Music review: Joy Division - Unknown Pleasures (1979)
Who doesn't know about Unknown Pleasures, really? I mean, outside people without musical culture, of course. Do I really need to repeat what thousands have already said? I guess so, otherwise this page wouldn't exist...
This sounds like the kind of lightheaded daze someone about to jump from a bridge after having finally gathered his courage must feel. An evocative picture of calm acceptance almost completely hiding the underlying despair, like white clouds over a dark and silent sea.
I could write a paragraph about how Martin Hannett's novel production job - sterile, cold but intimate at the same time - is responsible for a lot of this perfection, but I'd be repeating what has been known for decades already.
Only reason I don't give it 10 is because of the strange inclusion of "Interzone", which sounds like it came from their earlier An Ideal for Living EP. Completely out of place.
This review is a good occasion to write about the way to investigate masters for a release with so many versions (263 on Discogs, including 73 CDs) because this work certainly deserves it.
- Start with the first pressings, this is usually the best decision, especially if you don't want to spend any time nor effort on the question.
- Peruse Discogs and forums.stevehoffman.tv comments to see if there's something to gain elsewhere.
- Then compare your findings with your own ears if you can!
In this specific case, the only CD version that isn't drenched in reverb is the extra-rare Japanese 1991 anthology boxset (the one in the YouTube link) costing a measly 400~500 €!
This is one of reasons why you can't be considered a true music enthusiast if you rely exclusively on streaming: both Spotify and Deezer only have modern remasters and I bet you my hat that no streaming platform has that version.
So what do you do? You torrent, because this where serious fans who care and document stuff like this congregate:
