Reviews (page 3 of 8)
Interesting mix
Not sure I have any emotional attachment to this, but it sounds nice.
There’s a few good singles on this record (Souvenir, Georgia, Joan of Arc), but I’m not really motivated motivated to explore more by this artist without putting on my best pair of “pretentious music guy” pants.
Overall it was just fine. I enjoyed Souvenir the most out of everything, almost like I had heard it before somewhere like a movie soundtrack.
This was too long, but I really liked Joan of Arc and Extended Souvenir. It’s a little more sparse than most of the electronic we’ve heard. Combined with the rest of it being pretty consistent, it gets a light 4.
Average synth pop at best. No need to be on this list.
Boring boring boring
Not unpleasant, but I would probably not listen to it again by choice
Souvenir
Lame
I thought I was going to hate this, but it actually had some decently cool songs. Not cool enough for me to go out and buy the vinyl. But cool enough to get a 3.
No known hits but enjoyed listening to them experiment with various electronic synthesized sounds . Mostly instrumental but vocals where interesting as well
Did not expect to love that album as much as I did. So different from everything else on this list. Id love to hear more like it Favorite Songs: Joan of Arc, Souvenir
Ich kannte davon schon 2 Lieder, die ich auch mochte. Deshalb hatte ich mir erhofft, dass es ein 5-Sterne-Album wird, auch nach den ersten paar Liedern, hätte ich dem Album noch 5 gegeben. Irgendwann wurde es jedoch für ein paar Lieder, etwas langweilig und eintönig. Am Ende gab es dann noch mal 2 gute Lieder, aber im Insgesamten kommt es doch nur auf eine 4.
It's pretty good but nothing grabbed me. I even nodded off for about 5 minutes.
I get nervous when I see albums like this, but I actually enjoyed this! My favorite songs were Joan of Arc (made of Orleans)- I could definitely see myself listening to this on repeat! And I also liked Motion and Heart! Rating: 3.5/5
Solid album, only knew one song going in and gained a few more keepers.
A sort of honey trap. You buy it for the singles and you also get the "experimental" stuff. To be honest, the experimental stuff is hardly ground breaking. A lot of slow, noodling around on synths and mellotrons. It's all a "bit We heard Bowie's Low and thought "Well we could do that"." They couldn't. The singles are okay, but really, Human League, Thomas Dolby, and Depeche Mode were doing it better.
Inoffensive, if a little gloomy synth-pop. Not my favourite, not the worst. It has some nice atmospherics and felt experimental enough to keep my attention throughout, but I don't feel drawn to keep it on rotation.
Nice
(3/7) too weird for a Saturday
Very enjoyable soft rock
A lot of the song writing isn’t there for me, but I love the way this album sounds. Never been particularly into synth pop, but this album has such an interesting full body texture that a lot of synth stuff doesn’t. Liked this much more than I would have expected.
Never even heard of this artist before - sounds like a synth pop trailblazer with hints of Brian Eno, Morrissey and early Cure. They clearly have the chops to write good pop songs, but didn't let that stop them from experimenting, for better or worse. The icy synths are high quality for 1981, and the more ambient textures of the instrumental tracks are impressive. Some of the vocals are good, some are less than palatable. There's an unimpeachable album buried in here, but who am I to stop them from pushing boundaries?
mellow synth-pop with a couple of bangers
This was fine. I'd never heard of the band before and I enjoyed Souvenir well enough. The other songs kind of blend together for me - even after a few listens.
eh
odd and cool. right up my alley. very atmospheric too, I'll probably return to this
not my style of latte, was boring and never finished the album.
Cold, uncomprimising Scousers occasionally let the sun in through drawn blinds. It shows that behind all of the electronics, there are hearts beating. Best Tracks: She's Leaving; Souvenir; Joan of Arc (Maid of Orleans)
I looked forward to giving this a go after reading all the positive reviews. But it just didn’t do it for me, the singles were good but otherwise it just didn’t get my attention
3.5 stars
Pretty good
Nice I like it
80’s sad boy music, but not terrible 80’s sad boy music.
Incredibly sparse synthpop. It's actually amazing how they managed to pull it off considering how little is going on in a lot of these instrumentals. I'm guessing this artistic direction came from the scarcity of resources available? If so, very ingenious. Good songs, dark but catchy. Key tracks: She's Leaving Souvenir
The 13 year old girl in me wanted to give this a 5 star rating BUT the ears on that same girl 40 years later said "fuck that was terrible". One of us did not hold up well
Not for me. 1/5
It's some typical 80s synth-pop, but that doesn't make it a bad thing. Solid 4 Stars.
I’m at a 4.5 that I’ll bump up to a 5. I didn’t really know what to expect going into this, other than some early synthpop efforts, but color me surprised at how effectively atmospheric this album comes across as, at least with the technology available to these guys in 1981. It’s definitely dated to those early efforts, and bands like Depeche Mode & Eurythmics would take the general blueprint this album provides and run with it to really high highs, but for such an early shot, they set a REALLY strong blueprint up. There’s parts here that feel like Cocteau Twins as much as they feel like Kraftwerk. Sure, the percussion doesn’t feel as effective as later punchier gated reverb drums would be, but it does its job of setting a good tone. The keyboard & synth work really enhances that tone further – lots of deeper held notes give each track an anticipation that keeps the progression from ever feeling super stale, and while it does get a little self-indulgent at times with some longer sections, I never found it to be super distracting. The same goes for the vocals; lots of loose imagery with these lyrics that don’t feel super complete by themselves, but the delivery gives each track the final step for the emotional pull to really come through. So, why a 4.5 instead of a flat 5? I just think the pacing of the album could use a bit of work. Yes, those longer sections aren’t super distracting, but when they build up multiple times over the course of the album, you start to feel them a bit more, with “Sealand”’s extended segments being the biggest ‘offenders’ (loosely used) here. Those longer sections also lead to my other small issue with the album; a lot of these tracks are kinda cramped, never quite giving the listener some moments to breathe & digest in some of the songs. I chalk both of those up to early synthpop efforts & this being from 1981. I really can’t say there’s a bad track here, and while the production being so dated to that era might be the catalyst for a very fair 3, it just doesn’t bother me like that. I sort of wish I could keep it at a 4.5, but I do think it’s worth bumping up to a 5; I just really enjoyed it, and I’m glad it’s on the list.
