Reviews (page 9 of 13)
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....
Felt generally kind of dull at first, but kept growing on me the more I listened to it.
A solid 3. Great bass obviously.
perfect for this autumn weather :3
Хотя музыка и приятная, но альбом совсем не запомнился. New wave в современном виде напоминает слабо, хотя это даже и нравится (как будто экспериментальный альбом слушаешь).
A bleak album with some interesting production. I do like this and I appreciate its legacy, but I don’t love it. I’m just not super into the sound of a lot of post-punk in general
Not as depressing as I thought it was going to be. Still not really my thing overall.
I am supposed to like this more than I do. But all I wanted to do was go to the mall to buy Doc Martin's.
Good album, but I don't love it like I'm supposed to. I enjoy it and I think I do like it a bit more on each listen. Still, it's not something I find myself coming back to often. 3.25/5
Significantly better than their other album. 3.5
Really good instrumental, bad vocal audio quality.
I always lowkey thought this album was overrated. Yes it has a t shirt worthy album cover but past that and a select couple of tracks like disorder I was never super engaged by this album like other people. I get that it’s very influential and important in certain ways but that doesn’t help the fact that I get bored listening to this.
The music is not bad however a few songs are a little repetitive at times. Liked tracks: Disorder, Shadowplay
Sounds a bit like a mix of Talking Heads and the Doors. 3 stars or C+ for me but that might improve some on a second listen.
I was a bit disappointed with this one. You really have to be in a mood to get something out of it. Not even a bad mood or depressed mood, just something different than a feeling of just existing I guess. This is the 3rd album I’ve listened to and maybe it’s me but I really feel the blues in this one. I wouldn’t suggest a first time listener to listen to this album though. Choice cut: New Dawn Fades
Yeah, it's pretty good, but Blue Monday has the whole album covered
sad british boys clock in! eerie vocals / guitar really evokes being sad numb and hopeless! finally glad to know the album from the t shirt 🙏
Cool vibe, felt like proto-Talking Heads almost?
Reminds me of a mix of the Doors and Velvet Underground. Some of the songs drone on a bit, but most were solid.
cool but not much diverse
Classic album for sure but not my jam
Shame, shame, shame on me. I thought Joy Division started making music in the 2010s. Oopsie. 3/5
Intresting, impressive that it came out in 1979. Enjoyed it instrumentally but the vocals and/or lyrics were a miss for me.
I feel like I have to like this album. it is a OK album, nothing that puts me way over the top.
Dark and brooding. Love it
Depressive as expected but not too bad
I’ve never truly known the pleasures of this album myself….
Joy Division has never clicked with me in any meaningful way. Enjoyed this listening the most that I ever have. which is not a lot.
I am at a point in my life where I can enjoy things devoid of irony and expectation... this is like the biggest meme album ever and obviously its the t-shirt of the century... but I can say with certainly devoid of influence that this album is just okay! lol. I am a way bigger new order fan and always found joy division to be pretty underwhelming
Joy Division is a kind of precursor to Nirvana in that they got their fame and accolades as a result of their lead singer removing himself from the gene pool. And just like Nirvana, Joy Division's Unknown Pleasures is a mediocre output that was popularized for reasons other than 'good music'. 3/5.
Sludge. And lots of it. You can see how prominent of a step Joy Division was in the ladder new wave made between punk and grunge.
I generally like Joy Division but I guess I don’t love Joy Division. The couple of albums I’ve listened to because of this project have only been pretty good rather than great. 3.5/5
I enjoyed it. I feel i’ve tried to listen to it 3 or 4 times before but I felt a new feeling listening to it tonight. but is some part of me listening to it as if it’s feminist ironic punk?
Another band that I know of, but don’t really know, it’s not bad. I had it playing at work and nothing really stood out, but I can see how it was influential at the time.
I think I’d need listen to this one a few more times to get it. Pre goth, super mopey - not a go to album for me. Not bad, some great riffs and snippets.
