Closer

Con temas un poco melancólicos pero geniales

I knew I wasn't gonna love this, but I did end up liking it. It definitely goes for an atmosphere it does end up creating - especially through the instrumentation of the bass, guitars and synths which was simply enthralling. I typically prefer more expressive vocals but they were definitely not as bad as what some people here are saying. I also have to say, you can hear the just tad slight honeydrop of New Order in this album, which is interesting to pick up on for me personally considering I had a New Order album through this website before any Joy Division.

Classic Joy Division. The audience at the time thinks they're getting punk/post punk and instead they are actually getting something far more textured and nuanced from an instrumental performance than either of those genres describe. After Bauhaus, this is the other goth rock proto album that setup an entire sub-genre. This sonic tapestry of more depth in the instrumental parts is what has always set Joy Division/New Order apart from most of the rest of the punk/post punk bands from their era. Hannett might have annoyed the band at the time, but he almost singlehandedly assured their ongoing relevance this many decades later with the changes he made with respect to the effects and mixes. For 1980, this album seemed way ahead of its time. The unspoken bit that needs to be said aloud is that the Ian Curtis' vocal performance sucks. The lyrics are actually interesting because for once they are not the simpleton political lyrics of your typical punk album of the time and instead are deeply personal examinations of the self, which I find to be far more interesting as a listener than what tribe you identify with. But, in my opinion, the instrumentals are so lush that the lyrics and vocals could have been cut entirely, and you would still get the gist of the mood and vibe they were going for. I wish there was a rip of these songs as instrumentals without Curtis' terrible poetry reading. While some critics and fans rank this album above their debut album, UNKNOWN PLEASURES, I enjoy both equally for different reasons. On tracks like "Heart and Soul" we hear a glimpse of fertile imagination that the band will explore when they make the full transformation from Joy Division to New Order. Faves: "Atrocity Exhibition", "Heart and Soul", "Twenty-Four Hours", and "The Eternal"

I mean it’s no The Idiot

Very nice. Very well done.

Like Nirvana, I feel like Joy Division and this album has such a dark energy around it considering what happened with Ian Curtis. But for me that adds to the appeal of this, the music, lyrics, and sound is so personal and you can feel what he was going through making this music. There is just much depth and emotion in every song. It's a dark piece of music but moving and worth many listens. Top Songs: Atrocity Exhibition, Isolation, Twenty Four Hours, Decades

Impossible to say for sure obviously, but I think this would still be a great record even if he didn’t kill himself

4.5

This album had so much potential. The music itself is pretty great. It’s dark and brooding, but there are some musical elements that are whimsical and captivating. It’s just let down by Ian Curtis’s talk singing style. With a better singer in there, this could have been a 5/5, but his singing style drags this down to a low 4/5.

very dark sound but it was good

Yeah it's seemingly impenetrable artsy shit, but there's just a lot of fantastic instrumental sounds here that have aged so well. I'm glad I gave it a second chance, bc the first listen resulted in a lot of shoulder-shrugging. I like how Ian Curtis and co. synthesize a lot of influences- Bowie, the Doors, King Crimson, Iggy Pop, Gary Numan, and the Police.

There are people who get Joy Division and people who are wrong.

Joy Division are so unique that you either just feel it or you don't. I very much do

There is no way to listen to this without considering the mythology of Ian Curtis and hearing a dark, angry poetic cry for help. Which is why I think I’ve always liked New Order much more than Joy Division, especially this last album. I appreciate the evolution from post-punk to spare, electronic driving rhythms but this is a hard listen. 4⭐️

4/5

I really like the vibe of this album. Whoever is singing, their voice reminds me of David Bowie.

There's a really weird feeling I get when I listen to stuff like this. Somebody killed themself after writing this. It's such a weird thing to conceptualize. I could go out to my local record store (shoutout to Wax Records in Vero Beach, FL :D) and buy a dude's final words to the public on a plastic disc, put it on my record player, and hear them as many times as I want. It's horribly morbid to think about. The album is horribly morbid as well. It's like a bunch of guys grooving to a suicide note being read aloud. It does make for some really interesting music, but "at what cost?" really understates how I feel.

Bleak

Hm… My connection with Joy Division is a few of their hits and how those hits were often played at indie music venues. None of the songs I know of Joy Division are on this record though. I found quite a few good, dark, songs on this album. Mainly in “Isolation” and “Twenty Four Hours”. This holds up even though you haven’t heard of Joy Division but I’m not sure if I would tell all my friends about it. I think there are quite a few duds between the gems. I think the vocals work in general but sometime it ends up feeling just a bit too pretentious. It ends in classic strong 3, weak 4 territory. I guess I’m going to be generous and give it a weak 4.

Top album

Zo oppressive en maar ook zo cool.

Need to be in the frame of mind it can be a maudlin vibe killer. But can be great in the right context.

Love me some fun goth music, especially from the group that basically started the genre... But I couldn't help feeling that Unknown Pleasures is more than simply one of the best album covers of all time, it's also the better album (personally) from Joy Division.

Listening to Closer is a seriously haunting experience, it's an epic piece of art that feels more like a personal confession than just a record. The production makes this huge, cold space where everything sounds heavy with that post punk clinical darkness. Peter Hook's bass is totally menacing all the time, driving the songs with this edgy, relentless feel, which is perfect for grounding the more dreamy, synth heavy tracks like "Isolation" and "Decades". Even though it's super influential, you can't ignore how bummed out it makes you feel. Knowing what Ian Curtis went through makes his voice sound so raw, like a real cry for help. It's a solid album, but it's so heavy that I can only listen to it in small chunks...

Det va aldeles ikke fornærmanes i det hele tatt.

Atrocity exhibition - 4 Isolation - 4 Passover - 4 Colony - 3 A means to an end - 4 Heart and soul - 3 Twenty four hours - 4 The eternal - 3 Decades - 3

So desolate and bleak. I don’t love it but I respect it. Fave Tracks: Passover, Decades 4/5

Eeyun Curtis knock it outta de park!!!

I have heard of this album but probably never listened to it. It has quite the reputation. It is from 1980 but doesn't really sound that much like it; it is timeless in that regard. This is rock with elements of post-punk and I feel like Spiderland took some influence from this as well, with post-rock. I feel there's a lot going on here that will reward multiple listens. I I am interested to listen again.

Really interesting musically, especially the rhythm section. Vocals reminded me of Jim Morrison. 4.0/5.0: Great

darker than unknown pleasures but much more interesting

Nice

Always a good time but Transmission isn't on here :(

Super depressing but an incredible record. Basically seems like they influenced most bands I grew up with. Excellent stuff

Yes. Very good.

Très bon rock ténébreux

I'd heard a song or two of Joy Division's before but I don't think I ever really paid attention before. I liked this a lot.