Favorite Song: None, they all suck
starts off promising and then gets a lil too out there for me
Better than I thought it would be: synthy, moody and catchy. I enjoyed this.
poppier than the name leads on
It was ok, not terrible at all.
Sexual Manoeuvres in The Dark was a hit album for Houmous & Chutney in 1961. 2.5 6/16 Joan Of Arc (made of Orleans)
In the midst of this anglocentric list, which seems at points to have one too many british entries, this I must say was a pleasing and interesting addition to the list. 9/10 [KEEP]
The first notes happened and i wanted to hate this, - the first song ended and i didnt hate it but thought ok...generic synth pop. How was i wrong. Beautiful Melodies, perfect amount of experimentation and a sound WAY ahead of its time. The fact this was in '81 is crazy. The fact synth pop hadnt been run into the ground yet - might be why i loved it so much.
A non offensive and relatively boring album. There are no great melodies, hooks, or remarkably memorable passages anywhere to be found.
Not to my taste, pretty cool for the year it was released though
for an album i thought i was going to hate, i really enjoyed this.
Sorry to say, but this didn't do much for me. I can recognize that this is "ahead of its time" and likely influential, but I found myself bored during my listen.
An eclectic mix, but I generally really liked it. Moody and interesting, if a little inconsistent.
Orchestral Manœuvres in the Dark (OMD) were yet another British band that, as far as I can tell, took their home country by storm but didn't nearly match that appeal here in the US. it's probably because of the way they spelled the word "maneuvers". I can imagine American boomers in 1981 perusing record shops looking at this cover art and going "what the hell is that O-E Eurotrash business?" before promptly passing on a pretty great record! (OMD would eventually score a big hit here with "If You Leave", recorded for the Pretty in Pink soundtrack, but not for another five years.) if Architecture & Morality is anything to go off of, I suppose it's not that shocking that OMD didn't appeal widely to Americans; even if David Bowie was priming my country's ears to the sounds of synthesizers at the time through albums like the "Berlin trilogy", this was probably asking quite a lot of us. I'd wager that many of the Americans who bought Low enjoyed it well enough, but eventually went back to Ziggy or Diamond Dogs. plus, OMD's usage of electronics in a pop context bordered on the avant-garde even at the best of times. a song like "She's Leaving" or the first "Joan of Arc" is, underneath it all, just your average three-chord pop song in the vein of the early Beatles (another band from Liverpool that left a pretty big mark on music), but the aural presentation couldn't be further away! the moment that really made my jaw drop was "Souvenir". holy cow, what a track. it feels like a Dijon song sent back 45 years into the past and a continent away! the synth hook is just stunning. there's lots of interesting quirks in this tracklist—the back-to-back songs about different Joans of Arc, the 8-minute ambient closer on the A-side—but "Souvenir" is the one moment where any weirdness this album throws at you (the opening track and the title track are particularly weird) melts away, and you just get a total stunner of a track. so, if you're willing to put up with a lot of bizarre experimentalism, there's some pretty ingenious material to be found here. light 8/10.
Love "Souvenir," "Motion and Heart," and "Of All The Things We've Made."
Sounds experimental and minimal, yet strangely modern somehow. Not sure how to explain it, so I’ll stop. 2.3/5.0
I just feel extremely neutral about this. Stand-outs - She’s Leaving - Sealand
Solid early electronic album. Not something that I listen to frequently, but when the mood strikes there is little better than this record.
jako dobar album koji mi, ipak!, ne doseže vrhunce njihovog prethodnog albuma (organisation), s kojim sam već bio upoznat i koji tu-i-tamo preslušavam. no svakako ću ovo još slušati :)
This album is long in the teeth. It sounds of its time, from its time, and while it's clearly impactful on other artists that followed it, that impact isn't really up my alley, nor it's something that strayed far further than the 80s. I do think it's musically interesting, I like experimental music that stays in touch with pop sensibility, but it didn't really work for me.
Surprisingly good! I like their later 80s-era albums and had not listened to this one. Has one of my favorite OMD tracks on it - twice (Souvenir)! Some haunting instrumentals and that classic 80s synth sound that Stranger Things borrowed from - 'twas a good listen.
Decent background music for work
I gave up
When it wasn’t ambient drums this was quite pleasant. Unfortunately, it was ambient drums a lot of the time.
Deep and subliminal hooks that reach into your soul
Beautiful melodies and a pretty organic sound for synths. A bit monotonous, though, and not really for me.
I’m obsessed. This makes me feel like a happy person in the world. Love the Mellotron. Love the random banging on “Sealand” that sounds like a broken washing machine.
kind of boring 80s music. there’s a couple brights spots but not many
Pretty meh
Of its time
Hit or miss on the tunes but a new listen for me.
Better than some of the other of the 2 stars but couldn’t bring myself to say this was an above average album. It started off pretty good, I liked She’s Leaving, Souvenir, and Joan of the Arc. After that it was a slog. Every thing sounded the same and I couldn’t pull any emotion out of it.
Really close to a five star for me. Very atmospheric and nicely mellow. The songs all seem to flow seamlessly and cohere effortlessly. I added a couple OMD songs to my 'likes.'
Didn’t think much of this one. It’s fine, but a bit too dark and sparse for me. There are a couple of pretty catchy parts here, but they’re far and few between. Not a terrible album by any means, but background music at best.
Easy to listen to. Early 80's John Hughes movie vibes
OMD is capable of turning out fantastic, melody-laden pop tunes - however, at the same time their records are usually half-filled with experimental tracks that are far less compelling. *Architecture* is no different. For every outstanding pop tune like "Souvenir" there's an experimental track like "Sealand" that bogs down the proceedings. Perhaps the band was using *Low* or *The Man-Machine* as models, but each of those albums holds together well as a whole, even with the experimental excursions. Stick with OMD's greatest hits and you won't have to keep lifting the needle.
