Unknown Pleasures

GRAN DISCO

Liked

What an album. As a listener, I was initially distracted by the way Ian Curtis sings and doesn’t really focus on notes, but once I stepped back and really took a look at it, he did a fantastic job of painting a bleak picture of how depression and declining mental health feels, aided by his bandmates. Peter Hook’s bass lines were fantastic too, and my favourites off the album were his vocal feature on “Interzone” as well as “New Dawn Fades” and “She’s Lost Control”.

I've heard about Joy Division a lot before, but never really listened to their music before, but listeting to their debut album, I can tell why Joy Division is so well know, it's such a good album, not amazing, but really good with a fantastic vibe on every song.

Good noises. Fav song: Disorder

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.

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.

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

I'm typically a fan of new wave and have enjoyed Joy Division whenever I've heard them.

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.

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.

my sweet baby curtis 😞

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

8/10

Very dark.

Bom disco!

My friend wanted me to listen to this album. I did now.

Álbum de postar nos storys pra comer perereca depressiva

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.

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.

en avance sur son temps et en même temps ancré dans son époque

Tres sympa c’est comme depeche mode et c’est ok

В целом прикольно. Грустный рок. Возможно это буерак на Английским. 7/10

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.

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.

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!

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.

Top 3: 1. New Dawn Fades 2. Disorder 3. Day of the Lords Least Favourite: Interzone

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

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.

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

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.

Emo classic

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.

всё-таки какую же большую роль играет то, в какой момент тебе попадется то или иной альбом

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.

-3.5/5

The birth of emo, can dig it, probably more of a 3.5 but going 4 for the vibes

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

"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

The cover is a 5 but the actual album is only a 4.

Definitely biased by my late 2000s/early 2010s tumblr use

4 4.5

Bleak, gloomy and dark. Not something I listen to often but when I'm in the right mood, it hits.

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.

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.

no what i expected funky it was alr Best song - Shadowplay

favs: disorder, candidate, new dawn fades

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.

5/6

Pretty good. Very dark.

Whilst it all a bit one pitch - I really enjoyed - something quite intense about every song

On the short list for all time best album cover.

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.

A beautiful and haunting album that turns your soul cold

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.

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

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.

I LOVE what Metallica is putting into their songs. It’s another great album

Sounds like the Fall without the sense of self deprecation and humour. Great driving bass lines though!

Yahoo! More like known pleasures. What a familiar album cover. What a familiar band. These are those thick-like-a-blanket guitars I don't mind. (Perhaps it is simply... bass. Listen, I'm not a musicologist.) Joy Division are sort of like a David Bowie/A Perfect Circle fusion. Of all the tragic early deaths on this list (and there are many), Ian Curtis has always been one of the most personally upsetting to me. That said, I do prefer New Order (lol).

So dark, moody, angular, minimalistic, and yet it remains danceable. Started a revolution in music. The genius is in Hannett taking the very good punk songs the band had written and then twisting them in to a different shape, thus creating the future (and, tangentially, New Order). 4⭐️

First time listening to it and, in perspective, I get its importance. I liked it, but I will have to listen to it once more to really focus on lyrics. Bass lines are really killing

There’s a lot to say here. Joy Division knew exactly what they were doing, and i don’t mean that in the sense of technical skill or tight musicianship. There’s a reason everyone and their mother covered Disorder in their first band. You know what it is

moody. goth. dark. vibes. chill.

Love this album and missed the group in my youth!

One of those albums that I wouldn’t have been able to appreciate a few years ago because of the vocals. I can now see how cool and foundational it is though.

nice enough, but the songs were a bit similar, overall some great ideas though!!! just underwhelming

I love “Disorder,” but the rest of this album is just kinda boring… then I put it on loud on my headphones and it totally changed. It’s growing on me, may update to 5 with more time. Song added to the playlist: Disorder

Joy Division feels like a rite of passage for many. You have childhood, adolescence, and then your “Joy Division phase.” Let’s be honest, most of us went through it! Either that, or Joy Division became more of a fashion statement in recent decades. Regardless, they were a band that I enjoyed during my early 20s. The darkness in their music, mixed with that raw, punk aesthetic, really struck a chord. The use of synths to create a cold, empty atmosphere was one of my favorite elements. I might not listen to them anymore, because I got my fill 20 years ago, but their influence is undeniable. They left a massive mark on post punk during the late ’70s and early ‘80s, and they made a comeback in the early 2000s, especially with indie bands like Interpol and even mainstream acts like The Killers. It’s also fascinating how New Order emerged from the ashes of Joy Division, transitioning into a much brighter, uplifting sound, another band that has stayed one of my all-time favorites.

never listend before, i liked a lot. was good for background.

Crazy coincidence, had a relisten today without checking this. Although some songs are defo misses, the vibe/ mood of this album is amazing, so powerfully hopeless. One of the greats. 4.25/5

Their songs are what I will consider an evergreen but also a great representation of what music was in the past, if that makes sense.

love the edgy feel, the sinth not so much

I like the music much more than the vocal.

It's kind of wild to think that Joy Division became such a goth rock monolith with only two studio albums. I remember hearing their second album ("Closer") on this project first and being underwhelmed, hoping that the eventual listen of "Unknown Pleasures" would be better. I'm relieved to say that I enjoyed this album a lot more. While I did really like this album, I was confused about the fact that it wasn't scratching my goth rock itch quite as much as I expected it to. I think this may have something to do with the fact that they released their work at the turn of the decade in 1979 and 1980, Joy Division skews a lot more post-punk than a lot of the goth music that rose in the 1980s. Either way, their work definitely feels like a symbol of the turn of the decade, and it's undeniable that they were part of leading a movement. This album is definitely a 3.5 for me, neither a 3 nor a 4. But I found myself wanting to listen to this album again to take more of it in, so that is worthy of a 4 in my mind.

