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Product details
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Track Listings
| Disc: 1 | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Atrocity Exhibition | |||
| 2. Isolation | |||
| 3. Passover | |||
| 4. Colony | |||
| 5. A Means To An End | |||
| 6. Heart And Soul | |||
| 7. Twenty Four Hours | |||
| 8. The Eternal | |||
| 9. Decades | |||
| Disc: 2 | |||
| 1. Dead Souls | |||
| 2. Glass | |||
| 3. A Means To An End | |||
| 4. Twenty Four Hours | |||
| 5. Passover | |||
| 6. Insight | |||
| 7. Colony | |||
| 8. These Days | |||
| 9. Love Will Tear Us Apart | |||
| 10. Isolation | |||
See all 12 tracks on this disc
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Product Description
Album Description
Joy Division's classic second album "Closer" expanded with a second disc featuring the band live @ University of London Union plus a 16 page booklet with notes by Jon Savage.
Product Description
JOY DIVISION Closer (2007 issue UK Expanded Edition 2-CD set comprising a 9-track digitally remastered CD album - Originally released in July 1980 Closer displays more keyboard textures than its predecessor with a more sombre tone lyrically echoing singer Ian Curtis unravelling state of mind but also having a dark beauty of its own; includes a BONUS CD featuring 12 tracks recorded live at the ULU on 8th February 1980 superbly presented in fold-out digipak sleeve housed in clear plastic slipcase with extensive sleeve notes from Paul Morley!)
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
46 of 49 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Joy Division have recently been at the hands of a critical resurgence, aided by the Anton Corbijn film "Control", the "Joy Division" documentary, the namechecks from the large number of up-and-coming-bands who will never be as good as Joy Division, and the recent messy split of NewOrder. This then, is an ideal opportunity for the band to rectify the unsatisfactory original CD releases, and follow the latest trend for deluxe editions by adding extraneous live material (one can hope that a similar attempt occurs with the New Order releases to ensure the more obscure ends of their catalogue are made available in digital form).
"Closer", the second LP, and Joy Divisions final actual album, came a mere 11 months on, but the difference isn't merely time, but distance. Since the debut, the band have moved on from the frozen wastes to a glacial desperation. Curtis - plagued by ill-health, domestic strife and infidelity, has become ever more entrenched in his battle against life. Musically, Hannett's production is stronger than the debut - the drums no longer sound like blocks of ice but a fierce, clipped military power keeps the rhythms barely in restraint. As was the bands preference this album does not feature the 'big hit' singles (buy a copy of "Substance" or "Heart And Soul" to get those), but instead 9, seperate standalone tracks which will be barely familiar to the casual fan. Opening with the escalating "Atrocity Exhibition", the album - and it is an album, a suite of songs designed to operate together as a cohesive experience, not just a bunch of songs in some dumb order - move the listener through all manner of emotional crevices before the final strata. Clearly, this is the song of a band at some kind of precipe. It's easy to retrospectively fit this, and claim it be Curtis' suicide note, but in reality, like "In Utereo" it's no such thing. It's the sound of the eternal struggle between what we want life to be, and what it actually is. The album draws to a close with the harrowing trilogy of "Twenty Four Hours", "The Eternal", and "Decades" : as if the fight has gone out towards the end of the record, the music draws to a haunting keyboard motif that gently fades into nothingness. Possibly in fact, the most poignant closing song on any album of all time.
As per "Unknown Pleasures", the second disc contains a live recording (taken from London's ULU during the Closer sessions), and reflects the bands ethos of the time. A well honed, near-fierce aural assault played by committed, passionate, troubled men. As one could expect, the sound of the time, and the limitations of the technology are such that the live experience doesn't reflect the latest in audio standards, but captures the spirit and feeling of the time (as much as I can tell) accurately. The recording is by no means a stunning example of audio fidelity, but it provides a snapshot of an evening in the groups life. Good value for money, definitely.
"Closer", the second LP, and Joy Divisions final actual album, came a mere 11 months on, but the difference isn't merely time, but distance. Since the debut, the band have moved on from the frozen wastes to a glacial desperation. Curtis - plagued by ill-health, domestic strife and infidelity, has become ever more entrenched in his battle against life. Musically, Hannett's production is stronger than the debut - the drums no longer sound like blocks of ice but a fierce, clipped military power keeps the rhythms barely in restraint. As was the bands preference this album does not feature the 'big hit' singles (buy a copy of "Substance" or "Heart And Soul" to get those), but instead 9, seperate standalone tracks which will be barely familiar to the casual fan. Opening with the escalating "Atrocity Exhibition", the album - and it is an album, a suite of songs designed to operate together as a cohesive experience, not just a bunch of songs in some dumb order - move the listener through all manner of emotional crevices before the final strata. Clearly, this is the song of a band at some kind of precipe. It's easy to retrospectively fit this, and claim it be Curtis' suicide note, but in reality, like "In Utereo" it's no such thing. It's the sound of the eternal struggle between what we want life to be, and what it actually is. The album draws to a close with the harrowing trilogy of "Twenty Four Hours", "The Eternal", and "Decades" : as if the fight has gone out towards the end of the record, the music draws to a haunting keyboard motif that gently fades into nothingness. Possibly in fact, the most poignant closing song on any album of all time.
As per "Unknown Pleasures", the second disc contains a live recording (taken from London's ULU during the Closer sessions), and reflects the bands ethos of the time. A well honed, near-fierce aural assault played by committed, passionate, troubled men. As one could expect, the sound of the time, and the limitations of the technology are such that the live experience doesn't reflect the latest in audio standards, but captures the spirit and feeling of the time (as much as I can tell) accurately. The recording is by no means a stunning example of audio fidelity, but it provides a snapshot of an evening in the groups life. Good value for money, definitely.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
This review is for the customer who wondered if there was any big audio upgrade in the latest (and double) CD of 'Closer'. I am aware that it was quite a while ago, when you added your comment to one of the customer reviews. You may well have bought the thing by now.