#843. Hell yeah. This is painfully British, but somehow they were able to overcome that disadvantage life threw at them and make good music in spite of it. 4/5: great
2,6 - Wenige gute Songs machen die Platte hörbar, ansonsten ist da doch sehr viel nerviges Gedudel dabei. Highlights: Souvenir, Joan of Arc (Maid Of Orleans)
Weird album
2/10
Not bad, it's kind of just like early pop
2.4 2x catchup 2/2
From the description I thought I would not like this album. Synth is usually too 80s but I found its use here was not overbearing on most tracks and therefore the album was pleasant.
I tried. It’s frank music.
This is really really strange music. I'm not sure how much I liked it honestly, but it did keep me engaged throughout
Mixed bag of industrial noises and Synthwave origin story. Love it.
A classic.
This one tastes very ’80s - synthy, peculiar, sparkly, and a little unhinged. Apparently, I’m here for it.
Interesting and solid. 5.9/10
OMD is not at all who I thought they were. The only song I'm very familiar with from them is "If You Leave," which is fine - but did not prepare me for this. Lush, beautiful synths, paired with unique arrangements- what is not to love? FOUR STARS
okay this one surprised me and i went into it not knowing what to expect at all. songs that i thought i didn't like at first ended up great. not 5 stars for me as it leaned a bit too far into the sci-fi/spaceship sounds at some points, which i don't enjoy as much, but overall a very nice album
Great
decent album i’d say, i can’t really remember it
I'm at a point in this journey where I can be fairly confident about whether or not something is going to be up my alley based on the genre tags. That statement might make you think "yeah, duh," but the genres I've enjoyed most in this context are actually somewhat of an inversion of what I listen to during my leisure time. For example, country and grunge (genres I almost never willingly put on) have generally been pleasant surprises, whereas electronica and metal (genres I actually listen to) have gotten more criticism from me. New wave raises a red flag for me and synthpop tends to raise a green one, so I genuinely had no idea what to expect going into Architecture & Morality. Unfortunately, neither of this album's two sides really worked for me this time. I found the more experimental cuts kind of annoying and the more straightforward synthpop tunes kind of boring. There's not much in between – "The Beginning and the End" and "Souvenir" were highlights from each end of the stylistic spectrum, but "Georgia" was the only one that really made me feel like I was getting the best of both worlds. I'm not going to use the word "generic" to describe an album that came out so early in synthpop's history, so maybe "standard" would work better – there probably wasn't much like it in 1981, but the sound that the bulk of Architecture & Morality presents has been done to death in the decades since. I didn't get the same "one of a kind" sensation that I did listening to the two Book Albums from Depeche Mode. The most damning thing I can probably say about my experience with this album is that I was hit with a wave of relief when I learned that the original album was only nine tracks long and that I didn't have to listen to the seven others included on the Spotify version. Highlights: Souvenir, Georgia, The Beginning and the End
Talking heads esque solid album no skips highlight is gravity never failed and souvenir
Sounds like deep night and peaceful, sometimes strange sound.
At its best when there’s no vocals. Meh
Very not for me
Oh boy, more 80’s synth-pop! I’ll pass.
If you cut half the songs it would be a 5/5
I had a very good time with this album, I will definitely return to it in the future. Favorite track is Souvenir
I could have sworn I had heard these guys before and I didn’t like them. So, needless to say, I went in with a founded mind. But here we are and I’m enjoying this album. What changed? Maybe nothing? I’m not going back through my history to see if I have reviewed them before or not. Let’s just start fresh. And we have. Started fresh. This is sort of trippy with its 80’s weird poppy synth going on in the background. I can’t take a specific song from this album and claim it’s the standout track. I just can’t do it. I’m ok with this. I’ll leave it at that.
One of my all-time favorite albums from my early high school years! Such a classic!
Cool!
Really impressive and innovative work from two guys barely into their twenties. Really enjoyed some songs on it. Especially the back to back Joan of arc ones and the closer. Really cool album to listen to from a historical perspective. Poorly reviewed initially only to get a reevaluation as a masterpiece. I suspect it's somewhere between the two as a few of the songs drag and the vocals are a little much sometimes. I wish the grades were more granular as I found this to be somewhere between a three and a four, but we'll say four for historical significance and innovation.
Synthpop. Det liker jeg. Dette er av den mer introverte og apatiske sorten. Selv om jeg trives med musikken, oppleves den som forglemmelig. Det er dessverre ikke så morsomt å høre på albumet fra start til slutt, men det betyr ikke at det ikke befinner seg noen ganske sterke låter her. Top 3: Souvenir, The New Stone Age, Joan of Arc
Rv
1. ztone - 1.5 2. leaving -1 3. zouvenir - 2 4. zea - 1.5 5. joan - 1.5 6. arc - 1.5 7. morality - 1.5 8. georgia - 1 9. end - 1.5 10. Extended - 1.5 11. Motion - 0 12. Sacred - 1 13. Romance - 1 14. Navigation - 1.5 15. Made - 1.5 16. Gravity - 1
If it wasn't for goddamn New Order, they would have gotten away with the best synthpop album ever!
Temp
SynthPop Blueprint. Angenehm melodisch.
i get the early synth rock/pop vibes but it was also painful/jarring at times and overall boring to me
I dreamt of being an architect the night before I got this playlist generated- what a coincidence
I'm torn between a 2 and 3. I didn't think the album was bad, but it's not really my thing. I enjoyed parts of it. But I just gave Limp Bizkit a 2, so I think this deserves a little better.
Interesting concept for an album but it didn't wow me. After two listens I still don't think I could tell you much about it.
A really delightful gem. I find that a lof of early electronic/synth pop from the 80s can sometimes run into roughness with the experimentation, that doesn't seem to hold up as well. Not the case here, I feel like its clear why this was such an influential synth-pop album, and loved the cohesive vibe throughout.
Fan fuckin tastic
Synthy poppy synth pop. Such a specific new wave vibe that feels outside of time. Vocals accentuate rather than subtract from the production. Will be coming back to this one for sure.
Álbum legal, tem muitas músicas boas!