It grew on me over the course of the album. Warrants a second listen.
These songs kinda sneak up on you. Not gonna lie, kinda surprised, because I listened to this album years ago and found no enjoyment in it.
Doing this in 1979 is really impressive, and it really nails post-punk vibes, but I just can't bring myself to like it all that much. I respect it for being an incredible debut record and for ushering in the 80s, and it's got an incredible concept that it sticks to through the whole runtime. I just don't vibe with it.
Really good album
The songs I like, I love.
It was strong i especially liked the last song
hmmm okej det lilla jag hört av joy division sen innan har jag gillat, men det här albumet var kanske inte superintressant. De har ju verkligen ett distinkt burkigt ljud som jag tyvärr nästan kände att jag behövde vänja mig vid här. Men vid andra genomlyssningen tycker jag ändå det var fint Bästa låt: disorder 😍
Good rock album, this could be a four after further listening but a 3 right now. I didn't pay much attention to the lyrics but the guitar was really good
In the right mood (miserable, depressed, angry, hopeless) Unknown Pleasures is the perfect cocktail of innovative post-punk bleakness. Much of this album piddles forth in somber despair. And then there are standout tracks like She’s Lost Control, Shadowplay, and album opener Disorder, the second strongest song Joy Division ever made behind Love Will Tear Us Apart. It’s an undeniably groundbreaking album, but also one I hardly ever want to listen to in its entirety. Maybe I should consider myself lucky for that.
Dark, sparse album but has a thread to it that makes it compelling. A long way from Joy.
Emo album starter kit
First joy division album i heard
oh i had no idea that this bougie shirt i got at h&m was actually a design of album cover of this album! wowie! i love the waves!! it was alright, its significant, but it failed to really resonate with me, too many drawbacks to the record. i like some of the singles tho YNN over the last two weeks i listened to the king crimson album from two weeks ago off my list like 5 times its actually quite good, some parts are total bangers, but the second half of moonchild is complete dogshit also, minus points for not splitting tracks into actual tracks, instead of having 10 minute long abominations. just split the tracks, what if i dont wanna wait or skip through 6 minutes of the previous thing? YNN
Good
Bit difficult to listen to. Not a fan of the vocal style but still a well produced album
1979 was a strange time in Britain. The energy of punk had evaporated and no one yet knew what to expect from the 80s. This album captured a particular zeitgeist with icily precise production and the immense bass line of Peter Hook. I was never really a fan of Ian Curtis’s gloomy, monotone vocals but this really was something quite unique. A shoutout for one of the most iconic album covers of all time, showing the radio pulses from a neutron star.
Kind of a one note album. Almost every song was the same. Wasn’t necessarily bad, just not very interesting. 3/5 Probably won’t listen again
Old alt
Have heard this before. I love Disorder. The rest of the album is a bit of a slog. It's a 3 I think.
1. Good for testing bass dynamics 2. Good for testing guitar tonality 3. Good for testing separation of instruments 4. A chill and slow burn rock album 5. Listening to the album was great but nothing standout to me.
One of those albums where the cover is more iconic than any of the songs contained within. While it deserves praise for being a trailblazer, it's just not an album that has ever appealed to me.
Good
pretty good
Some good ol' manc goth music. Not terrible, but definitely wouldn't seek out again.
My least favorite band name of all time. Just puts a rotten taste in my mouth.
Dunno why all those hipsters wear t-shirts of this album. The Substance comp was always way superior -- it even has a way better version of 'She's Lost Control' on it. 3/5
I'm not sure the circumstance one is supposed to listen to this. If I heard it playing from someone's open car window I'd stay clear of them. But it was an enjoyable listen while doing yard work on a cloudy day. Definitely a grower.
I really wanted to like this one, as this is the second time I've listened to this with the first one being a while back in 2020. Sadly, it just does not click. The opening track is good but it does not go anywhere other than that and it is just dull for the most part.