Album rapide et efficace Un classique du post punk

I have heard of the band but I’ve never listened to anything from them. Disorder - idk why but this song sounds very familiar, still a catchy rock song 😛, it reminds me of Dancing with myself by Billy Idol a little bit Day of the lords - a bit slower, lowkey the deep voice sounds a bit like Elvis hey mama, lowkey this one’s a little one note soz not soz Candidate - now he sounds like Fontaine DC a bit, still sounds nice but also a wee bit one Insight - I like the laser sounds, pew pew pew, lowkey this one sounds slightly different more like the Cure, this one is nice 😛 New dawn fades - this one is more grungy in a way #emo, this one also sounds like Billy Idol a smidge, I liked this one 😛😛 She’s lost control - wee bit mysterious, I’m getting gothic vibes even though it’s not goth music at all 🤷‍♀️, still a nice listen Shadowplay - ok drum solo, dang I like the crashes and all the sounds in this one, definitely getting rock from this song, 🎸🎸🤘 Wilderness - lowkey I think wasn’t Interzone - paying attention on what I remember nothing - to write, but they all sound good 😛 OVERALL: a nice classic rock album, I understand why this album is so popular tbh, there were some songs that sounded very similar but as I kept listening I didn’t have that problem as much 🤷‍♀️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/ 5

I think this album is great but it’s never been one of my top albums. Shadowplay is a fantastic song and there are a lot of great moments in here, but I’ve never quite connected with it enough for a 5.

A bit too slow for me, but love the instrumentals

This album feels like being the main character in a 70s futuristic movie where everything is neon and you just roam and cruise through the streets while the rain is washing down filths alone without companion till you fucking die

I think maybe, like New Order after them, they were more effective across a collection of singles or a compilation than a full studio album, but this is still pretty great. Hooky is at his best here, inspiring a million bass players bored with playing root notes. The production is unique too - so sparse and desolate, i cant imagine any other sound working for the material. Probably closer to a 5 when I'm in the right headspace for this (and really, thank god I rarely am) but a 3 would be undervaluing it.

The first band on this list I’ve actually seen live. A couple of standouts and the others are fine.

this was cool, ppl with this kinda music taste r fucking cool! not exactly my thing but might get into it idk overall 7.8/10

really fitting for a shitty day. feels like industry. deserves to be one of the 1001? with certainty

In the vein of The Cure and Depeche Mode. Dark and brooding, heavy bass and droning vocals.

Mad lads from Manchester. Ian Curtis should have had better friends. This record was great. Joy Division was not.

Many thanks to who or whatever decided that this would be an ideal pre-Christmas drop for the inbox. I held it back until Boxing Day, and now I feel that my presents were a little bit more shit than I remembered yesterday. So it's not a good time to review such a highly regarded album. How do you want your music? Songs like Day Of The Lords and New Dawn Fades are towering, emotional pieces of work and is a massive outpouring that ultimately didn't help Ian Curtis for much longer. You want your music to make you feel something, and this so does, but I'm reaching for a feel good album to listen to now. Happy Christmas readers. A low 4 for Joy Division.

Pov: you're a moody high schooler who doesn't fit in and has no friends and your parents are divorced because your dad is a piece of shit who hates you and your younger brother just got taken by the demogorgon and your mom is falling apart trying to find him and all you can do is lay in your bed and hide in your music and cry ❤️❤️❤️

Lubię Joy Division. Nie bało się być inne, szło własną ścieżką, przetarło szlaki dla współczesnej muzyki. Ale ta płyta jest trochę jak oni sami - nierówna, pozbawiona fokusu. Momentami wybitna. Momentami rozmyta. 8/10

Moody and dark. Very sad what happened with Ian Curtis.

Very depressing tone, does a great job of portraying certain feelings. Very deep themes and lyrics full of meaning, sometimes too enigmatic for my liking. No standout songs in particular, they all sound very similar to each other apart from the themes and lyrics. 7.2/10, rating carried by its objective quality rather than how much i enjoyed it

A familiar pleasure, but doesn't quite connect with me the way it did when I was young. Still great, of course, and hugely influential

Great, dark, mysterious. Industrial but still melodic.

Tickled me to listen to this on the way to a work Christmas meeting, perfect to get me in the mood... Aside from that it is a long time since I had listened to this whole album and it was great to revisit. While subject matter and sound is pretty stark it has stood the test of time very well. Not much else that sounds like it either.

Still haven't hit a 5 yet.

Chill and cool somber tone with a cool mix of different instruments and sounds. I dig it.

Disorder Candidate Insight

Great album

Really enjoyed this one. Class first album Disorder, interzone and she’s lost control we’re my favourites

have listened before another one that i had listened to so long ago and didn’t fully appreciate. def the blueprint for so much fav - shadowplay

I know this album came out in 1979, but it's basically the blueprint for 80s music.

Loved

Interessanter klarer Sound

89/100. Unknown Pleasures by Joy Division is a fantastic post-punk record that immediately sets a dark, atmospheric tone. The album carries an almost ambient quality, making its bleak, moody sound feel immersive. I really enjoy these kinds of gothic rock and post-punk albums, they have a certain chill yet haunting vibe that makes everything feel a little more grey and distant. A classic that perfectly captures its era’s raw emotion and introspection.