More of a slow burn compared to their first two but Souvenir, She’s Leaving and Maid of Orleans are superb. Nearly got a four.
For the longest time I thought that OMD did the song Goodbye Horses that showed up in Silence of the Lambs. That does not in anyway detract or add to this albums review, just a thing that is always in my head when I hear OMD. This is a good album mainly because it has Joan of Arc on it other than that it's typical OMD. A very worthy 3 stars.
Nice synthesizer… shame about the songs.
One of the great 1st Wave stalwarts, though the songs here bar Souvenir were largely new to me. Enjoyed it a lot
I couldn’t get on board with this one. I’m not a fan of a lot of 80’s music in any case, but OMD doubled-down and played right into all of the 80’s stereotypes I don’t like with this album.
1.5
I like this album a lot and I wish I liked it a little bit more because it kind of shows the seeds of what's possible with the darker textures of synth pop. I can definitely see this as a precursor of what Depeche Mode would do for *A Broken Frame* through *Some Great Reward*. But this album is in a bit more artsy, and less pop driven tough you can hear the pop drive come though from time to time. I'm definitely a bit more of a Depeche Mode fan than I am OMD, but I do find this endlessly intriguing. It also kind of makes me dig through discography at least the '80s material. 8.65 ★★★★
Not usually a fan of synth pop, but this album has some really cool synth textures. I prefer the more ambient stuff on here. 4 stars
Normally, I'm not a synthpop guy, but there's something about this I find really cool. There's sort of a melancholy feel to the songs that really works. I really like "She's Leaving", "Souvenir", and "Joan of Arc (Maid of Orleans)". There's a couple tracks that don't quite work for me, but I think I'm going with a high 4 for now.
3.5
The girls like Orchestral Manoeuvres just fine. Young and old, it doesn’t matter… in the dark. I however think it’s really shit. A wise professor by name of Frank Zappa once said that writing about music is like dancing to architecture. Well, this album gave me the opportunity to do a bit of both but sadly the dance bangers on Architecture & Morality are in very short supply and its inclusion on the list is frankly immoral. The singers are horrible, can’t play, can barely sequence or write songs and they often choose the nastiest, ugliest synth tones. It’s got a rigidly dank downbringing mood throughout and in the case of opener The New Stone Age and Sealand goes on murderously forever. It’s almost got an early Human League and Gary Numan type of sound but without the ‘pleasure principle’. Souvenir in the third hole is kinda pretty and basically the only passable tune. 1 star for the website but ideally this would be struck down to ground zero stars.
Sealand is so good the rest of the album could be trash and I would still give this a high rating. Good thing the rest of the album is also good!!
Too... Sterile? And I'm saying this as a fan of Kraftwerk.
I listened to the expanded 2003 CD version. I enjoyed this much more than I would have anticipated going in. I had never heard of this band and doubt that I had ever heard anything off this album. That being said I do like synth music because I associate it with action or better said it can be like a score to whatever you are doing at the time when you hear it. This is a good album. "The New Stone Age" is probably my favorite but I like the two Joan of Arc songs a lot too.
Weird
This is the side of 80s synthpop that has actually aged really well. There's so much annoying cheesy slop from that scene, but stuff like this, Depeche Mode, New Order etc all still hold up incredibly well. This in particular having quite an overt sense of darkness gives it an edge that helps it transcend the rest of the shitty 80s synthpop that is typically associated with that era.
veldig veldig bra. kommer til å høre på dette en del fremover
Rate this like
5/10
Based on band/album name alone I was prepared for peek pretentiousness. It wasn’t bad
Je n'avais jamais entendu parler de ce duo jusqu'à présent et c'est plutôt une bonne surprise. Le son est typiquement d'époque, ce qui n'est pas pour me déplaire. L'influence de Kraftwerk est évidente. C'est apparemment un album très influence et fondateur, mais comme je connais peu le genre, j'aurais bien du mal à en juger. Sinon, bonne ambiance, l'utilisation des synthétiseurs (souvent à la Kraftwerk) est vraiment créative et intéressante. Je suis bien content d'avoir entendu cet album.
"New Stone Age" was a juicy opener that took the tired new wave sounds we've heard over and over again on this list and turned them into something more drastic and dramatic. It is still egregious how many postpunk/new wave albums are on here. It's like if I made my own 1001 albums list and loaded it with 30 different Anjunabeats mixes and all 5 good new school dubstep albums that have ever existed. I am a bit more impressed by this effort considering its from 1981, it sounds like something from about 5-7 years later than that. On the note of being ahead of it's time, "Souvenir" is something that surely inspired the material on MGMT's Little Dark Age. As this album evolved, it got more and more strong, more firm, and more gothic. I really appreciated "Architecture & Morality" into "Georgia". And "Sacred Heart"! One of the many tracks that are happy to air things out, avoiding a need to feel so compact and poppy. Gives this album a nice sense of space. Perhaps the most poignant of the lot is "Of All The Things We Made". So bittersweet and meditative. Beautiful song. I'm feeling a light 4 on this one. Not gonna go back to it much but a very respectable effort.
Not really for me. It's got some good early 80s synth beats and it's very dreamlike and atmospheric, but it doesn't speak to me, and the lyrics and vocals don't sound nearly as good.
Is there a legal requirement in the UK for men with THAT voice to front a synth band?
Required a quiet room I didn't have access to. Which is more a me issue than the album.
Better than Coldplay
British electronic pop. A little slower but alright. First song was tough.
This sounds like the 80s, in the best way possible. It's that dreamy nostalgic synth sound that bands are still chasing today-- off the top of my head, I'm thinking of Nation of Language, whom I really like, so perhaps I have a preferred bias toward the whole genre. It's also an extension of Gary Numan's sound, perhaps a bit elevated in OMD's attempt to transcend into religious and choral sounds, according to the album's history. There is also quite a bit of German kosmiche musik in there, especially in the obvious homage to Neu! in "Sealand". In fact, I think the cover is quite Bauhaus too. I really, really enjoyed this and am tempted to give it a 5. I think one thing that holds me back are some of the vocal performances. For example, I find the lead singing in the verses of "Joan of Arc" pretty annoying, before it picks up (I'll note that the choral singing and bells are immaculate though). It's also really strange/confusing that there are two songs in a row about Joan of Arc that aren't really connected, and were released as back-to-back singles. I think they either should have been separated on the album to make it feel more like a motif that runs through it, or should have flowed more into each other as if they were a long song or medley. Overall, this is a great album that I intend to get a physical copy of.
