Reviews (page 5 of 7)
I've known the band name for a long time but never listened. Absolutely nothing special however it's under 40 minutes which is an absolute win for me at this point.
More background music than what I normally hear from them.
It was fine. It was very good background music.
Really not bad at all - slightly prefer the male voice-driven tracks, however Souvenir was my favourite track overall (She's Leaving was my second favourite). Quite fun, ethereal, but got a little old a little fast. 3.5, but not a 4.
Listened to this twice. Wasn't convinced initially, but about half way through my first listen it was growing on me. Got the early electronic elements which I quite like. I'm not sure how much I like new wave though. When it's good I really liked it, "souvenir" was the best track. "Of all the things we've made" was good too. 3.5
A real classic and ahead of its time back then, but despite the nostalgia most of the tracks seem dated. 3,5 Stars.
frekar gott gáfumanna rafpopp. 3,5.
Got about ⅔ of the way through this one. Frankly, I'd got the gist midway through the 2nd track...
I liked it I think, I'll have to revisit it a few more times
It's a decent album as far as 80's synth pop can be. There wasn't much nuance but at least it was somewhat fun to listen to. Top 3 Fav: Georgia. Souvenir, and She's Leaving Top 3 Worst: no bad songs besides a few songs being mid 2.75-3.00/5
I recognize two classics among several uninteresting parts.
3/5 Meer van hetzelfde
the new stone age- 6 or 7 shes leaving- 6 souvenir- 6 or 7 sealand- 6 joan of arc- 6 maid of orleans- 6 or 7 architecture and morality- 6 georgia- 6 beginning and the end- 6 extended souvenir- did it need to be extended? 6 it was ok i just dont wanna listen to more.
This is an odd one. It's like new wave/synth pop crossed with electronica. It's like shittier Depeche Mode. This album is just full of 80's cheese. This album is nothing to write home about. Favourite songs: Extended Souvenir, Joan of Arc (Maid of Orleans), She's Leaving Least favourite songs: Sealand, Architecture and Morality 3/5
Some fun new wave bits, some got a little too weird
Quite interesting sometimes. Never heard of them and yet I knew their song Joan of Arc from the radio.
As with many of these records, I can appreciate the significance and innovation of it without actually enjoying it that much.
I usually hate some of the British techno/synth pop that we’ve had before but I actually liked this one a little more surprisingly. Had some good melodies. The synth sounds have not aged well and sound super cheap, like some of the sounds are identical to this $50 electric keyboard I had when I was a kid. Also British people are so obsessed with Joan of arc. Haven’t we had like 3 albums have a song about her?
I feel like this type of album would normally be a 2 for me, but I liked it. A bit long, but interesting and unique. I’ll give them points for the intentionally artsy and pretentious title as well.
Would definitely listen to it again as background music to get some 80s vibes going, just might skip a couple songs.
Solid album. Definitely has that 80s sound. It wasn't difficult to listen to, but I probably won't be going back to it.
Not really for me. A solid listen. But I won't come back to it.
First few songs are great but then Sealand really slams the breaks on this album, adding in the random banging noise to the end of the track just to really remind you of how awful it was. I really was enjoying this one up until that. The rest is fine too.
First listen. Decent.
A certain vibe which is unique to their sound but no smash hits
I was surprised by how listenable this was to me as I don’t care for the new wave sound usually. I won’t go back to this, but it’s not as pretentious as the album title or band name would have you believe.
Has some amazing moments but plays out too long
As far 80s synth albums go, this one is not terrible. At least it isn't shitty pop music about sex/women.
Synth heavy Depeche mode inspired 80s music. Standouts are Souvenir, Georgia, and Gravity Never Fails.
