Joy Division - Love Will Tear Us Apart 7"
Factory Records 1980 (produced by Martin Hannett)

Maybe its because I just saw 24 Hour Party People but I really have been getting back into Joy Division and New Order. I guess I have always been a casual fan: I own Unknown Pleasures and think "Blue Monday" is one of the greatest songs ever recorded, but I guess I was too busy with other music to really grasp the beauty of these two bands.

So I went out and got Substance which includes all of Joy Division's singles that aren't on their two official LPs. And fell in love with "Love Will Tear Us Apart". I'm not the only one who is moved by this song. It is the anthem of some people; its even singer's Ian Curtis' epitaph. Often called his swan song (he committed suicide a month after its release), it is one of those classic tracks that you hear and picture a time of your life as a movie where everything is changing, not necessarily for good or bad, cause you really don't know. The whole song that draws you is the melody played by three sounds: Curtis' chorus, the synth line, and Peter Hook's incredible bassline. As in most Joy Division/New Order songs Hook's bass is out in front playing the melody and rhythm at the same time, strummed close to the pickups to achieve that high pitch. He has become one of my favorite bass players, with an instantly recognizable sound that doesn't rely on mastrubatory playing a la Flea or Les Claypool. Bernard Sumner doesn't play his guitar on this track but brought in the synthesizer; probably with pushing from producer Martin Hannett, and you could hear the future transformation to New Order from post-punk. What else can I write? It is just a perfect song that doesn't get old but you grow more endeared to it after every listen.

The B-side is "These Days" where you can hear the same direction of incorporaing more of an electronic new wave sound, but definitely not New Order yet. While this song isn't as powerful as "Love Will Tear Us Apart" (which is why it isn't the A-side) i still appreciate it. It is Joy Division, it is good Joy Division with all the trimmings of moody Ian Curtis, punchy Bernard Sumner guitar, syncopation of drummer Stephen Morris, and of course Hooky's bass.

This came out back in the time when good bands released singles, an art lost these days (pardon the pun). Make an album. Make some singles. Make another album. I love that format and could picture myself getting giddy walking into the record store in Manchester to see that Joy Division released a new 7". And what was cool is that it wasn't a pre-single from a future album; this was it and wouldn't be on any future album. Aside from certain indie hip-hop, a lot of music isn't done in this format anymore. Alas. Even if you remotely like New Order you will love this single (c'mon you know you have Bizarre Love Triangle on one of your 80s Greatest Hits cds). Even if you think Joy Division is too dark you will still like this single. Trust me after a listen you will be humming the line to "Love Will Tear Us Apart" on the subway. Just like Mort Zimmerman I guarantee it.