Beautiful in the bleakest possible way

Yup

the joy boys

Atrocity Exhibition Isolation Passover A Means to an End Decades

The sound of someone’s health, marriage, and ultimately their life unraveling. The seeds of New Order are there, even feeling a little dancy at times. Overall this album feels cold and distant, understandably so. 4.5⭐️

Dark, gloomy, industrial. I liked this, but it didn’t blow me away. I think it might be the production (e.g. reverby echoey drums). A very atmospheric listen and would listen again, probably in a dark room.

I know these guys influenced a lot of people, and some of my friends really love them. I liked a lot of the music instrumentally. The vocals made me think I can sing. (I can’t.) But they grew on me as the album continued. The 2nd half of the album was awesome, I was almost a little disappointed when it ended. Best example so far of why to listen to a full album before making a decision on it, and to give the whole thing a chance.

this is the first time i've listened to any of these songs, and i really liked them! i've already listened to some joy division but mostly the mainstream songs. the fact that this was their final album as jd before ian curtis took his life makes it very... overwhelming, for lack of a better word.

Hat gestern perfekt zu einem winterlichen Spaziergang gepasst

this shit was great dude, holy moly, not perfect by any means but I can start to see the framework and skeleton of my kinda shit being made here. 4/5

5 für all die Erinnerungen und Geschichten, die damit verbindbar sind. Und weil es unfassbar klingt. 4 weil es dann doch gar nicht so viele passende Momente gibt, in denen man das auflegen mag

Good good gimme gimme m6 head hurtda 3.5

I love the sound of Joy Division, especially the drums. I did not fully listen to this album before, but this also full of bangers.

I’m a bit Manchester’d out. In space of a week I’ve had two New Order albums and now this served up. This album though is a big improvement on those New Order ones. I bought this on vinyl at the time. It was hyped up by the music press and radio. I had heard snatches of it and was attracted to the dark depressive nature of it. Once owning it I cannot remember playing it a lot and only occasionally since. It will always be an album associated with Ian Curtis’s death. Can’t say I’ve studied the lyrics to reveal what was in his head but the music itself does this. The Eternal for example just reeks of death as does the album cover. Listening today has revealed a lot more to me than when I first bought the album and will be certainly played a lot more than previously. 4/5 23/12/25

This has changed my opinion of Joy Division. The first album I heard in this list was just not for me. This one, however, is far superior. It's a cool dark vibe that works throughout

TBH the first half has a few good songs, but the second half is really what makes this worth this a listen. It's weird, it's dark. Even though I've heard plenty of other bands try and mimic their aesthetic, no one could pull it off.

I love the darkness and intensity of this album. It’s a much more challenging listen than Unknown Pleasures, but there is also the very early sound of New Order in some of the tracks. It’s a mood dependent album for me. I wouldn’t reach to put it on unless I was in the mood to hear it. But when I am in the right place, and in the right mood, it’s starkness and bleakness really resonates with me.

Hypnotic. Darkness in the vocals always, but not the music. It’s that dichotomy that is one of the aspects of the album and of Joy Divisions music generally that is so intriguing.

- essa época entre 1979 e 1980 foi interessante porque marcou o fim da primeira onda punk e o crescimento do new wave e post-punk. - esse álbum tem elementos de ambos, mas com uma temática bem gótica, pra mim é o melhor álbum deles

Ian Curtis heard that you want it darker. Well, here's a supermassive black hole you can wither away in.

Great album, I think I prefer it to Unknown Pleasures. It abandones most of its semblance to punk music and is incredibly dark. There isn't another album that sounds quite like it or makes the same statement.

Miserable, love it

Moody

The difficult second album - that is, difficult to listen to. An album more stark than Tony, Joy Division created a genre of anxiety-driven, mood music that I love, and yet I really have to work to appreciate this album. The tracks were developed out of jamming sessions and it shows. Droning is the (new) order of the day. 'Passover', 'Colony' and 'Heart and Soul' are minimalist pieces of desolation which keep chord changes to a minimum, and dispense with any notion of a verse, chorus and middle eight. 'The Eternal' the same, a song so bleak it should be used in a Shane Meadows film. It draws from the Berlin period, sets a new standard for atmospheric mood, and ushers Inna host of wannabes. That being said, I shy away from awarding an album top marks that has such an adverse effect on my blood pressure, and an album that has no shades of colour.

First time listen. Long overdue.

I bet these vocals are divisive. I'm not a huge fan, but they work well for this music. The bass lines and tight percussion are really the selling point for me here. The overall sound they're going for is a lot of fun and danceable. Overall, cool album to start my day with.

"Now that I've realised how it's all gone wrong Gotta find some therapy, this treatment takes too long Deep in the heart of where sympathy held sway Gotta find my destiny before it gets too late"

Already got

easy for me to hear it and like it

First time listening to any Joy Division, definitely won't be the last. I hear their influences in the music of so many bands who followed.

Is it "Closer" or "Closer"? Who knows. Joy Division's last album as Ian Curtis joins the tragic list of musicians who killed themselves and joined"that stupid club" as one person put it. His death hangs over this record seeing as it was released 2 months after his suicide - but it was always going to be dark anyway. Musically, it's all cold wet socks in a grotty bedsit with no heating and no carpet on the floor. It's bleak, but I think it has more to do with being from Manchester than anything else. Best Tracks: Isolation; Heart and Soul; Twenty Four Hours

I despise the label "important" regarding records, but this record has undeniably left it's mark. It is one of those records that just needs to be listened to. Despite individual tastes, most people would probably agree that this is good record that captured lightning-in-a-bottle.

Always been a Joy Division fan, but haven't actually given this album a full spin for a long time now. Experimental, noisy, raw, abrasive yet comforting. Right up my alley, love it.

3.75 j'ai adoré les premières chansons mais les dernières c'était long

solid stuff!

more self conscious than the “unknown pleasures” both in terms of lyrics and in terms of sound

Legacy.

A truly depressing album. Not quite as good as unknown pleasures but the atmosphere it generates is strong.

This is one of those albums that make you really depressed. In a nice way

Bleak and strangely minimal album. Not sure this is for me, but it certainly created a mood.

Eröffnet seine Qualität erst beim zweiten Versuch. Aber viele Songs zeigen wohin es gehen wird.

Definitely a grower, the b side is so amazing. it's weird as hell but there's so much pain coming from this album. hurts to listen to in a good way. rip.

Never heard these guys before but they're pretty good. Mixing punk with new wave and it works.

I get that I am suppose to love this, but I don’t. I do think they are talented

like Dad always said, “listening to Joy Division is like driving through molasses.” this album is great, but way too sad for my moods lately!! AND IM EMO AF!!

