UNKNOWN PLEASURES

Rip It Up, Issue 47, 1 June 1981, Page 16

UNKNOWN PLEASURES

Joy Division Unknown Pleasures Factory 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' (7 and 12 Single) Factory This particular story really begins back in May '7B when Manchester's independent Factory Records first opened their doors. Since then they've ushered such diverse talents as the Distractions, Orchestral Manoeuvres and A Certain Ratio into the big time. But few bands, at any time or on any label, have been as lauded or downright worshipped as Joy Division: four Mancunians, lan Curtis (lyrics and vocals), Bernard Albrecht (guitar), Peter Hook (bass) and Steve Morris (drums) who have stirred up passions and reverence ap-

proaching religious proportions. So why all the fuss? Pleasure and Pain The answer to that question was initially answered in the form of Unknown Pleasures, their first album released halfway through 1979. Prior to that, they had two tracks on a Factory double 7" EP (released December, 1978), song on a Virgin album, Last Night At the Circus, and a four track EP, Ideal For Living which appeared on Enigma in '7B. The NME Book of Modern Music had this to say about the band's infancy: "A young quartet formed as Warsaw in mid '77, a spiteful punk group with obvious pretensions.” A year later Unknown Pleasures changed a few minds.

Basically, the album is a chronicle of the personal feelings and problems of lan Curtis, a personality too delicately balanced between sense .and sensitivity. Curtis felt things too deeply, and his lyrics also reveal that he often blamed himself as a sort of passive first person for fouled relations. His revelations are the power behind Unknown . Pleasures. They dictate the breadth and depth of the music and the intensity of mood, but it's L to the band's credit that they match his disturbed emotions with evocative deftness.

Anyway, the album makes a direct start with 'Disorder', a confession of confusion that establishes a fairly typical musical pattern of bass or drum intro followed by Albrecht's guitar and finally Curtis. Next up is 'Day of the Lords', slower tempo, a guitar hey-day for Albrecht as he spreads the musical base for Curtis's pessimistic cry of "where will it end?" 'Candidate' chills, a real cavern of despair, another emotional dead-end and another love affair on the rocks. Insight' we can all relate to, dreams crumbling in the face of reality. By now, Curtis's numbness is contagious, it effects you because what he's conveying is obviously too real for him to handle. Side One, the Outside, concludes with New Dawn Fades', the final closing of doors on any hope ("This pain's too much, can't take much more") and a natural conclusion to Outside's pleasures.

The five songs that make up the Inside are collectively less harrowing, more independent and, so, less inter-connected. 'She's Lost Control' has that succinctly memorable bass line, and 'Shadowplay' gives Albrecht the opportunity to stretch a little. 'Wilderness' is a rumbling metaphorical travelogue that

makes way for 'lnterzone', the closest song to orthodox, rock 'n'roll on the album as far as dynamics goes. And finally 'I Remember Nothing', a return to the mood of the Outside, and another carefully controlled piece of building. intensity, a fitting conclusion. Unknown Pleasures, then, is a hair-raising account of what it's like to feel too deeply, to carry too much weight. An excellent album from most points of view, and one which hasn't suffered through the two years' delay in being released here. Desperation Takes Hold Last May, lan Curtis took his own life, the result of 'domestic upheavals'. A drastic solution that emphasised the desperation inherent in his music, . the emotional knot of his lyrics. \ *• Before his death, the band had recorded the now legendary 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' and the album Closer. The single graphically reveals his inability to cope with disintegrating relationships. Allied to a beautiful, concise and haunting melody - Curtis lays bare the agony, anxiety and desperation that hits most of us at some time: Why is this bedroom so cold Turned away on your side. Is my timing that flawed Our respect run so dry. Honesty as articulate as this is rare and songs as . accomplished and moving as 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' are rarer still. Both the 7" and 12" pressings contain two versions .of the song, the main side being more aggressive and electric than the flip which places more emphasis on vocal clarity. Also on both pressings is 'These Days', a fine enough song with a .bustling rhythm and a solid tune, but next to 'Love' it stands no chance. Well that's the first chapter . in the book of local Joy Division releases . and if it wasn't for Factory's rather high-handed

attitude (NZ described as a 'farflung' territory) we would have had them much sooner. But now we have them, and Closer isn't far away, so the dallying seems to be over. Be that as it may, Joy Division, now the three piece, New Order (signs of self-importance here), are in the (un) enviable position of being contemporary iegends. For the last two years they have undergone a sort of deification process which has placed them above criticism in some quarters. On Unknown Pleasures and 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' they reveal their undoubted ability at being able to express depth of feeling with apt simplicity and power. Appreciate them but don't worship them because that's a status no-one can live up to. George Kay Various

