New documentary about Joy Division:The streets of Manchester look as bleak in colour as they did in black and white ("I didn't see a tree till I was nine", one band member claims). Shots of Curtis performing show how closely the actor Sam Riley imitated his thrashing, uncoordinated dance moves.
Many other talking heads are willing to expound on the genius of Curtis and the legacy of a band who changed the face of pop music forever.
In the face of all these grand, romantic statements, someone brings things down to earth with the simple observation that the total output of Joy Division consisted of two albums, Unknown Pleasures and Closer. "Everything else is merchandising."
Very true, and this film is no exception.Did they need any more to make the legend? These albums stand alone.
Even so James for us young uns it helps introduce us to the music with the story- I definitely liked them more having seen Control- I was born the year Ian Curtis died and didn't really get into their music till I saw Control and now I think they are great.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could express it musically with 11th harmonics and all that but I was playing it last night and perhaps - is it minor keys they're using?
ReplyDeleteEither way the melancholy, mournful, discordant and yet melodiously pleasing undercurrent over which the manic lead and his superb vocals are laid - they were unique.
New Order slowly lost their direction after that - some say immediately. Temptation is definitely the height in both versions and still contained that Joy Division melancholy but not the vocals.
Interesting your perspective from the brave new generation.
Yes I agree- the vocals are the key to the music. In a sense because Curtis's voice still dominates over the strong beat- and his vocals are so sad and haunting and the strong beat reinforces the idea of the inevitability of disaster. I'm thinking say of Isolation which is a song I really like on Closer which has exactly that format or indeed of She Lost Control- you almost feel the girl having an epileptic fit in front of you and that's because the beat is maintained behind Curtis's voice so that the whole thing seems like the procession towards an inevitable conclusion.
ReplyDeleteIts great music- you have good taste sir!