Best Ever Albums

Re: User Pick #85: Les Bains Douches [CellarDoor]

Grzywa — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 04:17:30 GMT

Author: Grzywa

Posted: 06/20/2014 08:17

"Les Bains Douches" is, IMHO, Joy Division's finest recorded and released full live performance. Fairly uptempo, most tracks here are considerably faster than their studio counterparts, including a rare live pre-single rendition of "LWTUA", which sounds more natural and in its prime (even given the fake plastic keyboard sound). Curtis is in good vocal form, the rhytm section keeps their spirits high, and overall the sound is pretty good when compared with "Preston" or "Still". Indeed a fine portrait of one of the great bands of the era at its best, on this recording streaming with energy and not holding the torch of misery too frequently and too easily identified with the band.

Re: User Pick #85: Les Bains Douches [CellarDoor]

CellarDoor — Thu, 19 Jun 2014 19:33:44 GMT

Author: CellarDoor

Posted: 06/19/2014 23:33

If you dig deeper into Joy Division's discography, aka beyond the studio recordings of Unknown Pleasures and Closer, you soon realise they truly were a different band live.

They came from the '77 punk scene, and you can definitely hear it on their earlier tracks (check Warsaw or Substance).
If the production and studio tinkerings of Hannett set the scene for a darker punk sound with other various influences (krautrock, dub etc), the band delivered a tense and raw sound live on stage.

Amongst the different live recordings, Les Bains Douches is one of the best, with great versions of their classic songs. This "Disorder", with its faster pace and energy, will surprise listeners.

Also recommended : Live in Preston and the complete BBC recordings (has all the classic Peel Sessions).

User Pick #85: Les Bains Douches [CellarDoor]

Anonymous — Thu, 19 Jun 2014 16:20:02 GMT

Author: Anonymous

Posted: 06/19/2014 20:20

Thumbnail. Click to enlarge.

Les Bains Douches 18 December 1979 by Joy Division

Chart: Top 100 Greatest Music Albums by CellarDoor
Rank on User's Chart: 1
Year: 2001
Rank on BEA Overall: 4,764
Average Rating: 73/100
Summary Info: A live album by Joy Division, recorded on 18 December 1979 at Les Bains Douches, Paris.

Details on the implementation and chart selection process of "User Pick of the Day" can be found here and here, respectively. A chart documenting the previous picks can be found here.