Dance Craze Two Tone Dance Craze is the sound

track for ; a movie whose advance publicity , claims it represents the finest of the British ska revolution caught live on celluloid. '-&nfRBUSA

It comes at the right time to tidy up-the loose ends of the movement as the better bands move on and the lesser fade. ■The album represents accurately the qualities of the bands represented here highlighting which bands have left themselves room to move, and which have painted themselves into a corner.

The big four; Specials, Selecter, Beat and Madness, provide the best moments of what ' is 1 essentially a . greatest hits collection, while Bad Manners and the Bodysnatchers are barely tolerable. You have heard most of the good numbers in their studio forms, but it is worth mentioning the magnificent 1 ragged-at-the-edge-'cos-it's-four-a.m. sleaze of the Specials' 'Niteclub'. •Ir find myself ‘ playing this

album; at fairly regular intervals, both because it is a greatest hits record, and because it has the sort of exuberance that Madness showed here last month. What more could you ask? ... Simon Grigg Selecter Celebrate The Bullet Chrysalis . The Ska Wave has had its 15 minutes, now it's time to talk turkey. The crop of bands which emerged in 1979-80 has splintered, lost any common purpose. Each band must now stand on its own merits. And the proof lies in that vital follow-up album. ' Gone now is the raw urgency that gave Too Much Pressure its . appeal. New members Adam Williams (bass) and James Mackie (keyboards) just don't cut it yet against - their" predecessors. . Compare Williams' playing with that of Blockhead Norman Watt-Roy,

who guests on two tracks, and see what I mean. Good songs are too often let down by leaden, unimaginative rhythm. Enough gripes. The songwriting talent is still there. Ska is mixing more with Motown soul now, with good results, especially on 'Deep Water' and 'Red Reflections', where Pauline's singing is sweet and fullbodied. Gaps Hendrickson contributes a sadly beautiful love song in 'Tell Me What's Wrong', while Comi Amanor's 'Bomb Scare' has the right amount of melodic menace, but could have done with less trite lyrics.

The title track is one of Neol Davies' best. Sophistication is ' the., key word here in a • tense «study. of urban warfare. ; Amanor redeems himself: with ; the dangerous strut of 'Selling Out Your Future', and Williams also gains a point or two. Pauline's 'Bristol And Miami' is sublime. With angry imagery and an aching chorus, she recalls the violence which has plagued both cities, and brings back some of the old [puosHIiiBMHHMW An- album you- can't write off. The second side makes up for the faults that stand out. A little more time taken could have made it. better. Still, The Selecter’ are ? stepping forward, and for that they can only be applauded. Duncan Campbell Various Artists Backstage Pass RTC ' Ten bands, seventeen tracks, and a telling barometer of how things' have changed since 1977. Some of the bands here address themselves bravely to social ills and injustices, but musically, this record would, have even been rated passe in 1979. Stiff Little Fingers are both' the most mature and the most adventurous on 'Closed Groove' and 'Barbed Wire Love', while the major interest will doubtless centre on the Cockney Rejects, who are predictably Pistols-like on both their offerings. 'Police Car' shows they wouldn't be out of. place in a soccer crowd, and on 'Wanna Be A Star', the Rejects not only wanna be stars, but they've named their support band as well (Iggy Pop). U.K. Subs and Slaughter & the Dogs are two we already know, and they don't spring any surprises. Anti Pasti manage the record's dirtiest guitar sound on an enjoyable, crass .'No Government', and Manu- ' factured Romance provide a couple of rare deviations merely through the presence of a lady singer though their second contribution 'Long Distance Love' isn't bad.

Also present Angelic Upstarts, Exploited, Bob De Vries and Cyanide.

Roy Colbert

The Clash Black Market Clash Epic Clash fans these days need to have faith. Last year was the band's worst both on and off record, and there's the danger that if they don't recover lost purpose they could end up in the:no-man's land of almost-making-it. Keeping that in mind, we have Black , Market, an American compilation of odds 'n' sods, retailing here at ; six dollars, that supplies us with an indication as to the Clash's drift and development over the past four years.

