The other night I got thinking about possible ideas for ongoing threads, and the idea hit me to have a series of posts that introduce music, movies, and games that would be obscure to most people... offer up something different than what everyone’s normally accustomed to (for better or worse). With that in mind I figured I'd write about Joy Division's 1979 album Unknown Pleasures; an album that I liked a lot but that I'm sure won't be popular with everyone...
For those who are unfamiliar with Joy Division, they are one of the main bands responsible for ushering in what is known as post-punk, or a more experimental and complex sounding version of punk. Named after a prostitution wing in a Nazi concentration camp, the band has a unique sound that can best be described as hypnotically eerie; and Unknown Pleasures really pushes that sound more than anything I have ever heard. A disclaimer before you check out this band: If you are depressed or have ever considered suicide, stay the hell away! (The last thing this blog needs is a rep for causing people to kill themselves...well...actually that might be cool too...)
Unknown Pleasures is undoubtedly one of those albums that is rewarding if you give it a second chance; with a single play through you're likely to dismiss it as about as enjoyable as hearing a eulogy. On the second listen, however, the album truly shines. Whereas previously the songs seemed relatively simplistic and monotonous, they somehow take on a new depth that wasn't there before. Sure, the album is technically an exercise in minimalism, but it somehow manages to be grandiose with an emphasis on bass, weird ambient noises, and of course, Ian Curtis’s tortured baritone vocals. Tracks like Shadowplay (recently covered by The Killers), She's Lost Control, and Disorder really stand out but to be honest, the album is consistently good the whole way through
In the end, Unknown Pleasures is an enjoyably vile concoction of angst, depression, and self loathing that somehow manages to grow on you. It’s incredibly personal, and has no qualms about cramming a hefty dose of despair down your throat. While dwarfed by its successor Closer (which is absolutely superb), Unknown Pleasures holds a special place in my heart for being my first foray into Joy Division.
Somewhere on the internet I was reading that the early 1980's killed punk (one more thing I forgot to include on my rant about the 80's). Although I am not a punk expert, it seems entirely fitting that the death of punk was greeted by a band that sounds like funeral. At any rate, give this album a try, you might be surprised…
-Matt
"Named after a prostitution wing in a Nazi concentration camp"
ReplyDeleteSo this comment has nothing to do with the music...but oh well.
I just got done reading Snuff by Chuck Palahniuk. Where the above quote was mentioned briefly. They Nazi's were against the prostitution that was happening in camps, it was weaking their "pure" bloodline. So what did the Nazis do? They invented the blow-up doll. Only to have the blow-up doll factory bombed after producing only a couple thousand dolls. So prostitution carried on.
Back to the music, I really haven't got into many of their songs yet. Only the couple that LaFlamme had me check out. But I agree with him, for no particular reason...I found them to a band for the "rainy days". Not exactly a mood lifter. But some of the best music out there isn't. So I guess we'll see what repeated listening does for them.
They've gotten pretty addicting to me, can't explain why. The best way I can describe them is a stripped down version of Interpol robbed of anything remotely upbeat.
ReplyDeletei need uplifting music... i'm on the edge man, i'm teetering
ReplyDeleteI'm going to check this out
ReplyDelete