I feel like I’m missing something honestly. I need to give this especially another listen. I want to love this the same way all the critics do. I wanna understand why this is the new t-shirt album.
Like the last couple of goth rock albums we've gotten, I imagine I'd be into it way more if I was a goth girl. Since I'm just a regular girl, though, it's... Fine, y'know. I'll admit, there's some stuff here that made me like this album a bit more than some of the other goth albums we've gotten—I mean, that one guitar lick that sounds like it came from a surf rock song? I dig that all the way! On the whole, though, it just had a hard time keeping my attention for too long.
I’m at a 3. Really, the biggest thing I can knock this album for are the vocals; the monotone feel works on about half the tracks, but on the other half, they either just don’t fit, or he’s trying way too hard to make them fit. I Remember Nothing, in particular, has a really captivating and haunting moody soundscape that just gets dragged down so hard by his vocals that it almost killed the song for me. Regardless, it’s a solid album. There’s good tracks, there’s not really any bad tracks (ok, I fucking hated Candidate though), but there’s not that many captivating and memorable tracks. A lot of it blended together for me, and part of it is from some of the songs just having slightly dull and repetitive soundscapes. The drums are super hit and miss on this album to me; when they’re hot, they are red hot and add a great energy. When they’re missing, it’s basically just because it’s a remarkably basic pattern that sort of drains the energy from the guitar. The guitar usually doesn’t miss though. I dunno, that’s a lot of words to say “it’s fine, it could have been better, the instrumentation was bland at times, and the vocals are the weakest part”. It’s a solid 3, and I’m sure other people will “get it” more deeply than I did.
I like Joy Division but not really this particular record. Just nothing stood out.
3.7
I enjoyed this album but honestly I forgot it was on
Post-punk. Un tanto repetitivo. Ni fu ni fa.
Undeniably an inspirational album but not my favourite piece of music in the world ever. Still, some very strong sounds on here.
I don't know where the hype comes from around some groups, but here it's really over the top, the whole album is nothing more than average.
3.5
legal, mas parece que a primeira música carrega o resto do álbum
i wish i had liked it more. the mixing on the vocals bothered me and it dragged a bit. a shame! i knew some songs off it already and it turned out those were the best ones, didn't get anything new out of finally listening to the full album imo, but it was still fun.
It's okay. I'm not a huge fan of Joy Division but I wouldn't skip if one of these songs came across my playlist.
The dark and gothic sound can be really cool if used effectively, but the slower, monotonous pace just doesn't quite do it for me. Not bad, not great
None of the songs really stood out to me
Not my taste but some songs were good. 5/10
A 3 because it has very high peaks and is the bedrock of a lot of stuff I like, but I don’t particularly enjoy listening to it as a full album
One of those landmark albums that doesn't sound so great anymore. Bleak for bleakness sake perhaps. I was about to write the whole album off, but Shadow play, Interzone and Wilderness all still sound great.
3.5/5 - was nice to have on in the background while I worked. I can also appreciate just how important this album and sound is to a lot of the music I love. standout track: - Shadowplay 5/5 - I fell in love with this one
Whinging Poms. Actually that’s a bit harsh. I do prefer new order but hook et Al are a good band. That Ian Curtis needed more help than he could get is a recurring theme in the history of pop music. I find this stuff maudlin and dull but recognise that it has a significant following. And yes probably an album you should hear.
