Reviews (page 9 of 14)
6 - AVERAGE
Of course I completely understand how seminal this album is in the pantheon of modern music - but sadly too many decades of water under the bridge for me to be lost in the music of disaffected youth. I’ve always loved Peter Hook’s playing and the overall sound of a band who can’t play particularly well yet play with such commitment I also really love. Can’t give it more than 3 stars though. If I had grown up with it, I’d probably give it 5.
I really love the production and I think the instrumentation is really smart. I'm not into super dreary music, and unfortunately the whole album is just dark and slow. Also, the singer really can't sing at all. It's a low 3.
Cannot get into Ian Curtis. Overall a boring album. Sounds lazy and low effort.
As far as my personal taste goes, I'd give it a 2. But although I don't particularly like it, I do think it's worth a 3.
Nope. Not for me.
I loved how the album started with "Disorder" so I'm sad the rest of the album wasn't like that. Overall, it was fine.
Solid album. Quite heavy at points with a somber sound overall.
Decent album. The singers voice was just too blah for me. The whole thing seemed a bit heavy handed, if I am being honest. That said, it had some good qualities to it. Bonus points for Shadowplay. I heard that track on Killers live album and had no idea it was a remake until now.
Was okay. As Claire said, I think it is more of an acquired taste.
Eh, just not my vibe
Liked the sound (with the reminder of Type O Negative), but somehow it was missing "that thing."
Enjoyed it
Hard to believe this guy was depressed. What a wholesome, joyful album 6.5 / 10 Best track/s: Disorder, Shadowplay
Ganz okayer 70s Rock. Ikonisches Album Cover
I had to come back to this one a few times, but I’m starting to get it now. I hear the influence over quite a few bands. In the end I like some of the songs but not nearly as much as I’ve found I like The Cure.
I'm didn't dislike it per say (the lyrics are sharp, the instrumentation is so good) but the singer's voice really didn't do anything for me, to the point where it honestly detracted from the music. I think part of the problem is that I listened to the 2019 remasters first. When I went back to listen to the 2007 remasters they were much better. Wonderfully dark and nihilistic, an album I'll probably return to when I'm in the mood for something like it.
6/10 - good 80s UK pop rock
Finally giving this a listen. Pretty cool.
I think if I sat with them and this album a bit more then it would warm up to me. However, initial reactions are that it’s just fine.
This does a good job of keeping a consistent style without each track sounding the same. However, it definitely feels dated and whatever was intriguing about this then feels overdone and uninspired now.
This was better than I anticipated but just ok.
Meh.
# Playlist Track - Disorder # Notes - A couple of stars for the iconic album art alone. - I didn't quite enjoy it as I thought I would. Maybe it's just me getting older and not being in *that* moment in my life anymore. I appreciate the historical importance and impact of Joy Division, but right now it's not clicking with me.
Best Track - "Disorder"
Surprised I liked them. Post-punk pre-80's pop-rockish. Can hear the influences taken by later acts. Solid.
I love the music and was bobbing along in the intro of the first song and then the vocals started and I remembered why I dont listen to joy division.
Ik merk dat ik niet zo heel veel heb met dit album. Het is allemaal wat onheilspellend en koud maar toch wat vlakjes, zonder de sfeer van bijvoorbeeld The Cure. Daardoor vind ik het een beetje saai. Een tikkeltje theatraal ook met die 80's galm, ondanks dat dit van net vóór de 80's is. Zeker niet slecht, maar het pakt me niet zo. Ik hou het op een wat zuinige drie sterren.
nice
Enjoyed. More downbeat than I expected but deliberately so.
Overall Rating - 2.65/5 (5.30/10). Overall not bad, but nothing really stands out as particularly good either.
High level dark/gothic rock, but it's too depressing for me: I get sad eheh
Not a fan of them. I think they are overated
Nicht meine Musik, aber sicher nicht unbedeutend
I can see how this was an influential album. So many other bands sound like Joy Division. In fact, I had no idea Joy Division came out in the late 70s, not say the mid 80s. And it's a cool sound with a cool vibe, but honestly not one I intend to listen to again.
One to listen to when you are down, a bit fun to play on the guitar, but not too challenging other than Shadowplay and Day of The Lords, you could probably use this album as a way to train your ears. It did not blow me away, but understand the place it has on UK/Manchester rock history https://ibb.co/album/8Y734G
I have always loved this album.
I don’t know how to put this but the album was ok but New Dawn Fades and Day of the Lords are probably the best songs I’ve ever listened to THE DARKNESS CONSUMES ME and the other songs are ok
3.0
(3.5)
If Ian Curtis was even just a slightly better singer I’d be so much more interested. (3.5)
Strong start, slightly weaker ending, however overall a pleasant listening experience with a bit of everything in there. 3/5
Very much enjoyed this album, shows its age a bit though
This was my first listen but I’ve been aware of the album in pop culture for a long time, and I think higher expectations brought it down a bit (complete opposite of yesterday with D.O.A. where expectations were very low and I was pleasantly surprised). Still a solid enjoyable listen though
I used to like a song called let’s dance to joy division, but I don’t actually think I could dance to this too well
Not super into gothic rock, but maybe I would have enjoyed this more if it was up BEFORE Halloween.
Never really got on with this, but can appreciate how seminal it was
121 Le tenía tanta fe a este disco, viendolo en infinitas poleras, pensé "wena por fin voy a entender por qué a tanta gente le gusta" y... estaba ok? Pero no creo que haya sido nada memorable ni que me hiciera pensar en escucharlos de nuevo.
80s English Post-Punk industrial sounding rock. A dark and fun listen. New Dawn Fades, Shadowplay and Wilderness were standout tracks.
