70 minute re-release of the cult, spacey 1981 debut album originally released as Fact 45, produced by Martin Hannett at Pink Floyd's Britannia Row studio. This remastered CD includes 9 tracks from the Girls Don't Count ... more »(Fac 18) and Haunted (FBN 3) singles as well as rare compilation tracks and album outtake Human Puppets. The newly re-modeled artwork faithfully reproduces the original Peter Saville sleeve design and contains facsimile memorabilia and detailed sleevenotes. 19 tracks in total. LTM. 2000.« less
70 minute re-release of the cult, spacey 1981 debut album originally released as Fact 45, produced by Martin Hannett at Pink Floyd's Britannia Row studio. This remastered CD includes 9 tracks from the Girls Don't Count (Fac 18) and Haunted (FBN 3) singles as well as rare compilation tracks and album outtake Human Puppets. The newly re-modeled artwork faithfully reproduces the original Peter Saville sleeve design and contains facsimile memorabilia and detailed sleevenotes. 19 tracks in total. LTM. 2000.
CD Reviews
Profound originality
felipe echevarria | Loveland, CO | 01/24/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Well now, what to say, what to say...this has been one of my absolute favorites since it first released in 1981. Those fortunate enough to own the vinyl version were treated to one of the most exquisitely designed sleeves ever, with ornate marble printing elegantly hiding within a sturdy school bus yellow folding envelope. But it got even better from there. The music takes you on a journey, that, to me, rivals anything Joy Divsion or Crispy Ambulance ever embarked upon. Deeply interesting and very different, moody and hopeful, angry and serene, and then deeply interesting again. Included here on the import CD version you get 9 extra songs (numbers 11-19), which for me wreck the final mood that New Horizon leaves you with, but there are still a few fine works in the extra set, especially #'s 14, 15, and 16, which were produced in part by Joy Division's Ian Curtis. Section 25 is like an emergency flare you fire in desperation toward the black sky when you're stranded in a life raft. Play it loud, and float upstream into the fullness of the void."
The perfect opening act
windwindteartear | 08/04/2002
(5 out of 5 stars)
"ladies and gentlemen:imagine you are in the audience at the joy division concert(late 1978,manchester or thereabouts).the bitter end of "sunny jim's" labour government.in america,the "aberration" of carterism will ignominiously implode in a year or two.but first consider the band that precedes the spectral mister curtis-section 25.only the "clever bastards from blackpool" could open the show!the music the cassidy brothers offered the jd fans is reduced here(on this cd,always now)in a minimalist,trippy format that gave philip glass pause,i'm sure.their weltanschauung is somber,surely,but for all that a classic example of late seventies less-is-more dance music 98% of the world missed at the time.this is music that sounds like a long lost gospel reads-lithe,vibrant,luminous,and elegant.defy everything-and by all means check out this disc."
Great album, one my faves
windwindteartear | north america | 05/04/2007
(5 out of 5 stars)
"This album is usually described as gloomy. It's not. The overall effect of the album is happy and upbeat ("there's plenty of sadness in the world today / so why should we make any more / life's a feeling / yeah"), especially the last 2 songs on the album. The genius production of the album by Martin Hannet, amazing drum sounds. Nobody has ever made a snare and bass drum sound so fascinating and powerful.
Unfortunately, the cd reissue doesnt include actual marble paper-lined envelope style record sleeve. Now that's class.
"
So rare ?
Gilles Forestier | 05/12/2001
(5 out of 5 stars)
"...that we find it at Amazon ? S25 were the "Phantom of the Factory", which means the little ugly son of Joy Division, hidden by Factory during the family parties. Factory was right. Section 25 is the coldest and most far off band of the 80's. Yeah, even Cabaret Voltaire or Kraftwerk looked like Barry White or Tina Turner on their hottest night compared to that. I remember a video (Factory outing), where the boys played in a wrecked barn, surrounded by sheeps, a 7 minutes song, without moving a finger. Considering that their "songs" are monolith, bass driven with allucinating drums and allucinated voice and lyrics...well, it gave you some time to take a shower, prepare dinner or else. But...this band, even clearly unsuccessful, is one of the most interesting of the 80's (and 90's). This (yellow) album is the best one and is surely a more influential move to the 2000 than Joy Div. Dare that. Yeah, by the way : it's quite calm, and reminds a wrong dosing of Rohypnol."
One of the Lesser Bands
directions | Space Time Foam | 03/20/2006
(3 out of 5 stars)
"Out of the various Joy Division influenced bands that were around in the same scene, Section 25 were one of the lesser ones, that followed in the footsteps of their influences but did not stray from the path. The Sound and especially the Comsat Angels had a musical take that though not unique was still important and influential. Section 25 seemed to mimic the Joy Division sound a bit too closely, so that although they are not quite copying Joy Division (their sound is flat, dull and plodding whereas Joy Division's "She's Lost Control" has a nervous energy) they are too close for comfort. Anyway, if you've purchased Joy Division, Echo and the Bunnymen and the Teardrop Explodes and are looking for lesser known bands of the depressive but not goth post punk variety, that still are of significance, Section 25 has a certain following. Better yet fast forward to bands such as Interpol that took a fresh approach to this sound and reinvented it for a whole new audience."
Track Listings (19) - Disc #1