I can remember the very moment I fell in love with this band. A random best of compilation found at CD exchange one day called “Permanent”. The first time hearing Ian Curtis’s lyrics was life changing to say the least…. Perhaps knowing their backstory ahead of time influenced how I approached their music, but it didn’t prepare me for how visceral of a response I would have to hearing it for the first time. Spine tingling joy, pain, pleasure, and terror poured out of every song. And they literally had to, because the band only survived to make 2 albums before being forced to morph into New Order. Listening to “Closer” at the age of 40, there are certainly things I hear now I could point fault at: the slightly amateurish (though influential) recording and production, the out of tune vocals, the choppy song structure… but it still doesn’t take away from the purity of the songs and the depth of the lyrics. This could definitely be viewed as a depressing listen, but true art and poetry are not always easy to consume. That being said, it will never be as depressing as listening to the record that almost killed Rock n Roll, KISS’s abominable 1998 trash fire “Psycho Circus”.

Some of the bass lines on this album are so wicked. Colony especially got my attention. Nothing complex but just so effective. I think I'm in the minority when I say I don't really care for Ian Curtis' voice. But holy crap, is this good music and so clearly influenced so much of what we have been listening to for much of our lives.

Vibes but not what I would characterize as an album I would listen to any time. For the mood it fits, it hits.

Dark and reflective. Like and subscribe

This is what I'd imagine the Doors would sound like if they were around in 1980

There is a very good chance that if you look up the definition of New Wave that this album is shown as the definition. While it doesn’t contain their biggest hit, and was just before they disbanded and formed New Order, it’s a good listen start to finish.

Both Joy Division albums have had immeasurable influence on the indie music scene, which was especially felt in the 00's. This record is the colder and more depressive of the two, and that's saying something as the other one was also incredibly cold and depressive. Obviously, it is impossible to listen to it without the knowledge that frontman Ian Curtis took his own life just before its release, and that event looms over strong over these songs. In the wake of this tragedy, the rest of the band, like a phoenix, went on to morph into New Order, arguably the better band. Key tracks: Atrocity Exhibition Isolation A Means to an End

Very good album Suffocating. Emotionally overwhelming.

love a bitta joy division

Pretty good rock album. Took a couple listens to get, but they definitely understand what rock is about.

While the subject matter is very heavy, and the context around the album's release time changes things - I still just don't like his singing style / voice

This was miles better than their debut album, understand the joy division hype a lot more now. The Eternal in particular was class, felt very ahead of its time for 1980. Think they benefitted from slightly better production but it still felt raw and genuine enough. Not quite a 5 yet, not enough stand outs at this point, but definitely could be! 4.5

Much better than Unknown Pleasures. Really miserable and grandiose, subject matter not exactly a stroll down a country lane. Really enjoyed Heart and Soul, and 24 Hours. Feels streets ahead of its time. Shame what happened. I don't mind New Order, saw them live in Portsmouth years ago.

I could copy and paste what I wrote about joy division last time but I cba. I like it, but I want to like it more than I do.... Doesn't quite grab me like I feel it should. I think earthly pleasures is better than this, or maybe it has the better individual tracks on. This perhaps works better as an album. Still 4

Forgotten how it sounded so it was a Nice throwback

The album is undeniably a classic, though it took its time getting going for me. The B-side, however, was some absolutely rock-solid post-punk, perfectly exemplifying the cold and anxious sound that made Joy Division stand the test of time. RIP Ian Curtis

It started off weak with the first two tracks, but everything that follows is absolute GAS. The instrumental side is so fire that I don't even mind some grating vocal performances (due apologies to the late Ian Curtis). Standouts: Passover • Colony • A Means to an End • Heart and Soul • Decades

Haunting and incredibly immersive, I think Ian Curtis is the only person who could have delivered his lyrics the way he did on this album, hopeless yet powerful. Speaking of the lyrics it’s clear what kind of state of mind he was in when he wrote them acting as a kind of suicide note (although I guess it’s subjective). Musically, the bass and the synths (the latter mostly in the second half) completely made the atmosphere of the album and made it sound as dark as it did with the drums making it feel mechanical, especially with the way they recorded the cymbal and kick drum separately for instance and used reverb for some if the drums, just the way they used drum machines was really cool to be honest. The whole sound of the album definitely sounds unique as-well which is made from a culmination if those cool techniques they used to made this (and Ian’s voice). Favourites: isolation, passover, a means to an end, heart and soul, twenty four hours and the eternal. Overall, 8/10 (maybe 9 though).

I’ve always enjoyed Joy Division, but need to be in the right mood for it. I love the instrumentation, but the dark and gloomy lyrics and singing can be a bit much at times.

Het is allemaal niet zo rauw en het is zeker niet zo digitaal, maar vooral de zang van Joy Division doet mij toch denken aan Iggy Pop of Praga Khan. Het is een zang waar ik mij aan zou kunnen ergeren, maar die op de een of andere manier past bij de muziek. In dit geval werkt het geheel zelfs rustgevend. Ze hoeven niet altijd de meeste sterren te krijgen, maar die platen waarbij je jezelf afvraagt, waarom ze toch wel goed bij je vallen, blijven de leukste in de lijst. 3.5 ster

From the first note to the last, this album brings back so memories of my youth and my earliest days of alternative music listening.

I absolutely love the post-punk bass/drums/guitar sound and austere production. Lyrically, Joy Division go to to weird and dark places. Intimate but ambiguous. Ian Curtis sometimes struggles with his voice, and that’s the only thing that brings this down a little. Still, a post punk magnum opus from a band that could have done so much more. Dark.

This album carries immense emotional weight. Each track delivering a sense of unease; heartbreaking lyrics paired with intentional instrumentation that sinks under your skin. The despair is pretty palpable, almost suffocating, yet there’s a haunting beauty in its sorrow and the sound is just so perfect. Raw and unforgettable, Closer feels like a devastating and timeless farewell.

Joy Division has been showing throughout my life since I was about 12. From the first time I saw the cool goth/punk kid at my junior high wearing the iconic shirt with pulsar CP 1919 on it, to my best friend putting "Isolation" on a mixtape for me a few years later, to learning how to play "Shadowplay" on the guitar well into my 40s. In all that time, Unknown Pleasures has always been my favorite Joy Division album. It has a rawness and an edge that I utterly connect with. Closer, by contrast, comes across as a much more polished and aesthetically sophisticated collection of songs demonstrating a development and growth that would serve as a model to inspire hundreds of other bands to follow. From "Passover," laying down a mood of morose desolation, to the cold, complex angularity of "Colony", the production and musical quality of the whole record created a template that countless imitators would use as their defining aesthetic. The structures, rhythms, and melodic figures also foreshadow what would come with New Order, especially the way some of the note clusters on "A Means To An End" show up in "Ceremony" later on. This is a haunted record, not just because it was their last. It is at once a journal of the psychological fractures and despair evidenced in the words Curtis sings, and a eulogy to the potential these four boys from Manchester could have reached in the future had Curtis survived his self-destruction. Each note the band plays here carves out a gloomy and morose epitaph in cold marble. It's a great listen, but also a very hard one, once we know the whole story. What else could we expect, however, from a band that named themselves after the title given to a group of concentration camp women that were routinely raped by soldiers of the Third Reich?

gothic

great

A solid album from them. No bangers, but still a great time.