3.5
Full disclosure: I was a sucker for "Enola Gay" as a kid, and it's only very recently that I have discovered the album including that world-famous OMD signature song (found in a secondhand records shop). The name of that album is *Organisation*, and it had a bad rep, critically speaking, which is maybe why I had never listened to it before, in spite of my love for its lead single. Turns out I really, *really* enjoy many of its darker and moodier cuts, with only a couple of duds in the tracklist that I need to skip when I spin that LP... How come this album received some very skeptic reviews at the time of its release? Beats me... The fast-paced transitions of many music styles at the end of the seventies and start of the eighties sure got many professional critics unsure of where pop music had to go at the time. Hence why they could easily be misled? Flash forward to today, as I listen again to *Organisation*'s 1982 follow-up *Architecture and Morality*, supposedly their magnum opus. It's not bad either, and the tracklist starts strong with abrasive, borderline-post-punk opener "The New Stone Age", catchy-yet-melancholic cut "She's Leaving" (which would have become a terrific single in the UK if the band had not unfairly nipped that idea in the bud), then followed by pop ballad / lead single "Souvenir"--probably OMD's *second* most famous tune, and still a highly melodic gem after all these years... Too bad the album then loses its way (and its steam) as it negotiates the curve between side one and side two. With its title winking at Neu!, "Sealand" seeks to take a page out of the kosmische / ambient masters of the seventies (think also: Brian Eno), but it's as if McCluskey and Humphrey here confused the terms "ominous" and "darkly meditative" with "nothing much happening". And nothing much happens either during the instrumental found on side two that gives its name to the album by the way: OMD could sometimes dive headfirst into musical dead-ends for deep cuts, and I have always found that flaw maddening. Just as I have always found the two *very* repetitive singles about Joan of Arc at the start of this album's second side musically underwhelming to say the least, in spite of their "conceptual" ambitions and their interesting use of singular vocal parts "floating" over the all-too-linear proceedings. Full-blown repetition gave "Elona Gay" its hypnotic power. But what works for one melody doesn't necessarily work for another. Maddening, also, that OMD never learned that lesson, which other important electronic acts such as The Human League, Pet Shop Boys or Depeche Mode learned so well through their verse-chorus-verse aesthetics. Leaning too much on the idea of "vocal" textures, through background choir effects and the use of mellotrons, McCluskey indeed forgot a key element sometimes: real compositional work. That work on voices and their "religious" potential, which was the avowed, paradoxical goal that atheist McCluskey had for some of the album's tracks, was commendable on paper, surely. But the execution leaves to be desired sometimes, especially when the band's reach exceeds their grasp at the moment of finding memorable melodies that would carry out that program in a somewhat striking fashion. That middle part of the album is not exactly a borefest, but it's nothing to really get excited either... For true mysticism as expressed through new wave aesthetics, please check out Dead Can Dance, Cocteau Twins or This Mortal Coil first... OMD fortunately injects a little energy again on the penultimate track "Georgia" which is, let's say, an interesting experiment in synth pop terms. And closer "The Beginning And The End" is an absolute gem. That last track, both dreamy and tense somehow, oddly foretells XTC or Talk Talk's later elated pop experiments many years in advance. And as it does so, it thereby saves the whole album at the very last minute. So not so bad overall, yet to me, *Architecture And Morality* falls short when the time comes to select "essential" albums in that particular synth-pop subgenre. OMD wrote a fistful of amazing singles, yet all of their early full-length releases are mixed bags to an extent in my honest opinion. Including this record often selected in retrospective lists such as the one used for this app. And by the way... Just discovered that many music critics and long-time fans of the band now think that OMD's *real* magnum opus is actually the LP released right after *Architecture And Morality* instead of the latter. The name of that subsequent LP is *Dazzle Ships* and it looks like it was unfairly maligned at the time--mostly because of a couple of weird spoken-word interludes featuring lengthy "radio transmissions". I have also listened to that other record for the first time today, and I have to say that it contains quite a few lively songs, some of them very catchy on a first listen. Which suggests a tracklisting that's far more dynamic than any of OMD's previous LPs if you ignore those weird interludes. Looks like the "architects" that McCluskey and Humphrey were at the start of the eighties always had trouble building sound foundations for their ambitious musical endeavors. In one way or another, they would hit quicksands of some kind, between far too linear moments and sudden left-turns which could lose large swaths of their potential audience. But that doesn't mean some nooks and corners within their monuments could not be illuminating at times. Perfect albums are not the only way to appreciate good music. So to be continued, I guess... 2.5/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums, rounded up to 3. 7.5/10 for more general purposes. Number of albums left to review: 118 Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 384 Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 226 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 284 (including this one)
Was a bit wowed by this at first. Good listen but not sure I really loved it in it’s entirety
I kind of like The New Stone Age, She’s Leaving, I almost like Joan of Arc
A little formless for my tastes. But still pretty good.
I liked this album way more than I thought I would. Started off rocky, but by the end, they had won me over. What was in the water in the UK in the 80's, they were doing some odd stuff.
OMG. OMD was once a BFD. But now this sounds like outdated EDM. Maybe now most suited to being BGM. Frankly boring AF. CUL8R.
Didn't hit he that much. Thought it was ok
I appreciate the newness of the synth sounds for that time. And this is pretty good, but just too boring. I need some more oomph in the songs.
Can be nice dinner music
I enjoyed it, but who is this really for?
The first song is SUCH a banger that it makes me sad the rest of the album is not more like it. 3/5
Right on that 3-4 border
I liked the sound, just thought it was nothing special. Joan of Arc are the two exceptions.
This was far more interesting that I was expecting. Didn't have any of the 'hits' I recall but a really diverse mix of songs. Sounds way ahead of it's time.
3.5
não curti muito. 80 demais pra mim.
Architecture & Morality is the third studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, originally released in 1981. Man, this album is strange. There's this huge juxtaposition between songs ranging from synth pop to industrial. The pop tracks almost remind me of The Smiths at times, especially in the vocals. A lot of the songs have long, drawn-out instrumentals that make heavy use of synths, as to be expected considering the time period this was released. The instrumentals are sonically interesting to me, though. Lots of layering which was uncommon in 1981. There is also liberal use of sampling throughout the album, also uncharacteristic of an album released in 1981. I can see how this would be influential to future electronic acts and even some industrial acts.