I thought I would know at least some of the songs given how many times I have seen stickers etc. for this band. Didn’t know anything, and weirdly didn’t really like anything either. Just sort of generic sounding new wave to me
Joy Division is one of those bands that I've tried to like more than I like. Tracks like Love Will Tear Us Apart and Disorder are the reason why I try, but before, when I've listened to their album, it's been a little too depressing. Anyway, I'll give this another try for the sake of the almighty list. The album starts off with a cool track, Disorder, and I like the vibe of the second track, Day of the Lords as well. There some other good tracks here, but much of the album just kind of blends into the background. 3/5
You can hear how they were influential to other bands
When it comes to these musicians (bar Curtis), I prefer New Order. When it comes to this kind of sound, I prefer early The Cure. Still, this album has some appeal in its hypnotically plodding, rudimentary dourness. At the very least, it directly spawned a lot of more interesting bands.
Quick thoughts here since I need to catch up on a few of these: 1) A unique blend of late 70s punk and on the precipice of 80's synth rock. 2) The heavy, pulsating basslines are the driver behind many of the tracks, and with what I assume is drop-D tuning, giving this album the deep, dark, and droning elements that the listener locked in. 3) Pretty heavy at times, but that's Joy Division for ya Top Tracks: Shadowplay, Insight, Interzone
Album started off strong and fizzled out
The t-shirt that launched a thousand ships.
I sat through 40 minutes of soul-sucking tedium and all I got was this lousy T-shirt
Not my cup of tea, some tracks where good but all a bit the same.
It was alright, not my cup of tea
Forgot what it was. Was kinda weird
I finally get to listen to the album that has that famous image on it. It sounds a bit like a less upbeat and less dancey version of New Order, which after just learning about the connections between the two today, would make sense. After giving it a listen, Joy Division feels like one of those bands that everyone seems to get but me. This is probably your favourite indie band's favourite indie band. Surprisingly though I didn't outright hate it like I assumed I would. It had a very cool dark and gloomy atmosphere. I liked the production on it. It has a slightly muffled, muted and echoey sound, as if you're listening to it in the room next to you with the door closed. I'm not a huge fan of Ian Curtis on vocals though. Showy yet gothic and annoying spoken word. It fits the music, no doubt, but I don't enjoy his voice that much. It's all about the moody atmosphere created by the instruments for me. The rhythmic drumming, cool sounding guitar work and punchy bass. It's heavy without being heavy metal. I prefer the slower moodier tracks to the more upbeat spritely sounding ones. A surprising three stars, though probably in my head could be a bit of a grower. It all depends on if I can get on with the vocals a bit more and they click with me.
The opener was pretty good but as it went on, the flat vocal delivery started to bother me. Consistently good was the rolling basslines and the drums.
That’s that me depresso
ugh, the molasses machine strikes again. but goddamn, it’s a good album.
So the vocals feel a little Talking Heads/The Smiths i.e. not a lot of melody, for me it just adds ambience? Not sure if that is my favourite use of a voice. However some of the songs have this odd ominous feeling that I really look, almost like a dark punk-y Fontaines DC vibe.
Really interesting record. Moody, brooding, but surprisingly danceable. Ian Curtis adds a unique voice. The core band work is understated, but effective.
A very dark and gloomy atmosphere around this one, makes it kind of slow and boring, but overall not horrible. Standout Songs: Insight Shadowplay Interzone
I liked it better than most R&B but I still probably won't listen to it again.
This is good. Sounds fresh. Would've changed my whole personality if I was the age for it upon release.
The 70s giving way to the 80s. It's a great soundscape - lots of interesting, well-utilized effects and experiments throughout, and I like the guitar parts. The part I'm less enthusiastic about is the vocals.
An album perfect for a vampiric afternoon. I don't think there was one particular song that stood out to me; however, as a whole it creates a pretty cool atmosphere.
3.5 stars
Täähän oli jo parempaa joy divisionia, mutta jotain jää nelosesta puuttumaan. Oikein mainio kulku koko levyn ajan mutta jää silti hieman keskinkertaiseksi omaan musahermoon.
Alles was es beeinflusst hat gefällt mir besser
Favorit: New Dawn Fades
Nicht ganz meine Musikrichtung, aber für das was es sein will wirklich gut. Mir fehlen allerdings die Highlights. Schön Facettenreich
Erwartungen waren hoch. War in Ordnung, aber etwas zu eintönig für mich. Kein Song hat mich umgehauen, aber im Allgemeinen nicht unangenehm. Klingt so gar nicht nach Siebzigern, hat mich überrascht, wann es rausgekommen ist.
*I respect that this was iconic at the time it came out and that its the only Joy Division sound with Curtis' vocals- but I just find him brooding without a true feeling of moody or mellow vibes. *This is not bad to listen to, it just doesn't make me feel as amazing as I feel it should based on the popularity of the album and its cover artwork. My punk preference is 80's and 90's punk, and not much post-vibes. *Glad I can say I've actually listened to this to maintain my "just ok" thoughts about it.
Dark and moody. Some songs I really enjoyed, others were alright, and one, "Insight", was so bad it was humorous. Faves: "Day Of The Lords", "She's Lost Control"
I want to like it more than I do.
A shoegazing foundation album. Sonic reverb, simple rhythmic beats, melancholy lyrics and vocals, all signatures of the genre that was to become popular years after this recording. Some good stuff in here, perfect listening on a reflective day.
Not bad but not my taste
Brilliant sleeve and 'mood', and some brilliant tracks (espcially New Dawn Fades'), but it isn't a patch on their second album.