Sounds like working in a factory (positive). It’s as if he’s singing over machines from the far end of a high ceilinged warehouse. The soundtrack to a Lowry. You can hear the Manchester rain. Funkier than expected. Intense.

8.5/10

7.5

didnt know what to expect, was decent

Closer is a dark, beautiful, and deeply atmospheric album, steeped in themes of loss, isolation, and inner collapse. It's a work where Ian Curtis's desperate vocals and cold, mechanical arrangements merge into an almost frozen form of emotional expression. And yet, amid all the darkness, there’s a surprisingly strong rhythmic drive. The paradox of Closer is that several tracks, like “Isolation” and “Heart and Soul”, feel like they could have been played at a cool 1980s nightclub. The album strikes a delicate balance between deep existential gravity and a tight, almost danceable aesthetic. This isn’t an album that asks for your attention, it demands it. And once you surrender to it, it opens up like an icy yet captivating space. One of those rare albums that manages to be both emotionally devastating and physically compelling. 4/5

Didn’t quite match my mood when I listened to it but did sound like the quintessential “dark” album that conveys its emotions well.

um álbum que eu nunca dei a devida atenção é bem bonzinho na real

Dark doesn’t begin to cover it as it’s essentially Ian Curtis’ eulogy. Raw and a little sloppy, not the polished product New Order became but there are glimpses of what they were to become. “A Means to an End” could be an early NIN song. This is considered part of the holy grail for alternative fans as you get a little bit of everything.

I’m glad they did this with the trimmed down engineering. Liked it, but not listening again anytime soon.

Incredibly bleak, and, yet, somehow dance-y. I tend not to listen to this record that often because of how oppressively dour it is, but to be honest, that's just the first few songs. The mood doesn't necessarily get lighter, but the songs get groovier, and Ian Curtis starts to warm up and get a little more lively. Upon revisiting, there's a lot to like here. I had forgotten the intensity of "Twenty Four Hours", the killer music (and cold vocals) on "Heart and Soul", and the ethereal "The Eternal". Highlights: "Passover", "Colony", "A Means to an End", "Twenty Four Hours"

This album is pure Joy Division and I loved every minute of it. I love their dark new wave sound and Ian’s voice. 10/10 no notes. I am definitely listening to this album again and I would recommend it to others!

Muy bueno

Is it as good as Unknown Pleasures? No. Is it still a good record? Yes. Favorites: A Means to an End, Twenty Four Hours (the guitar on both songs is tremendous) Would I listen to it again? Yes

Enjoyed it alot Standout songs: Atrocity Exhibition Colony Twenty-four hours

A slow burner for sure, found myself getting into it by the end, I like their sound it just takes a little time to get into it. Very sparse sound, very raw, will need a few more listens

Rigtig fedt album. Post-punk som har inspireret kunstnere som the cure, nine inch nails og radiohead. Det har en mørk hypnotisk lyd hvor det har blandet industrial, electronic og gothic sounds. Så det kræver også et vist humør. Joy division fun fact de er opkaldt efter sexslave område i koncentrationslejrene under krigen. lagde grundlag for genrene darkwave, coldwave og gothrock.

Cold, mechanical, dystopian, a sense of finality, like a funeral. RIP Ian.

Ganske bra

it's fine

Not digging the voice initially, but the music is pretty dope on here. Heart and Soul really reminding me of the Cure in the best way possible. Voice eventually settled in but still not my favorite. REALLY enjoyed the instrumentals on this though. Between a 3-4 but going to bump up because I enjoyed the gothicness of it.

I'm going on holiday today so not really the sort of vibe I was looking for The first thing that stood out to me is that while it's well produced, I wish it had the same cold, melancholic production style that Unknown Pleasures had I like this more when it's more sparse and builds an atmosphere, like The Eternal and Decades. This one isn't really depressing the way Unknown Pleasures is until the end where it pulls you right down. Particularly on the intro of The Eternal, when the piano comes in the songwriting immediately has a heavy, sorrowful tone Isolation is a bit like proto-New Order or Kraftwerky. I'm kind of fond of that one because of that, but it's a bit rough in execution. That one, along with A Means to an End, shows (to me) that Ian Curtis was actually kind of a bad singer. Sometimes his voice can just sound pretty poor, but I find it does suit the music well Highlights: Twenty Four Hours, Decades, The Eternal

Still think I prefer Unknown Pleasures, but this has grown on me since hearing it many years ago. The last 3 tracks in specific are incredible. The way the album sort of simmers until it hits its boiling point with Twenty Four Hours is quite brilliant, not to mention the sort of aftermath of The Eternal. Decades finishes it off wonderfully. Gotta love Hook's mournful bass.

Tried to listen to this one my way home from work on a sunny day in June - let me tell you that is not the way. This shit absolutely slaps at 4am in the dark dark world.

Nowhere near the album unknown pleasures is, but still a worthy listen. However, as a big Joy Division fan I almost never go back to this one. 4/5

Hmm not sure on this one, other than "the song" which ain't even on this one I don't really get them. Suppose at the time it was all new and edgy but now just sounds a bit primitive. Low 4.

3.7 3x

I hate embracing sadness. Really, I hate it. This drips of it from the lyrics to the music. I can't deny that this music gets to me though, like it really cuts. It really makes you feel, so for that reason, I'm giving it 4 stars but I'm never listening to this again.

Given I got New Order early on in my journey, it was a matter of time before I got the band they were before, Joy Division. Sadly, though, the first of their two albums I got is a rather difficult album to discuss. Closer is the last album from Joy Division, released two months after frontman Ian Curtis took his own life at the way-too-young age of 23. That fact alone looms over this album, from the artwork taken from a photograph of a family tomb, to Ian's lyrics that thematically draw from experiences of isolation, loss, anxiety, dread for what may come, and confrontation with one's religious viewpoints. It's well-apparent that Ian was disturbed at this point, probably due to several factors in his life, such as his epilepsy, the dissolution of his marriage after being caught in an affair, and overall deteriorating health. That he could still pull off a commanding baritone narration throughout these tracks amidst the chaos he went through is remarkable. I don't want to imply Closer is a terrible album; far from it. Between Ian's delivery, Peter Hook's supple basslines, Bernard Sumner's spacious guitar hooks, Stephen Morris's punching drums, and the well-reverbed production, these songs bounce in their melancholic state. Even in some of their stranger experiments, such as the screeching guitars over tribal drums on opener "Atrocity Exhibition" or the atmospheric crawl of "The Eternal", this album can be sonically gorgeous. It's just hard not to feel consumed by how bleak this album can get at times. I will say that Closer is a worthy inclusion on this list, alongside Joy Division's first album, which I will eventually get. I'd recommend going into this album not already depressed, because this album will not make your mood any brighter.

