Sonic Youth, New Order, Joy Division, Velvet underground

[U2girl]

I keep hearing a lot about these bands - and I'm curious to know what they sound like.

I have Get ready from New Order but I think their earlier albums are more electronica/keyboards?

Joy Division - I only know Love will tear us apart.

Sonic Youth and Velvet underground - also, I don't think I heard any of their music yet.

So...where should I start to get to know their music?

(while I'm asking, any Bowie experts? I heard some of his newer songs and I know "Heroes", should I go for a Best of?)

 

[yertle-the-turtle]

Joy Division was a late 1970s group that made really dark, broody, post-punk music. Depressing stuff.

Ian Curtis hung himself and the remaining members became New Order, adding keyboardist Gillian Gilbert. (The correct sentence for this happening is 'New Order rose like a phoenix from the ashes of Joy Division'). Basically, around 1983 (or something) New Order released a really dancey, poppy single called 'Temptation' and never looked back. Very synthy stuff, amazing bass.

You may prefer to start from Best Ofs (for both bands they're called 'Substance'). Joy Division only released two albums (I think, Unknown Pleasures and Closer) so you may prefer to start there.

 

[djerdap]

New Order - get Technique and Substance
Joy Division - get their Substance(both a hits compilation).
Sonic Youth - Daydream Nation, Dirty, Goo

 

[dn9909]

Velvet Underground's debut is untouchable.

 

[annabelle]

(while I'm asking, any Bowie experts? I heard some of his newer songs and I know "Heroes", should I go for a Best of?) [/B]

U2girl, re Bowie:Heathen is a great album especially for fans of U2 as it is similar to U2's music in some ways. Love the opening track. Heathen/The Rays was fantastic performed live on his last tour.

Other fave is Low. Electronic and very cool.

cheers

 

[~LadyLemon~]

Excellent recommendations all

 

[lazarus]

New Order also has some great guitar based stuff as well. My personal favorite album of theirs is Brotherhood. The first side is more rock, the second more dance. And it has Bizarre Love Triangle, one of their biggest hits.

Substance is a good collection but it's almost all dance stuff, and doesn't include anything from Technique or Republic. Their other compilation, Best of New Order might be a bit more well-rounded, and that way you'll get Regret (from Republic), one of their greatest tracks ever (and a guitar song too).

As for Velvet Underground, if you want to hear the more experimental material, get the first album, the one with the banana on the front. I highly respect this album but it's my least favorite. White Light White Heat also has some weird shit on there but some great songs. The self-titled (all black cover with just The Velvet Underground written in white) is the mellowest of the albums, some truly beautiful tunes. Last is Loaded, which is the most commercial of the four but contains Lou Reed's best songwriting to date. Rock & Roll, Sweet Jane, Oh Sweet Nuthin...solid album.

Sonic Youth has been through a lot of different changes, but if you want a good representation of their "classic" sound I would try Daydream nation. Dirty was a crossover success and got some airplay on the radio and MTV so you could try that as well.

As for Bowie, your next step if you like Heroes is to stay in that period and get Lodger, or Low if you like the more ambient stuff. Then try Station to Station.


laz

 

[KhanadaRhodes]

Ian Curtis hung himself and the remaining members became New Order, adding keyboardist Gillian Gilbert.

and now she's not even in the band!

joy division released two albums: unknown pleasures and closer (released posthumously). there's also still, which is a combo of unreleased stuff (at the time at least, everything's now on heart and soul) and live tracks. imo, closer is their best album.

new order were a lot more synth-oriented. i prefer earlier new order, like movement (their first album) and power, corruption, and lies (their second album). their latest, waiting for the sirens (it's not siren's or sirens') call is pretty good too. not a fan of get ready at all, much to my ex's dismay. he's the one who got me into all this shit, if he ever read interference he could probably tell you more about the two bands then you'd ever want to know. same goes for velvet underground.

i suppose djerdap is right, buying each bands' album substance (the new order and joy division substances are different) is a good starting point.

joy division may be depressing, but it's in a good way i think.

 

[IWasBored]

(The correct sentence for this happening is 'New Order rose like a phoenix from the ashes of Joy Division').

that made me laugh

 

[Jack In The Box]

anything by Sonic Youth, my favorites are Daydream Nation, Dirty and Sonic Nurse

in their lastest album (Sonic Nurse) you can find a more accessible sound, but it has one of their best songs ever... 'Unmade Bed'

I also enjoy Jim O'Rourke's solo work