Moody, dark and broody from post-punks pioneers Joy Division.

7.7/10

An extra star for the epic cover.

The logical successor to the Velvet Underground in its ethos of "it's ok to be kinda crap" and then copied by countless others.

The instrumentation and vocals are all top of the range and an absolute joy. My only issue is that all the songs feel very much the same and that prevents this from being a 5. However, it's still incredible.

Rather good. Very early rocking album

Love the mood and the vibe of this album. I like the slower, doomier stuff more than the abrasive rock tracks, which means there are really only three great songs on this album for me, but it's still four stars overall.

Still going through but I’m always blown away by the moody versatility of new wave sounds.

Joy Division isn't my favorite, but they're important and interesting. The influence on other bands is obvious. Ian Curtis has a super unique voice, and it fits the overall emotional state of this album well. Certainly worth another listen and a spot on this list. For now, it has me wanting to listen to Type O Negative of all things!

Dark, brooding, hugely influential and at its best some of the greatest songs ever made - but is it a great album? Not sure. Taken in context, having this dark, austere, reverb drenched music come so soon after the dayglo punch in the face of pop music must have been shocking. Disorder and She's Lost Control are great songs, the production is innovative and still to this day sounds like nothing else. At the same time, the performances are ROUGH. In particular, Hooky hits SO MANY duff notes on the bass, especially during faster passages, that it takes me out of the immersion. I've sometimes thought JD are one of those bands who sound better when covered by someone else for just that reason. Still great, still an important listen, bit not perfect. A good 4.

Great album

not as good as the shirt

Ok yeah, but I still wouldn't wear this on a shirt.

Instantly good, instantly winey. We’re gonna cover the hell out of this. Fucked up band name. FOUR!

Very good memorable beginning. This is my genre so of course I like it more than the other albums so far. I definitely need to listen to it more, but some songs are already stuck in my head. Atmospheric.

Really fun opener. Bass line is so sick. How were they doing this production without computers. Guitar on days of the lords🔥. Songwriting is really good too. This is a great song. Can’t get over how good the guitar and bass are. Love the slow fade in on candidate. Rest of the song is just Ok. Back on track with insight. Again, how did they make some of these sounds. Good/catchy lyrics. Really good songs, outro was very cool. Guitar once again on new dawn fades is fire. The layers of instruments work so well. Production is insane on the whole album. She’s lost control is so good too. These guys don’t miss. Shadowplay is a great one again, can’t help but bop along to it. The whole album has 70s influence, but you can tell it’s going towards the 80s pop sound/production. Wilderness is pretty good, good guitar and bass again but not as catchy. Interzonenis very interesting. The harmony is cool, never heard 2 songs in 1 like this. Also very catchy. Ahead of its time, sounds like it’d be from the 90s. I remember nothing is dark in the best way. Makes me want to run through a brick wall. Good closing song, but with how it started I thought I was going to get a little more. Overall this is a really good album. Ahead of its time. More people need to listen to this. 3.8 stars.

I think I like Closer more, but still a really good album. I feel like there’s a backlash against Joy Division and I’m not sure why.

I feel like I’m not cool enough to be into Joy Division

Do danas nisam znala da nešto posebno volim Joy Division. Svaki put kad sam probala slušati dalje od najvećih hitova nekako mi je bilo smarajuće. U tome je ljepota ovog slušanja gomile albuma. Moram se udubiti i istinski čuti da li mi se nešto sviđa ili ne. I dalje nisam najveći ljubitelj ali ovo je još jedan predivno sumoran album koji u pravom trenutku zvuči nevjerovatno dobro. Usput, ako iko nabasa na ovaj moj komentar, želim da preporučim film 24 Hour Party People o njima i još svačemu, ekstra film.

great vibe

Incredible debut. Grim and relentless. Very enjoyable. I enjoyed Shadowplay, and She’s Lost Control a lot. Nothing resembling a single here but great vibes.

I really like this album, it’s cold, clinical and very dark. Ian Curtis’ voice is an acquired taste but there’s something chilling about it. Joy Division - punk banshees screaming for impending death. It’s just a shame that the cover of this record has become a fashion accessory.

I love the production, a lot o. The vocal lines feel idiosyncratic and at times closer to spoken word. I don't know if I love this, but combined with the production choices, Guitar parts, and drum sound, it's such a vibe. I love the guitar parts on this album. They're unique, effective, and just cool as shit, especially on "day of the lords".

Great album, some killer tunes. Don’t think I could listen to it multiple times on repeat but really enjoyed it for a couple of play throughs.

I already knew this iconic album already mainly from Disorder and Shadowplay, its most well-known tracks. The whole record is filled with a sense of dread, gloom, and dissociation. Everything feels cold and detached, yet captivating in a strange way. Makes you feel that you want to die or fall in a depression, it so dark and moody that at times its almost too heavy emotionally, but that atmosphere is very well done. Sonically, it’s pure post punk. the groundwork, lead up, or even the peak of gothic music. I can really appreciate the production on this one, the warm, wide drum sound, the rumbling bass, the processed icy guitars, and those haunting cold synth textures filled with odd rhythms and strange noises, all drenched in reverb. Together, they build an eerie and sorrowful soundscape that captures the unique and distinct sound of Joy Division, something they achieved brilliantly. Favourite Tracks: Disorder, Day of the Lords, New Dawn Fades, Shadowplay, I Remember Nothing.

