Condition: New
Joy Division - Les Bains Douches
Label: Get Back
Catalog#: GET 079
Format: 2 x Vinyl, LP black vinyl
Condition: New, Mint
Cover: New, Mint
Country: Italy
Released: 2001
Genre: Rock
Style: New Wave
Notes: Sides A+B: Recorded Live In Paris, 18 December 1979
Side C: Recorded Live in Amsterdam, 11 January 1980
Side D: Recorded Live in Eindhoven, 18 January 1980
Rating: 4.8/5
Tracklisting:
A1 Disorder
A2 Love Will Tear Us Apart
A3 Insight
A4 Shadowplay
A5 Transmission
B1 Day Of The Lords
B2 Twenty Four Hours
B3 These Days
B4 A Means To An End
C1 Passover
C2 New Dawn Fades
C3 Atrocity Exhibition
D1 Digital
D2 Dead Souls
D3 Autosuggestion
D4 Atmosphere
When Ian Curtis hung himself in 1980 on the eve of Joy Division's first US tour, it's safe to say that no one could ever experience the feeling of being at a Joy Division concert ever again.
Les Bains Douches, a 2001 post-humous collection of 3 Joy Division concerts (Les Bains Douches, Amsterdam and Eindhoven), is the closest to actually being at a Joy Division concert before that fateful day.
No band has made such an impact on the music world in such a short timeframe. In Joy Division's 3 year existence, the band only released 2 full studio albums. But today, bands like Interpol are constantly cited or compared to the work of Ian Curtis and his Manchunian bandmates. Groups ranging from the likes of Fallout Boy to Nine Inch Nails do covers of some of Joy Division's best known songs.
This album is full of energy with flawed but nevertheless excellent versions of songs like "These Days," "Shadowplay," and the sped-up version of Joy Division's hit song, "Love Will Tear Us Apart," but also has its quiet and introspective moments with "New Dawn Fades," "A Means to an End," and the closing song, "Atmosphere." The album is chilling, like looking at a moment in time so ideal and good-natured that you know ends badly. The silent moments are deafening, the quieted roar of the crowd, the occasional chants of "Joy Division!" by the Amsterdam audience. You know something's wrong. The album's sound quality slowing deteriorates, with Curtis' voice becoming more and more distant and the drum beat more and more pronounced until the album finally fades into fuzz 16 tracks later. The familiar baritone voice is nearly unheard in "Dead Souls." Whereas this would be a detriment to other groups, this technological failure only strengthens the emotions in the release, symbolizing Curtis' departure from the band and the world.
Displaying Joy Division's wide range, well written lyrics and engrossing drumbeats. The album art is less minimalistic than I'd expect from any Joy Division release, but good nevertheless. The liner notes are amusing and touching, and give some insight into the album's creation. All I can complain about is that I wish I were there.
Joy Division - Les Bains Douches Dec 1979 (Full Live Album
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