The key to appreciating Joy Division is knowing the back story to the band. Unknown Pleasures is the debut album from the band, released in 1979. The band itself was formed in 1976 and was short lived. Ian Curtis, the bands lead singer, had a history of illness including epilepsy. Because of the seizures that he experienced he suffered from a lot of depression, that ended in 1980 when he committed suicide by hanging himself in his kitchen. It was shortly after the release of their second album, Closer, was released and right before embarking on their first American tour.
Like I said, to appreciate Joy Division it is essential to know the back story, so that when you listen to the songs you aren't just listening to songs. You are listening to the lyrics of a person struggling with some very deep, dark, serious personal issues. The songs take on new mean in this context. You can imagine the pain and depression that Ian was going through. Especially on the second album, many of the songs were probably written by him, with the knowledge that he would be ending his life at some point in the future.
Both albums are dark, but they are also brilliant. Each song is filled with emotion. His voice is haunting and draws you in. Ultimately you can't help but feel the songs. 5/5
No comments:
Post a Comment