A bit like the Cure, love it

I liked this one a lot! The first one I've listened to more than once on the first day. No real stand out tracks, but a good overall listen!

good album. very influential, especially on the bands i was listening to when i was first getting into white people music like interpol, bloc party

3.75. Really enjoy it but don’t think it’s quite as good as proclaimed. Wonder just how different it would’ve been had it not been Martin Hannett on production.

Fantastic and only not a 5 because I prefer closer on balance

Cool aesthetic, voice is flat but intentionally so. Interesting album but not 5 star worthy

Coolio

Didn't get to give this a close listen, but it was intriguing and energizing when I could.

Legendary and iconic. The atmosphere this album creates is so undeniable from the first seconds. Makes you feel like you're in an abandoned house in the middle of the winter during the night with snow blasting on the outside. It's dripping with sadness, depression and isolation. The first song is just so iconic and amazing. Amazing bass, the guitars just sound so good and the performance is fire as fuck. The 2nd song has amazing gothic rock influences but delivered with the heaviness of like an early Black Sabbath song. The vocals sound so tortured and give the song so much power. She's Lost Control and Shadowplay are also big highlights, as they do an amazing job of conveying these somber, dark emotions to the listener. I really like the closer too. Peak tension building. My problem with this album is that some songs are kinda there to just fill the atmosphere. They work for that but aren't that strong as standalone songs. Still, the highlights are incredibly strong and the album is very very good.

****an easy listening album

Groundbreaking for the time; how is this 1979? Short, bummed when it was over. See how it was influential.

Classic. Dark.

Nyt on kunnon melankolista ja rohkean minimalistista Joy Divisionia.

Groovie // Entspannt // Western

7/10. Mir gefällt "Closer" deutlich besser. Vom Einfluss her natürlich ne 10/10.

Great listen. New dawn fades and shadow play were standouts for me. 4.5

With the start of the first track on this album, I thought Unknown Pleasures was a winner. The sound was stripped back and minimal, energetic without the overt anger and distortion of punk, and cohered into an awesome atmosphere that you just wouldn't have heard at the time the record was released. The instrumentation was repetitive, nearly hypnotic, and it felt like a pattern that could suck me in for hours. And yet, this sound - the same, exact sound - continued to such an extent throughout the rest of the album that by the end, I found it had gone stale for me. A cohesive sound is a characteristic that distinguishes great albums from a compilation of songs, and there's no doubt that Joy Division introduced a sound that came to be incredibly influential in the following decade. The sound and atmosphere really makes this album what it is. But it's also important to strike a balance between this cohesive sound and some level of variety in the track list, and this is where this album comes up short for me. Too many songs stay in the same lane of sparse drum and guitar arrangements, with melody driven by the bass and Ian Curtis's emotional but monotonous vocals. This is an arrangement that sounds great for a few songs (Disorder, New Dawn Fades, and She's Lost Control are highlights), but it wasn't enough to carry a full album. Curtis's limitations as a vocalist also became more evident as the album progressed. His distinctive, haunting vocal style hangs over the music like a disembodied voice, fitting the sound the band is going for wonderfully, and at moments he compares to Jim Morrison's deep, booming voice. But too often the songs became stuck with 3-note vocal melodies, and his wavering when holding higher or more powerful notes makes me question whether the band would be able to expand their range. I found Curtis's contributions much more valuable as a lyricist. I look forward to spending more time with the messages in the songs, but on a first listen the themes approached in some of the songs are alarming and touching, especially in light of his death the year following this album's release. Several songs, including Disorder, New Dawn Fades, and I Remember Nothing, paint a picture of someone isolated and pushed to the brink, while others take a more explicitly political bent. The influence of the sound Joy Division established in this album on the post-punk scene can't be overstated. However, like first iterations of so many innovations, there are issues to be improved upon. With the benefit of 45 years having passed, I can find a lot of what I like in this album in more polished form from other bands like the Cure. Despite the downsides, though, there is a lot to like here. Just based on atmosphere and lyrics alone I plan to return to it.

Cool Album. I really like the drums bass and guitar throughout the whole album. The guitar solos were solid. Simple, yet it didn't leave me wanting more. At some moments the vocals weren't adding too much to the songs, but then other times it fit perfectly. I like the album as a whole and added about half of the songs. This is a real ride your bike home from a high school party in some British countryside kind of album.

The second one is a little better, but oddly a joy to listen to them working out their sound: from the wall of sound New Dawn Fades to almost pop sound of She's Lost Control (okay, Ian Curtis' voice means they could never be pop:)

This was good though not my favorite thing I’ve heard. It got boring for a little bit in the middle but started and ended very strongly

Pretty good alternative rock album. Reminded me of another band that I couldn’t remember and it’s driving me nuts.

What a weird album. With most other albums I like a little variety, but something about the vibe of each song plodding along really appealed to me here. I feel like this would be great montage music for a crime drama or something.

I'm generally more inclined to listen to New Order than Joy Division but still goddamn, dude. Unknown Pleasures is so so so so so so so so so so fundamentally important and influential on so much of what I love that came after. Disorder is in contention for best "album 1, side 1, track 1" of all time IMO. Love the production. Martin Hannett was a genius but also a monster. Things like spraying an aerosol can in time with the beat to create a "mechanical" sound on She's Lost Control, which in turn presumably caused Trent Reznor to spontaneously come into existence.