Obscure lyrics but great range of melody, rhythm and harmony. I like the overall synth-pop sound. This was the first time I experienced the full album treatment of OMD, other than hearing their songs that got radio play. Songs that stood out include "She's Leaving", "Souvenir" and "Joan of Arc (Maid of Orleans)".
Peculiar record I cannot identify it very well, but I like it!
Weird, but I didn't hate it.
Really complex. Kinda atmospheric 80s rock... But with some spacey/complex elements. Some tracks I loved and some tracks I could go without.
Good 80's album. Not amazing. Just good.
I was never the hugest OMD fan. I loved the singles but wasn’t really into all their synthy instrumental bits. There are three or four great songs on here: Souvenir, Maid of Orleans, Joan of Arc, The New Stone Age. If Enola Gay was on here it would feel like a greatest hits album. But the rest didn’t stand out for me at all. The extended synth solos were tedious. 2.5 in reality.
I like how they try a lot of different sounds and styles. The first song is abrasive and edgy in just about every way, the second is a cool summery synth ballad, and the third is an upbeat synth-horn filled pop track. A lot of what I like about this record comes from the synth tones. They are really thought out and intentional; or atleast I think so because they mesh so well together. Cool album cover. Lots of nice choices, like in composition, colors, and font styles. Not totally my thing but I also didn't necessarily dislike it.
There’s no defence for this pretence. There is no orchestra conducting manoeuvres (though there may be darkness). The album title speaks of morality, but I find no humour in the way OMD deceives the listener with these false expectations. Our neighbours across the pond may think all these unnecessary u’s bring colour and flavour to their rouck icouns, but I’m not buying it. It’s been a pretty spacy last couple of weeks. Luckily, not Kevin. But OMD caps off a run of Hawkwind, Soft Machine, Spiritualized, Spirit, and Brian Eno, and mixes in some very British 80s synth pop not too far from the Morrissey and Tom Tom Club from last week. “Souvenir” and “Georgia” were firmly in the saccharine and cringy end of 80s British synth pop that I try hard to avoid, but the rest of “Architecture and Morality” balanced things out with a sparseness that was atmospheric. Atmouspheric?
Did not make an impression, but I guess that means it was pleasant enough that I didn't reach to turn it off. 2.5.
There are parts of this album I love. And by now (album 804) it’s obvious to me. I love the electronic aspects. It’s hard for me to believe this album is 40+ years old based on how current some of the sounds are…New Stone Age being a good example. It’s all good until I thought Sealand was over and then someone started beating a trash can with a stick. The album continues questionably through Architecture And Morality. Then it gets back on track for the last two songs, but the hole in the middle sunk a potentially great thing.
Fun 80s album with some interesting instrumentals and a unique sound. Not a fan of all the tracks though, and the synth pop can get a bit repetitive.
Starts interesting but then gets tied up into a meandering set of songs. It got me intrigued than bored me by half way through. Nothing to write home about
This is the first listen on my journey where I was completely unaware of the artist prior to listening to the album, so I was going in completely blind. What I was met with was a delightful, new wave listening experience. In the best way, it felt like I was listening to a John Hughes movie soundtrack. For me, the album was a little frontloaded with great tracks like "She's Leaving", "Souvenir", and "Maid of Orleans". I also particularly liked the mostly instrumental "Sealand", which to use a Gen Z phrase had immaculate vibes. There is definitely a particular sound to this artist and album that felt familiar and influential to more modern acts like Tame Impala and The Killers, the latter of which I'm a huge fan of. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this record, and wouldn't mind looking more into Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark as a whole. 6.5/10
3 stars
When it works it's endearingly weird, yet familiar. But there are a few jarring turns that absolutely kill the flow.
I'm not sure why, but I liked this one.
principios del techno en los 80. Se ha quedado anticuado.
Pretty decent album. I didn't mind it at all.
I just can't get on board with this one. I see many many excelent pieces, but average composition. This may have been pioneering but it's still a bunch of one note melodies synthetic to a drum machine
It has merit and I managed 2 runs through, but I couldn't say much stood out for me.
80s synth-pop. Very Tears for Fears.
I almost gave this a 2 because I can only take so much of this sameness, but upping to 3 for the song named after my daughter. And no, her name is not Joan or Sealand. The songs on their own are lovely and make me think of Tron or drops in movies that would be dope, but this is too much Mellotron for one sitting!!
This is one of those "I would never have chosen it and will probably never listen again, but it was interesting" albums. Track 3 (Souvenir) was interesting. Track 4 (Sealand) was like a long series of heartbeats on the drum - meh. The back to back songs themed around Joan of Arc were OK, but didn't excite me.
New wave released in 1981 - ground breaking stuff. I did enjoy this!
Holds up much better than a lot of albums with a similar sound. I enjoyed most of the songs on the album.
Meh. It’s good and I love that one song but OMD has never held purchase of my 80s music brain.
Surprise to me but I've actually never heard this record. I thought it was absolutely great the first track is a real banger.
Relatively neutral on this one
cool, but gets boring after a while because of its length
Not bad if you like REALLY melodramatic synth-pop. Otherwise? Pretty dull.