Interesting
There are obvious highs (Disorder) but overall this album tends to be a drag for me and despite being a big Post-Punk / New Wave fan I have never reached for this album much over the years despite it being in my record collection since I was a teenager.
sounds way ahead of its time and i loved the first half. kinda lost me in the second half
I love a lot of the artists that were inspired by Joy Division. But that doesn't mean I love these fellas -- I only like parts of Joy Division's sound. I guess that how musical influences go, where another artist absorbs pieces that resonate with them. Love the hazy, droning sound of "I Remember Nothing" and the driving, reverb-drenched guitar and big snares on "Wilderness". The raw, tortured vocals and sounds don't quite click for me.
ah die mache dmusig ha denkt afoch t shirts. disorder no nice! ha unglaublich deprimusig erwartet. das isch scho fast groovy new wave. land of the lords etz sehr doomy. drums huere chlii da gfallt mer. nocher mega lang still? isch das kunst? candidate sehr gloomy au. sehr en mood au. insight het wieder de 50er beat aber er isch i dem kontext null happy. ich weiss nonig öbis so mega cool oder gar nöd so speziell find das ganze. new dawn fades het cooli giti arpeggios. shadowplay isch chli hässiger und mir gfallt langsam sini stimm. wilderness findi chli langwilig? interzone wieder chli hektischer. no cool. i remember nothing wird mir glaub au nöd blibe HAHA. aber nai actually no cool s athmosphärische intro.
Enjoyed the random spoken word
Very weird. Not what I expected at all
Would not buy.
preciso prestar atenção nas letras
Moody but that's about it
listened to this album quite a long while ago now, and I thought that the instrumental was definitely strong but I was let down by the way that most songs seemed to sound the same to me. This could just be a problem of my memory, but until i listen to it again, 3/5.
I found this to be less abrasive and existential when I listened to it this time as opposed to when I first heard it back in the 80s. Maybe I'm growing as a listener? Or maybe I'm just getting more existential.
twas ok
Lo que más me gustó del álbum fue esa guitarra distorsionada que está siempre de fondo. La voz de Mr. Division no me encanta though, en muchos casos me descuadraba. Nunca lo había escuchado y me esperaba otra cosa, tenía mas expectativas por la época emo que estoy pasando con la música. Pero es muy buena música, no voy a negarlo Favs: Insight, Shadowplay, Interzone
its fine
Yeah, it's a gloomy masterpiece. Ahead of its time. Influential. Tragic. And if I were in that mood, I might've given it another star.
No wonder GenX were so predisposed to apathy.
Goth vibes aber an sich ein banger nicht 100% meine Musik aber iconic eigentlich Feier die vocals nicht so die Musik an sich aber sehr cool Special Mention: She’s Lost Control Best song: Disorder Rating: 3,5
The band's unfortunate story is more interesting than their music.
It's dark and methodical. It's not my favorite Joy Division work, but as a debut album it's a pretty solid leap into the dark world of post-punk goth rock to come.
This is like if The Cure sucked. Honestly, this could have been a pretty good instrumental album. This guy's vocal style is miserable. Notably, the Wikipedia article says "they advertised for a singer. Curtis, whom Sumner and Hook already knew, applied and, without having to audition, was taken on." No shit, right? There's no other way he could have been a singer otherwise. For me, the vocals ruin what I think was pretty solid music. I definitely can hear sounds on this album that show up later in the grunge/alternative scene from the 90s, which I can appreciate. I think I'm going to go listen to The Cure or Depeche Mode now 3 feels high, but...
I'm wary when I see albums on here with loads of 5 star reviews - and I was right again with this one It was incredibly overhyped. Were there good songs? Yes. But also a lot of shite The good songs would have given this album a 4. Wasn't 5 star worthy but I enjoyed them. But there was a load of bland songs in the middle which I really can't rate too highly I guess there's a reason why the album cover seems more popular than the actual contents of the album 3 ⭐️
I get the appeal of this type of music, but it's a bit too dark and depressing for me.
Got better as I went along, vocals not very strong
I can relate to that age in music. It was the time in which I grew up as a teenager so it sounds familiar. But it is not the music style that really appeals to me. It doesn't bring me to a certain state of mind, it doesn't evoke emotions apart from sounding familiar. Listening to the music I find it dull. It fails to keep me on my toes and wanting more. Hence 3 stars
This album is obviously a classic... but I've found I'm more of a New Order guy than Joy Division... I suppose the transition to more of a new wave vibe appeals to me.
This was a good album. I like their songs and lyrics.
Eh, decent vibe at times, other times lackluster.
Like it so far. Starts with a 4. Ends as a 3.
Random thoughts: * I’ve listened to this one before based on the love expressed for Joy Division. And on second listen, it’s still not a must listen to me. * This music is just okay and I find it too dark of a mood for my liking. * I’m sure there is something groundbreaking about this but it just doesn’t quite hold up over time. * I doubt I’ll personally be going back to this again.
Not super into it, but it's not terrible. I think what puts me off is the singer's voice, more so than anything else. I generally don't have a big attraction to more traditional rock music, so it's probably not the album's fault. 6/10 okay/10
Fav: Shadowplay Least Fav: Candidate Absolutely iconic album cover, really fits the album’s vibe
Nothing bad about the album. Just not my cup of tea
Late night vibes
An open tuned snare, lyrics more spoken than sung, bass lines that are almost punk, and atmospheric guitar make for an exceptional 80s listening experience. I lost control of my body listening to this and turned every device I had to a different John Hughes movie, drank Pepsi tab and used up all the hairspray in the house. I spent this album missing the young Nick who felt limitless, was less aware of how the world worked and knew his siblings better, was less guarded and jaded but full of big feelings he didn't know what to do with yet. Id love to keep talking but i challenged the town bully to a ski race down the k12 rated mountain side for a chance to save my community and get the girl of my dreams.
I agree with another listener--it just doesn't hit for me. Too moody.
I really wish I liked this album more. But it’s depressing without also being beautiful.
This was ok, 3/5
Classic, achievement in goth rock, not particularly pleasant to listen to however.
I want to like it so bad. It should be an album I adore. Ill come back to it one day. It's just a little boring right now. Sometimes it gets me excited then falls flat. Maybe I'm not sad enough to like it.
Bra album och jag fattar att det var viktigt men har alltid tyckt att joy division lever mer på omständigheterna runt om dem än deras musik. Bra såklart och kanske borde ge högre betyg men hann inte lyssna så mycket tyvärr Helle
Knall åpning på albummet, ser for meg at resten er en slow burn, men etter en gjennomhøring er jeg ikke helt bitt av basillen.
