ganze Album trägt. Instrumental mag ichs auch sehr (tolle Bassgrooves und tanzbare Rhythmen, geiler Gitarrensound), die Stimme von Ian Curtis finde ich auch klasse. Bestes Album bisher.
While it's influence on the music world cannot be understated, just listening to the album on its own is not a very enjoyable experience. It just seems a bit boring. Will have to try again at some point.
The album is a smashed collection of one person's memories and outlook. Curtis' pathos swims into the music like colours into a paint mixer. Great to think about how this fits into the wider Manchester scene. Obviously a stark warning of what is to come but undeniably important and arresting.
My dad grew up in Manchester in the 1970s, and from how he describes it, Unknown Pleasures perfectly encapsulates it. I think Martin Hannett’s production might genuinely be the greatest production work ever on a record. The ability to make such a gloomy, atmospheric record sound so stripped back is so impressive to me. I think, in spite of the popularity of this record (and of course Love Will Tear Us Apart), Joy Division are often overlooked in terms of Mancunian bands, and yet, alongside The Smiths, I think they’re the ones who’s sound has the biggest legacy. Unknown Pleasures truly was the post-punk blueprint, whilst metal bands like Sabbath may have come before them, Joy Division pioneered a different type of dark sound that paved the way for so many more artists across a multitude of genres to explore the deepest, darkest depths of their work, and for that, this moody motherfucker will be forever grateful.
We're hitting a common theme here lately, I don't know anything of this band either. I actually enjoyed the album though.
A beautiful and haunting album that turns your soul cold
This album put you in a trance... Sure for my taste it feels unique and quite good. I like the atmosphere it creates 3/4
I LOVE THIS ALBUM, I already listened to it but I'll listen to it again!
Nope, not my jam
3/5
I’ll repeat what I said for the previous Joy Division album: Still pretty dang good. A few great songs on here. This probably sounded revolutionary when it was released. Although to my current ears its charming sparseness is occasionally too thin. To be honest, there’s a live album of theirs that I prefer to their studio albums. It’s from 1979ish concert(s), has blue/black/white rectangles on cover, has Frenchy words in title, sounds like a bootleg but is an official release, is rough around the edges, is more punk than post, and to me has a fascinating energy and urgency the studio albums don’t have.
Great great songs, my only issue is that it gets a bit relentless after a bit. But I mean, pretty great.
Unsurprisingly, pretty great.
Honestly, a little boring. It's fine though.
This site needs an option for a 6th star
GOING IN: Not fussed really LISTENED WHILE: Afternoon cuppa FAMILIARITY: Know the artist, not the album SKIP RATE: Gave up entirely REPLAY VALUE: Once was plenty DISCOVERY CURVE: Never happened ALBUM ARC: Pretty even, consistent VERDICT: Bit disappointing BODY'S VERDICT: Statue mode FAVOURITE TRACK: My Rating: 0 Anyone wearing an Unknown Pleasures t-shirt is a red flag. Avoid them.
*listened before the project* I never liked this album (except the cover)
Not bad, just kind of dad rock but not the better kind.
La primera impresión sobre rock gótico, no es lo que me imaginaba.
Solid. First time I’d listened from beginning to end. Contains a song I hadn’t realised was joy division (she’s lost control)
Classic, love it
can totally appreciate them being one of the foundational influences for post-punk/goth rock, which are some of my fav genres. really liked some songs but others not so much
As someone who loves gloomy music without being depressed in the slightest, I really enjoyed this album. It's nowhere near as dreary as people make it sound (but then again, I think doom metal and depressive suicidal black metal are fun, so my scale might be a bit off). It's cold and bleak all right, but it's also got a distinct punk vibe that brilliantly balances the proto-goth side of the album. I also enjoyed the discreet use of various electronic sounds - just enough to make things interesting without feeling artificial or synth-ish, like new wave can sometimes be. Sounds a bit like Kraftwerk's gothy little cousin. Overall a captivating and very influential album that I probably like more than their second record. This one is leaner, more straightforward and impactful. Not really an everyday listen, but a solid album nonetheless. 8/10
They're not mu favourites Joy Division's songs but I listened to them so much I can't nit love these minimalistic orchestrations. Ian Curtis's voice, nd themes...
Hypnotic and cold. A classic, and a foundation for a huge part of the alternative and gothic music that came after. The band’s short life only makes it feel more mysterious and legendary. I won’t listen to it every day, but it’s so minimal and so haunted that it’s perfect when you want to drag your mood down or ruin a party.
Interesting but not exactly in a good way, Luka did not fw it (he meowed the whole drive oop)
I LOVE what Metallica is putting into their songs. It’s another great album
Listened to this album twice and still can’t understand why people like it so much. Definition of overrated.
Ball
It's Joy Division. They can do no wrong. Good to be obliged to listen carefully and hear more musical and vocal detail than I remember hearing back in the day.
An amazing album in every aspect - great recording, incredible performances, and innovative songwriting, to name a few. Truly post-punk perfection. And, possibly the most Urban Outfitters T-Shirt of all time.
Sounds like the Fall without the sense of self deprecation and humour. Great driving bass lines though!
The only song by Joy Division is Disorder (not from this album). Don't like these guys.