If you like OMD then this is the album, but the sound doesn't move me.
OEM, I owned a few albums, not this one. It is all there, the drum machine like beats, the chiming, bell like guitar and synth. You can almost hear the hooks being worked out on a glockenspiel. This album is listenable but a, 'so what'. I don't understand the reasoning behind some of these choices.I guess I'll have to get the book. Reddit had a link to an interview with the author. I started my own list of albums that should be listened to, Chuck Berry is on it. Here's an interview with the author, he talks about 1001 at the 30 minute mark. https://www.1001albumclub.com/episodes/audio-interview-with-book-author-robert-dimery/
“The New Stone Age” has a similar sound of a band called Ghostland Observatory. As a fan of modern day electronic music, this was interesting since it was considered synth-pop. It was alright, not sure what would be a good time to play this album. Sounds very ~experimental~ and like there was a theme to this album I was missing? Who was Joan of Arc?
Great early synth-pop with some dark inflections that likely effected later electronic music
3,5
Not bad -- OMD was never a favorite, but I'd listen to this again if someone wanted to. Nothing really caught my attention.
Surprisingly not the worst British electronica I’ve reviewed for this. Closer to Krautrock than 90s house. Easy to put on and let fade into the background.
I can tell this is good, and they were way ahead of thier time. Just in a genre that leaves me cold.
Oscillating between The Cure and some kind of noise pop I probably would have been into in college.
3 stars. same thing repeatedly, mostly.
Annað rennslið skemmtilegra en það fyrsta, fellur einhvers staðar milli 3 og 4. Verst er að mér finnst aukalögin á þessari 2003 endurútgáfu vera einna skemmtilegust. Raddirnar eru lala, trommuheilinn stundum leiðinlegur, en heildarmyndin samt fín.
I’d agree with most of that. Souvenir is the highlight for me but generally solid throughout. Will be one of the ones I go back to to let it soak in a bit more. I fall just the other side of the three/four star fence.
Alright
I know a few OMD tracks, but not very many. Electricity is an absolute banger, but unfortunately isn’t found on today’s album. It was only a few years ago that I actually heard of this band, when my manager at the time mentioned she was going to see “Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark” and my reaction was, “Holy hell, what a band name!” Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Maid Of Orleans This album was very ok. The running theme of Joan Of Arc felt a bit odd, but each to their own. Honestly, from the other tracks I’d heard of OMD, I just wanted something a bit more exciting. This is a very 80s sounding record, which is usually a massive plus for me, but it just wasn’t very thrilling. Nothing exactly wrong with it, but nothing to make me want to come back for more.
No way! Wasn't expecting to get an album from OMD on here. This is a cool new-wave band that our parents loved, their greatest hits album was a regular staple in our house. This album has maybe a few tracks that made the hits collection, but only one I recall vividly: "Souvenir." That's a really nice, bright tune, and to my surprise the rest of the album swings wildly through different moods and sounds. Quite a few more ambient, instrumental tracks. I just didn't realize what these guys got up to outside of the greatest hits. This one's pretty good though! Favorite tracks: Souvenir, Sealand, Maid of Orleans, The Beginning and the End. Album art: Very...descriptive. From a design perspective I guess it's nice and neat, with a little creativity. But there's not much to it overall. 3.5/5
Quite impressive with how it sounds atmospheric and grand for a synth-pop album. I swear some bits can pass as an ambient-electronic album. The cheese is there, but it's at least tolerable.
i am intrigued by the title and band if nothing else. aint mad at it. dunno if i'd keep it in rotation, but i'm not mad at it halfway through and i've had enough.
Me gusta para tener de fondo - 7
On “Architecture & Morality,” you can hear a group deciding who it wants to be—bright, synth-pop outfit, moody, keyboard-driven goths, or New Wave experimenters. Apologies in advance, because we’re about to play the comparison game, and bands rarely win this game without being branded secondary, possibly tertiary, ultimately derivative. I know many give OMD credit for being pioneers in ‘80s Post-Punk pop music and perhaps it’s deserved on individual tracks. Listening to this record in fully operational hindsight mode finds the listener wondering if OMD were purposely trying to be closer to The Cure or Joy Division. They did have a “sound” (or were starting to). Still, there are some very obvious attempts here to sound typically Post-Punk. That this album has no enduring hits (even though popular in the UK at the time), just some standout tracks that only longtime fans would recognize as essential, isn’t really the point. OMD have some other memorable songs and a big Soundtrack-worthy pop hit, but those aren’t present on this record even if you can hear some traces of it. All songs here are capably done, and as a document of the kind of music that 1981 produced it succeeds. Apple Music highlights this record as OMD’s essential album, which is fine, but the more immediate question is whether it’s an essential example of the genre. Even though some moments were engaging and others experimental, OMD doesn’t make a convincing case on this record for being part of the New Wave pantheon.
Interesting Album
I found this to be sort of middle ground OMD. I’ve heard. A fair amount of their music, and this I find is not as dark as some but also not as upbeat as a lot of their later stuff. It’s good though, I’ll listen again.