Another great one from my current collection 4/5 #albumoftheday #musicsky #albumsky

Still pretty dang good. A few great songs on here. This probably sounded revolutionary when it was released. Although to my current ears its charming sparseness is occasionally too thin. To be honest, there’s a live album of theirs that I prefer to their studio albums. It’s from 1979ish concert(s), has blue/black/white rectangles on cover, has Frenchy words in title, sounds like a bootleg but is an official release, is rough around the edges, is more punk than post, and to me has a fascinating energy and urgency the studio albums don’t have.

Most of this I liked a lot. But I will say a little goes a long way. After a while, the drone gets a bit tedious. But I still very much liked it.

Nice. I never really got into Joy Division, but I liked it.

This is really heavy and dark stuff. Decades is an incredible song. Unknown Pleasures is more immediate, but I can see how this is just as great. Favorites were Passover, A Means To An End, The Eternal, and Decades.

Melancholy post-punk that sounds so familiar, but dates early. You can hear 80s alternative music of several kinds here. It could have gone either way for me. But it started strong, gained my respect early, and remained solid throughout. I would return to it for sure.

Is it wrong to call Joy Division mature punk. This is a great album that has all the signs of defiance and anti-establishment rebellion but tempers the delivery and creates a really interesting sound. The 80s might not have the best reputation as a musical decade, but the early 80s has some real gems! This is one of them.

Factually accurate. Simplified as its a short answer.

Good

Great album...

Interesting

i love this album solely because you can hear new order popping out

Id like to appreciate this record for all that it is, however that comes with criticism as well. It passes the accomplishment test, but falls short in the entertainment department

An album of promises of greatness after the fact. Such a sad ending of a great talent waylaid by mental illness.

Tyckte först inte den var lika bra som Unknown pleasures, men den växte verkligen med flera lyssningar. Framförallt den andra halvan är riktigt stark med Twenty four hours och Eternal som två favoriter (älskar New order-soundet på den sistnämnda).

Not my favourite post-punk, but notable for its influence

Brilliant. Greta album. Also contains Twenty Four Hours which might be one of my faves.

A very bleak album, maybe the bleakest. There’s an existential feeling while listening to it.

Fab

Definitely not as immediately gripping as unknown pleasures but taking the time to get immersed in this one (I liked the later tracks more maybe because of this) its definitely a worthwhile, if not a bit depressing experience. 4/5

Gloomy but groovy!

Context: I listened to this with a monumental hangover driving back from Stamford to Salford over the moors in driving rain. So, basically the perfect context for Joy Division. I would say that, for me, it doesn't quite hit the same highs as Unknown Pleasures, but it's still absolutely heart-breaking and astounding all at once. I've given it the top possible four star mark, because I do think it isn't quite them at their best, and I was monumentally glad when it was over, but that was only because I'd got home and could crawl into bed.

Dark, intense, powerful.

Hauntingly dark. More groovy than a lot of tracks on Unknown Pleasures, more of the post punk than new wave. Struggled with some of the vocal performances but lyrically top notch

Pretty interesting I’ll definitely listen to again

A classic but I preferred NO

Excellent album. Not as good as Unknown Pleasures, but excellent nonetheless.

The influence of Joy Division on more modern music is incredible. I don't pick them up often because I think some of the bands they influenced down the line are more interesting, but I always enjoy diving back in. How good is 24 Hours? 4/5

This just have sounded like the future in 1980.

Vet album. Eerste nummer deed me denken aan de baslijn van U2's vertigo, geinig.

Really interesting album. I liked a lot of the songs. I liked that there wasn’t an obvious hit that stood out from the rest. All the songs feel like an intentional part of a larger work. Really fun to think of all the bands that were influenced by this.

A lot of interesting sonic ideas, especially in the rhythm section. The drummer was earning his paycheck on the first song. The songs are carefully composed but don't strike me as labored. The different guitar tones are great at setting the mood. Curtis' voice isn't for everyone, but I like that it's unique. He sounds conversational, earnest, and desperate. It's a dark album but I didn't find it to be a dour listen. ("The Eternal" is pretty bleak though.) I'd like to spend more time with it. Highlights: Isolation, A Means to an End, Twenty Four Hours

joy division is for me the perfect embodiment of post punk. Dark melancholic music that i like to take on a walk. sad that they didnt got to aim more to the "love will tear us apart" direction which is for me a huge what if...

Gear: Abyss DIANA MR Artwork: 🖤📸⚰️ Production (2007 Remaster): 🎧😘🤌 Music: 💔🌑🪢 Rating: 🖤🖤🖤🖤/5

I liked it more than I thought I would. I didn’t recognise any of the songs and would revisit it

A very "live in the studio"-sounding album. The name of the record is fitting, as the band members sound like they are no further than arm's length from each other. The constant reverb effect puts the listener at a distance from them. The result is both claustrophobic and alienating. Ian Curtis' untimely death is certainly a tragedy, but also served to seal the legacy of their limited catalog. I would have liked more Joy Division, as I'm not a big New Order fan. Kind of like wishing that Kurt Cobain hadn't killed himself so we wouldn't have to reckon with Foo Fighters.

unsurprisingly i loved this but man does it hurt to know how it all ended

i love ian curtis

Good album.

Ken de band alleen van Love Will Tear Us Apart. Maar damn dat was chill. Ga ik zeker vaker opzetten. Twenty Four Hours vond ik vooral mega nice. Vier sterren voor nu.

Uno de los primeros álbumes góticos de la historia, siendo antecedido únicamente por "Unkwown Pleasures". Trabajos como este inspiraron a artistas como Siouxsie and The Banshees y The Cure, por lo que está de más afirmar que la atmósfera que construye "Closer" es perfecta. Ninguna canción sobra en este trabajo, pero si tuviera que bajarle una estrella por algo, sería por la falta de algún single bailable como algunas de sus otras obras (Disorder, She's Lost Control, Transmission, etc). Debes escucharlo.

Much more agreeable than their other stuff! Had to listen to it twice to get into it. Maybe I just always need a joy division warm up! 3.6

Solid album. No real jump out tracks but a good liten.

Not as attention grabbing as Unknown Pleasures but still good in a darker sort of way.

Always liked this. Gloomy.

