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Joy DivisionAlbums ReviewedWarsaw (1978)Substance 1977-1980 (1987) Unknown Pleasures (1979) Closer (1980) Substance 1981-1987 (1987) Get Ready (2001) Electronic (1980) Joy DivisionWarsaw:Warsaw(1978)According to legend, Joy Division, along with The Buzzcocks, Simply Red and The Smiths, were formed after witnessing a Sex Pistols gig in the Manchester Free Trade Hall in 1976. They changed their name from the charming Stiff Kittens to Warsaw, after a song on David Bowie's Low, and recorded a self-titled debut in 1978. Warsaw was shelved at the eleventh hour after the band learned that the producers had added keyboards parts without permission, and wasn't officially released until 1994. Ten of the eleven songs, however, turn up in different versions on Substance, Still or Unknown Pleasures. While there is a school of thought that Martin Hannett was largely responsible for Joy Division's unique sound, most of the key elements are already present with Stephen Morris' robotic drumming (although he gets carried away with a ridiculous series of fills on 'Drawback') and Peter Hook's prominent bass lines, although Bernard Sumner's restrained guitar lines would sound better drenched in reverb and Ian Curtis would sound better using his lower register. Hannett certainly deserves a lot of credit though, since none of the songs sound better than their official counterparts; lacking all of the precise austerity that makes Joy Division's work so powerful. On paper, therefore, the most interesting songs are the five bonus tracks, recorded in 1977 before Morris signed up, but these are almost shockingly incompetent; the progression from the crudity of 'Gutz' to the beauty of 'Atmosphere' within three years in astonishing. It's difficult to give Warsaw a high grade since it doesn't add anything to the Joy Division legacy, but in itself it is a solid collection. In particular, 'Shadowplay' emerged as a key track on Unknown Pleasures, while 'Transmission' is an enduring single. Most of the other other songs became good addition to the Joy Division catalogue, even though they are overshadowed by the better material they wrote later. Perhaps the most interesting aspect is the rawness, which shows a different side of Joy Division to their more processed studio recordings. While Warsaw would have comprised a passable debut for Joy Division, the delay was only positive for their career. When Unknown Pleasures finally emerged, Joy Division were fully developed; unique and chilling. In comparison, Warsaw is interesting but hardly essential. 
Substance 1977-1980(1987)After a false start with Warsaw, Joy Division became arguably the most significant group of English post-punk. Rather than having their angst faked for commercial purposes like the Police, or channeled into politics like The Clash or the Sex Pistols, Joy Division expressed the inner turmoil of vocalist Ian Curtis. Curtis hung himself in 1980 after suffering depression, exacerbated by epileptic blackouts on stage. While Curtis was intriguing, the rest of the band were just as compelling, achieving an incredible power and clarity. 'Dead Souls' features an incredibly engrossing two minute introduction. Substance collects the singles and b-sides released by the group in their three year history. Apart from an inferior version of Unknown Pleasures' 'She's Lost Control', none of the material found on Substance is included on their studio albums and mostly predates them. Early songs such as 'Warsaw' and 'Digital' are entertaining through sheer rawness and catharsis, while the b-sides are great too. However, the group didn't hit their stride properly until their final trio of singles: 'Dead Souls', 'Atmosphere' and 'Love Will Tear Us Apart'. If Curtis had lived, Joy Division had the ability to be a significant commercial force while maintaining artistic credibility. The surviving members of Joy Division formed New Order, with guitarist Bernard Sumner assuming vocal responsibilities and the drummer's girlfriend joining as the keyboard player. There is also a best of album available which seems unnecessary when Joy Division only released two official albums, Unknown Pleasures and Closer.
 Unknown Pleasures(1979)Joy Division left behind a phenomenal back catalogue; the group performed with an intensity and authority that enlivened their lesser songs, and propelled their best material to excellency. While the material on Unknown Pleasures is as strong as Substance and Closer, it is my least favourite of the three due to the relative homogeneity of its texture causing some of their individual tracks to lose their impact. Fortunately the chosen texture is punk so that Unknown Pleasures is sonically unique, a reconciliation between Joy Division's precision and austerity and punk's amateurism and aggression. The exception is the opener 'Disorder', which presages New Order with its upbeat rhythm, a sharp contrast to the thrashy gloominess of the remainder of the album. The strongest tracks are 'She's Lost Control' and the dramatic closer 'I Remember Nothing', autobiographical tales from Curtis about epilepsy and his failing marriage. The album version of 'She's Lost Control' is substantially more intense and superior to the single version featured on Substance. I always find this difficult to sit through, and prefer the calmer and more chilling Closer, but it's still pretty unique, and obligatory for fans.