Very influential, probably ahead of its time, pretty decent overall. But it never really stuck with me for some reason.
Not keen on his voice but I'm sure I'm alone in that ;) thx!
Seminal band…
Sounds like 3 different records at times -the paranoid tunes are the most striking. Innovative for the time, but hasn't held up well. The live shows must have been rather grim...
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3- Somewhat overrated I think. Doesn't hold a candle to anything the smiths have put out
Nice that I got both Joy Division albums within days of each other, what are the odds? Both first listens (yeah I'm just getting on my music listening journey cut me some slack), but I found this one to be substantially better. Less self-loathing and catchier perhaps? Still not gonna give it above a 3, but I could see this one growing on me with repeated listens.
Didn't care for it
pretty mediocre. Nothing stood out to me nor bothered me. I don’t get the hype, why is this album cover on T-shirts?
This is a good listenable album.
Bit underwhelmed. The cultural importance and iconography of this album outweighs the music IMO.
I've listened to this album before and not been impressed. I'll give it another spin and see. I struggle with the post-punk introducing Joy Division that was inspired by Iggy Pop/Bowie with the only song I knew growing up, the edgy alt-synth hit Love Will Tear Us Apart. Pitchfork: 10.0 Rolling Stone: Top 500 Albums #211 Best Songs Disorder Day of the Lords New Dawn Fades She's Lost Control Shadowplay
This is undeniably influential. Its sound shaped the direction of post-punk and alternative music for decades. But as an album, it doesn’t quite live up to the weight of its legacy.
I came into contact with Joy Division very late in life. I only stumbled across them in my late gothic phase towards the end of the 90s. That's when I heard the album for the first time. I didn't think it was that old. In the meantime, I've left gothic behind me. And so, as I've now realized, the music doesn't mean much to me anymore. It's interesting what you learn about yourself in the course of this project. 3/5
One of the best album arts of all time, but not a huge fan of his voice NGL
I do know very well this album's importance, and I appreciate the dark mood of it, but this album mostly did nothing for me. Few great tracks grabbed me, but mostly this passed me by
7/10
I like some Joy Division but I can't say that I love all of it.
I'm sure I've listened to this before but hadn't gone back to it. I don't really get why this is so hyped - it's good but not all super memorable imo
Ian Curtis' greatest contribution to music was an unrelated act that caused New Order to form. The tracks are way ahead of their time but for the most part I cannot stand this cunts vocals.
Great club music.
It was decent. Not anything I'd listen to on the regular, but pretty good. I think this is considered New Wave? Apple Music has it listed as "Goth Rock" which is the dumbest thing I've ever heard of. There's definitely a punk undercurrent, but the singer isn't a nasally, whiny little shit, and I think the rest of the band actually know how to play their instruments. It's said to be a masterpiece, and while I wouldn't go that far, I can understand why it could be seen as such if it was released in 1979. I'm sure it completely blew the minds of lots of teenager when it was released.
I wish I liked this album more. Very consistent feel but it’s not for me. The first track is excellent though, and sweet cover art.
Dark, moody and introspective. Just like Ian Curtis .
This just really doesn’t speak to me. I really do want to like it but every time I hear it I just think “meh”
Un poco de mal rollo con el cantante. El album en si me ha gustado, aunque es así oscuro
It's iconic for sure and moody for miles.
A bit too dark and bleak for me...
I know it’s a classic, BUT don’t know why?
Cure is better
I've been dreading this album since the day we started this challenge. I knew it would be here. I know how important it is. I love so many bands inspired by this album. I love songs from this band and from New Order and on this damn album. But I just don't love this album... and now I have to put that in writing. I want to like it. In theory I should. I remember listening to it for the first time thinking it was going to change my life ... and it just didn't. And that was baffling. This is Joy Division, the creators of post-punk, and this is their iconic album that inspired 10,000 imitators, the one with the artwork that everyone has on a t-shirt. So much hype... and it just doesn't live up to that for me. It's a solid post-punk album. But I prefer New Order. Revisiting it hasn't changed my feelings. I had a feeling it wouldn't. What I like about this album... Disorder is incredible. It's the song that basically created a genre. I don't think the album ever reaches the height of this track. I love this song so much. It has strong New Order energy, but with the sad baritone of Ian Curtis. It's an awesome combo. It's proto-Age of Consent. It's perfect, even with all of it's weird flubbed bass notes. I wish the rest of the album was more like this. In 1979, nothing sounded like this. Now you can't throw a stone without hitting a post-punk band that rips this thing off... and you have to respect that. New Dawn Fades is one of the few slow burns that really works. The interplay of the guitar and bass (especially that big heavy riff), the dramatic vocal performance. It's awesome. I never made this connection before, but it has real Black Sabbath energy. Reminds me of a slow song from the debut album. Shadowplay is the closest this album comes to matching the energy of Disorder. Love the solo. Great track. I wish there was more of this on the album. She's Lost Control is solid. I've never got the hype of it... but I still enjoy it. I like the ugliness of the sound pallet. The driving bleakness is cool. I like it Interzone. it has a weird Born to Be Wild roadtrip energy... but also it's still bleak post punk. it's cool. The way that the bass and guitar play off each other in strange ways is just iconic. I want to rip it off... just like everyone else has. In general they do experiment a lot within this sound they've just invented. It's very respectable. I feel like they could have just made 10 songs that sound the same in this new style and people still woulda lost their minds. But no, they experiment a lot on this thing. There's variety. Some of the experiments don't land for me, but I respect the risk taking. What I don't like.... The track order is awful. You start with this high energy, iconic song... and then you completely drain the momentum out of the record by following it up with two slow, bleak dirges that are probably the weakest tracks on the album. Candidate specifically sucks. Curtis seems lost on this thing, especially in the verses. It sounds like someone doing a bad Ian Curtis impression... it's ugly, low effort and meandering. Day of the Lords does have an iconic refrain... but i have mixed feeling about the track overall. Perhaps I could appreciate it more if it was later in the track list... in the back third. When they've earned the placement of a funeral dirge. I think Shadowplay or She's Lost Control would fit way better. Something that keeps up the momentum of Disorder and then around the mid point of the album some slower tracks could hit to create a more impactful contrast. This makes me want to do a re-order, but i don't have time right now. The slower tracks are a real mixed bag. I'm not a big fan of Day of the Lords or I Remember Nothing. I hate Candidate. I prefer his voice when there's more energy to it, when he's trying to match faster paced songs. Wilderness is a wonky experiment that doesn't do much for me. It's meh. Insight is forgettable. In summary, it didn't change my life, which made it feel like a disappointment. Damn you expectations! But it's a solid album. 3 stars.
