Splinters

A highly absorbing piece from the ever intriguing Mark Fisher of k-punk contrasts what he argues is the depressive aesthetic of Joy Division in contrast to the neurotic aesthetic of Morrissey.

"It seems to me clear that Curtis was a denizen of the Cold World in the way that Morrissey is not, and I think it is worth thinking through why this is the case. The Cold World involves terror, and Joy Division are terrifying - which is not a word one would ever associate with Morrissey, no matter how glum the song.......Where Morrissey still appeals to an Other who could make things right, who could restore the half a person to wholeness ("Please, Please Let Me Get What I Want"), Curtis is convinced that things could never be improved."