Joy Division-Unknown Pleasures

Joy division-Unknown Pleasures. Joy Division – Unknown Pleasures.(1979) Now I am a bit unsure whether to include this. But what the heck, Joy Division is a band that divides opinion. Some people really respect the history, to others the music and the mood is to sombre. The thing with Joy Division taking the Ian Curtis situation out of the equation, the music was brilliant produced stark and powerful. It was a shame that a band that was developing lost its most important member due to the lack of support by the System and his continuing ill health. Why did Joy Division’s legacy continue, well Martin Hannett’s production of the first two albums was a league apart from many other bands. The use of atmopsheric’s and sound effects into the mix created a sometimes haunting and powerful sound. It took many bands and acts years to achieve the level that Joy Division did in the 1979-80- era. Only two bands came close Killing Joke, Sisters of Mercy. Who both mixed the dark sound with powerful production. In many ways the Joy Division albums were the complete package. The artwork the sound and image was all as one. Never was this better on the album ‘Unknown Pleasures’, its the album where the power of the band was evident. With the Follow up album closer which was described by Tony Wilson as when he emerged himself in the role. With Unknown Pleasures there is still some deep lyrics but there is also lyrics where its more general rather than aimed at his love life. Especially on the opening track ’ Disorder’. The best track on the album for me is the track 'Day of the lords’ which has this really deep bass line that seems to be at the lower register of sound. Where Sumner/Albrecht’s guitar work follows the bass. It builds with use of keyboards to a eventual descending mix of sound. There are some filler tracks on the album but this can be forgotten when tracks like 'Insight’ and 'New Dawn fades’. Other tracks like ’ She’s lost control’ and even 'New Dawn fades’ would be more powerful in John Peel Session Versions. Events of May 18th 1980 will always over shadow the music. Never has a band or artist sang with such raw emotion than Joy Division, in some interviews it was mentioned that Ian Curtis’s love of Kraftwerk’s music showed them the way forward. This is quite true in some respects. I always wonder what the next album would have been like and with the increasing technology at the time which came in , in the early 80s. It would be interesting to see where the sounds would have gone. But we will never know. Unknown Pleasures is a band playing at the peak of their powers. Its quite optimisitic in its mood compared to the follow up. If I was suggesting to anyone to look for a place to start I would recommend the substance Joy division album from 1988. But for studio albums it would have to be Unknown Pleasures. Joy Division – Unknown Pleasures