This sounds so far ahead of its time I struggle to imagine it existing in 1980. More melancholic than depressing. I like this more than Joy Divisions first album but I'm just not a fan of Ian Curtis, his singing was really bad. Influential and unique. 8/10

why did I think I hated Joy Division???? this is insane

I just had this on in the background and it is just great, no need to list the stand out tracks its all killer no filler.

This was fine. Never really got the appeal of this band, but felt like it could grow on me. Some of the tracks had a similar sound to the Cure, which I liked.

One of the bleakest albums in history, with or without the context surrounding it. The dark atmosphere and emotionally tortured songwriting make this a staple of Joy Division (obviously because it’s one of their two albums), as well as post punk as a whole

Cool drum patterns in Atrocity Exhibition and Heart and Soul. Some songs have about the same feel as The Cure sometimes has. I enjoy that.

no one does it quite like joy division. i have a lot of time for ian curtis, and i find that he’s a very interesting guy. this is often reflected in his bleak lyricism, which i would argue is possibly even more prominent on this album than unknown pleasures. closer is often overlooked when considering joy division, simply due to the fact that unknown pleasures is one of those timeless classics. despite that, this album is just as good, if not better.

Its very bleak. Obviously. It's very very bleak. It's also very good. Beautiful in places, terrifying in others.

Similar to Unknown Pleasures, I feel about the same. Definitely a whole vibe. The songs are all pretty captivating, without really jumping out and begging to be added to a playlist. But that's not the point. The synths here mean there's definitely a Kraftwerk feel to some of the tracks. I like the observation that they had already started to sound like early New Order at this point. Finishes really strong with the last three songs.

Honestly like a loooot stronger than Unknown Pleasures in my opinion. I actually knew a hell of a lot more pleasures listening to this one. Right from that very first track, Atrocity Exhbition, which honestly hooked me. CLOSER to a 3.5 but I’ll give it the 4!

Really great stuff, honestly its pretty heavy at points and it makes ya wonder how these guys got so popular... they seem very anti-mainstream!

this is definitely a depressing album for sure. it really encapsulates the feeling of isolation and loneliness to a ttttt. one thing i noticed is the space between the singing segments of each song, they;re just long enough to add to the empty atmosphere of this album. i think the lyrics were concise yet effective, with an array of interlinking topics covered as well. 8/10

Masterpiece of Electronic from the 80's.

I’ve always thought Unknown Pleasures was a bit overrated, but Closer is a different beast entirely. An unwaveringly bleak album supported by Hook’s pounding basslines, while Curtis yelps like a man possessed

On remarque au premier chef la singularité de la voix, puis les lignes rythmiques soutenues. L'ensemble a un caractère hypnotique.

I knew of Joy Division through the single Love Will Tear Us Apart which is a banger, So I bought this album thinking it would be more of the same and it wasn't when I first heard it as a teenager I didn't like it but over the years occasional listening has made this album grow on me which has made me enjoy it more. I prefer this to Unknown Pleasures, it's really good and Isolation is a great track.

Good. The live tracks, man.

This is a good, but extremely dark, album. Worth a listen. 4/5

For some reason, this album felt like a warm hug after feeling like one doesn't belong in this world.

Mere dyster end den sidste Joy Division vi havde

good album, enjoyed the sound. I can see why it is well regarded.

Found this one washed over me as background music but I appreciated it a lot more a second time on headphones. It's moody and atmospheric and never in a rush, which is much rarer in more recent music. But I can see the influence from here on lots of great bands like Interpol, BRMC and Bloc Party who moved post-punk into the 21st Century. A challenging listen but well worthwhile.

One of the few post-punk bands I actually enjoy and listen too regularly. Great album - the last half more than the first to me as the first is very slow. Not as good as their other album Unknown Pleasures though.

Very good goth. More eclectic than UP. The seeds of New Order are here. nearly as good as UP but second half's quality dips

First time hearing this group.

I overall enJOYed the album. Found 3 - 4 tracks that are just amazing and will re-listen again. Decades Twenty four hours Passover 3.5/5

Low 4 stars, just about scraped in. 73/100

Love how dark this is. I had heard bits and pieces of Closer but it really excells as a full album. Can't wait to add it to my sad boy rotation. 4/5

3.5

Great

5star

sad hot girls really do be listening to joy division

Probably doesn’t need to be on the list when we already have Unknown Pleasures, but it’s solid post punk and I enjoyed it. A little more stripped down than their debut.

Not for me sonically, and I did think many of the songs were too long, but it was well arranged. Lots of subtleties to the sounds here (the end on "atrocity exhibition" was very cool) which rewarded a second listen. I'm not sure this should be considered rock, but I guess i do hear some talking heads and television influence here. I think this album will just come down to preference, so I'll round up to a 4 as an olive branch to James.

This is better than Unknown Pleasures in that it is much more unsettling and more cohesive throughout. Still not as good as New Order though.

Unknown Pleasures' weirder, somehow gloomier cousin. Absolutely worth it for all time goth banger (?) "The Eternal".

4.3 Looking back I didnt write a description for Unknown Pleasures. Closer isnt has good as the debut Just want to say Joy Division has to be a top 5 coolest band

Pretty dark…dunno if I would have listened to more than once back in the day

This is a strange album. The vocals are rather monotone and bland, but that seems purposeful, and it works. It almost lends it a dreamlike quality. The instrumentals are great. The whole album is like an 80s fever dream. I really enjoyed it. Twenty-Four Hours may be my favorite track

Listened Before: N Beyond the legends and myth that follow Joy Division, they were actually a pretty good band. Their sound is semi-replicated by New Order, of course, but the original recordings with the original members have their own feel. It's like New Order if they were constantly depressed. Not that that is a bad thing, it just is. I really enjoyed listening to this one just as much as their first album. I will revisit many times. Added to Library? Y Songs added to playlist: Twenty Four Hours

Ah, I love this. Dark, cryptic, hypnotic. This is one to buy for my personal collection. The first song did start to annoy me, so It doesn’t get a perfect score.

Good album. I like this one more than the shirt one. It's odd that Love Will Tear Us Apart isn't on either one. 3.5 5

I’ve always preferred Closer to Unknown Pleasures, the kind of difficult second album that just clicks better for me. “Atrocity Exhibition”, in particular, has to feature on a greatest opening tracks list. A-

Düster - I like!

Какой тяжелый, мрачный альбом. Сначала не втянулся в него, но на втором заходе поймал пару раз себя на тревожных мыслях. Если бы я был в депрессии, мне бы зашло. Это определенно произведение искусства, но я не хочу больше переслушивать этот альбом.

3.5

Unrelentingly bleak. On the cusp between guitar post-punk and electronics. I have to be in the mood but when I am this is excellent.

Unique but not special

Depressing - fantastic

pretty solid but unknown pleasurses better

In my opinion just edges Unknown Pleasures.