80
Moody, experimental and abstract... But that doesn't mean it's good, in contrast to other artists experimenting with synths at the time
I don’t like it, but I respect it. I enjoy listening to bands, pushing boundaries and exploring new turf.
Sometime cools sound are just cool sounds. There are cool sounds but souch more. A British "5". And American "3". For diplomacy's sake lets call it a 4
Definitely shows off those early 80's vibes. Some good tunes in there, amongst the darker synths, and some nice instrumental breaks as well. I was a bit young still when this came out, so missed it the first time around, but I'd be happy to come back any time. I had Violator by Depeche Mode recently, and I can see this as an earlier version of the same sort of thing.
„Souvenir“ alone would make this a great album.
01) The New Stone Age - 9,0 02) She's Leaving - 8,5 03) Souvenir - 10,0 04) Sealand - 8,5 05) Joan of Arc - 10,0 06) Joan of Arc (Maid of Orleans) - 10,0 07) Architecture and Morality - 8,5 08) Georgia - 9,0 09) The Beginning and the End - 8,5 TOTAL: 9,11 (91/100) Current ranking: 52/766
Gotta admit, I played the first song on this album a couple days ago and went nah. Tried again the next day and man it’s easily top 5 albums so far. I’m a sucker for 80’s synth pop/industrial style music and there were some studs on this record. Definitely would come back and play again.
Not my jam
My very good childhood friend Dave Pence was way into music in high school and was an early fan/discoverer of Bowie and Springsteen. He moved to California after college and would send me cassettes on occasion. I remember getting from him one from this band as well as one from The Psychedelic Furs, and one from Echo and the Bunnyman. All came out in 1981. None were great, maybe pre-cursors to new wave, and I have a vague sense that the one by OMD was the weakest of the 3. Dave died around age 50 from throat cancer (a heavy smoker). This was just OK.
On first listen gonna give it a 4, and then return to it later
Thank god for OMD! Although my favorite album is crush, ill take this any day over the shite I have had to subject my ears to this week. Is it The Cure, is it David Bowie, is it Depeche Mode? It's such an excellent combination of synth sounds! Awesome spotlight on the Mellotron, what an amazing instrument. Loved this album.
I really liked this, I'll be back for more listens
I'm feeling a strong 3.
Didn't appreciate quite how literal the title would be. There's a real industrial vibe to parts of this that do sound like architecture. This album was ok overall. Really strong at points, at other points just really a bit strange (see the title track). We found it dragged and was slightly jarring at points.
Enjoyed a few songs quite a lot. A lot of songs could've been dumped though. An interesting and soothing experience.
What a strange album.
A really nice bit of early 80s synthpop. I love the melancholy vibes here. I was quite surprised at how modern this sounded for how relatively early in the history of synthpop the album was created. Souvenir in particular sounds like it could be right off of an MGMT album. I love the vocals, but even the instrumental tracks are great, too. I really felt myself drifting away in the sonic landscapes they created. They had a sound that really sinks its hooks into you right away. Definitely going to check out more of this band. Favourite tracks: Sealand, Architecture and Morality, Souvenir
It was decent
I thought this was ok. The whispy singing didn't improve it, and I think my whole group is a bit burnt out on 80's synth pop. Otherwise... I didn't hate it?
I wasn’t expecting this awesome retro shoegaze thing.. perfect for an overcast cold day
A few of these tracks are FIRE but overall didn't do much for me
Che muy bueno 4.5
Gets a bit boring 😴
I'm all for new wave, but I honestly just don't gel with OMD.
Really nothing I liked about this album
first song makes me want to be in packed club with lasers. Rest of the album was pretty mid synth stuff
2.5 meeh
This type of sound is the worst of the 80’s. It makes it very difficult for me to sit through a whole album.
Weird but cool, I quite enjoyed. Would def listen to more
I’ll admit I judged a book by its cover here and assumed I wouldn’t like it. I was mostly right, but it was a little better than I thought it would be. There were some kinda nice songs, but a lot of just instrumental stuff and some weird sounds and long pauses between songs where you’re not sure if it’s still playing. I guess it would work as background music for getting work done
11/1089 OMD is an early pioneer of new wave and this album exemplifies the genre. Although their 5-6 hits aren't on this album, Souvenir holds up well so I'd still give it a solid 3*. Add enola gay, if you leave or electricity and this becomes a 4*. I do not agree that one needs to be on acid to enjoy but I haven't mixed the two so maybe that's the path to a 5*. It might be weird as others have said.
not bad. Wasn't sure I was going to like it at first, but there are some good songs on this one.
Complete ass
Not very memorable to me. I appreciated the ominous/spacey feel throughout the album, the sound reminded me of yesterday's listen, Behaviour by the Pet Shop Boys.
I Can't Imagine My Destination 1001 Albums Generator 180 (12/10/2025) Architecture And Morality is the second synthpop album that I've gotten in a row, after the slightly disappointing Behaviour from Pet Shop Boys. I was a bit worried about this until I turned on the first song and realized that This album is not your run-of-the-mill synthpop. This thing is mechanical, oppressive, and cold. And it's awesome for that. Some of the noodling and experimentation doesn't work for me, but it is great more than not, and songs like Souvenir and Joan Of Arc (both parts) are real triumphs of the genre. It's also just crazy that this album came out in 1981; it sounds more like the type of thing that would emerge at the end of a genre's height, not before it starts. 4/5. Favs: The New Stone Age Souvenir Joan Of Arc Least Fav: Architecture And Morality
heavy!
Day703 - this must have been cool to listen when it came out in ‘81. joan of arc and maid of orleans really caught my ear
This reminded me of the soundtrack to one of my favorite movies Drive. Really enjoyed some of the tracks but it got a bit samey after a while.
