Warsaw

This album was a wonderful surprise. The last five tracks from their first recording session in July 1977 are rough and ready and the sound quality isn't great but that was punk and they are of their time. What really stands out are the first eleven tracks from May 1978 - the band's development in just 10 months is incredible, really underlining their potential. I agree with other reviewers that some of the tracks are "better" than the later Joy Division versions, although I was slightly underwhelmed by this version of Transmission.It's the energy of most of these recordings which really lifts many of them, especially Leaders of Men and They Walked in Line. No Love Lost goes beyond that, in my view, it's a classic. A lengthy, complex, Neu-esque opening, carried by motorik drumming, embellished by ground-breaking guitar and bass lines, running into a fabulous version of the song. No wonder Joy Division were so influential.As well as being an important document in the development of a great band, it's a really good record on its own terms, if you like this sort of thing ... and I do!One piece of trivia - As You Said (track 12) sounds like an early Kraftwerk instrumental and was recorded in 1980, so surely it's a "proper" Joy Division track, rather than a Warsaw recording - one for JD completists?In summary, it's definitely not the place to start for someone new to Joy Division but well worth the price for someone who already has theJoy Division albums.

I bought this under the impression it was an official release, namely the album that was slated for Record Store day 2018... However it isn't. It;'s infact a fairly good quality bootleg/unofficial release on 180grm vinyl.I wait patiently for an official release.... until then this will do. And the good thing is they've got rid of that awful baby cover

A friend recommended giving this a listen. I went for bust and purchased it in grey vinyl. Glad I did. Vinyl is the perfect way to enjoy this gritty, raw pre Joy Division recording. Simply excellent.

I can't add much more than what's been said in previous reviews, other than to say this is a great document of an early Joy Division finding their feet and their musical direction. If the (unreleased) album had indeed been released by RCA back in 1978/9, who knows what would have happened? Excellent album, although the bonus tracks (the 1977 demos) were a bit too raw for my taste, that's why I've only given it four stars. Standout track for me - the slower than normal 'Transmission'.

Anyone looking for this album knows that it is actually Joy Division under their previous name. Many of the tracks on here appear on later releases but the alternate versions here show their undoubted talent. As punk started to go underground in the late 70's/early 80's (it never went away) and new wave surfaced, it was left to bands like JD to carry the banner for great music. This is a superb example of this era.

Once again another record of the classic Warsaw demos and im not disappointed in fact im over the moon as the record is half black and half white brilliant.

If you didn't already know, Warsaw is the name that Joy Division went under before they had a 'proper' record deal with factory records. This effort was recorded in Germany, and is well worth a listen for seeing what Joy Division were like in their earliest stages.I disagree with most of the reviewers here regarding quality; the stripped-down nature of these recordings is where their charm lies. Many of them actually sound like demos, and it is when listening to the demos of a band that one can truly gauge a band's potential.And believe me, even at these earliest stages, this band had HUGE potential. In fact, many of the songs here are actually a vast improvement on the versions which made it onto the final 'polished' albums. Case in point: 'No Love Lost'. The version on this album is absolutely staggering, about five minutes long, and boasting one of the best introductions to a song I have ever heard. This version also captures the rawness and exciting Joie De Vivre of Joy Division like nothing on the albums. It is feral and enthralling. One can only imagine how good this band were to see live...'The Drawback' is also exciting and lively, whilst 'Leaders Of Men', 'Failures' and 'Novelty' capture a zeal and enthusiasm which is only evident when a band first begin recording. The latter also features the amusingly rudimentary lyric: "I don't want to act uncool, like all the other sods", which would later change. But this unfinshed, rudimentary quality is exactly what makes this recording so vital - this is Joy Division history!'Living In The Ice Age' (longer title) also sounds superior to what would eventually replace it, as is 'Warsaw', which is frankly mind-blowing in it's urgency. The band at this stage in their career sound vibrant and keen enough to set the world on fire. 'Shadowplay' is yet another highlight, featuring that notorious Sumner riff which deserves to take it's place in music history, whilst 'As You Said' hints at some of the thetrical sounding electronic music which would be so prevalent during the 'Closer' era.There are also three or four extremely rare tracks including 'Gutz' and 'At a Later date', the latter of which is probably the most impressive of these four apparent demos. They're not fantastic, but all of the songs which were carried on as part of the Joy Division legacy are utterly vital.This album is not just for Joy Division purists, in fact, I would strongly reccomend this album to all new Joy Division fans as a footnote to their entire body of work. Simply spellbinding.

VERY FAST SERVICE .-)