I gotta be honest, I was skeptical of this one. I really didn’t think it was going to be something I would enjoy. Appreciate, yes. Enjoy, no. But man once you get past its somewhat rough opening track, the rest falls into place as a trance-inducing, melodic, well produced album that was clearly ahead of its time. So much of that 80’s sound is present here, the sound that would become the hallmark of the era’s music. The synths. The reverb. The airiness. I don’t know if this one album had a whole lot of influence. But it sure seemed to know which way the wind was going to blow at the beginning of the decade.
A unique approach. Nothing stood out for me, but good for background.
The albums opens with some uplifting major key synth pop with a melancholy undercurrent, like a spiritual New Order. The bass is driving in a hard 4/4 time and the wave patterns on the synths accumulate into mesmerizing rhythmic layers ala Kraftwek, topped off by shimering keyboard melodies. This style alternates with more slowed down bleak introspection with long low drones and drums that clatter out of synch and out of the mix. In 'Georgia' we're back in pure pop territory almost Gary Numan, with a bright high synth lines weaving together more of a groove feel in the bass/rhythm parts. Guitars kick in on Begining of the End with a chiming clean chorus tone arpegio that really rips through the synth pallette. The vocals are classic 80s British electo-pop (a bit like Depeche Mode?) with a spoken feeling that's mostly low but breaks into song and reaches up for the emotional climax. The second vocalist (on Souvenir) has a higher range, but similar slow enunciated nursery rhyme delivery. I'd heard of but never listened to this band, I guess they barely on the radar in the US in the 90s/00s before the LCD Soundsystem era revival of interest in 80s synth stuff - but this seems like a big step in combining the ambience of Eno and the trancey robo-disco of Kraftwerk with a pop emphasis on catchy melody and radio friendly song structures. Favorites: She's Leaving, Joan of Arc (Maid), Begining of the End, Extended Souvenir
Pretty good
12/27/23. Interesting electronica sound from the 80s. Would revisit a couple of these tracks.
6/10
As eighties as ashtrays at Maccas! Very different from the image I had conjured up after reading the title.
I'd always known the name but never heard their music. I was relatively impressed, especially liked track 3. Will keep listening.
7/10 Highlights: Souvenir The New Stone Age
Meh, I couldn’t finish it
There is a lightness to this album which gives it a tranquil quality.
This was weird but I enjoyed it
3.25
Only knew their singles like Maid of Orleans and Souvenir (both on this album) and the more up-tempo ones like Enola Guy and Electricity and the later corny songs like Tesla Girls. But diod not listen to complete albums. This album was surprisingly diverse, I liked the minimalistic electronical songs. 3 Stars.
sometimes I get why the 70s tunes persisted into the 80s
This was decent. I can see how this band was influencial for a lot of their predecessors. Industrial and electronic. Pretty neat.
J'ai vraiment aimé le début de l'album, mais vers la moitié j'ai trouvé que ça se fatiguait un peu. Mais reste que j'ai trouvé ça assez impressionnant comme son, ça fait vraiment précurseur du mouvement synth/new weave et même goth à la limite. 7/10
Sounds like 2AM murk, in a good way.
“She’s leaving” made my morning commute feel like I was in a John Hughes movie. New wave, industrial electronic music pairs, surprisingly well with a peppermint oat milk latte.
I don't dislike it, but I don't know if I like it either. It's very different and familiar all at once.
Brani Preferiti: - "The New Stone Age" - "She's Leaving" Note: Non sono un adoratore di synthpop e questo album non mi ha fatto cambiare idea. L'album inizia bene e in maniera decisa con la prima canzone, seguita dalla semplice ma bellissima seconda, ma raggiunge un plateau dal punto di vista sonoro, per poi spegnersi arrivando alla fine.
Cool
Run of the mill synth-pop but not in an annoying way. Easy listening to work or drive to.
It felt like they were having trouble deciding whether to be an experimental, ambient electronic group or a popular new wave group. In any case, it's good, but maybe a bit boring at times. 3 stars.
It’s fine!
Really enjoy the electronic and often atmospheric production of this early-'80s record. These guys are apparently pioneers of electronic music and synth pop. Had never heard of them before this. Not huge on the vocals, but the production is pretty great especially for being so early in the tech/genre. Good music to work to.
With darker undertones and epic melodies, OMD hands us what could be the soundtrack to an adventure or fantasy movie. I could also imagine myself driving in the night with some of the songs as background. "Sealand" is simply beautiful and probably my favorite track on this record. "Souvenir" is probably the major stand-out and it provides a great listen, as well as "The Romance of the Telescope". However, the album is quite weirdly structured, with extended versions of songs that have already played in the middle of the remaining tracklist.
No està malament, però es repeteix més que un pa d'all amb trossets d'all per damunt sucat en all-i-oli. Hi ha cançons que m'agraden, però individualment.
This wasn't bad. It is Electronica music. Pretty much unnoteworthy but I will round up.
