Reviews (page 9 of 14)
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...
también sin más
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.
So listened to this album previously because I was curious, and wasn't a huge fan of it. Getting it today, don't think my mind has been changed. Generally prefer New Order simply because they tend to have a more well rounded, full sound in my opinion. Joy Division, for me, just feels like it's either lacking a dimension or the sound is dated in a way I'm not a huge fan of. Generally for post-punk I'm looking for either a melancholic sound if they're going in a goth direction, or a new wave sound if they're going in more of a pop/upbeat direction. For the more goth songs on this record, they tended to be the more old-school Monster Mash type vibe as opposed to more melancholic like a Type-O Negative or Have A Nice Life. For the more pop/upbeat stuff, they were missing that new wave sound New Order tended to have. Probably my favorite track was the opener, Disorder, which came close to the New Wave-y New Order stuff that I like, but I'm not fully into it. Still a solid record, just not what I'm looking for in this type of music.
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.
- Familiar with the band, less with the actual music. Thought I was going to love this, because I adore the first track ("Disorder"). Sounds like it could be from an indie rock band from the early 00s. That fast bassline is super fun and modern. - Unfortunately, the rest of the album did not live up to that initial jam. Definitely find their faster stuff more interesting. The rest gets monotonous. - Feels like a mix of the Doors and David Bowie?
It's not bad, but my overriding thought was "oh, it's all the stuff that makes me think The National is boring as hell."
Didn't know any of this one. Woulda been my vibe in the 90s though.
Nice ending. Reminded me of The Stooges a little.
I used to love it. Now kinda meh on it. Definitely for a certain mood, though I think even if I were in that sort of mood I believe that this would make it worse. Would revisit.
Brytyjski rock / 5 Album, który ginie trochę w zalewie sobie podobnych krążków innych brytyjskich zespołów. Zgodnie z tym, co mówili z niezadowoleniem sami muzycy - przez produkcję brzmi to bardzo jak Pink Floyd. Solidny album, fajna głębia dźwięku przy względnej prostocie muzyki. Ciekawy krążek, ale nie jakoś przesadnie wciągający, przynajmniej dla mnie. Przy drugim przesłuchaniu lepszy. Nie wiem, czy coś by zyskał, gdybym nie robił na boku czegoś innego, ale nie sądzę.
No joy nor division. The album is mid. There was a moment when I was suprised to hear something more engaging but I found out that the album was over and it was random rock song.
The hipster kids who have been wearing this album cover on their shirts my whole life tricked me into thinking this would be a top-tier album. It’s okay.
Typical sound of late 70s/early 80. Ok, but not more.
Hard to get into, I hated it at first. It's still not one of my favorites but I at least enjoy and understand its importance in music history.
a very moody and tense album. one that i think is very well put together and has some cool instrumentation when it does show up (some songs feel a bit barebones), but frankly it is not an album i could listen to all the time. it would require a proper mood i feel to properly enjoy this album, one that i dont always experience or feel. still, the alhum is competent and gives the feeling it conveys well enough, its just not for me
Bien, pero nunca he sido muy fan de Joy Division. Ya sé, es pecado, pero qué le vamos a hacer. Buen álbum, claro.
Unknown Pleasures ist mehr als nur ein Album – es ist ein emotionales Erlebnis, das auch über 40 Jahre nach seiner Veröffentlichung nichts von seiner Intensität verloren hat. Es verlangt zwar nach einem offenen Ohr und einer Vorliebe für dunklere Klänge, belohnt den Hörer jedoch mit einer unvergleichlichen musikalischen Reise. Ob man ein Fan des Genres ist oder einfach nur ein Stück Musikgeschichte erleben möchte – dieses Album ist ein Muss.
Lind of dark and melancholy, which is understand. An album without much actual joy, but still musically OK.
6.5/10 Second JD album in a couple of weeks, liked this more but I am still not sure they are for me. Production wise this was much more route one, but in a good way. Sounded pretty fresh and the sound still exists and is relevant. Bass very good. Preferred the vocals this time, seemed less affected. Overall less intense and doom-laden than the other one, but it still was slightly dragging for me at the end Best: Day of the Lords
Unknown why this album made the 1001 List, maybe the cover art. Pretty good threefer from Shadowplay, Wilderness, and Interzone but the rest of the songs are mediocre. (2.7*s) Pleasure.