Absolutely devastating record. Jesus Christ, the final three song run from "Twenty Four Hours" to "Decades" is some of the most heartbreaking stuff ever written. A very barren and empty atmosphere. I still prefer "Unkown Pleasures" by a tiny margin (it has the higher highs), but I think that this album is slightly more consistent.

01) Atrocity Exhibition - 8,5 02) Isolation - 8,5 03) Passover - 7,5 04) Colony - 7,0 05) A Means To An End - 7,5 06) Heart And Soul - 8,0 07) Twenty Four Hours - 8,5 08) The Eternal - 8,5 09) Decades - 8,5 TOTAL: 8,06 (81/100)

Really confident that Unknown Pleasures is also on this list… right? Love this one, just not as much.

Love their style and the voice! RIP Ian Curtis. Standouts: Love Will Tear Us Apart (Bonus), Atrocity Exhibition, Isolation, A Means to an End, Others: Passover, Colony, Heart and Soul, Twenty Four Hours, The Eternal, Decades 4/5

вроде все то же что и раньше, но куда-то подевалась экспериментальность что-ли... 4 с большим минусом

Pretty darn good. 4 stars.

Depression

The randomness of this generator might need to be questioned because it gave me both Joy Division albums within the first 20 I listened to; though I suppose that in itself is truly random. Curtis' voice sounds a ton more like Jim Morrison's here than it did on Unknown Pleasures I'm noticing. I couldn't imagine going through what Ian did at such a young age, whenever I reflect back on the time I was 20, I always feel like though I was responsible that I was also naive. Some people are definitely just more grounded and mature from the start, maybe they have to be. Closer feels more haunting or depressing than the first album, as though the band is pulling you into their emotions instead of presenting them to you. I can't say why exactly tbh, but I just don't like this album as much as the first, I'd like to give it the same score as unknown but I feel different about it for some reason. I was actually going to give this album a 4 but after listening to the last three songs, I think I'll have to bump it up....... way better than rest of the album imo. idk though, its hard.... Im not sure how to rate this.

Gloomy but pleasant, post-punk but with a punk energy, Joy Division is ironically named but worthy of knowing. Closer is worth a listen at least for the clear influences on a number of bands (from the 80s onward) but it's genuinely enjoyable in its own right. Highly recommended.

Occasionally gnarly and a little chaotic, frequently moody and bleak. It's always hard to listen to Ian Curtis knowing where this story ended. You hear his pain in his lyrics and it's emotionally draining to experience as a listener. But what strikes me listening to this today though is how good the band is. I mean, Peter Hook is on fire and Stephen Morris sounds better on drums than I ever remember him sounding. Curtis is definitely the X factor here that makes the band stand out from their peers. His vocals have always been an acquired taste, but losing his songwriting is really what left a hole in Joy Division when he died. All they could do was make a completely different band after that. Fave Songs: Twenty Four Hours, The Eternal, Decades, Atrocity Exhibition, Isolation

eternal, 24 hours 4+ depressive

Good

dark and intoxicating. quality album. highlights: “isolation”, “colony”, “a means to an end”.

I always preferred Closer to Unknown Pleasures. But maybe because I found Unknown Pleasures too lofi.

I was going to rate each song on albums but that’s too time consuming so I will just review album as a whole. I already love Joy Division but have never listened to this album as a whole or most songs on it - only Isolation actually which I love. Chill stoner type vibes. Isolation is still by far my fave, just wavy funky good tunes. Its over very quickly but I could listen to it for hours, v calming. Harrowing when you know about Ian’s death and if I was in the wrong headspace I could perceive it wrongly and be sad but I enjoyed it.

Seminal. Not sing along.

Now I'm only actually writing this review ages after the initial listen (like 3 months!) I think knowing it was one of Luke's favourite albums meant I had to be very sure. I kept listening and then forgetting to write the review. Think I might be on fifth listen now. I think I was torn as part of these songs I find dark, moody with the jarring chords but I think overall it's one of those albums that comes together so brilliantly. Sets a scene for Joy Division and their unique style. Overall it's a great listen

Enjoyed it. Dark, moody, punk, rock, eerie.

4.5

Wasn't paying a huge amount of attention to this, but it seemed decent. You can feel the ecstasy beat starting to penetrate indie music.

Good stuff

Genres: Post-punk, gothic rock Formed: Salford, England in 1976 Run time: 9 songs, 44 min, 28 sec The second and final studio album by the band. It was released two months after the suicide of the band's lead singer and lyricist Ian Curtis. The least popular song is track 4, “Colony” with just over 4M plays, whilst the most popular is track 2, “Isolation” with over 21M plays on Spotify. I can’t help but feel that track 3, “Passover” is a precursor to his suicide. It certainly seems to be addressing his thoughts and fears. This dark and melancholic album is very well written, and the lyrics are quite profound. The sound is minimalistic, there is just enough and nothing more. The music and Hunter’s voice always work in perfect symbiosis. While the album has undoubtedly got a huge following, the mood it creates isn’t something I’m into. I love the song “Love Will Tear Us Apart”. Unfortunately it was only released as a single and isn’t on the album. While the album isn’t for me, I can see how good it is, hence the four stars. Listen Again?: No My Rating: ****

Ihana levy!

Upea levy ja tunnelma. Tätä on erityisen kiva luukutella kovaa himassa.

Erinomainen levy juhannuksesta palaamista juhlistamaan!

I've heard Unknown Pleasures before, and though it was good, but didn't really click with me. After listening to this (which I slightly prefer,) I think I've started to understand the band a bit more. Dark, emotional poetry steeped in gloomy atmospheres. The musicianship is fairly simple, but it doesn't need to be anything more. In fact, flashy guitar noodling would distract from the carefully crafted mood and the deeply affecting lyrics. Not an album I would listen to often, but I have a strong appreciation for the artistry on display here.

Very solid. I’m still on the fence about the sound of the vocals, but still very solid.

Really good listen. I think I first peeped on YouTube, and this was when iTunes was still charging per song. I think you could buy a song for $0.99 or $1.29. Or buy the album for like $15. Ain’t no way I was paying for full albums back then so I only copped the song “heart and soul” which I listened to about a million times. But anyway this was basically a first listen all over again and it was awesome. Great way to start this thing. LFG!

Dark, sombre, and moody - classic Joy Division. Love it!

Plaat die ik al in de kast heb staan. Erg goed.

3.5

I had the album on repeat for the week

At first I thought it's obvious that Joy Division is a 5-star band, but I'd never really listened to Closer as a whole. It turns out it's not really a 5-star album, even though it has Heart and Soul. Very good, but not quite as good as I expected.

I really like music on this album but unfortunately I cannot always say the same thing about vocals (however they fit) . Despite that it is still good. It could have been 5

Sad banger

Dark, dark album, feels like it's Ian Curtis writing with one foot in the grave. The feels are here on this one

Tror sangstemmen på albumet er veldig elsk/hat. For meg er det elsk.

