JOY DIVISION / Substance (1988)

Substance is a compilation album but it's not a lazy Best of… it's much more important than that. It's a collection of singles, B-sides and sampler tracks, almost all of which don't feature on either of the band's two studio albums. It contains some of their most famous tracks, which are arguably the finest they ever recorded. It's a perfect representation of three years of musical progression, and an essential purchase for fans of Manchester's finest. It's also the perfect starting point for people not familiar with Joy Division's distinctive sound.

Songs of Note: Love Will Tear Us Apart; Atmosphere

5 shadows by the side of the road out of 5

JOY DIVISION / Closer (1990)

The second and last Joy Division studio album carries on the monumental post-punk sound of their previous one. It once more invites you into a world of cold beauty laid bare, and doesn't let go until the very end.
The music is a metronome of human emotion, filtered through the minds of four individuals that together achieved what they never could individually.

Songs of Note: Isolation; Twenty Four Hours

5 steps inside out of 5

JOY DIVISION / The Peel Sessions (1990)

The Joy Division (John) Peel Sessions collects together the two live sets that were performed by the band for the radio show. Both sessions were recorded in 1979, but not released as one until 1990. If you're familiar with any of the other Peel releases, then you'll know that 99% of them are essential if you're a fan of the featured artist/band. In that, JD's is no exception.

Songs of Note: Colony; Love Will Tear Us Apart

5 broadcast joys out of 5

JOY DIVISION / Unknown Pleasures (1979)

Joy Division are as important to music as Moses is to the bible. Their first album is a perfect fusion of post-punk and early experimental electronica. It's a testament of pure brooding energy that gives a voice to nihilism. Vocalist Ian Curtis isn't singing to us, isn't seeking our approval or love, he's singing for himself in a deep cathartic haze that envelops the listener like a wave.
The music is carried by the drums, which have an ethereal echo, as if existing in a hollow cavernous place, and by guitars that ooze ambience and pain. Listening to Joy Division is a deeply personal and oft-times spiritual experience. They are without a doubt one of the most important bands to have ever existed.

Songs of Note: Shadowplay; She's Lost Control

5 shadowy ocean depths out of 5