Joy Division made (pulsar) waves in the post-punk world by being moody instead of upbeat, down instead of up, and singing about emotions other than anger. They blended electronic, somewhat industrial soundscapes with dance music and glitchy guitars. You can hear how they were the predecessors to a lot of melancholic music to come (yes, including Seventeen Seconds by The Cure). Is Unknown Pleasures great? No. Is this four 20 year olds exploring introspective, dark themes and displaying raw emotion at a time when all music (in the UK) was the Sex Pistols? Yes. There's a few good songs on here but it's missing "Love Will Tear Us Apart" which is undeniably great. I like their sparse, angular sound for a few songs and dig the very well-known cover art. 3.0 for the short-lived epileptic.
Dank, dark, and pulsating. Some good guitar work and sound effects. Top tracks like "Disorder" and "Shadowplay" carry the album. I listened to it once before years ago after watching seasons of Ink Master. The only shirt judge Dave Navarro owns apparently is one with the cover art on a T. Had to look it up and this time around it left a similar impression...pretty good but not that memorable. The cover of the album is obviously more famous than the music. The pulsar image is cool as well as the band name. Album content however is not as radiating...3.05.
Did not enjoy it as much as I thought...
Not as good a Closer but shows the promise of what was to come. A little rough around the edges but has a certain power and atmosphere
It was a little boring. It sounded a bit like talking heads with the emotionless yet passionate singing.
Never heard any of this before which is not surprising as there were never any singles released and the album never charted. I found it a bit boring but good in parts. I feel it deserved more commercial success than it had especially as this was the only Joy Division album released before the untimely death of singer Ian Curtis
259/1001
I have never intentionally listened Joy Division. Some songs I have heard and overall sound is familiar. Sparse start and gaining speed towards end and getting me more and more hooked but without final crescendo.
This album is more of a downer than I remember. Hah! A classic, for sure, but just not my personal speed.
Some good hits, and I should love it, but something about it just misses the mark for me. First listening to it on an airport bus in Pisa, Italy probably didn't help. High 3*
3.5
First song is great, the rest blends.
This was a known hole in my cultural lexicon. They were just before when I started getting into the alt rock scene and I never went back to listen to them. I'm a little surprised to hear this be regarded as one of the best albums of all time, but it's solid. I still don't think it's getting above 3, though.
I get the appeal, maar niet voor mij gemaakt
Not Bad, not into the lyrics too much. It is definitely very heavy on the psychedelic side. It does make you tap your foot a lot,catchy. Interzone and shes lost control were the favorites.
Day346 - i believe joy division/new order is an influential band and they have some pretty good songs but they might even be to depressing for me
I'm sure at the right moment in life this album hits like a train.
Nothing on this album jumped, 3 stars
I did not use a private session for Spotify. I have listened to Joy Division songs, but never sat through an album. I liked this album, but I didn't find anything in this that would keep me coming back.
Very gloomy vibe to this. Kind of reminds me of the early "The Cure" album that came up earlier on this list. I don't really care for it tbh
Det är ok rock. Lite seg bitvis. Som shadowplay. Känns som det finns en annan låt däri någonstans. Aja, hört talas om barnet men aldrig lyssnat. Nu är det gjort!
Truly never heard any of their stuff, that I am aware of. I do have an idea of the type of music they deliver. So excited to check this out. Very gothy. Very interesting. Not really my style but I get it.
Got bored halfway through
Went into this with no expectations but was pleasantly surprised. His voice sounds a lot like Gord Downie to me and there was a darker Hip sound there at times. I always have to be in the right mood for Joy Division but when the mood hits I’ll definitely reach for this album.
ooh this sure makes me feel GOTHIC. Not really my thing, but its interesting to see where this music goes from here as a genre.
Good
This is not what I expected from joy division. This was guitars and bass and drums. Didn’t hear a ton of poppy synths. Maybe that comes later with them. Dark, kind of whiny. It’s fine, don’t hate.
ok
It was fine.