I like OMD but this one was kind of meh. Still had some great tunes and a solid album
First song slaps but couldn't get into it otherwise
Sounds like Olive Garden Joy Division.. With a hint of The Cure and Kraftwerk
I enjoyed it enough, lots going on throughout and I thought it was ambitious but they seemed to come out with a good album. Georgia is one of the standouts for me, a lot of spacey vibes and tones on here, you kinda have to be in a certain mood for synth pop like this, I will likely give it another listen but for now it’s a 3.5
Wait, so was there only one new wave singer in the 80s? And every band just used the same singer? Because EVERY new wave band has a singer, who sounds exactly like this. The music is pretty decent though.
I like living in a world where things this off the wall don't just exist but apparently sell a hell of a lot of records. A little too quirky to be something I'd generally throw on to listen for pleasure though, and it's rocking that Standard British Alternative Male Vocal style .
Uhm ok Ik heb hier nog nooit van gehoord en weet niet zo goed wat ik hiervan moet verwachten ook. Ben benieuwd! Het begint al best wel prettig, de eerste tonen leken bijna elektronisch, techno achtig! Daarna wel vrij snel door naar de dreampop/synthpop, maar eigenlijk pruim ik dat prima vandaag! Ik droom hier lekker op weg joh! De nummers lopen wel erg in elkaar over en ik heb tot noch toe niet iets dat er compleet uit springt ofzo, maar de algehele dreamy vibe ga ik best wel lekker op. Beetje Depeche mode achtig? Wow wat een switch van Architecture and Morality naar Georgia! Ook heel erge LCD Soundsystem vibes van dit album zeg. FAVO: Georgia
Kind of a weird one. Not really my thing but it wouldn't surprise me if this went on to influence many other artists throughout the 80s
Ihan ok 2-3
hit or miss
This one didn't make much of an impression on me one way or the other. I didn't hear anything that made me cover my ears, but I struggled to find much that made my ears perk up too.
I listened to OMD back in the 80s -- really, mid to late 80s -- and it's a good reminder of how warped our perception of time can be. To me, this is a very contemporary band in sound and style, yet they started in 1978. Anyway, it's a good album still to my ears. Now it sounds dated to my ears, very 80s sounding, somewhat synth-pop-py, but that makes sense of course. It's enjoyable for what it is.
Good background synth type 80's stuff.
Genres: Synth-pop Formed: Wirral, Merseyside, in 1978 Run time: 16 songs, 1 hour, 1 min The third studio album by the English electronic band. The ethereal sound of OMD is recognisable within a few seconds as are the lead vocalist of Andy McCluskey. The album resulted in four successful singles. Spotify: Least popular song: almost 195k Most popular song: >28M plays. The album is generally very chilled and relaxed. I did enjoy the album and have listened to other albums by OMD. As they have produced a lot of really great songs, I think if I were to listen again it would be a “Best Of”. Listen Again?: Possibly My Rating: ***
Souvenir being the stand out though the rest was simply ok
Not actually orchestral, but synthpop. Also a bit weird. It shares a lot of the darker atmosphere of New Order, but cycles into ambient pop on occasion. Orchestral Manoeuvres is likely one of the more oddball groups of the day that breached synthpop sensibilities. I've gotta give credit to the UK, they really embraced the genre.
It’s ok
Not the best OMD but some nice OMD sounds!
Er was toch 1 nummer dat ik herkende. Maar over het algemeen vond ik dit geen superplaat.
Cool album art,
For a band "inspired by Kraftwerk" that "wanted to be the next ABBA", this was very uninspired. Synthy poppy tunes with someone hammering on some metal sheets in the background. Kinda fun and quirky at times but not especially remarkable.
I enjoyed this album more than I thought I would
I am typically a fan of new wave, but I wasn't particularly wowed by this. I found it intriguing, but definitely not something I'd likely listen to again. I'm starting to realize that my preferred brand of new wave is the type that is influenced by and fused with pop and rock sounds. This album is definitely more space age-y and experimental, which is what I would imagine more pure 'new wave' music to sound like, without the influence of those other sounds. This was probably a 2.5 or so for me, so I guess I'm bumping up.
This was pretty pleasant, although listening on a shitty Bluetooth tin can hasn’t helped it so I’ll blast it on the big stereo and try again! Conservative 3 at the moment…
I wasn't majorly in love with it, but can definitely see it being a grower
It's good, somewhere between The Cure and Kraftwerk in it's sound. It's also a biiiit overlong, but it's generous I suppose. Some editing would have made this a higher rated album. I mean, they refine later on - Andy McKluskey wrote Whole Again, one of the all time pop bangers.
For 80's Synth-Pop it was okay. I normally don't like anything from this genre and era, but some of it was catchy and easy to listen to, at least as background music. Nothing special, so I can't see myself buying it, but the occasional listen is fine.
Pues suena mejor de lo que esperaba, "Souvenir" es enorme y me recuerdan más a los Cure que a otras cosas. Enorme "Joan of Arc (Maid of Orleans)".