depressing, off-kilter deconstructed punk dance with gothic vocals and tawdry rhythms.
Notes: -atmosphere de disorder est très cool - basse line dans day of the lords = sick - gros vibe de the doors surtout dans la 3e toune -she's lost control melodie slap Melange de the doors,depeche mode et the smiths gros vibe de brit pop mais sans les chorus ou des gros riffs pop. L'ambiance est constante dans l'album y'a pas trop de tounes qui sont déparaillée.
Genre bien avant son temps; on peut sentir les inspirations sur beaucoup d'artistes. Très intéressant d'écouter le véritable pont entre le rock anglais et le New wave. Belle voix distincte, ayant cependant quelques difficultés en terme de précision par moment. Plutôt basique, mais assez avant-gardiste dans le contexte pour que ça passe bien.
Même si c'est un album qui a influencé plusieurs de mes artistes favoris, je pense qu'ici les élèves ont dépassé le maître.
Really into the dark sound, really not into the vocalist, ok album
Loved the first song and the whole early alt vibe of the album, but the songs really got repetitive halfway through and I felt it lost its touch
Ughhhhh 2.5/5
14/07/2025 This just didn't click for me.
Starter rigtig godt men bliver lidt mere anonym gennem pladen.
disco basado en la famosísima marca de ropa. me aburrí. 5,5/10
❤️🔥
cool album but not really my thing.
Never before has an album cover appeared on the shirts of so many hipsters. Joy Division is one of those groups that people say they like when they want to show that they don't just follow the mainstream, so it's been pretty hyped up for me. I was honestly surprised by the kind of music it was. Outside of maybe hearing "Love Will Tear Us Apart" in a movie, I had never listened to any Joy Division and, based on the vibes I had gotten, I assumed it would be softer, closer to, say, Death Cab for Cutie. However, Unknown Pleasures is an unapologetic punk manifesto that sometimes dips into metal tendencies, with lots of hard edges. I enjoyed it quite a bit. Although some of it has a droning quality, there's enough points of interest in the vocals and instrumentation to keep it fun. Favorite tracks: She's Lost Control, Wilderness
this should be right up my alley, but it doesn't really stick out to me as great.
oh yeah I sort of liked it.
Fine
Meh. It’s interesting, but not groundbreaking
kind of forced myself to like their other album. idk this one is def better but i really dont get this band, it just feels really uninteresting and boring. not a fan
This album makes for a better T-shirt than it does for a musical experience. Some tracks on the front were pretty good but I didn't find it doing anything particularly special.
I know this is sacrilege but Ian Curtis's voice is a parody of itself at this point. At best he sounds like if David Byrne was a sad teenager and deadly serious. At his worst he sounds like the guy from the B-52's. The biggest example of this is "She's Lost Control" which to me sounds really off. Other than the vocal style, I actually really liked this. It's very raw and it's a great intro to what I guess is called Post-Punk, even going in to punkish songs like "Interzone". I like this more than I like the Smiths or the Cure, two bands that I think cover the same ground of depressed guy singing over single tracked instruments before the 80's really hit. Overall I think it's a good album, I just can't get over Curtis's voice; it's personal preference I know.
Overrated
I really want to like this band more than I do. I do like this album more than the last. I can see what they're doing and going for. I love that its kind of pushing hardcore to new places. Disorder is a damn near perfect song and Interzone is also really cool. But.. it never quite lands the plane for me. A lot of the songs are really mundane and kind of raw in a way that doesn't quite scratch the itch.
Ehhh not for me
Tried, not for me
I got into this album pretty heavily in 2020 (must have been lockdown depression). At the time I thought it was great. ‘Disorder’ will always be a great song and an unreal way to open your debut album. I also like the industrial sound the album has with the harsh spacial reverb. However, having not listened to the album since then, my opinion has changed. It’s actually a tough listen if you’re not in a moody mood. Again ‘Disorder’ kicks arse and the bass line on ‘Insight’ is immaculate, but other than that there isn’t much that’s enjoyable on a sunny day in June. I’ll re listen in the depths of winter and perhaps my opinion will change again, but I can’t help thinking a bit of New Order would be a lot more enjoyable!
O mais interessante deste disco é também, contraditoriamente, o que mais incomoda, que é a ambiência sonora soturna que põe as frequências graves, valorizando o baixo e vocal peculiar de Ian Curtis, em proeminência. O som de bateria, que viria a ser uma marca nos anos 1980, também não me agrada muito. É um bom disco - um legítimo representante do Post-Punk - embora as faixas sejam meio parecidas entre si, tornando o álbum um pouco monótono.
Very moody, very typical. Objectively I don’t really know whether I like this, but somehow I do dig it
I like his voice a lot. I don’t think I’ll listen again but it was good whilst it was on. Also the cover looks really cool. Overall: 3/5
It’s cool just not really my style.
Écoute essentielle, sûrement. Mais écouter volontairement pour le fun, ça va toujours rester un unknown pleasure pour moi. Top ten pochette.
I dunno. I read all these reviews and expected to be blown away by the greatness of Joy Division , but alas - no joy.