I shall leave the emotional impressions and memories to others on this occasion. Your reviews are all valid, but Robespierre's question needs answering.
I HAVE just bought the 2CD 'Closer'(cheaply and second-hand). Until I bought the 'Heart And Soul' box around 2000, I had not owned any Joy Division on CD (I am fifty. I bought the original LPs/singles). The box set was just getting less expensive. I think it was given a cheaper reissue at about this time, so the price on the 1997 version took a dip as well. It was this one I bought.
I have just done a side-by-side comparison between the latest 'Closer' and the box set rendition of the same album. Quite revealing, but not for the right reasons. Though a medium-quality hi-fi (using speakers) I find no detectable differences. On headphones (a decent Sennheiser set) I notice maybe a TINY low end boost, very subtle indeed, as it does not change the general sound. This is of course a good thing. There has been no attempt to turn up the volume on this new version. The levels on meters are nigh-on identical. Most pleasingly, the new mastering has not fallen into that 'compress everything' mentality that has blighted many recent remasters (Rolling Stones label Universal remasters - no thanks - I completed my collection with second-hand 90's Virgin remasters). Do however turn the volume down a bit before playing the live disc (or don't). It is LOUD in that way most modern CDs are. Fair play though. As a cassette recording it has no real dynamic range.
One star off for not realeasing the live disc separately, as with 'Preston' and the great 'Les Bains-Douches' CD.
It would seem that the late 90s/2000 Joy Division remasters were done well enough that no major changes have been made. Do not bother, unless you are after the ULU concert disc. Turn up your bass control a tiny bit, if you wish to replicate the only noticeable difference. You won't notice much. Their records were never very bassy anyway.
I shall leave the emotional impressions and memories to others on this occasion. Your reviews are all valid, but Robespierre's question needs answering.
I HAVE just bought the 2CD 'Closer'(cheaply and second-hand). Until I bought the 'Heart And Soul' box around 2000, I had not owned any Joy Division on CD (I am fifty. I bought the original LPs/singles). The box set was just getting less expensive. I think it was given a cheaper reissue at about this time, so the price on the 1997 version took a dip as well. It was this one I bought.
I have just done a side-by-side comparison between the latest 'Closer' and the box set rendition of the same album. Quite revealing, but not for the right reasons. Though a medium-quality hi-fi (using speakers) I find no detectable differences. On headphones (a decent Sennheiser set) I notice maybe a TINY low end boost, very subtle indeed, as it does not change the general sound. This is of course a good thing. There has been no attempt to turn up the volume on this new version. The levels on meters are nigh-on identical. Most pleasingly, the new mastering has not fallen into that 'compress everything' mentality that has blighted many recent remasters (Rolling Stones label Universal remasters - no thanks - I completed my collection with second-hand 90's Virgin remasters). Do however turn the volume down a bit before playing the live disc (or don't). It is LOUD in that way most modern CDs are. Fair play though. As a cassette recording it has no real dynamic range.
One star off for not realeasing the live disc separately, as with 'Preston' and the great 'Les Bains-Douches' CD.
It would seem that the late 90s/2000 Joy Division remasters were done well enough that no major changes have been made. Do not bother, unless you are after the ULU concert disc. Turn up your bass control a tiny bit, if you wish to replicate the only noticeable difference. You won't notice much. Their records were never very bassy anyway.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Audio CD
Joy Division are probably an acquired taste and are a bit like Marmite in that you either love them or hate them with not much in between. If you like introverted, deep, meaningful and an insight of what a depressive would write and record just before his death (Ian Curtis) then you are not really getting into what this album is like. The remastered version brings to life the old vinyl and I still love this record. Heart and Soul is my favourite JD track and started side two of the original record with that fantastic drum and (synth?) bass fade in. There are times when you can be in the wrong mood to enjoy this record but if you are in the right one, sit back and wallow in the melancholic wonder.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Alles Behinderte Außer Rob
Look at " Spliff`s " Die Maurer , it`s similar to all that great Closer TO-stuff. It`s called " Wir Sind Viel Zu Gut ". Read more
Published 13 months ago by Stefan Prediger
The sound of a 1000 raincoats
If Unknown Pleasures was Joy Division at their most obsessively, carefully focused, ten songs yet of a piece, Closer was the sprawl, the chaotic explosion that went every direction... Read more
Published on 6 Oct 2009 by Mr. Percy Frizelle
Five stars - what else?
If you are reading this, you probably already know Joy Division. But for good measure:
Joy Division was a post-punk band, and among the most trend-setting bands for the... Read more
Joy Division was a post-punk band, and among the most trend-setting bands for the... Read more
Published on 24 May 2009 by Asger Harlung
A Work of Art and Beauty Butchered and Destroyed!
God, what is the point of releases like this! Remember we used to think the music industry was clueless and not interested in music in decades long gone. Read more
Published on 5 Oct 2008 by Mr. G. Hassan
Perfection Perfected
A suicidal swan endlessly pirhouetting on a glass lake. Now with added live pathos to make it even more unbearably astonishing. The best record ever made and then some...
Published on 24 Aug 2008 by Mr. M. J. Turner
Finaly re-mastered!!!
Finaly the big music labels get the idea to re-print the cd as near-by-look-like the 33" vinyl!!! I hate the plastic boxes for cds, specialy when Factory has made so fine packages... Read more
Published on 31 Oct 2007 by Aleksander Pieri
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