Bland and not particularly memorable.
it was ok
Creio que ouvi este disco sob às condições perfeitas: Finalzinho de tarde, voltando pra casa, com um céu totalmente nublado, com nuvens escuras e sombrias por todo o lado. Aquela ventania pré-chuva… Isso sim é o jeito certo de ouvir um álbum do Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark. O álbum pinta lindas imagens obscuras com suas linhas sintéticas que respiram e suplicam. Ele tece um soundscape maravilhoso e intricado, a ambientação sonora desse disco é semigual. Me lembrou em vários momentos o trabalho de Brian Eno. E é a partir disso que o álbum é construído, com sua ambientação e soundscape sendo sempre colocados em primeiro lugar. Mas as melodias que o recheiam são tão agradáveis quanto, com algumas de suas faixas caindo com peso na etiqueta de New Wave, com vocais reverberados e linhas melódicas memoráveis e grudentas. É de fato um disco perfeito aos meus olhos. Faz o que propõe e te deixa com vontade de ouvir tudo de novo. Essa mistureba de Synths Pornográficos com sons industriais é fantástica. Já gostava dessa banda antes, e meu apreço disparou ainda mais alto. E lindo o trabalho visual do Peter Saville nessa capa também. 5/5
Could be a soundtrack to a John Hughes movie. Great vibe but forgettable.
Got confused and thought this was ELO. It was not ELO.
I didn't know what to expect but I have listened to this album on a loop!
I Don’t Have To Listen To This Again To Give It A 10
Half beautiful, half boring
That was neat. I like the 80s sounds. It sorta surprised me as I haven't listened to that much OMD
Just awful. Try hard nerd music for that era.
I wasn't into synthpop before this record, and I think it's safe to say that I am still not into synthpop after it. Favourite Track(s): Souvenir Least Favourite Track(s): Gravity Never Failed
Probably the first album of this experiment I am grateful to have discovered from the list. Very much enjoyed this, when compared to the synth pop around this time this feels much less stiff in it's composition, everything naturally flows together in this. If I wanted to be a dick I'd say this is like a 7.5/10 but whateva Fav song: Souvenir / Maid of Orleans
I expected classical, but got New Wave. They are a fine, yet generic album. I thought every song was going to be from the Pretty In Pink soundtrack.
Not bad, eclectic
OMD is a synth band and "Architecture" many say is their best album. me, even though most songs are around 3-4 minutes long, i tend to find them too long to the point of wanting to skip the rest of the song for the next one. and with most synth bands, there is always at least one arrogant song that lasts forever (Sealand, i'm taling to you). the album is just OK in my eyes,
This wasn't bad. The funny thing is the electronic music from that era actually feels more like real music than electronic music nowadays! I feel like Genesis or the Cars would have had an influence here.
Decent background work listening
Easy to listen too but all of their songs are one speed. Not my kind of music.
I much prefer their contemporaries. (2.5)
Starts out very strong but doesn’t quite have the legs for me. “Souvenir” is worth the price of admission though. (3.5)
I didn’t not like this, but I kept waiting for this album to hook me, which it never did. Listen-to-able, but not astounding by any means.
This is nonsense from the title to the songs. Everything is so so and nothing more than that.
Seeealand
Better than I thought it'd be based on name and album art. Still not great.
Not a perfect album, but its innovation and influence more than make up for its few minor flaws.
Maybe it was my mood today. This just didn’t hold my attention. I had to keep restarting until I finally gave up. Wasn’t feeling it.
This album is beautiful. It's reminds me of goth but much more synth. Fitting as it turns out this was practically the blueprint for synth-pop's prevalence in the 80s. I'm sort of a sucker for synth-pop so this is right up my alley
2.5 (37:13, 9 tracks, 1981, 3rd album) synth pop Boring. I realize this was a transitional album during the post-punk/new wave movement and kind of set the side for the 80's but looking backwards this album isn't their best and it is just bland listening. Lean 3 side of 2.5 as I'd definitely listen to it again if I had time and. . . given enough time may come to have really like this album but there are too many better albums to invest that time in 2025
Really want to find some great 80s music. 2 stars.
timeless. you would not think this album was released in the early 80s.
Oddly dark for synth pop. 5/5
I was feeling open to this for the first 3 tracks, but then they lost me. I've never been big into electronic music, anyway.
Had not heard of these guys before today, but I’m generally up for any moody new wave music. There was nothing here that made them stand out compared to other bands of this era, but it was a solid album and I'll probably revisit it at some point.
2.5
Hvorfor må noen høre på dette??? En fattig versjon av The Smith
GENIAL ??!!
I've really been enjoying the new waves albums I've been getting lately, but this one was a bridge too far. I don't know... maybe it just pushed too far into the experimental zone.
An electronic album toward the higher end of the electronic spectrum. For me, that means there are some nice moments in each track that ultimately wear out their welcome with repetition. This is also less annoying than many other electronic albums, although it has plenty of moments of being annoying.
Weird, but cool 80s weird.
Pretty fancy name for 80's synth pop. I mean, some tracks include churchy-choral elements, but also some tracks sound like they were made with a cheap Casio, the kind of sounds I associate with early Atari games. All in all it's an OK listen.
After the first couple songs I was ready to be angry at this album, fearing it would be dull and overlong. But it won me over as it went on. Not something I'm rushing back to, but solid, given it's time period and potential influence on later work.
Like Psychedelic Furs, I thought of these guys as primarily one hit wonders. But was pleasantly surprised by the Bauhaus/Siouxsie Sioux vibes. Maybe a high 3, low 4 kind of situation, and landing on a 3 because ultimately it wasn't all that memorable.
This was ok
A fun listen but probably won’t ever listen again
It's refreshingly different. But that may well be due to the fact that Synthwave Pop is underrepresented on the list, because I didn't particularly enjoy anything about the album besides its distinctiveness.
Fun with something I've never heard of before. Must say it's quite a pretentious band and album name the found for themselves. Otherwise it had its ups and down, and passed me by completely first run-through but grew on me the second time. Favourite track was 'Souvenir', and low-points include, but are not limited to, 'The Romance of The Telescope,', and 'Architecture And Morality'. It had its ups and and downs, but overall definitely nothing I'll be reaching for in the future again. Low 3.
