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Permanent Joy Division 1995

Joy Division - Permanent Joy Division 1995 Audio CD

A fair review of the Joy Division "Permanent Joy Division 1995" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all Joy Division reviews here, or go back to the Joy Division tabs.

Band: Joy Division
Title: Permanent Joy Division 1995
Rating:

Release Date: 1995-08-15
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Love Will Tear Us Apart 2: Transmission 3: She's Lost Control 4: Shadowplay 5: Day of the Lords 6: Isolation 7: Passover 8: Heart and Soul 9: Twenty Four Hours 10: These Days 11: Novelty 12: Dead Souls 13: Only Mistake 14: Something Must Break 15: Atmosphere 16: Love Will Tear Us Apart [Permanent Mix]

Brilliant music, unnecessary album
It's designed as a 'Greatest Hits' type release, but this doesn't really work for a band like Joy Division:

Firstly, unlike 'Substance', which was designed to complement the studio albums, 'Permanent' seems designed as a replacement for them. Although this contains some of the greatest music of its time, I can't really recommend this album. But how can you effectively represent an album like 'Closer', where nearly every song tried something different? In fact, how can you select songs to effectively represent Joy Division at all, given their rapid progression from three-chord punk to 'Love Will Tear Us Apart'?

Secondly, a Greatest Hits album culled solely from the albums and well-known singles is useless for the serious fan, who would already have both albums and 'Substance' anyway. The only concession to dedicated fans is a new remix of 'Love Will Tear Us Apart', which is not exactly worth buying a whole album for. And Joy Division is not really the sort of band that has 'casual' fans. So who's the album supposed to be for?

And thirdly, nearly every song Joy Division ever released was of high quality. How do you pick the 'best' out of a consistently excellent bunch?

'Permanent' tries, but the reality is the idea itself was just flawed.

Still, if you absolutely have to make a Greatest Hits album, some songs are essential, and at least 'Permanent' contains all of those: 'Love Will Tear Us Apart', 'Atmosphere', 'Transmission', 'She's Lost Control', 'Shadowplay', 'Heart And Soul', 'Twenty Four Hours', 'Dead Souls'.

Elsewhere, things are a bit hit and miss. Why 'Day Of The Lords'? Why 'Passover'? Why the two out-takes from 'Still'? Why not 'New Dawn Fades', or 'Decades', or 'Disorder'? Even worse, none of the band's early singles are present. 'Novelty' is the only pre-1979 song here, and even then only because it was the B-side of 'Transmission'. But the band's early work is an essential part of the Joy Division story, tracking their development from derivative three-chord punk to the artier 'Glass', 'Autosuggestion' and 'Digital'. You'd never know the roots of the band or their musical progress from this album.

The sheer number of classic Joy Division songs that are missing here highlights the fundamental problem with the concept. If you're genuinely a casual fan who's just interested in what Joy Division sounded like, you're better off getting 'Substance'.

ever so happy.
SIN:B000002N0S Permanent Joy Division 1995]] This is a wonderful com -pilation-type album. [-. Everything that was listed about this c. d. was completely accurate. I have total confidence in their descriptions of the products. I bought 3 c. d. 's (2 used) and was really hoping that their idea of "like new condition" would also be mine. And they were perfect. I couldn't have been happier and I have no reservations about adding to my c. d. collection, with this company. .

None of their early trashy punkish noise but all of great dark melodies
great programing/sequence. Best JD Comp out there. ends with atmosphere and then love will tear. None of their early trashy punkish noise featured on substance but all of dark melodies. I cannot stand the way substance starts. Division has 2 sounds and i prefer the later. Their first music, to include warsaw material, was dull and undistinguishable from other hardcore and screechy noise late 70's punk rock trios. But there late career foray into new-wave melodramatic goth-rock was goundbreaking and has never sounded dated. .

So you heard this is where Goth began as a music form. . .
The disc contains some of the more ambient works, and many of these are pretty accessible to first timers. If you've heard OF Joy Division, but don't really know them apart from the frantic sex scene in Donnie Darko, this is a great place to start. To describe the sound to someone unfamiliar with JD, I would have to say that they are driven by pulsing percussion, complex guitars, and an indefinable something straining through, holding the whole together like a fine cord. The lyrics are morose, and simple, yet express complex truths.

The sound quality is apparently better on CD than it was on tape, for I didn't notice any sped-up vocals. Yes, it's a cd compiled of music originally intended for vinyl, and that comes with inherent difficulties, but it came across pretty well for all that.

I have to admit that "Love Will Tear Us Apart" is my touchstone for their music, so the remix at the end didn't bother me one bit. I have to concede that it isn't too different from the other version on the album, although it does have a bit more of the sort of uplifting background melody so noticeable in Atmosphere, (a truly divine work) which serves as a prophecy of the New Order sound.

All in all a worthwhile buy to anyone who is just learning of Joy Division, or doesn't have the cash for the box set or for replacing their records and tapes on a one- for- one basis (when possible).
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good compilation
If you already have Substance, Unkown Pleasures, and Closer, it would be foolish to buy this compilation because several of the tracks are repeats. This is a very good Joy Division compilation, especially for those who are new to the band.

Anyways, onto the music. There are 2 versions of the song Love Will Tear Us Apart on this compilation, and i find both versions are superior to the regular version that is found on Substance. The energetic "Transmission" and dark and powerful "Atmosphere" are both EXCELLENT tracks that were never on either of Joy Divisions main releases. Also worth noting is the dark and angry "Dead Souls. " Several songs from their 2 albums Unknown Pleasures (the version of She's Lost Control on this compilation is NOT the same as the version on Unknown Pleasures) and Closer.

Although this is a good compilation, if i had to choose between this and Substance i would probably go with Substance. Substance is a more diverse compilation and has more tracks, and it only costs 9 bucks on amazon right now. If you are new to Joy Division and looking to buy, I recommend Unknown Pleasures, Substance, and Closer.

You can see a complete list of all Joy Division discography, or go back to the Joy Division tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.