Struggled with it. Ends up being quite monotonous and the faster, more punky songs really don’t do anything for me. Expected to really enjoy it but I think Closer is just better with way more emotion. 5/10
Quite nice to see this come up, before I've listened I remember Disorder from skate 3 with a nice bassline. Yeah Disorder and New Dawn Fades were pretty good rest was alright. Fairly standard would probably give 5/10 don’t know whether to give 2 or 3 out of 5 though
RV
It's hard to write about this album beyond the hype. The cover. The Hannett bootcamp production. The album that straddled the thrillingly messy Warsaw era punk splurge (the bootleg of those tracks was how I learnt to play bass) and the icy sophistication and grandeur of Closer. The punk edges are already polished off (compare Shadowplay from the Warsaw demos and the over-played guitar solos on this version) and the shiny production seems tacked-on over it all. The result falls between two stools whilst still hinting just about enough at what was to come with their second, final masterpiece.
I can appreciate the cultural significance but this just isn't my genre.
Ook wel goed
I think I’m finding that I’m not the biggest fan of Joy Division. I’ve had two albums generated in a fairly short amount of time, and both have been ok but nothing amazing. I guess Love Will Tear Us Apart is the anomaly in their catalogue, as I’m finding that the rest of their music doesn’t really sound much like this. This is an ok album, but not one I’m likely to listen to again.
Brooding and dark, a little hobbled by the trebly, thin sound of the recording. The remastered version sounds much better, although the drums still sound gutless. Somehow, the sum of often lackluster parts (such as the guitar playing two notes over and over) is a coherent, bleak, punk-informed take on life. An impressive debut.
One of those that was groundbreaking and then was replaced by better. Great guitars though
Very much the sound of the 90's. Has echoes of The The and Icicle Works.
Better than the other joy division album on here.
A good listen
Decent little indie garage rock, reminded me of parquet chourts in the best way
Track 1- love the beat, similar vibes to the Cure. I first heard of Joy Division in high school and didn’t realize they were from the 70’s/80’s Rest of the album didn’t impress me much, but I can understand the hype
“Disorder” is a 10/10. After “New Dawn Fades” the album got a little sleepy. I did however like that the main riff sounded like the outro from Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs.”
1) oh man i've seen this t-shirt for years, nay, decades. now i finally know where it's from 2) ohhh so this is where interpol got their whole fucking vibe from, huh? I always thought the Interpol math was B-52 vocals + Heroin = Interpol. But now I think it's B-52's + Joy Division = Interpol. 3) never heard them before, it's pretty good even if it's not something I would regularly put on
Putting Disorder on repeat. Antecedent to LCD Soundsytem.
Only dataviz album cover?
Undoubtedly seminal for post rock, but it hasn't aged that well for me. Almost feels sacreligious
One of the albums I feel like I should like but just don't love it. The opening track sets the bar high and the rest falls flat in comparison.
Definitely have an appreciation for this, there's a lot to take from a creative perspective noting how effective individual parts can be in a track without being too assertive on their own, but don't find myself coming back to it. Feels a little flat and hard to engage with. One of the best album covers ever, though.
Ja det er godt, len måske også lidt for tungt
OK album. Nothing special. Like the mood.
Love the album artwork and a couple of their more famous songs.
Decent
Super well known and beloved, but it just doesn’t resonate with me. Didn’t hate it, didn’t love it, not big on the vocals but it’s unique and enjoyable in its own way. Middle of the road rating
I didn't really like the last Joy Division album we had, but at least this one is off to a better start. Ok now that I'm done I can say I left feeling the same as the last album. Some decent songs here (Disorder, Shadowplay) and some that aren't great (Candidate, She's Lost Control, I Remember Nothing). Probably won't return to either album if I'm being honest. Low 3
Poppy, grim and dark. Has a lot of similarities with later Scott Walker output. Not exactly a fun or catchy listen, but at the very least it's atmospheric.
Surprisingly I liked this, though it’s not usually my style. There was just something about it… I don’t know it just felt powerful or dark in a good way.
This is one of the coolest god damn album covers I think I’ve ever seen. I almost want to buy it on Vinyl just to look at it. Unfortunately, that’s where the compliments largely end. Legitimately yesterday I had an entire spiel on how Rock albums had to impress me a lot to get anything higher than a 3. Unknown Pleasures by Joy Division unfortunately does not do it for me. That really blows, because I wanted to like it and perhaps get one of those cliché band shirts you see people wearing without having actually heard the source material for whatever it is they’re wearing the logo of. I mean, damn, what’s my favorite song here? I don’t even know, it’s all largely the same generic sound. I think “Shadowplay” is my favorite. Nothing really daring, memorable or unique. Again, everything works, but none of it really blows me away either.
This is an era that somehow passed me by. I was 13 when this album came out and neither the album nor the band were ever on my radar. I can appreciate the time and mood it represents, but it just doesn’t resonate with me. I picked up on some of the new wave and happier post-punk that sprung from this, but I don’t think I was ever this sad or angry as a teenager.
I liked the band… instrumental was good. Didn’t like the singer and not the most melodic, but pretty good for a British band from the 70s.
Dark, brooding, and intense. it gets better as it goes on, but a bit repetitive in the early going.
I liked it, but it all kind of sounded the same time me. Kind of depressing, which is fine as well. I kind of feel sorry for their sadness
Slightly above average for the orchestral efforts
This is the kind of album that that either takes time to grow on you or you need to be in particular state in your life to really appreciate it
Heavy going
Not really my scene a little bit droney for my liking. I’m more of a new order fan still I can see why these guys are considered to be legendary. Good tunes.
It was pretty mediocre
favorite song: new dawn fades
Groupe connu de nom uniquement. J'apprécie beaucoup la basse, bien mise en avant, l'ambiance et les morceaux ou la guitare est un peu plus mise en valeur (new dawn fades, shadowplay). Un peu moins le chant. Bonne découverte donc, qui n'est pas loin de rejoindre ma collection. =>3.5/5
It grew on me. A couple good ones on here.