I was expecting new wave but got synth-pop instead. It really reminded me of the Swedish synth-pop band Kite. I guess what I’m trying to say is that it sounds quite modern (even though Kite leans a bit retro). There’s a good mix of synth-pop here, and I thought many of the songs would fit well as movie soundtracks. A favourite of mine was “Souvenir.” It doesn’t quite reach four stars for me after just one listen, but it was fun. A strong 3.
At the time, I didn't realise just how much influence Kraftwerk had had on OMD. That said, this is an almost-perfect blend of that electronic experimentation and minimalism with a more pop sensibility, with a few more contemporary twists added for effect. The tunes here are sumptuous, but that also let loose and make a noise a bit more on tracks like New Stone Age, which has a more punk / motorik flavour. Overall, what's not to like?
One of the first albums that I bought back in 1981, and one that I continue to play almost forty five years later. Gosh. OMD mastered the delicate balance of subverting beautiful pop ballads with a dark and atmospheric message. The music hooks you first, before the lyrics then leave you thinking. Any album that can have a song (and consecutive singles!) with the same name sitting side by side, tells you that OMD weren't playing the game. A rare example of 80's music that understood that the medium is the message.
Let me first say that the Album Cover GREAT. (you eat first with your eyes). First track is very punky in nature, unexpected for a supposed synth pop album. The track list starts in my opinion in track 2 which is sweet, very sweet. Track 3 is even more sweet. Absolutely lovely. 4- I have a soft spot for lengthy dark electronic tracks. Really reminded me brian Eno stuff, Bowie and solos, from the previous decade. Great. Joan Of Arc is a very British song, in a good way! Maybe didn't touch me as other on here but still quit a banger. No 6 is British aswell, but more impact full in my opinion. Love the drums on it, and the naive synth lines. The title track is an abstract instrumental. And a good one for what it is. Georgia is a song I feel like I know. Maybe not because I knew it before but because it's so poppy and awesome. One of my favorites here. Closing track dark and great as it should be.piano goes hard. What can I say, great picks the last few days. Enjoyed this one so much and I think I'll keep listening to it. It another very strong 4.
Very uneven 80s technosynthpop
You know, I'm a little bit pleasantly surprised by this one...although I do stress "little bit". I thought I was going to loathe this one. But, as it turns out, I kind of liked most of the songs themselves alright, if not the delivery. That's the thing: this could be a pretty decent album if it was not such a slice of the 80's synth wave. Man, do I hate the overuse of synthesizers during that time. The shitty, fake drum beats, the lazy synth melody lines that don't really sound like the instrument they're trying to emulate...it all sounds so inorganic and sterile and obnoxious. And this record—seemingly composed exclusively by two dudes playing synthesizers—just bleeds that obnoxiousness. It gets grating pretty quick. So, this might actually be close to a 4-star record for me except that I just hate the overall sound and texture of the record so much. I think I can be gracious with a 3-star rating cause the songs themselves have some merit. 3/5
Kind of reminded me of the Smith’s but with cheesy 80s synth.
not a fan. some interesting soundscapes but Motion and Heart alone is enough to give this album one star
I can only imagine this pioneering electronic record must have received mixed reactions when it first came out. Both newcomers and longtime OMD fans probably didn’t know quite what to make of it. First-time listeners might’ve wondered, “What is this new electronic sound—and what are they even playing?”* while seasoned fans could’ve been startled by that opening guitar riff, thinking, “Get that guitar out of my face!” I’ll admit I’ve only listened to OMD a few times before. I'm more familiar with Talk Talk and Depeche Mode,but OMD were clearly there first, right? When I listen to electronic music, I like it dark and immersive, and *Architecture & Morality* absolutely delivers. It’s steeped in religious searching, dystopian atmospheres, and beautifully melancholy choruses. I really enjoyed the experience and will definitely explore more of their catalog. Some tracks did feel like filler, which makes the album’s one-hour runtime a bit stretche, but overall, it’s an evocative and forward-thinking piece of early electronic art.
Based on the album name, the artist name, and the album art, I expected something unique and experimental. I wasn't picking up on those ideas though, at least not until after the title track. The second half of the album delivered a lot more of what I hoped for in this album, and from this list. I can definitely see myself growing to like this album more in time. Favorite track: hard to say. Maybe "The Romance of the Telescope?"
Simply Having a Wonderful Christmastime without any of the fun of the holidays.
80s music to make life altering decisions about your pet to
This is in the genre of chill instrumentals with some vocal riffs that is cluttered and does little for me. Maybe its original innovation should be counted for more but today, this feels like another bland 80s synth album
Man, I just don't get the appeal of this band. Their music isn't bad, but it is just such a slog to get through.
I had heard about this before, but never gotten to listen until now. I am pleasantly surprised
Bit directionless
Not bad, not good either.
Another Groundbreaking record that doesn’t hold up as much as people think.
Decent new wave album
I feel that the group's name and album art were somewhat misleading (I was expecting something like penguin cafe) but still, I enjoyed myself. I didn't have one song really stand out but enjoyed many parts when combined into a whole project. I think I will like this one a lot more if I return to it and let it grow on me.
this is pure Nostalgia. I was only 6 when this came out, but i know all the songs well. Great memories. First song is interesting, but it kind of captivated me, and then it goes into She's leaving me, which is the OMD sound that I am familiar with. Souvenir is such a hit. Sealand is interesting and not bad but a bit long. It felt out of place in the album. Joan of Arc is fantastic, as is the follow on Maid of Orleans. Architecture and Morality is a bit insipid. Georgia was pretty average. The album ends well with the beginning and the end. I really want to give this a 4, but I felt it lacked a bit in a few songs. It was very close. 3.5 stars
biased
Favorite Track: Souvenir
Ugh here is that vocal style again that I do not enjoy. This is tough. I think the instrumentals are interesting at times, but this isn't very good. Actual rating....1.5 Liked Songs: "She's Leaving" , "Souvenir" , "Georgia" , "The Romance of the Telescope" , "Of All The Things We've Made"
Not for me 2
Interesting album. OMD was fairly unknown to me. Decent electronica from early 1980s. They took some chances with their sound, I can respect that. Not likely to get much replay with me, though.