Synthy averageness
Very good. 3.5/5
A couple of good songs, but on the whole it wasn't really for me.
Solid
I'm very conflicted about this album. It's such a mixed bag. There are some tracks that I really enjoy (the first 3), and rest I can't stand. It starts so strong, but then begins to slowly unravel until I can't wait for it to be over. I appreciate their efforts to humanize electronic music, but honestly I think I prefer it served cold. Their first two albums resonate with me far more than this.
Some interesting things here and there but in general is plagued with that "80s sound" in terms of synths and vocals that is just sorta meh.
Way too long. Wish I could rate 2.5
Good album, not entirely fulfilling though
Synth-Pop just isn't my thing. This isn't bad though, it is just kinda peaceful. Really great band name though!
Can't say I really enjoyed it, neither can I say I didn't. Really just a good old nice album for in the background but not much more than that
2.5
Fun
Holy sappy synthesizer batman.
Quite a cool album, lo-fi early electronic vibes with classic 80s rock tones mixed in.
я ничего не запомнила, но меня ничего и не напрягло)
Nostalgic for East Lansing!
2.5
This album felt so unique. It’s actually pretty hard to rate. The album as whole was so enjoyable. There was one song that stuck out, “The New Stone Age.” I will be adding to my playlist. I think I’m gonna settle on a 3.
Lite oförtjänt bortglömda. Electricity eller Enola gay är inte med här, men ändå.
Enjoy some British Synthpop. Was pretty good, nice mix of instrumentals and great singing. Overall 7/10
6,5/10
Not bad. 80s dark synthpop revival. Listened in background at work.
Some good variety on the album
Walked into Anthem Records in 1982 and asked them for something new and they chucked me this. A lot of this early 80's electronica got lost in the whole Flock of Sausages type stuff, this record (and this band) had some good moments, and the highlights on this record are really good. Maid of Orleans, Joan of Arc and Georgia are delightful and Souvenir is a pretty timeless melody which will resonate in any era. I'd forgotten about New Stone Age, its sets a very different tone from the rest of the record, but it works. As a Fab fan I love a bit of mellotron work, and I think a lot of the vocal work is more than a nod to I'm Not in Love by 10CC. About as far away from Stephen Stills as you can get, which makes it a good record.
The intellectuals among the founders of synth-pop, apparently. Nice enough, I guess.
Chill New Age music, enjoyed the listen, but probably wouldn’t listen again. A lot of the tracks were minimal singing. More of a background album and not an album I would actively listen to.
many lovely songs pretentious album title always a nice time
nimestä päätellen oletin jotain mahtailevaa meikäpoika käyny musiikki koulu akatemiaa helsingin sibelius kerhossa vittu ei kiinnosta... sellastahan se oli paitsi kesken teollisuus jumputus jatsin välillä oli jotain 80 luku poppensteinia ja lynchian elokuva musiikkia vähän rikkoutuu tää alabumin rytmitys että mikä meininki yrittää nauttia jostain ja lähtee IHAN JTAIN MUUTA LIIKKEELLE....no ei haittaa, kaikki kuitenkin yhtä keskivertoa... paras kappale joan of arc maid of orleans
I thought I’d like this a lot lot more
Poor man's Cure
OMD for me is a greatest hits band, some great songs on every album but I just can't get into individual albums.
I liked this fine. I could hear some of The Cure in it and it was fine. Would maybe listen to it again, but not anytime soon.
Pop un tanto poco convencional y, a la vez, experimental. Le falta algo de intensidad. En ocasiones peca un tanto de ambiente pesimista. En general, está bien, pero podría estar mejor
Generally I do not dig on this kind of music, but there's something about that really appeals to me. It sounds like a bit of a precursor to what ended up being full blown synth 80s music, and I dig how restrained and full it sounds. It's a cool record.
Pretty good. Maybe listen again
80s synth-y with a bit of an ominous, brooding, vibe at times. Nothing to write home about for me, but a simple enjoyability. 3.5
Synth-pop obscur i melangiós, potser més reverenciat del que mereix, perquè hi ha bandes que superen amb escreix les possibilitats d'aquest parell... però 'Souvenir' i la segona 'Joan of Arc' són dos dels millors temes de començaments dels '80. Això no els hi treu ningú
Quite a distinctive sound which I quite enjoyed listening to but I probably wouldn’t choose. 3*
A grower for sure. Wasn't that interested early on the day but it did sweep over me and I was quite enjoying it by the end. An optimistic 3.
Very standard 80s and new wave, synth pop. The songs focus on those darker, minor tones and I didn't hear any particularly catchy song.
Sounded like the other early OMD stuff that I’ve also heard and liked.
Very 80s, not amazing but not like terrible.
Smartly done but not giving much by way of emotional response. I found it somewhat impenetrable.
Not what I was expecting. I was expecting "If You Leave" kind of stuff. This was pretty, I guess, artsy? Sometimes ethereal. Not my bag. But good composition nonetheless.
A couple of memorable tracks, but really I think that at the time it was a case of boys with toys, and probably a few too many buttons to press.