6/10
Uno de esos álbumes cuya fama y legado eclipsan cualquier intento de crítica objetiva. Su estilo fue muy innovador, y musicalmente es excelente: post-punk con toques de electrónica y una atmósfera oscura y opresiva. La mejor música para poner antes de suicidarse, según comentó un crítico de su época. Muy bueno, pero por algún motivo no termina de atraparme.
Was feeling a 2, but a few moments bumped it up for me
Niet perse mijn ding. Voelt een beetje als een meer melancholische the doors, alleen vind ik persoonlijk dat the doors deze sound beter uitvoert, 12 jaar voordat dit uitkwam. Ze maken daarentegen wel gebruik van de technische voorsprong die ze hebben en hebben ook wel hun eigen sound, maar het is naar mijn idee duidelijk geïnspireerd door Jim Morrison. Ik fuck echt niet met de stem van jou Division. De nummers die ze schrijven zijn vrij simpel maar goed geschreven, maar het zou oprecht beter zijn geweest als ze een random persoon van straat hadden geplukt ofzo. De man doet echt zijn best maar zit nauwelijks op de noot die hij zou moeten zingen. Ik erger mij hier nogal aan, aangezien een stem die niet zuiver is voelt alsof je je gitaar niet gestemd hebt en dat excuseert als "artistieke expressie". Ik snap dat hij waarschijnlijk zelf zijn eigen woorden wilt uiten door ze zelf te performen maar het is niet voor mij. Ik kan de muzikaliteit niet ontkennen dus ik geef het wel een lichte 3/5
Best Song: Disorder Worst Song: She's Lost Control
Interesting, but doesn't hit the spot.
This album seems like it's heralding in the classic sounds of the 80s. Bright vibrant drums, chippy bass work, repetitive guitar work, and synth background sounds filling out the space and adding ambiance. The vocals seem a bit misplaced, slightly monotone bluntly sang, struggling to hit the correct notes at time as well. The bass tone is nice and deep, the drums and guitar sound a bit thin to me. The snare especially lacks the pop I'd like to hear. I think I would appreciate the album more if the chunkier riffs were heavier and a bit darker. None of the musicianship is poor, the mixing is just not quite what I like. Overall, if this albums mixing was better and the vocals more spot on this album would be great.
I get why people like Joy Division but it's not for me I fear.
It’s decent
With the iconic album cover, I think I expected more from this record than I ended up getting. Fine, but not an all-timer for me.
It’s alright. Don’t really understand the appeal if i’m being honest
👍🏻
Great listen for 3 AM depression time.
6.5/10 Not a big fan but not bad.
Some gems in there. Consistent sound and style throughout, got a little boring sometimes. VERY VERY clear influence on a lot of what I listen to today, though.
Did not bring much joy…
Meh. This is about on par with their other album we had, "Closer". Dude still can't sing. Just kinda painful. Musically it's okay, I can appreciate the stripped down sound to match the lyrics, that works well. But seriously this man cannot sing. I will never listen to Joy Division by choice in my spare time. Another forgettable Brit band.
Not really the "punk" im used to but not bad as a whole. got a little dreary throughout but had some good sounds overall
Overrated
Good, not great.
ehh 3/10
This was fine, not great not horrible
I played in a band where the primary song writer was a bassist. He would write the songs using his bass, play it to us then ask me to figure out which chords should go over the bass line. In some cases it was obvious, but in others it could be either a minor key or major, and others fitting chords on top of those bass lines just didn't make sense. In that case I may have to play single note melodies or riffs etc. I have a strong sense this is what Joy Division was doing. It can work, and a lot of these songs do, but it also makes the arrangements feel a little thin. That aside, this was better than i thought it would be. I'm sure very influential. Shadowplay was a highlight.
I misheard the first line of this album: "I've been waiting for a guide to come and take my hand / could these sensations make me feel the pleasure of a normal man" as : "I've been waiting for a GUY to come and take my hand / could these sensations me feel the pleasure of aNOTHER man" and so for the rest of this album I thought Joy Division was some kind of seminal gay punk band (no pun intended). Then I looked up the lyrics after nothing gay was mentioned again. Anyway, I think this album would be more interesting if they were actually a seminal gay punk band, as opposed to just a bunch of straight moody dudes. This album wasn't bad - I like the way they center the songs around the driving bass, and the upbeat drums mixed with melancholy makes a unique sound. Its just been raining a lot the past few days and so didn't really need another downer. What I need, maybe, is a guy to take my hand and show me the pleasures of another man. Wait no, ha ha, I meant a GUIDE. A NORMAL man. I'm straight, I swear. A GUIDE AND NORMAL MAN!
Not my first time through Unknown Pleasures, but I wouldn't have called myself a fan beforehand -- just a guy who got curious enough after seeing enough folks around SF wear Joy Division merch (generally younger, Millennial hipster looking people from recent memory). I think the music is pretty interesting, but I don't connect with it like most of the critics of this album seem to be. Having this released in 79' is jaw dropping, I can't deny that. The lore surrounding the studio techniques was also hilarious to read about -- cranking the heat to make everyone exhausted and sweaty is downright sick. Shadowplay is the only song I'd say I enjoyed enough to add to a playlist. 3 stars. Bravo JD.
Couldn’t crack the code. Too slow, still trying to find out the “why”. Maybe another listen might help, but I’m definitely not encouraged to look for more by them.
I know it's an iconic album....but got I just didn't connect with it. Chromatic guitar/bass lines, bumbly vocals, fast drum beat, repeat
Less taken by it than I would have presumed to be based on the (admittedly little) Joy Division (and even more New Order) that I’d heard prior.
