I hadn't listened to Joy Division in years before today, and I honestly thought I was kinda "over" them. But after revisiting the 180g vinyl reissues of Closer and Unknown Pleasures, I'm ready to go down to Flatbush and get one of those custom-airbrushed t-shirts, like "IAN CURTIS R.I.P." There's really no overstating the awesome power of this album - to quote every dad ever, they just don't make 'em like this anymore. I'm having a hard time making audio picks, 'cause you can drop the needle anywhere and hit gold: "Atrocity Exhibition," "Isolation," "A Means To An End," "Heart and Soul" - they're all full of powerful instrumentation and haunting vocals. The vinyl is thick and sounds great (everything's been remastered), and the packaging replicates the original release perfectly with sparse, minimal design from Peter Saville. Recommended.

• 40th anniversary edition
• 180g clear colored vinyl
• remastered sound
• limited edition
  
• music label: Factory Records 2020

reviewed by Larri Byrd 09/2007