Great album

it's my first time listening to this album... i definitely know how iconic it is, and it's not just the fact that i see the album cover on graphic tees and hoodies all the time. it's super spacey, and doesn't go crazy with how each song presents itself. just a humble little band, performing in the void... it sounds empty. alien. objectively, this album is good. it's great, and i can certainly see how this paved the way for the kinds of alternative rock music that the 80s would give us... i think this is just another case of a sound i'm either not used to or don't care for as much. oh well.

min lieblings streetwear brand! disorder hani echt na cool gfunde, joy division isch ja bis jz nöd gad min fall gsi insight isch richtig apathisch und macht leider wenig mit mier wiso tönt de ahfang vo new dawn fades wie s einte solo vo warpigs hahaha aber actually seehr es cools lied, het au mal die düster atmosphäre wo mega passt und die zwei gitarre ergänzet sich gueet she's lost control isch sicher mal unik, au wennsmer jz nöd unglaublich gfallt okaaay ich glaub ich wirds album nomal müsse lose, doch ich hans reecht cool gfunde. sini sonori (?) stimm ischmer mengisch chli too much gsi aber het scho au zude atmosphäre passt. NOMAL LOSE (das resultiert eig immer zude bessere bewertig) joo also keis lied sticht so megaaa fürre (ussert new dawn fades) aber es gfalltmer ebe scho. s het chli öppis chalts woni idem fall gern han

Conversely (compared to the Super Furry I enjoyed this a lot more then I expected. Yes it was dark but it hit home. A low 4 but a definite 4.

3.5

Classic post punk.

Probably the single most T-shirt-able album cover ever, equally as simple and iconic as The Dark Side of the Moon but a lot better-looking in my opinion. As for the music, it's pretty good. Sure sounds a hell of a lot like it's cover. There's something about the instrumentals that always sounds a little too empty to me, but they do use that emptiness well in some parts of the album. The singer's voice is really satisfying to listen to and fits perfectly with the instrumentals. Definitely flawed, but the album plays into its flaws enough for it to not really be an issue.

01) Disorder - 8,0 02) Day of the Lords - 7,5 03) Candidate - 7,5 04) Insight - 7,5 05) New Dawn Fades - 8,5 06) She's Lost Control - 8,0 07) Shadowplay - 7,5 08) Wilderness - 7,5 09) Interzone - 7,5 10) I Remember Nothing - 7,5 TOTAL: 7,70 (77/100) Current ranking: 256/689

El álbum más camiseteado de la historia. ¡¿Es de 1979?! Entonces estos bros son unos visionarios, ponedles en más camisetas. Se nota que son la referencia de un millón de grupos que vinieron después. Resulta que una canción que me encanta, Mirrors de Nightbus, usa Shadowplay a modo de "sample", normal, es la mejor del album. "To the centre of the city where all roads meet, waiting for you", cuatro estrellas directas. Favs: Shadowplay, Disorder, Interzone

Fantastic mood music! 4.5/5

3.5

I always felt like this band was not for me. Probably because I don’t like Love Will Tear Us Apart Again. I discovered this album a few years ago and finally got into it. Standouts are Day Of The Lords, Candidate, She’s Lost Control, Shadowplay, and I Remember Nothing. It also bears mentioning that this is one of the best album covers ever.

I finally know where the shirts are from. English Molchat Doma

5 star cover

Goeeed

[joke about the jokes about the album cover t-shirts]

ufff, a favorite

Joy Division was one of those bands I heard about in the ‘80s but never heard on the radio. Now having listened to them I get why (1) I never heard them on the radio and (2) why people were talking about them. I feel like they took over where the Doors left off seven years prior. Their music for the time was dark, progressive yet still retained the psychedelia “space rock” feel. You can hear the influence they left in bands like The Cure, Depeche Mode, Echo& the Bunnymen, OMD and even BRMC. Key songs for me included Day of the Lords and She’s Lost Control. This is definitely heavy and have to be in a specific mood to listen to. Luckily, it’s the perfect season to be in that mood.

Banger. Listened to it in high school and didn't really get it but I've seen the light. New Dawn Fades is incredible.

Enjoyed this album. Never listened to Joy Division, but this will go in my favorites.

iconic post-punk album with dark vocals and moody guitars. such a shame we only got two albums. i think this is one of those albums that need a few listens to really enjoy and start to understand. key standouts for me were 'disorder' and 'new dawn fades'. ian's vocals are like a blend of morrissey and david byrne. i thought the drums on this album were the best part - they sound phenomenal.

I liked the dark vibe and hard sounds that actually sound soft and not noisy. Also loved the punkish sounds of Interzone

Post-punk I can get behind. A gloomy classic.

There’s some highs and lows on this but I love it

It's the South Park goth kids in all the best ways. Post-punk, new wave. Arrangements feel simple and layered swimming in plate reverb. Melodies that stick to you like peanut butter on the roof of your mouth. Makes me want to get facial piercings, dye my hair black, and goth dance in the parking lot behind the gym.

this album makes me lose control

I was already familiar with this album from when I was an overwrought teen. (Thanks Sethers) I haven’t listened to it for a long time, so it was nice to hear it as an adult. It’s not exactly a banger in the way I think of albums that are exciting, but I did enjoy it.