If this is public, I'm sorry... I don't know what i'm talking about at this point. I think I know some songs from this album, we'll find out. It sounds good so far, i'd prob end up skipping these songs for the sake of my friends not liking it :( also sort of making me feel slower and sadder. Disorder 6/10 Day of the Lords 7.5/10 Candidate idek maybe 6/10 too Insight prob not gonna choose to listen to this but its cool 7/10 New Dawn Fades 6.5/10 She's Lost Control I don't mind this song, I don't know if I love the singers voice though... 6.5/10 Shadowplay good guitar, I like this song but I still don't think I would add to any of my playlists.. 7.9/10 Wilderness I didn't mind this song at first but then as it got to the end I was kinda bored of it.. 7/10 Interzone I like this song I guess I would add this song to a playlist 7.99/10- I Remember Nothing I fear I did not love this song.. 5/10 Transmission I like this I guess........ 6.4/10 Idk according to MOGO this album is rated 4th out of their best albums and they are an English rock band. I really wanted to skip some of the songs but because of FOMO I didn't, I wouldn't add any of these songs to my playlists which include many older rock songs which kind of makes me sad that I don't like these songs. I would describe this album as if it were a gloomy night driving through the mountians.? DONE:)
Some decent stuff here - not an everyday listen, but I hadn't visited this in years. Can definitely recognize some of the groundwork for what became New Order.
I like the synths more than the guitars.
后朋克乐队的不那么朋克的朋克
5/10…post punk / new wave
Decent album. Quite chilled and interesting 6/10
Underwhelming somehow. Kudos for being experimental. But I still was left wanting more.
Pretty mediocre
Cool, but too little variety among the songs
Good sound, but I'm not sucker in. Yet.
There are things I like about this album. The bass jumps to mind straight away, and the quality is evident, but unfortunately I don't love it in the way that a lot of others appear to. It starts well enough with Disorder, and although there's nothing I actively dislike, I do find listening to it draining in a way I don't experience often in other albums. The vocals are possibly where I struggle most.
Jangle jangle mumble mumble. It's *fine* -- but I don't get the towering love for this album. Good songwriting, sure. Interesting sound, but it gets really samey as it goes along. Just so much angst to wallow through. I get that's the idea -- especially with the death of Ian Curtis, but you gotta be in the mood for this one. And I guess I wasn't.
Love of this album might not tear us apart, but it might make us take a break from each other for awhile. I get it. Without this band you don’t get the much more successful New Order. And while the production of this album is the real winner, as an overall listen it was just ok. Nothing really stood out. Much like my view I’ve always had of this band. Rating a bit up due to influence and the iconic album cover art.
I know a lot of people are way into this band/album. I had high hopes after the first couple tracks but then really lost interest. To me this is similar to how I feel about the National. A band some people love but a just find boring and monotonous. Apologies to the National for having to catch that stray in this widely viewed Joy Division review.
Had a couple starts and stops with this. First time I thought it was a little simple and boring. Second attempt started to appreciate the simplicity and got into the first few songs. Then it dragged. A lot of cool and interesting parts but never fully came together or climaxed for me. And I need a good climax. Regardless, enjoyed some of the guitar riffs and drums parts so rounding up. 2.75
It’s alright… not too crazy, but it gets better towards the end.
Never a huge JD fan, but I get their impact and influence. 3 just for that.
what the freak why is I remember nothing so depressing dawg the last song seemed happy 😔
fine
Not as advertised. These songs are all sad.
Good but very same-y
Have you ever noticed that when a genre starts with "post-" it basically means "a worse version of "?
Personal enjoyment: 3/5 Relevance to this list: 4/5
Never enjoy this, still don’t today. Mid paced post punk that’s all gloom and doom, and guess it was all very real for Curtis and not some act. So non of the theatrics of the goth bands that followed, that “lighten” the experience. I can appreciate and accept it has a valid place in music history, but just don’t like and would never consider playing voluntarily, just glad it’s a bright sunny weekend day today while listening, 3 Star.
This wasn't as good as I remember it being, but points for being monumentally influential.
not what i expected at all. i always confuse joy division and new order so i was expecting a much more upbeat album. the album was fine overall but i have to admit im a little disappointed in the lack of synth even though its my own fault for expecting it.
I really don't think this album is as good as it's perceived in media
Similar to Bob Dylan for me where I somehow love covers of their songs but find the originals to be missing something. The music is great but Ian Curtis's vocals just don't do it for me. I also somehow never until now realised quite HOW depressing this album is??
It's OK
I understand the importance of this album so much so that I already had it in my library. First off, I really dig the guitar tone on many of the tunes. However, I only like certain songs from the album and not the album as a whole. Love Disorder, Shadowplay and Interzone and to a lesser extent, New Dawn Fades, She’s Lost Control and Day of the Lords. The rest I can do without. To actually sit and listen to the whole thing is not something I really care to do. Unfortunately, that knocks this down a few stars for my rating.
Nice
The music doesn't click for me which is a shame, but I really appreciate the technical side of things: the instruments sound good and the songs are interesting. the crispness of the drums, the sound of the guitar tracks, very nice indeed. 3/5 stars.
Good instrumental in all songs. Vocals weren’t that great on all songs.
A lot of these English bands from this era sound the same to me
3 out of 5.
Also not my cup of tea
Nothing special.
1. Shadowplay 2. Disorder 3. She's lost control
6/10 Favorite Tracks: Disorder Least Favorite Tracks: Day of the Lords, Candidate, Insight
Was in the mood today. Kind of fun. I wish there was a 2.5 - not convinced the musicality of it was that great.
As a kid this was the heaviest music and I just couldn’t get into it. Someone then played the Doors for me, and I realized these bands hit me the same way. Even the older me wouldn’t seek this album out, instead I’d pivot to New Order. So with that statement, I couldn’t have the dancey accessible, bouncy NE without Joy Division. Thanks Ian.
Didn't love this album. The hits are good but it felt like it sounded the same.
Some of the tracks hit for me and others didn't. I can see the appeal, but it's otherwise just alright. Day of the Lords and Interzone stand out for me.