Mike76

@italianpeople: no hard feelings, it’s just that reading "suicide blah blah.. suicide blah" in every Joy Division review is starting to get on my nerves. I wonder why we never forget to repeat and over-repeat these well-known biographical notes. Hannet did transform the JD music but for the better; he is the main architect of that tension and sense of coldness you talk about. Just listen to the RCA Demo versions of "Shadowplay" and "Interzone" from the 3 CD and the ones included in "Unknown Pleasures."

Oops, the little word "suicide" is indeed there, as unfortunately in all the JD reviews. The review doesn't even have this merit.

A spontaneous question arises: but if Punisher were to commit suicide, would his comments become mythologized? I don't think so.

"In 1978 in post-punk San Francisco, there were the Sleepers, and if you get your hands on the posthumous collection "Less an Object," you'll tear your hair out and exclaim, 'Holy cow... the Joy Division!!!' - SUPERSOUL. I don't know the Sleepers and I'll take note, but in 1978, there were also the Joy Division."

I had thought about writing this review myself...the box set is indeed valuable, perhaps precisely because it was put together by the surviving members of Joy Division and not by some random record executive; the tracklist was chosen based on quality (so no out-takes or poor live tracks unless they represented the only existing evidence of the song, as in the case of "Ceremony") and trying to avoid as much as possible the repetition of the same songs in different versions. As a result, there are 4 CDs of high quality: the first two are "Unknown Pleasures" and "Closer" supplemented with singles, b-sides, and rarities from their release period. Personally, I really like the official albums, but they might be a bit monolithic, while singles like "Atmosphere," "Transmission," "Digital," "Dead Souls," and "Love Will Tear Us Apart" are, for me, the true artistic peak of the band. On the third CD, quality decreases, but historical curiosity increases: the EP "An Ideal For Living" is still raw and a product of punk, while the early versions of "Shadowplay" and "Interzone," contrary to what the reviewer stated, actually demonstrate how important Martin "Zero" Hannet was to the sound of JD; without his production, the songs lose impact and depth, and Curtis sounds like any punk singer. The fourth CD is a comprehensive summary of our live performances. I don’t really like the review, but it deserves a passing grade just for not having used the word "suicide."

@Condorbars: "Martin," a track that is also among my favorites, originally appeared on a 12" included with the first copies of the album, so it's only fair to consider it part of it.

A multifaceted work, a swing of moods and states of mind with a darkness that, compared to the debut album, is becoming more pronounced. Less enjoyable than the Erotic Cabaret and perhaps a bit too long-winded, but still a great record to have. The Depeche Mode post-83 will borrow quite a bit from this little disc. And to think I got it for €5.

It's good.

Smashing Pumpkins = SP obviously, not SM.

"He was a forerunner in the use of electronics on KID A by at least two years," MAssyboy. But in rock, they had already arrived at the use of electronics even earlier (His Majesty mainstream) with U2's "Pop"! It doesn't seem to me that SM has anticipated anything; they've just followed the trend of the moment as usual. When I listened to it, I heard many echoes of Depeche Mode's "Ultra," coincidentally released the year before.