From the blast of angst that was Punk music came a more honest, emotional sound that still held to the core anger, hopelessness and desperation of its predecessor whilst offering a far deeper sound. And that came to the fore most notably and with the most skill via Ian Curtis & Co., in the form of Joy Division and Unknown Pleasures. There seems to be a largely unique sound on this and its companion Closer, often retried but never properly replicated, even by themselves as New Order. There’s eerie Sumner riffs accompanied by masterful Hook basslines and Morris percussion, but above all of course is the commanding, frantic lyrics and passionate vocals from the ill-fated and forever-remembered Ian Curtis. This is no more pronounced than on the end of the first (out)side, the immortal New Dawn Fades, where all four bandmates convene in supernatural fashion, engineering what is undoubtedly the defining piece of Post-Punk, and one of the most supreme tracks in music history. Most people will know Unknown Pleasures from the album art, which has somewhat superseded the music. However it still continues to seep through into most every corner of rock music that has followed it, and continues to serve as a beacon of the ‘album era’, and a touchstone for all that is downtrodden and melancholy in popular music today.

3.7

A classic album. A must listen

interesting stuff!! sounds like a sadder pink floyd

Wouldn’t usually be my thing, but this album is excellent. Supremely well crafted, oozing character and depth. “Shadowplay” was my highlight.

This is powerful stuff. Love the understated, rigid guitar work and the baritone crooning of Ian Curtis - these are the key contributors in what ends up being a beautifully compelling brutalist art project. I'm convinced!

Atmospheric sound

Already knew this one.

Wow. Das ist dunkel! Und sehr gut.

The album somehow sounded like 1983 or 1984 even in 1979. And, yes, that’s a good thing! “Disorder” is a helluva song.

relisten

I understand the hype

Superior a Closer a mi parecer. Muy adelantado a la época. No es mucho mi sabor pero vamos con... 4.0

Truly lives up to the t-shirt.

4 stars Spending my teen years in the early 2000s, I was familiar with music that was deeply inspired by Joy Division before ever hearing the band (Interpol, The Killers). My first exposure was “Love Will Tear Us Apart” in Donnie Darko, which is a top track. Unknown Pleasure is not like that song, which was more of an indication of the direction New Order would go in with a more poppy, new wave sound. This album is a vibe album, and that vibe is gloomy. But the production takes you on a journey. I’ll admit that I have been listening to this album for many years and I don’t remember the names of most of the songs. But as a unit, it’s memorable, the influence is clear, and the stand out tracks are memorable. I can acknowledge this album isn’t for everyone, and I do believe it is a bit overhyped (not quite the greatest of all time). I don’t return to it too often. But I’m never disappointed when I do.

Great album overall.

4.5/5

This sound of this album is amazing, and if it's something you're in the mood for, there's nothing better. Personally, I don't get there often, but I still think it's masterful.

I really like the instrumental but the singing gets me. It visually reminds me of a signer whose head is bent and glued to the mic. While I am impressed by the passion, it just isn’t my vibe for singing

Classic post-punk album. Love the dark atmosphere, so many bangers here, just an amazing album all around

Headphones album.

Goth Rock Supreme!

Joy Division influenced music massively in just a short span of about two years. They only released two studio albums, yet both became iconic and shaped the sound of post-punk. Unknown Pleasures was their debut, and it set a new standard with its dark, atmospheric production, minimalist arrangements, and Ian Curtis’s haunting vocals. Every track has its own unique touch, from the cold pulse of ‘Disorder’ to the hypnotic drive of ‘She’s Lost Control.’ It’s a record that feels both stark and emotional, capturing alienation and intensity in a way that still resonates today. Even decades later, Unknown Pleasures remains one of the most important and influential albums in alternative music.

Pretty Decent

You can hear the echos of this work for decades. It sometimes feels like every dark\emo\mod\goth\postpunk\punk and metal band cribbed notes from Unknown Pleasures. You can hear it strongly pulsing from the edge of the 70's and into the 90's, with ripples and waves lapping into music today. So influential, so amazing dark and moody.

Finally had the pleasure to listen to the poser t-shirt album art band! And what a pleasure it was, definitely a lot more on the slower and moodier side. I do feel like I am not seeing some of what others are here though, This felt pretty par for the course when it comes to british crywank material in terms of lyricism. Even the instrumental tone is not as overbearing as some have described, the slower tempo lends to a more understated feel. Perhaps listening to too much NIN where the angst funneled through industrial noise can feel like an angle grinder against your ear. Incredibly consistent album that felt like it was just getting better the further I went. Being short too was a boon, very easy to listen to once again.

I've lost count of how many times I've listened to this, never really got it until this time around. Enjoyed it significantly more than previously visits. Maybe its cause i usually have some grand expectation for what this album is or should be and this time I didnt care and just let it play and listened. 8/10

fucking genre defining classic

His voice is so haunting, in a good way

Such a great sound that influenced the 80’s.

Although I wish all the songs were written like the opener, its pretty good post punk. Early alternative, goth and new wave composite album. Im glad I finally got the chance to listen to it. Bonus points for having Skate 3 soundtrack song. Spent many nights up late in adolescence building skate parks and practicing tre flips to Disorder.

Great sound

I'm a big sucker for arty, angular, punky guitar music so this album is definitely for me . Also my first time listening to the whole album. And really enjoyed the live tracks on the version I listened to.

Hopefully closer is in the list as well. Thats the real masterpiece.

No doubting the influence this album has had. There are fine tracks on here but a bit of filler too. Martin Hannett's production is dark, dense and doomy.

Got to be in the mood but a classic.

A great for a reason. Not that I particularly enjoy listening to it any more. Drums go hard.

