Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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58 of 61 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
comprehensive overview of the greatest British band, 19 Jan 2004
Joy Division are widely regarded as one of,if not the most influential british bands since the beatles.A band that in a time of thrashy,anarchist 3 chord tracks managed to push back the boundaries of music by intertwining the downbeat,atmospheric percussion of bassist peter hook and drummer Stephen morris with the tortured baritone vocals of genius lead singer Ian Curtis.A band that intensified mood and expression to create some of the best music of all time,hugely influential to the post-punk/new-wave scenes of the early 1980's and leaving a huge mark in indie music to bands as diverse as the smashing pumpkins,interpol...and modern day bands such as british sea power.ian curtis' vocals constantly create an uneasy mood with the listener,but the songs still remain if not catchy,but accessable.
this 4 Cd box-set is a very comprehensive view of the band,as it contains both their studio albums,all their singles and b-sides and many other cuts from the john peel sessions,licht and blindheit,earcom 2 and the factory flexidisc.Also thrown in is the earlier,thrashier,more punk-orientated Warsaw material.The set also follows a logical sequence,with the studio albums on seperate discs with their accompanied singles,b-sides and tracks associated with them.Disc 3 has the earler Warsaw material with some material from their 2 john peel sessions and other selected tracks from their short lived sessionography,some of which is previously unreleased(most notably ceremony and In a lonely place,both of which became new order hits-but sound so much diferent with Curtis on vocals).Disc 4 is comprised of previously unreleased live material,and dispels the myth that Joy Division were not a particularly effective live band.
All in all,this is a great box-set,as it has all the fan could want.It simply provides brilliant music by certainly my favourite band,and one of the best bands of all time.the only disapointment is that the John Peel sessions-although available on a seperate Cd-is edited to 3 tracks,i personally would have liked to have seen all 8 tracks in their entirity.But that aside, a great purchase.Joy Division still sound fresh to this day and are still in my opinion,although it sounds ridiculous,a band of the future.This is because there has been no successful attempt to emulate them or take over their amazing Martin Hannett(genius)produced sound,and they still continue to amaze me and challenge what a band can actually do.Its amazing that in just 2 years,a band constantly produced excellence and changed music.Stand out tracks:
Transmission,Disorder,day of the lords,24 hours,colony,she's lost control,shadowplay,novelty,atmosphere,heart and soul and of course,love will tear us apart Ian Curtis RIP(1956-1980)
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28 of 30 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
the best band of all time, 22 Aug 2003
This is an object lesson in how to compile a box set. Compared to the (only slightly) disappointing New Order box set, Retro, this is utterly, utterly perfect.Both albums, all the singles, all the songs from label samplers, some radio sessions, demos and wonderful live renditions (Novelty, which i was not a massive fan of before, sounds AMAZING on the live disc). Add to this wonderful packaging, great artwork (as always) and some fascinating writing (thank you Paul Morley) in the booklet and you have a box set that is as essential as similar sets from the likes of Miles Davis, Yes, Led Zeppelin and the Beatles. Only better.
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25 of 27 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A band of true greatness, 12 Jan 2001
Anyone who is unfamiliar with the lads from Manchester should contemplate how much they actually like music. To have a fondness for music is one thing, but to like Joy Division is to love them. Almost everything that Joy Division recorded is contained in this sumptuously packaged 4 cd box set. There's the albums Unknown Pleasures and Closer in their entirety and live album Still. There's a scrupulous attention to detail here, there's early versions of songs such as Chance, which was a blueprint for the exquisite beauty of Atmosphere. There's songs from 12" records, flexi-discs and Peel Sessions. Previously unreleased live and studio takes reside in this lush package too, some sound quality is a little ropey in spite of being touched up, but it's still exciting to hear the familar tunes thrashing into life. What's surprising is how much there is, to say that Joy Division were only recording from 1977 to 1980 highlights how prolific a writer Curtis was. The sound created by producer Hannet - crisp and haunting - adds so much impact to Joy Division's music and there's an obvious sense of progression here too. The use of synthesiser on Closer adds a new depth and direction to the earlier rock influenced sound. Some tracks are a little over-represented though, there's 3 versions of Candidate, Insight, She's Lost Control, Interzone and The Only Mistake, but this is a minor grumble when balanced against the excellently researched sleeve notes. There's various contributors adding their own view on Joy Division and why they're special, there's also a discography, sessionography, a biography, song lyrics and details of TV and Film credits. This should be an essential part of any serious music lovers' collection, from one of popular music's greatest bands.
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