Closer(1980)Closer was released after Ian Curtis' death, and due to public morbidity (cf. 'Candle In The Wind '97') reached the top 10 in England. Closer is often stark and simplistic, with menacing lyrics stating that "I put my trust in you," with Curtis' voice insinuating that his trust has been betrayed, and "Heart and soul, one will burn." However, the music provides a contrast with a surprising but simple beauty. The best examples are the final two songs, 'The Eternal' and 'Decades', where Curtis' lyrics are strangely at their most inspiring as he ponders unearthly matters, which are matched with uplifting music. The rocking 'Twenty Four Hours' is arguably Joy Division's most powerful recording, while 'Passover' scores with an effective melody. Despite a few lacklustre songs in the middle, Closer is a wonderful album, successfully fusing beauty to Joy Division's omnipresent intensity.
New OrderSubstance 1981-1987(1987)After Ian Curtis' death, guitarist Bernard Sumner took over vocals, while drummer Stephen Morris' girlfriend Gillian Gilbert joined as a keyboardist. The two discs of Substance collect the singles and b-sides released by New Order between 1981 and 1987, starting with 'Ceremony' and 'In A Lonely Place', Joy Division songs that were never recorded. The discs trace New Order's path into upbeat pop such as 'Bizarre Love Triangle' and 'True Faith'. Some of the b-sides sound like classic singles as well, especially 'Hurt' and 'Lonesome Tonight'. The only low point is signature tune 'Blue Monday', which would sound a lot better without that omnipresent drum machine; it might have sounded revolutionary in 1984, but now it's just tacky. While Sumner's lyrics are not always particularly profound ("Love is found in the east and the west/But when love is at home it's the best." and "I've watched your face for a long time/It's always the same/I've studied the cracks and the wrinkles/You were always so vain.") his voice is very pleasant, and there are enough musical ideas for the songs to function without lyrics as the instrumental b-sides 'Thieves Like Us' and 'The Beach' (the b-side of 'Blue Monday') demonstrate. Substance collects some of the best pop music of the 1980s, with lapses in lyrics but strengths in melody, texture and innovation.
Get Ready(2001)Recorded after a 7 year hiatus, Get Ready doesn't sound particularly like a New Order album. The creepy 'Vicious Streak' is copybook atmospheric New Order, 'Primitive Notion' recalls Joy Division, while the single 'Crystal' wouldn't sound too out of place on Substance. Otherwise, Get Ready is a stylistically mixed bag, some of which works and some of which doesn't. The most startling result is the rhythmically understated, orchoustic 'Run Wild', which is warm and beautiful and therefore the complete antithesis of standard New Order. Also enjoyable is 'Slow Jam', with an anthemic Top of the Pops chorus, which brings back New Order's endearingly clumsy lyrics: "The sea was very rough/It made me feel sick/But I like that kind of stuff/It beats arithmetic." Unfortunately, there are also cringeworthy elements present on Get Ready. 'Someone Like You' is horribly sentimental while '60 Miles an Hour' and 'Rock the Shack' are awful attempts by a group beyond their youth to act like cool party animals. Get Ready is a decent comeback effort, and there is half an excellent album hiding in it.
ElectronicElectronic(1991)Electronic is a collaboration between The Smiths' guitarist Johnny Marr and New Order singer/guitarist Bernard Sumner. They sound more like New Order than The Smiths, largely because Electronic is very synthesiser oriented and Sumner sings. Marr only uses his classic Smiths' guitar style in 'Get The Message', although he gets to play the occasional nice acoustic guitar solo. Strangely, given that the record was released in 1991, they sound far more dated than either parent band, with an almost complete reliance on synthesisers and drum programming. The Pet Shop Boys also make cameo appearances; Neil Tennant's vocals are unmistakable on 'Getting Away With It', while Lowe and Tennant both contribute to 'Patience of a Saint'. Electronic could be regarded as the last stand for eighties British pop, before it was shortly made obsolete by grunge and Brit-pop. Even though both The Smiths and Joy Division were highly influential on the wave of early nineties bands that succeeded them, Sumner and Marr's Electronic is so far removed from the originality of either group that it's far easier to ignore. Therefore Electronic only succeeds in pop music terms, creating catchy melodies and memorable choruses that are ultimately disposable, rather than creating an innovative and presumably long lasting work like The Queen Is Dead or Closer. The melodic but shallow 'Getting Away With It' and the funky 'Feel Every Beat' are both infectious enough, even though the latter features Sumner rapping. The instrumental 'Soviet' and the guitar-oriented 'Get The Message' are also highlights, while the entire album is worthy enough but often dull and very dated. Even if the dated textures are disregarded, Electronic is still not an important enough part of Sumner and Marr's strong discographies to warrant a lot of attention.
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Written 2001-2007, Graham Fyfe
