Heart & Soul

"No language, just sound, that's all we need know."
This box set seemed like all a Joy Division fan would need. The sticker on the cellophane celebrated this release as having everything Joy Division ever recorded. I figured I could sell my Peel Sessions CD and Closer LP and not have to buy anything else ever. Well, the description on the back of the box backs off from the statement on the sticker with the qualification, "With a few exceptions, everything Joy Division recorded and released is contained here." I am not an expert on JD to rattle off all that is not included here, but "At A Later Date" from "Short Circuit: Live At The Electric Circus" LP (the first entry in the discography section of Deborah Curtis's book) is missing, as are 2 of the 4 tracks on the Peel Sessions CD I have (so, I guess I can't let it go after all). The back of the thick booklet explains the decisions to exclude some tracks. I can understand skipping tracks that have been released elsewhere in favor of those that were not released. I would have liked to hear the first Warsaw demos, though. I am not a big fan of live material so I have no problem with those choosing tracks for this set picking "the best material available" and leaving out the Birmingham concert already released in full on Still. Of the previously unreleased tracks on disc 3, "The Drawback" and "Interzone" are short, fast-paced, upbeat, punk songs that sound a bit out of place but are cool. Some of the previously unreleased versions of songs I do not like. The only version of "Walked In Line" has flat vocals. It lacks the power of the released version. The vocals on this CD's versions of "Candidate" and "Chance (Atmosphere)" are also flat and far inferior to the released versions. "These Days" is one of my favorites on this disc with its driving bass riff; it is better than the single version. "Ceremony" and "In A Lonely Place" are rehearsals from a tape provided by Peter Hook, the latter being quite good. The booklet is a biography of Joy Division and, in particular, Ian Curtis. There are a lot of quotes by the band, especially Bernard Sumner who describes his childhood and how it influenced JD's music. Of course, there is much on Curtis's unpredictable, explosive behavior and the events up to his suicide and the impact his fatal decision had on the band. The photos are mostly blurry, I guess, for artistic reasons, but I prefer the clear black & white photos of the band in the middle of the book. As another reviewer mentioned, the cover photo is not attractive at all. A lot of typos were found in the text, which was a bit surprising. The book includes lyrics and a detailed discography. Despite what is missing, the set offers the "Ideal For Living" EP, the Factory Sample tracks "Digital" and "Glass", the "Transmission" single with "Novelty," the Earcom2 12" EP tracks "Auto-Suggestion" and "From Safety To Where...," the Sordide Sentimentale French release "Atmosphere" and "Dead Souls", the iconic single "Love Will Tear Us Apart" with "These Days," the entire LPs Unknown Pleasures and Closer, the uncredited Flexidisc track "As She Said" as well as 12" versions, live and previously unreleased tracks. For most fans of JD, this set will be all you need. Completists will need to own a few more things.

Simply Awesome!!!
This is absolutely one of the best catalogs I've heard in years. A must for any Joy Division fan. Cannot say enough great things about this collection. Do yourself a favor and get this catalog!!!

a good example of a box set.
if you like Joy Division..buy this, relentless of you having all of their albums, and everything, this truly completed my collection..and was worth the buy. especially the great book that comes with it.

for the newbie and the groupie
Well for me as a teenager, JD was about the most important thing going, and certainly a major influence. Now I'm 39 and was pleased when my brother lent me his copy. I'd suggest everyone also rent/buy 24 hour party people (Ian the jerk) and then Control (Ian the unfortunate), but mostly I'd say this is good for the JD lover in your life. However, for the Newbie perhaps you'd want to get him/her the albums Unknown Pleasures and Closer instead of start with this collection. Collections lack something that the originals do have. The order of the songs, the tightness, the completeness. I suppose you could organize those two albums out of the contents of this collection. Do that, listen to the albums for 2 or so years and then you're ready for this and for "Still".

Great music, poor packaging
If you want to get some Joy Division on CD, you need to get this box set. It's just about their complete discography of official releases and contains everything you need - both studio albums, all the singles, and a nice bunch of live recordings. The music is outstanding - kind of a blend of the Doors, The Cure, mixed with a Sex Pistols edge... you can tell JD were a huge influence on U2 and many other bands that followed. Really they have a unique sound all their own that stands out from everything else before or since. The packaging on this box set though flat out stinks. The 2nd time I opened mine it fell apart, seriously. And while the book is thick, the information isn't that good - the writer tried to be artsy and it doesn't come off well; I would prefer a detailed band bio and stuff about the songs. But if you want Joy Division, Heart and Soul is THE item to get. Highly recommended.