A bit miserable but it's goofs favorite.

I had not listened to this album before. Fascinating to listen to the entire album and try to make links to the new order that was to come all the New Order foundation is there less musicality. Enjoy the album.

3.8/5 - wanted to like this more

Disorder is so good. I think the rest of the album has some bite but is often missing a bit of magic, though I get why people laud this one. 3.7/5

3.5 stars, rounded up with caveats If a fourth-line winger scored 20 goals, you would rate his season an A+. If your $12 million first-line winger scored only 20 goals, you’d give him a C-. You have to grade on a curve. Joy Division have a $12 million winger reputation. When I saw the iconic Unknown Pleasures cover come up, I was sure it would be an easy 5. Then I remembered why I never listen to this album. Although it has a few unassailable, transcendent classic tracks, the other songs on this album don’t live up to the renown. There’s too big of a gulf between the best tracks and the rest of the album. Influential, important? Yes. But not a record I want to listen to on a daily basis. Is it the production? I’ve read articles and watched videos discussing how the producer imposed a stark, minimalist sound onto a band whose live shows were loud and scrappy. And it seems some of the band members weren’t happy about it. I don’t hate it though, it’s cool and really distinctive. But there’s an oppressively doomy atmosphere over the album that keeps me at a remove. If this had been produced differently, with a more visceral sound, maybe I would like it more. As it stands, I appreciate the unified aesthetic of Unknown Pleasures. It’s impressive for a new band to emerge with such a cohesive vibe on their first album. But admiration is not the same as love. I wonder if there are three types of Joy Division listeners: those who don’t like them at all, those who like them but prefer New Order, and those who think JD is the greatest band of all time. I’m in #2. It feels a bit sacrilege to give Unknown Pleasures a middling review, but here we are. To switch my hockey analogy over to salaries, there’s also the internal salary cap structure to consider. Your cap allocation should reflect the hierarchy of your players as closely as possible. I only have up to 5 stars to allocate. Giving Unknown Pleasures 3 stars throws off my internal rating system. It’s closer to the albums I’ve given 4 stars than the albums I’ve given 3 - so I’m rounding up. Bulletproof standouts: Disorder, She’s Lost Control, Shadowplay

Disorders one of my favorite songs

this is great, the intro sets the tone very well and the whole album progresses very well. the ending was very good as well, feels like an opposite of the intro. favourite songs: disorder, she’s lost control, shadowplay 4/5

I like the odd Joy Division song, but it is a band I never really got into. I have tried a few times to listen to them objectively, but i am never going to put a Joy division album on to listen to for pleasure...maybe these pleasures are unknown to me yet...but they still remain that. Dont get me wrong, it is still a good album, just not a 5 star album. I like candidate, the way the tempo and mood went down. She's Lost Control is always excellent. Shadowplay was a song I was not familiar with and enjoyed it. 4 stars

So... Every song is basically the same. Fade in, bass intro, cymbals and then the rest. The singer is bad, obviously, but it works with the style of music they play. It's a mediocre album for me, though there are standout tracks that I'll add to my playlist. 3.5/5

Let's go! An album of my teenage years I haven't revisited for a while, what a pleasure (known in this case) I've always been more of a New Order fan because their output is closer to the kind of music I grew up with but I have a lot of affection for JD and recall sitting in my teenage bedroom transfixed by Ian Curtis's live performance of She's Lost Control. Ok so the depth of She's Lost Control on record had really passed me by, that was great.

4/5 I really like the song disorder, and reminds me a lot of the songs I love from New Order. Definitely a staple of New Wave and I'm glad these guys blazed a path that so many others followed. I think the overall gloominess of many of the songs makes it hard for me to give it a 5 but the more uptempo songs are really enjoyable for me.

I thought I'd already heard this album but I hadn't. It's ok but somehow it wasn't hitting as hard as I expected it to hit. (I like the 12" version of "She's Lost Control", it feels more tense) I also hate that for me, "I Remember Nothing" is officially the "Ian Curtis on a roller coaster" song

I prefer New Order.

It's been a while since I revisited this and I feel like the quality has diminished. The talky vocals don't sit well with me, and the background music is very subdued. Still all the post-punk 80's English stuff is up my alley. I'm very fucking depressed.

I remember having friends talking about Joy Division back then when it happened. I can now understand why... A great album that I had never heard before. I suspect the "remastering" lifted the sound at least two notches since then.

That was better than I expected or remembered.

opa... nuevo descubrimiento para mi, me gusto bastante el album y la banda en general, mas que todo el estilo y voz del cantante, como suena el bajo también. Es un álbum que volvería a escuchar mas veces y un genero a explorar(post-punk).

A historically important album that does an amazing job at setting the dark tone it's looking to convey. The band uses simple bass lines and drum lines with an almost flat lead vocals but somehow create so much space in the songs they created by using the studio as an instrument. It definitely makes me sad at times, but that's the goal, isn't it?

Fuck Iran 🇮🇷

I like this album! Would listen again.

