The music of Joy Division is either loved or hated. The same roughly goes for Ian Curtis's poetic suggestions. Pseudo-alternatives, anonymous and subordinate followers of trends (mainstream or underground), depersonalized critics, and John Vignola fanatics have not only never understood Joy Division but, most likely, have never truly listened to their tracks. Many of them will tell you that, in reality, they know all their compositions by heart, that they love this band immensely (after the release of "Control," it has become a daily practice), but I repeat, they will never understand much, and with almost absolute certainty, they will have only given a vague and distracted listen to the group's revolutionary proposition.
I, on the other hand, neither believe nor pretend to be the prophet of the Joy Division word, but aside from suicidal tendencies, I believe I have at my disposal the necessary requirements to understand at least in its fundamental aspects, this legend and to describe it effectively. What are, then, the necessary requirements for such an operation? A certain preference for stylistic sobriety, a sincere interest in cold and minimalistic artistic expressions, the rejection of the sensationalistic and boring media circuit (Curtis gave very few interviews and in an utterly reluctant manner), an acute intolerance of paralyzing and rigid stylistic paradigms, and a strong perplexity towards the easy political rhetoric that often assumes moralistic and chanting tones in rock.
Why this long preamble? To dispel a few clichés and to throw a bit of mud on the boring "connoisseurs" who, especially in recent years, are sadly celebrating an undefined cult, a revivalistic cult concerning the figure of the late Ian Curtis. In short, useless, childish, and solipsistic sectarianism is far from me, but upon closer inspection, the large ranks of boastful "critics" can never understand, especially in its fine details, the proposal of the darkest Mancunians in the history of rock. A punk, a mod, or a metalhead, on the contrary, will find it less difficult to understand Joy Division precisely because they are not accustomed to the sterile, immobilizing, and demoralizing chatter of certain press/criticism.
But back to us. I could have reviewed with absolute tranquility essential records like "Unknown Pleasures" or "Closer," but on reflection, the emotional bond that ties me to these two works would have led me to make rather risky statements. To avoid these easy, even illogical, favoritism, I have therefore limited myself to analyzing the posthumous "Still."
For some, a sort of third and unfinished album, for others a sufficient collection supplemented by a not-so-formidable live part, and for myself an indefinable yet poignant and tension-filled album.
"Still" intelligently assembles rarities and singles produced in the band's brief career. In tracks like "Ice Age" and "The Kill," it's the punk aspect, albeit glacial and sinister, that rules. In "Exercise One," "The Only Mistake," and "Something Must Break," it is the gloomy yet essential "dark" ceremonial that transports us to the circles of the Joy Division's inferno. Special mention to the hypnotic "Walked In Line," with its martial and cadenced pace, with a subdued and ruthless voice narrating war crimes (for some, it concerns Soviet crimes, for others Nazi ones; for me, it's a sincere accusation against all militarisms). There's also a cover, rather personal, of "Sister Ray" by... think about it a bit!
The second part of the album, however, offers one of the last concerts held by the band, on May 2, 1980, at Birmingham University. The concert, besides being intense and filled with suggestions that only our guys knew how to evoke, is a sort of sound and human testament, performed 16 days before Ian Curtis's tragic suicide. From the stage, our frontman merely sings composedly but tremendously sincerely, addressing the audience very few times with a faint, thin voice. The band's best tracks are performed here with ease, although, to be fair, the recording doesn't fully do justice to this performance. But, perhaps, such production has the merit of capturing the genuine and immediate spirit that has always characterized the four. The laconic "Thank you, good night," which Curtis addresses to the audience after the last notes of "Digital," is chilling. This is not necrophilia but a sad premonition confirmed by the facts for decades now.
Joy Division was indeed a product of their time, and this is evident from this album, but they had the great merit of being able to open perceptive slits beyond the space-time dimension. In a world of rubber and plastic, obsessed with continuous lights and annoying garish colors, with advertising signs everywhere, with empty and continuous chatter, and with omnipresent cheeky faces; the essential music proposed by these guys represents one of the last attempts to open up towards supra-individual and "other" dimensions. The comparison with Jim Morrison might seem banal and obsolete, but aside from singing skills, both frontmen managed to touch the strings of the soul of the most attentive and predisposed listener. Curtis, in my opinion, with a much more European style, perhaps for this reason, more fascinating. But let's leave continentalisms aside and turn off the light. The notes of "Still," however raw and eternally young, await us in all their fresh and dramatic splendor.
Tracklist Lyrics and Samples
01 Exercise One (03:08)
When you're looking at life,
In a strange new room,
Maybe drowning soon,
Is this the start of it all?
Turn on your TV,
Turn down your pulse,
Turn away from it all,
It's all getting too much.
When you're looking at life,
Deciphering scars,
Just who fooled who,
Sit still in their cars,
The lights look bright,
When you reach outside,
Time for one last ride,
Before the end of it all.
