Various: 24 Hour Party People

By GRAHAM REID

(Herald rating: * * * * )

Soundtrack to the forthcoming movie about Factory Records in Manchester which introduced the poetic miserablism of Joy Division to the world.

This exciting 18-track collection, with snappy liner notes by Factory's Tony Wilson, nails the climate of the period with the Pistols (Anarchy), Buzzcocks (Ever Fallen in Love), Clash (Janie Jones) and the often overlooked Durutti Column (the lovely Otis).

But the aces here are the Joy Division tracks (Transmission, Atmosphere, She's Lost Control and Love Will Tear Us Apart) which sound as vital now as they did back when.

Joy Division's descendants New Order also get some prime cuts (Blue Monday, Temptation, Here to Stay and the scouring new track New Dawn Fades featuring Moby and Billy Corgan on guitar).

And there's some more recent Happy Mondays tossed in for good measure.

The kind of soundtrack that whets your appetite for the movie. Even if it's lousy, it'll at least sound terrific.

Label: Warners