Really, there isn't much difference between Unknown Pleasures and Closer, so I am going basically re-run my review of Closer. Heretical opinion time: Joy Division were just a band (apologies to Scroobius Pip https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWrMGXwhFLk&t=6s), and a barely competent band at that. But the way they channel the Velvet Underground through a Krautrock filter helped define what post-punk could be, and the tragic tale of Ian Curtis is now canonical rock and roll lore. Much credit to Martin Hannett for the production that presents the shortcomings of the band (noisy, minimal, basic, intense, ham-fisted) as features, creating an austere and claustrophobic setting for their weird charisma. As any self-respecting alternative music fan would, I own a bunch of Joy Division records. But I never, ever listen to them. Truth be told, I just find them too bleak. I admire the achievement, the atmosphere, the influence. But I can't shake the feeling that they are over-rated, that the actual records are over-shadowed by the legend of Ian Curtis and the band, which are, now 40 years later, inextricably linked by too many magazine articles, books, movies, and a million t-shirts. It's hard to listen to the record without the freight of all the baggage of the legend. If I squint hard and try to listen afresh, it's a not a bad album, focused and powerful, and unremittingly dour. Ian Curtis has a tendency to sing out of tune, which is annoying. Full disclosure, though: I might not listen to the records much, but I do wear the t-shirt. It's one of the great cover images of all time.
Album 391 of 1001 Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures Rating : 3.85 / 5 For some reason, I was prepared to dislike this album but have been pleasantly surprised. My main thought after listening is that I should listen again. Certainly not the most uplifting album but there is something there and I'm going to find it.
This is supposed to be a really cool album. I know because I've seen this cover on a lot of t-shirts. Is this some of that 80's goth stuff? It's OK. Shadowplay is a cool song but I like The Killers version better (Sawdust - 2007). Cool to hear the original. A few other fav's: She's Lost Control & Interzone. I Remember Nothing sounds like something from Sonic Youth's Confusion is Sex (1983). And alot of this music sounds similar to Bauhaus who release their first album a year after this one (1980) so I can definitely hear how Joy Division may have influenced alot of other bands.
A darker, moodier version of the Cars. Fair listen but unmemorable. I was surprised at the release date. I thought it was an early 80s release.
I'm POSITIVE this resonates with someone, but I am not that person. This kind of goes with my luke warm attitude for sad or emo stuff, similar to The Cure. I appreciate the effort and sound, but this would probably be a 2.5 for me. Giving it a bump to 3 since if I found it at 14 years old it would've been gold.
Never heard of or listened to this band before. Oooooooooooooooooooh.... so "Joy Division" is an ironic/sarcastic name... I get it. It's interesting, I'll give it that. I can certainly hear some parallels with The Cure which should be a compliment. Shadowplay was a good track. I don't know enough to call it a hidden gem. There were a few tracks I kind of wanted to skip (Wilderness, I Remember Nothing).
I was just ok on this one. I've listened to later joy division albums that I've really dug, but this one just felt too drone-y to me to LOVE
I want to like this album more but after the first 2 songs there’s very little else that’s good IMO. Hot take but Closer is the better Joy Division album. Disorder absolutely rips in Skate 3
Disorder & New Dawn Fades $ She’s Lost Control slapped. Other than that nothing to write home about. 1 star for each song i enjoyed
I'm giving it a 3 because of the inspiration it must have garnered for the genre moving forward. However the album for me was a 2. I found myself not enjoying it a majority of the time. However, I did really enjoy 2 tracks in specific: New Dawn Fades and Shadowplay.
Dark matter. I guess you have to be in a bad place in the wee hours of the morning to really get it.
This is rightly in the vanguard of the emerging post-punk scene - I really don't see the elements of punk itself except for maybe the intensity, but it just so clearly is the signpost of things to come in the 80s, particularly of goth. It's got an awful lot of space for punk. The rage evolving to angst. The Cure, Siouxie, Tears for Fears. Peter Hook's unique bass playing are present from the get-go. Shadowplay, Insight, She's Lost Control, and Interzone are my favorites.
It's a shame Love Will Tear Us Apart isn't on either album, because I reckon that is a perfect song. I kind of enjoyed this, but it wasn't quite there for me. 3.5.
After all the times I have seen the album art on t-shirts, I thought that it would be better.
Guess I never realized how minimalist Joy Division were, kinda like if Wire & Sabbath got together. Very new & dark for 1979. And genuinely sad in comparison to a lot of EMO-to-follow, particularly given Ian Curtis's tragic history. Affective.