1977, their first and most fondly remembered year,; is fittingly covered by their original. version of 'Capital Radio One', recorded as a freebie for NME readers, 'Cheat', from their first album, and City of the Dead', the flip of ''Complete Control'. 'An exuberant year, and the songs still sound good if a little dated. 1978 is represented by 'The Prisoner', flip side of 'White Man', and the Clash's tribute to McGoohan's TV series: It was another self-produced effort at a time when they were seeking a suitable producer. Later that same year, they settled on

Sandy Parlman for Give 'Em Enough Rope. An uncertain period. 1979 was London Calling year, and as an indication of their newly-found confidence we have 'Pressure Drop', reggae with life and vitality, two features of the afore mentioned album. Finally, 1980. It's reggae all the way, except for an aimless version of 'Time is Tight'. Why bother? 'Armagideon Time' and dubs 'Justice Tonight/Kick It Over', all from the 12" 'London Calling' single, are just fine, but 'Bankrobber' still sounds lame to these ears and

was a foretaste to the disasters of Sandinista. So there you have it, an aural tour of the ups and downs of the Clash or mostly commendable album of selected segments with most of the songs being previously unavailable here. Compulsory fare for Clash fans. George Kay

Eyeless In Gaza Photographs as Memories RTC First listening, early afternoon. Uh, yeah, lots of synthesisers, mostly predictable, nothing new. Oh well, at least

there's quite good rhythm guitar on most tracks but those vocals. Sort of like Andy Partridge after half a bottle of tequila, very earnest and mannered, submerging the lyrics in a glutinous sea of expressionism (that may not mean much, but it looks good). It does sound like two guys in a studio, which it is, so that's OK. Pretentious, but reasonably interesting instrumentally. . Second listening, after midnight (on headphones). Sounds quite appealing, I must be getting used to the vocals which aren't nearly as grating as at first. Concentrating on the

instrumental, sounds , reveals some excellent music. Still can't hear the lyrics, but it sounds as though they'd be a little too arty for my taste anyway. Really like about siy tracks out of thirteen, and only one is a: total waste of time. Unfortunately, it's the longest. v. Third listening, in the bath (on ancient mono cassette deck), the acid test. Will it survive low fidelity treatment? Yes, it even sounds like Becker• and Bates might possess a sense of humour. It is a bit pretentious, but putting a record out at all is a pretentious act. I like it. Not great, but good. Fourth thoughts, after reading NME review. Damn. I got it wrong. Chris Knox Gang of Four Solid Gold EMI In establishing the sound of the last two or three years, the Gang of Four's -Damaged Goods' EP and to a lesser extent their first album Entertainment have been crucial. Hard, bare and direct, they've championed the .. antithesis of breakfast music with their • groundbreaking attitudes of literate social concern and antihypocrisy.:. | On Solid Gold, ; . they continue K on , their f morally concerned way but. musically they're running dry. They've thickened their songs into what they've described as "a more danceable record", a move no doubt prompted by last year's American tour. , And this is a step backwards, especially on the turgid, forgettable funk of 'lf I Could Keep It For Myself' and 'ln the Ditch'. Other disappointments arrive in the. form of inescapably weak songs such as 'Cheeseburger', 'Outside the Trains Don't Run On Time' and 'The Republic'. But there are three • tracks bearing . good news; ; 'Paralysed', a song about unemployment, opens 5 the album with high promise as it uses space , and Gill's guitar technique to best advantage. 'What We All - Want'- is funk that works mainly because it is tied to a tune that is more than serviceable, and, finally 'He'd Send In the Army', tough, choppy and abrasive qualities rare on Solid Gold.. . With damn near two years between albums, the Gang of Four should have been capable of coming up with something a little more imaginative than Solid Gold. It would have made an excellent EP but has to settle with being a mediocre album, and from a band the calibre of the Gang of Four that's far from acceptable. George Kay Joe Walsh There Goes The Neighbourhood Asylum I've been a fan of Joe's ever since his marvellous work of '73-'74 and still' think So What contains some of the most original and endearing heavy rock ever. Since then, however, the boy's hardly been prolific; this is only his second album of new material in seven years. Perhaps the poor sod gets exhausted trying to inspire limping Eagles to fly. Occasionally one worries about the reverse effect that, instead, Joe might be succumbing to the general torpor of the eyrie. But Seriously Folks, his '7B album, largely checked those fears,, particularly its 'Life's Been Good', Joe's droll reflection on his own life in the fast lane. He also wrote a movie score for The Warriors. In fact, I was hoping he might even slip the terrific 'ln the City', onto this new album to counteract that dreary Eagles' version. No suck luck. .. Actually, There Goes the Neighbourhood presents a bit of a problem. If I wasn't such a fan . I'd really find much of it rather boring. Joe's forte has always . been the slow and

