A Means to an End: The Music of Joy Division

Various Artists

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 12, 1995)
• Original Release Date: 1995
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: Virgin Records Us
• ASIN: B000007ZSM
• Also Available in: Audio Cassette
• Average Customer Review: 3.3 out of 5 stars See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #210,629 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars great record, March 3, 2003

By	K. Parker (Montgomery, AL USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

very enjoyable-- no major complaints. too bad it's outta print....

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars This tribute won't tear you apart, February 3, 2003

By	Bonnie Burton (San Francisco, CA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The cover of "Transmission" by Low is worth the entire CD. Hardcore Joy Division fans might not appreciate the styles on the CD, but heck doesn't that happen with ALL tribute CDs? You should seek out tributes NOT based on who the bands pay homage to, but what bands happen to be on the CD. Fans of the bands Versus, Girls Against Boys, Moby and Face to Face won't be disappointed! I know I wasn't. I find myself listening to this CD all the time, plus it inspired me to learn Low's version of "Transmission" on acoustic guitar. *gasp*

3.0 out of 5 stars flawed but not unworthy., June 24, 2009

By	Stargrazer "the lost mixtape of my life" (deep in the heart of Michigan) - See all my reviews

Going up against the mythology and spectre of Joy Division is no small feat, and while the results are not necessarily essential to your CD collection there are some noteworthy moments on this disc and some downright excellent versions of JD tracks, like Low's lovely and stately take on "Transmission" which transforms Ian Curtis's dour post-punk delivery into a floating, haunting lullabye duet.

4AD artist Kendra Smith takes "Heart And Soul" to a dark and moody dancefloor, perhaps one where Laurie Anderson might go on Halloween? Virtually unknown band Further opens up the arrangement of "Insight" just a bit, but in a successful way that almost makes me prefer it to the insular track on the peerless Unknown Pleasures. Moby's interpretation of "New Dawn Fades" grasps the claustrophobia of the song while maybe veering a bit close to arena rock, while Tortoise's understated instrumental "As You Said" drifts by, not nearly as insistent or brash as the hard-wired early electronica of the original. Versus manages to capture and highlight the catharsis implied in the original of "Twenty Four Hours" while throwing in a girl-boy harmony to boot. Definitive slow-core band Codeine gives us a rather perfect, icy reading of "Atmosphere" which somehow transports the song from gray, industrial Manchester to the gray, industrial American Midwest.

A few of these tracks (Moby and Low, notably) have been released elsewhere, making this one for completists only, however for all of the flaws and ham-fisted covers of "Love Will Tear Us Apart" found on A Means To An End, its earnestness is not in dispute, and a band more challenging (and worthy!) to pay tribute to would be hard to find.