Not as good as Unknown Pleasures, but still damn good in its own right. 24 Hours and Decades are top tear Joy Division/New Order tracks. Looking forward to reviewing the New Order albums on this list

Amazing album

Ambiance sombre et percussions très présentent avec les guitares dans le fond 4*

Joy Division? More like the Misery Division! I sort of went back and forth between hating this and being absolutely fascinated by it, and still haven't quite resolved myself into a satisfactory opinion.

As the first track started, I was so excited for the rest. The rhythm totally grabbed me!! I did enjoy much of the rest of the album, but it did not captivate me as much as that first track.

I'm very familiar with a few of these songs. I liked the album but definitely started to tune it out after a while. I respect a singer who's not afraid to sing off-key.

Some of the most self-tortured lyrics you will ever hear. I have no idea how nobody knew about Ian Curtis' mental state until he passed. Favorite track: Passover

Enjoyed the dark and moody bass lines. I expect if I grew up with this album, I'd have more affection towards it, but it passed me by, only for me to discover it later on without the context of it's creation and subsequent loss.

This was nice, relaxing

7/10 vocals grating at times but overall cool

More Joy Division, more depression. 7/10

Muito foda, Peter Hook é uma lenda. O disco começa caótico e vai se arrumando, genial.

I’d never pin this as being from 1980. It doesn’t feel 40+ years old. It doesn’t have the same production values minus the drums. I like it. Not a constant but solid stuff. 82/100 4/5

very good, new album

4.25

damn man what a melancholy and beautiful album, and to know he killed himself after this.. the signs were all there..

Is the title pronounced Closer or Closer? I think it is closer, as in end. The mausoleum on the cover was my clue. And the fact that the lead singer offed himself. This sounds like it should be played at a funeral after party in a loft in a warehouse down by the docks. Maybe it was. Ian’s voice paired well with the sterile post-punk/pre-industrial arrangements.

Brooding. British. I just love it. Joy Division’s Closer is certainly one to have listened to in your mental library

This is really miserable, but really good. Hard work to listen to, definitely less approachable than their other album, but probably the better for it? Not a bad song on it, good changes of tempo, sounds, and style. Probably won't go back to it as a full album unless something really unpleasant happens to me and I need to misery out, but there are plenty of tracks that are worth having on a playlist. Isolation and 24 Hours probably the highlights, but not by a lot. 4/5.

j'ai hésité sur ma future note tout du long la dernière track m'a décidée

I listened to this 15 years ago when I was trying to be cool and I didn't like it. I listened to it again yesterday, caring slightly less about being cool, and I liked it more. Maybe there's a lesson there. Also, I used to not really understand how Joy Division became New Order and after this album, that transition makes a lot more sense. Standouts: Isolation, A Means to an End, Twenty Four Hours, Decades

Excited, but a bit nervous when this popped up. I have never heard this, but really like Unknown Pleasures. Unknown Pleasures is the kind of album that's really great, but could have easily gone wrong - now that I think about it, that could probably be said for most of the best music out there. Anyway, I wasn't completely sure if I wanted to hear where Joy Division went from there. All that said, this is fantastic and I'm glad this project forced me to listen through it. Each part of the ensemble is more precise, defined, but keeps the elements that makes this band cool and unique. I really like this band because their sound is so different, raw, emotional, but still carries a melody and simply put, sounds good. So many bands from this era try to be different and say something in a new way, but forget they are making music, and just end up making shit. Not Joy Division and I thank them for that. Interpol does too, sincerely.

Closer is the second & final album by English rock band Joy Division. This post-punk album was released 2 months after the suicide of the band's lead singer Ian Curtis and this caused the band to re-form as New Order. Closer is dark but danceable, as the bittersweet lyrics and bleak but breathtaking musical style create a hauntingly great album. It is highly rated and is often cited as Joy Division's finest work, as well as the "crown jewel of post-punk". I found myself really enjoying this album, and it even pulled me out of my "work mode" so I could focus on the music more.

Heavy listen. I’ve heard of Joy Division (obviously Unknown Pleasures) but admittedly never gave them a real listen. “Closer” is the record that was released after the death of their lead singer, and ultimately the last record the band would release before reforming under the name “New Order”. The lyrics are dark, but well written. The instrumentals are minimal, but also, you guessed it, dark. The lead singer definitely drew inspiration from Jim Morrison of The Doors. This record also obviously inspired many bands that would come later, such as Sonic Youth. Overall an enjoyable listen, and absolutely belongs on this list.

this is the way this is the way (Listening to Colony): reminded of that quote in GH3 that says if you can hear your bassist, they’re playing too loud Dk which is better: “Unknown Pleasures” or this one. The frenetic percussion of the opening “Atrocity Exhibition” makes one think it’ll be a punkier, more danceable record, but just like the outro in “Passover”, it slows down, going into the brooding, Gothic second half. HL: “Twenty-Four Hours”, “The Eternal”, “Isolation”, “Decades”

Liked this will probably listena again

4 This has always been one of the bleakest albums I’ve ever heard. It’s the musical equivalent of Requiem for a Dream; the best album I never want to hear again. Released posthumously after Ian Curtis’ suicide, any optimism or whimsy that could be found on “Unknown Pleasures” is surely gone here. This album feels like a funeral march. It feels like listening to an actual ghost that’s walking the line between worlds - a sort of purgatory of music. However where one story ends another begins and like a Phoenix rising from its own ashes, New Order was born. It’s a good thing the remaining members reformed because the instrumentation on this album is superb. The album itself opens with a very slick drum pattern and at no point does it get any less creative. I know creative differences plagued this album but I think it’s one of the times when the back and forth created something great, it’s just a shame that it came with the cost of Ian’s life. Favorites: Atrocity Exhibition, Isolation, A Means to an End, Heart and Soul, Twenty-Four Hours, The Eternal, Decades

4 Haunting. Beautiful, but haunting - from front, to back, down to the cover art depicting a literal tomb. Ian Curtis was a brilliant lyricist and master of the style by his own merit, but it’s hard not to think of the context around this album and his life when listening. Every time I hear Isolation, I can’t help but think of a scene from Curtis’ biopic Control where he apathetically performs the vocal track alone in a recording booth while the rest of the band and producer mindlessly sit around the control board bickering, unaware they’re listening to cry for help. Great album, but know what you’re getting into. Folks, the world is a better place with you in it. Favorite songs: Isolation, Twenty Four Hours, A Means to an End

How fucking depressing was that...

This album sounds great to me. I know some of the band hated it, I think it really captured them in great form. An incredibly important record I am glad to get to know better. Some of the grooves and vocals lull a bit for me at times, as jams tend to do, but the wake of influence on here is huge. 4.4444444444444