heavy but often Side One is pretty ponderous. However, this one seems to get better as it progresses. Side Two picks up considerably, with both stronger material and better arrangements. There’s even a couple of (for Joe) fairly sprightly numbers. I'm still a fan and, as such, grateful for the album but I'm not. about to rush around pushing it onto non-believers. Peter Thomson Spandau Ballet Journeys to Glory Chrysalis ; London has always been a place for trends, but few have been as visually impressive as the current futurist chic. Clubs such as Blitz and Studio 21 have a clientele decked out with outrageous clothes, painted faces and • brightly-coloured hair. The music is the synthesiser dance, and the darlings of the set are Spandau Ballet. The Spandaus are the creation of guitarist/synthesiser player, Gary Kemp. Dressed to keep one step ahead of their followers they come on like highlanddancing gauchos. - Their debut is produced by expatriot New Zealander, Richard James Burgess. All the songs are written by Gary Kemp, and 1 they reach .their peak on the funk-based singles, 'To Cut A Long Story Short' and 'Freeze'. Both are instantly accessible dance tunes, with some fine bass from Gary's brother Martin. Unfortunately, the rest of the album just trails off. The instrumental, 'Age of Blows' could have been lifted from the last Ultravox album, while 'Mandolin' and 'Toys' highlight the shortcomings of Kemp's attempted savoire faire. . 'Reformation' and 'Confused' are both passable synpop, marred by Tony Hadley's affected vocals. T Spandau Ballet aren't , the first to show that two strong ' singles don't make an album.. Mark Phillips Shakin' Pyramids Skin 'Em Up Virgin Amongst other things 1981 could be the Year of the Quiff. The Stray Cats have kept rockabilly as. a fashionable alternative just, when Major Matchbox et al had almost buried it. Now. Scots' band the Shakin' Pyramids, fresh from Glasgow's independent Cuba Libre label, look like having the savvy and spirit to keep the British rockabilly revival on its feet. Vocally, the Pyramids leave the Cats for dead. Out front is lead singer Davie Duncan, who also blows harp and is backed up by the acoustic fire of James Creighton and Railroad' Ken. Sixty per cent of their material is old stuff, but they shake and slap it with more gusto than most electric bands can muster. It's their own songs that really provide the album's highlights. 'Let's Go', short but oh so sweet, has the belt and infectiousness of the Ramones gone acoustic. 'Take A Trip' and 'Hellbent on Rockin' are trad rockabilly in style (they call it reefer-billy) and 'Sunset of My Tears', a ballad, cools things down just a little. _ Rockabilly is • a trapped idiom, dead-end music, but the Pyramids are a lotta fun. All they've got to remember next time out is to include more of their own material. Then they're really talkin'. George Kay Marvin Gaye In Our Lifetime EMIWith the other two perennial giants of Motown— Stevie and Smokey enjoying renewed vitality it's about time Marvin Gaye made his move. In Our Lifetime is certainly Gaye's strongest album for many years, but it recalls his great early 70's work as much as it represents any new departure. From the cover art to the

equally unsubtle lyrics, Gaye is developing the spiritual ideas that first -concerned him on 1971's classic What's Going On. But other.lyrics (and the back cover photo) recall the suave . sex-crusader of 1973's Let's Get It On. ‘ ... If In Our Lifetime lacks the high points of these monumental predecessors; it . does, however, share their overall consistency. Gaye . proves that he can still write whole albums. The • tracks segue smoothly, giving each side strong sense of unity. ; Naturally enough the music bears many current hallmarks /R the disco beat of 'Love Party', the busy post-Pastorius bass-playing in 'Funk Me' but it . nonetheless retains Gaye's supple, fluid feeling of old. I suspect In Our Lifetime is unlikely to . win over ' new generations of fans for Gaye. Possibly some people, .will dismiss it as essentially dated. Is Gaye really stuck in a rut or rather maintaining his groove? I guess it all depends on your predisposition. Me? I like it fine.

Peter Thomson