25/10/2025 Nothing special. Not bad, but not good. Spotify listeners: 3 million.
Not what I was expecting. A lot of melody and hook coupled with electronic experimentation.
Not what I was expecting by the name, more of a Smiths vibe but good still
Middle of the road.
Despite the obvious Kraftwerk influences, OMD clearly developed their own sound. This is a worthy follow-up to 'Organisation'. The singles are all excellent, and so, by and large, is the rest of the album. I'd give it 4 1/2 stars if I could.
Did people actually like music like this in the 80s?
This is solid electronic pop with a few minimal and experimental flourishes, complete with two standout tracks. Liked Songs Added: Souvenir Joan Of Arc
boring and drone-y
I’d describe this as a blend of gloomy, Gary Numan-esque experimental electronics and cheesy 80s synth pop. It sort of works at times but each style has been done better by others. I’ve heard enough to suggest there might be another OMD album out there that I’d enjoy more, though.
Only knowing Enola Gay previously (which I quite like), this was a nice surprise. Great production, gorgeously warm analogue synthesizers, and Souvenir has made its way straight into my Current Favourites playlist. Favourite tracks: Souvenir, Sealand, Joan of Arc (Maid of Orleans), Georgia.
# 594 : Architecture And Morality Architecture and Morality – More Like Wallpaper and Passivity This album is very ordinary. Nothing special, nothing memorable. Some tracks are okay, some are just there, and the whole thing feels like it’s trying to be profound while slowly lulling you into a nap. It’s drawn out and boring—slow enough to forget it’s even on. The 80s synth pop here is fine, but if you’ve heard one, you’ve heard them all. OMD doesn’t do much to stand out from the melodramatic crowd. In all seriousness, does anybody still listen to this? If you haven’t heard anyone mention this album in the last 25 years, you probably don’t need to hear it before you die. Best Track (if you must): Georgia – and even that’s like picking the least soggy crouton from a bowl of synth soup. Verdict: ★ for effort. File under “albums that sound like a fax machine trying to feel emotions.”
OMD. Good group. Great sounds of the 80’s. No bad songs.
116/1001 OMD - Architecture and Morality Heard before? ❎ Revisit? ❎ There are some good songs here, but they are few and far between. Anything decent on it, is ruined by the poor production.
Sometimes this album reminded me of church. Sometimes this album reminded me of the 80s. I have experienced both of those things, sometimes simultaneously. For me, church in the 80s consisted mostly of looking at the clock, waiting for it to be over. That isn't exactly how I felt about this album, but it is a pretty good approximation.
Correcto
6,75
It’s pretty German. I like the music but the singer ruins it. This is kind of the grandparent to M83.
first listen meh
Souvenir is a great song. Feels like I’ve heard it in one or more movies/tv/whatnot. Another album that might grow on me to four stars after repeated listens, but for now is just three overall.
Oh now this I liked. Not all of it, but I’m pretty sure I heard some bonus stuff that was understandably left off the album.
We are now in the 400 album stretch of 70s/80s British punk/electronic/new wave music. This one was better than yesterday’s.
Good calm vibe. Has a few songs I've heard before.
Not my jam
I'd have enjoyed this more if there weren't any vocals. I also really don't get why it's on this list.
A bit whiny. Some pleasant noises, but otherwise pretty average. This is distinct from a lot of the other albums I’ve listened to so far, so it’s got that going for it. That isn’t always a good thing, but it’s definitely something. It’s just not really my cup of tea. This is pretty much just noise to me. The vocals really did not help. I’d rather be listening to a few other bands that make the same kind of noises but better, like Depeche Mode, which I’m sure has been mentioned by more than a few people here. Was this a pleasant way to spend the day? Absolutely, I don’t regret it. Am I going to return to this? Probably not, but I’m glad I listened to it. The hits are probably the best songs on the album, but I kinda just picked a favorite at random honestly. Hard to tell the songs apart when this is yet another hour long album filled with exclusively this kind of sound. I don’t know, maybe if I come back to it later when I’m less busy I’ll appreciate it more. As it stands, it’s nothing outstanding but isn’t terrible either. Again though, it’s unique, so I’m likely to remember it if I see it again.
2,5
Too similar to The Smith's to be considered listenable
[reluctant ★★★★]
All OMD sounds about the same, really. As someone who is used to The OMD Singles, this is a big more bland than the best-of
I always felt OMD were a bit insipid, and this is borne out by this album. Some of the tracks are really good, however, with very catchy tunes, but I think there's a bit too much filler. OMD were pretty influential as part of the UK synthpop scene, and this albums shows why.
A mixed bag this one. I was almost willing myself to enjoy more than I actually did. The opener is fantastic. There are some real duds though which sadly bring it down to a 3.5
later
Meh
Interesting sound but not a lot to Keem me coming back.
So chill I didn't realized I moved onto a new album
A great synth-pop album. It uses interesting sonic palettes and incorporates elements of avant-garde soundscapes. The songwriting is consistently strong throughout the album. Even though it sounds similar to a lot of other 80s synth-pop, this came out very early in the decade. Maybe I need to dive more into the history of the genre, but I wouldn’t be surprised if a good amount of the aspects that create that 80s synth-pop sound come from this album. 4/5
True New Wave that belongs on this list unlike the ninety some-odd knock offs. Electronic Symphonic done right. 3.5/5
интересное звучание, но мне не зашло, напомнило u2 странно
Masterpiece
Where was this last year when I was in my 80s new wave phase? This album was a treat. Reminded me a lot of the Cure and Depeche Mode but more electric. I want to give this a higher rating but I wasn't into side B as much as side A. Still fantastic. I would definitely listen to this album again and will be checking out more from OMD. Favorite track: Souvenir
I can see why it's on the list. Not for me though. 2.5/5. Raising to 3.
Pretty cool album, fresh (at least for its time) electronic sound. Fav Lyrics: Joan of Arc Fav Music: Georgia Fav Song Overall: Georgia