Thoroughly enjoyed the music throughout this album. The guitar riffs, powerful kick drums and just out and out cool gothic rock, in terms of the instrumentals, was great to listen to. I appreciate though, as far as this sort of music goes, the music and the vocals come as a package deal. You can't enjoy Roller Coasters and complain about the heights.. or bang Katie Price and then complain about the syphilis that inevitably comes with it. But that's exactly what I'm going to do, I want my cake and I want to eat it too.. and I want to eat it without having to listen to the bleak, ethereal tones of Ian Curtis. It's not even that bad necessarily, it's just a style of music that has never resonated with me. I do get that having these slower vocals juxtaposed against the heavier rock is part of the charm.. but to me, I can't help but hear a Scooby Doo type ghoul or swamp monster, talking in a wobbly, spooky voice to me, whilst I just try and listen to a nice bit of rock music.. I find it boring and interfering (It always turns out to be the janitor anyway). 3 stars, could have been 4 or 5.. and they'd have gotten away with that rating too, if it hadn't been for that meddling vocalist.
Musically I thought it was really impressive. Lead singers voice is often drowned out by the music though. Perhaps for the best as he sounds like Frankenstein's monster just moaning all over the gaff. Not particularly for me, but there was one song that I really really liked. It even got the wheel up. 'She's Lost Control' is fucking sick. Sounds like it's from a movie soundtrack, the guitar in it is particularly what gets me bricked up. That song alone takes this from a measly 2 stars up to a 3, I enjoyed it so much it felt necessary to have it bump the score up. Count yourself lucky, Joy Division... As the rest is very 'meh'
This album is so highly regarded by so many people as the album that made alternative or indie music... I didn't hate it, but it wasn't particularly engaging or enjoyable. It's a cool sound for the late 70's, but overall meh.
It has great instrumental's, the vocals didn’t match in my opinion. Quite relaxing though good if you want a kip.
Was ok. A bit boring for me
Excellent producing but too dark for me
Not a bad album, just not really my thing.
"Disorder" is one of my favourite songs of all time. That makes this album a hit. "New Dawn Fades" and "Interzone" are good songs as well. It's a shame that the rest of "Unknown Pleasures" wasn't as great as "Disorder". Would've been an all time classic for sure. Looks like I'll have to give "Unknown Pleasures" a 3 star rating.
No strong opinion on this one.
would give it 2.5 if i could do half stars but im going to round up
får nog säga att det är överskattat, det är inte längre jag som inte fattar
Some tracks are good
Very dark post-punk proto New Wave stuff. Occasionally one can recognize that this is the predecessor of New Order. I might have liked it back then, but now it is a bit too gloomy for me.
Listened while reading Murakami's 1Q84. It matched the vibe perfectly. But I wouldn't listen on a daily basis. I'm not cool enough.
I prefer Closer but this is a pretty good album. Couple of tracks I'm not mad about. 3.5
It is a good album and notable historically, but I don't think the songs are strong enough front to back for me to really get into it. I much prefer the follow up album, which to me is one of the best of the 80's.
A JOY to listen to!
Ok if in the right mood. Mostly instrumental
I know nothing about this album except for its cover. This started ok but tracks were hit or miss (insight's vocals were meh). It's wild that this is from the 70s, many tracks sounds like NIN or the 90s. This led to some cool ambient stuff, so that was neat. 3*
I really liked parts of this album, but the out of key bass parts weren’t fun
Better than a lot of other albums on this list but not good enough for me to add to my collection.
Pretty good, I like the instrumentals but the vocals get old after a while. I didn’t realize this album was from the 70s!
It's alright. Very emo/goth sounding to my ears, which isn't a bad thing. It's just not my listening mood right at this moment.
Very moody album. Not sure if I like the singing. But the guitar and sound definitely works. 3/5
already heard but i might as well run it back since i didn’t really get it first time
Too depressing
Didn’t really stand out to me. I kind of liked it’s discordance.
I didn't know what to think... It was ok? I guess It's not really music for me.
Not great, not bad. 3/5.
Classic post-punk/early New Wave. Good but wouldn't go out of my way to listen to it. 7/10
This is what 80s “alternative rock” sounded like. If you like 80s alternative rock, you can listen to this. Or the Cure. Or the Smiths. Or Echo & the Bunnymen. Or maybe even the Pixies.
First two and last two songs were the best here, but the album was just okay. Terrible name for the sound.
The Joy Division brought me very little joy. The music was alright, but I did not like the singer.
3/5
Much less intense than anticipated. All in all, a bit like listening to people politely learning how to play their instruments. Makes a lot of 90s band seem less interesting than first thought....