02 Ice Age (02:27)
I've seen the real atrocities, buried in the sand
Stockpiled safety for a few, while we stand holding hands
I'm living in the ice age
I'm living in the ice age
Nothing will hold, nothing will fit
Into the cold, it's not an eclipse
Living in the ice age
Living in the ice age
Living in the ice age
Searching for another way, see them hide behind the door
Live in holes and disused shafts, hopes for little more
I'm living in the ice age
I'm living in the ice age
Nothing will hold, nothing will fit
Into the cold, no smile on your lips
Living in the ice age
Living in the ice age
Living in the ice age
04 Glass (03:59)
Hearts fail
Young hearts fail
Anytime -- Prussurised
Overheat -- Overtired
Take it quick -- take it neat
clasp your hands, touch your feet
take it quick, take it neat, take it quick, take it neat
Hearts fail
Young hearts fail
Anytime -- whereabouts
On the Run -- Underground
Put your hand where its safe, lay your hand where its safe
do it again, do it again again again again do it again, again, again, do it again and again!
Anytime thats your right
dont ya wish we do it again?
Overheat -- Overtired
dont ya wish we do it again?
dont ya wish we do it again?
dont ya wish we do it again?
Anytime thats your right
dont ya wish we do it again?
Anytime that your right
dont ya wish we do it again?
dont ya wish we do it again?
Bet ya wish we do it again?
do it agian
do it again
do it again!
05 The Only Mistake (04:18)
Made the fatal mistake,
Like I did once before,
A tendency just to take,
Til the purpose turned sour,
Strain, take the strain, these days we love,
Strain, take the strain, these days we love.
Yeah, the only mistake was that you ran away,
Avenues lined with trees, strangled words for the day,
Yeah, the only mistake, like I made once before,
Yeah, the only mistake, could have made it before.
Strain, take the strain, these days we love,
Strain, take the strain, these days we love.
And the only mistake, led to rumours unfound,
Led to pressures unknown, different feelings and sounds,
Yeah, the only mistake, like I made once before,
Yeah, the only mistake, could have made it before.
06 Walked in Line (02:48)
All dressed in uniforms so fine,
They drank and killed to pass the time,
Wearing the shame of all their crimes,
With measured steps, they walked in line.
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line.
They carried pictures of their wives,
And numbered tags to prove their lives,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line.
Full of a glory never seen,
They made it through the whole machine,
To never question anymore,
Hypnotic trance, they never saw,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
They walked in line,
Walked in line,
Walked in line.
07 The Kill (02:17)
Life can be for you, good things are nice.
Trusting on you, really no threats.
The way to get through, deciphering the scars.
Just a far glow, sit still in their cars.
It's another, 'nother, 'nother, 'nother kill.
It's another, 'nother, 'nother, 'nother kill.
It's another, 'nother, 'nother, 'nother kill.
I can smell through, you're talking's a lie.
They turn out to you, before say "Die!".
Wrapped in your trunk, to reach out the same case.
So I can detect, no longer mistaking.
It's another, 'nother, 'nother, 'nother kill.
It's another, 'nother, 'nother, 'nother kill.
It's another, 'nother, 'nother, 'nother kill.
Dangerous cues, set by distraction.
Deprived of all use, nor in satisfaction.
Total destruction, the worst ever met.
Kept in apartment, sublimely fought you.
Who's gone there backstage, to keep you in rock ?
Who's got the vision, that puts at no odds ?
Loss of all resource, falls up to your head.
Just that it was, whacked into the air.
It's another, 'nother, 'nother, 'nother kill.
It's another, 'nother, 'nother, 'nother kill.
It's another, 'nother, 'nother, 'nother kill.
Kill, huh.
Ha, ha.
08 Something Must Break (02:50)
To waste and choose or raise the dead
With pain behind go straight ahead
Room full of people grouping
as one
I can't break out now
the time just won't come
To waste and choose which way to go
Decide for me please let me know
Looked in the mirror
saw I was wrong
If I could get back to - where I belong
To waste and choose which way to go
I paused for one
whom signs forbode
If we were immortal we would not bear
Washed up on the beat here
Struggle for air
I see you face still in my window
Tormented clouds won't set me free
Something must break now -
this life isn't mine
Something must break now -
wait for the time
09 Dead Souls (04:56)
Someone take these dreams away
That point to me another day
A dual of personalities
That stretch all true reality
And they keep calling me, they keep calling me
Keep on calling me, they keep on calling me
When figures from the past stand tall
And mocking voices ring the hall
Imperialistic house of prayer
Conquistadores who took their share
And keep on calling me, they keep calling me
Keep on calling me, they keep calling me
Calling me - calling me - calling me - calling me
They keep calling me, keep on calling me
They keep calling me, they keep calling me
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Other reviews
By MinorThreat
Many adjectives have been used to describe the music of Joy Division: alienating, hallucinatory, gloomy, distorted, among many others.
The live recorded part makes it an excellent introduction for those who want to get closer to this stunning post-punk combo.