One of the best new wave albums ever written

I know this album from the many many t-shirts worn in Boston venues and basements. It's a really cool cover. I'm enjoying "Day of the Lords". "Interzone" is a jam. For a punk record, it's surprisingly melodic and the vocals aren't too abrasive. There is a lot of production work happening and it adds depth to the tracks. I liked what I heard. I may need to spend some more time on this album for it to fully sink in, which is not something I typically do. 7/10

Important? Absolument. Meilleure affaire? Baaaahhhh

Ett tajt ALBUM. Ingen låt som sticker ut. Men alla är värda en lyssning. Bättre om man är på "Joy"-humör. Fyra

Classic, dark and moody!

hmmm very good album from callum Solid 7/10 post punk album

Im giving this a 4 so I can qualify for the The Shirt. I'm looking forward to the unkown pleasures that will be revealed from repeat listens in My Shirt. It's brazen. Loud. SHE'S LOST CONTROL BONK BONK BONK BONK its a 4.

One of the definitive post punk albums. If you’ve never heard this, yet still have the T-shirt it’s worth the listen.

It's pretty good, some very repayable songs, some less. Enjoyable in any case 4/5

Such a great album… one kind ahead of it’s time

post punk kings

3.5 stars. Love the sound, but some songs are indistinguishable from others.

This is what I love about music. 20 years ago I bought this album as a young man. It was ok but did not resonate with me. Fast forward, with a few more miles on the human spirit and a much evolved taste in music, and I get it. In fact I like it! Music will always wait for you!

It’s a great post punk/goth album - very bleak while still being upbeat enough for a Halloween party. That said, Joy Division’s music is so homogeneous sometimes so none of the songs in this album stand out from the rest. It all sounds a little generic.

Disorder- guitar sounds like Give yourself a Try. Cool to see how so many bands have been influenced by this sound. Loved the final song

I don't think I've ever listened to a Joy Division album all the way through but I really liked this one. it was a bit same-y but I liked it

pretty good for a first listen.standout tracks are definitely new dawn fades, interzone and disorder. instrumentals are really atmospheric and provides a lot for the overall feel of the album itself. 7/10

It's hard to rank the influence of an album that existed mostly on T-shirts of people who never heard it or thought the single from it was "Love Will Tear Us Apart." For all of the cultural flack, I think it's important to state that the album is itself unique and ingenious. Most notably I learned that Martin Hannet ran pretty wild with the production of it and helped to form their legendary etherealness on album, but they were heavier live. It's an amazing piece of art and an important landmark in the changing sounds of the 80's and everything since. 4/5/5

I think almost any music would not live up to this iconic album cover. This album is inoffensive, but does not compel me to return, so alas, I will stay a poser who likes the cover more than the music.

Bra

Solid early 80s post punk. Lead the way.

If you haven't seen this album cover before you haven't been paying attention. Pumped to listen to this back to back with Closer. Immediately liking the voice a bit more on this one. Shadowplay is an incredible song I am vibing to this bassline. I liked this one a bit more than Closer, but not enough to bump to a 5.

Omg, english post punk. I like russian post punk. The moment I started this album I immediately understood, that this will be a blessing to my tears. Idk for sure, but me thinks that they are fathers of post punk, at least they're pretty old, so I think it's crucial for me to listen to them, and today that task is completed. Did I like it? Yes, a lot. Great everything: drums, guitar, bass, vocals. Unfortunately no song stuck in my brain, unlike from prev. two albums, even though i listened to this album 4 times today. Songs saved: 7/10

So many cool albums and even artists probably could not exist without this one. Drums and bass are killer. RIP Ian Curtis

It's certainly a specific mood. I'm rarely looking for it, but very distinct.

very solid album

Today, Hummer, Rocket, Disarm

Great album

I was worried going into this, but I really enjoyed the stripped-down version of Joy Division from this album. I went into this with the notes about how they changed from the normal concert sound (more punk) for this recording, and I definitely think that knowledge helped me put this into context better with how I knew them. I'm giving it an extra star for surprising me (and sounding better than New Order, to me, which sounds like sacrilege).

Listened before?: No, actually! I have seen it on many a shirt though Moody and dark. I loved it, though it has a kind of "detached" quality to the vocals that doesn't always work for me. Made a compelling case for its place in the depressed teenager music pantheon.

Miltähän tää albumi kuulostikaan ihan ekaa kertaa kuunneltuna? Muistaakseni suht tylsältä, mutta sävy on niin ainutlaatuinen ja toi rummun kaiku kiehtova, että tän äärelle palaa pian ja haluaa päästä sisälle. Kun mielenkiinto meinaa herpaantua a-osan hyvän alun jälkeen, She’s lost control palauttaa sen. Valitettavasti yhden tähden miinus b-puolen lopun laahauksesta, en totu siihen ikinä.

Toisin kuin "post-punk"-bändit yleensä, JD on fundamentaalisesti anti-romanttinen. Ei kivaa ääntä, ei manipulatiivisia soundeja - ainoastaan ontto, Kraftwerk-filtterin läpi valutettu tulkinta koukukkaasta rock and rollista. Jokaisella biisillä on paikkansa, eikä yhdenkään takia ole uhrattu melodiaa. 4+

Here’s another one I’d kept seeing the album cover of, but had never made time to listen.

Ok

Interesting to see where New Order started out.

Anything less than a 5 might be controversial, but a couple of the songs were just a bit too morose for me. Other than those few tracks, it would have been an easy 5.

I really loved this album. I was only familiar with one Joy Division song prior to this album (Warsaw from substances). But I was completely misunderstood about what they sounded like cause Warsaw is more of a traditional punk song and the rest of their music, especially this album, is more post-punk and is more emotional and dramatic. The other big difference is that the music is more electronic and melancholy than what punk music was at the time. This album is way ahead of its time to the point where it almost sounds modern, almost. Seriously though I loved this album, I think with time I’ll grow to like this album more and more over time.