Enjoyed.
Sommige nummers echt heel goed maar zang wat zagerig met heel de tijd die kleine echo daarin.
Oke, eerste nummer was wel leuk ofzo.
I liked this a fair bit but it was quite repetitive in places
It was alright, though I think my favourite song on it (Extended Souvenir) was actually a bonus track, and some of the others just gave me Aldi own-brand The Cure vibes
did not listen in the dark
A pretty average 80s pop album. The singer is good and sounds similar to morrissey. The instrumentals are pretty generic 80s synth pop style which are fun to listen to but does feel dated. Some songs were good and I’d listen to again, but to revisit the album is unlikely. 5.6/10
I enjoyed this. Partly as a precursor to what was going to come from these guys and also because Joan of Arc always stood out to me as a great song on its own.
I've listened to this all the way through several times as can't quite grasp it. It was quite a new sound, I get that. But Synth pop ain't me, and I get why they were eternal Top of the Pops fillers.
3.5
very forgetable
Ok didn't take
Pretty good
Interesting but not a huge standout
I liked this album. I really wanted to love this album, but it was missing something.
Bleak 80s synthscapes
I think it deserves another listen. It was on and I listened, but I didn't pay it enough attention.
3, i liked the vibes
Can’t really decide- it’s a slow burn type of album. Was decent on first couple of listens but don’t know if it burned enough to come back to 5/10
Felt like a Depeche Mode album. Major 80s alt rock vibe with some ok songs and others that were just a bit too noise for me
Starts out with some very intense synth punk that instantly caught my attention, but then quickly just lost that gut and became kinda boring with the next tracks. I do enjoy the more ambient tracks here and there are some interesting ideas and sound design choices here but won't be returning to this.
This is real “in one ear, out the other music”. It’s perfectly fine new wave, but I received almost no reaction from it. Not sure if that’s better or worse than being bad, but I don’t that I’ll return to it anytime soon. C-
Pas facile à trouver comme album, mais j'y suis arrivé sur YouTube. Un peu plus pop que ce que je m'attendais au départ en voyant l'année et la pochette, mais très exploratoire comme contenu. C'est ce que je trouve intéressant du projet. La première pièce qui n'est pas un single de l'album est exactement le genre de petite perle que j'espère trouver dans cette expérience d'écoute. La pièce Souvenir me fait penser à MGMT. J'adore la pochette. Pièce préférée: The New Stone Age
Sounds surprisingly current. A little same-y for its length.
Well I had a hard time finding the "original version of this album. TIDAL does not have it except as a bizarre compilation album that bears little resemblance to the original release. Searching individual tracks I put together a live playlist in the same order as the original release, but that did not seem fair. So YouTube to the rescue. On to my review. I was only familiar with this band from my vinyl copy of Organization from oh so long ago. That album never connected with me other than Enola Gay. With this album I think OMD reached another level. More varied and dramatic than Organization. Highlights are The New Stone Age, which rocks like no other OMD song I've ever heard, Sealand is achingly beautiful in it's sparseness and huge dramatic drum sound and Souvenir is synth pop at its finest. I think this album is stronger than Organization. I'm going to revisit Org as perhaps I gave it short shrift back in the day. 3.5🌟
Pop electrónico. Alguna canción reconocible.
Electrónica. Algunas melodías pegadizas.
Rating: 5/10
A couple of classics and the rest are pretty good. Nice to listen to. Like to hear more of this one. Standouts: Joan of Arc (Maid of Orleans), Souvenir. Joan of Arc. Others: She's Leaving, 3/5
I found this a bit hit and miss, some really great tracks next to some mediocre ones, overall not bad, but not exceptional
Dit soort muziek heeft wel iets. Het is ook een beetje kale muziek, eenvoudig en simpel. Ik twijfel tussen goed en heel goed. ***
Well I had a hard time finding the "original version of yhis album. TIDAL does not have it except as a bizarre compilation album that bears little resemblance to the original release. Searching individual tracks I put together a Playlist in the same order as the original release, but thar did not seem fair. So YouTube to the rescue. On to my review. I was only familiar with this band from my vinyl copy of Organization from oh so long ago. That album never connected with me other than Enola Gay. With this album I think OMD reached another level. More variesd and dramatic than Organization. Highlights are The New Stone Age, which rocks like no other OMD song I've ever heard, Sealand is achingly beautiful in it's sparseness and huge dramatic drum sound and Souvenir is synth pop at its finest. I think this album is stronger than Organization. I'm going to revisit Org as perhaps I gave it short shrift back in the day. 3.5🌟
While I'm not the biggest fan of the album, the experimentation is well appreciated.
a bit weird but not bad. I wasn't expecting that at all
Quite interesting and cool musically. Didn't do that much for me though.
I painted the ceiling of my bathroom to this album, and I have to say it lends itself quite well to that. I wasn't blown away, but I liked it.
Struck me as experimental synth. 80s flavor comes out in full force here. Fairly enjoyable album but probably wouldn't revisit.
Un album très interessant n'en déplaise a robtunnelier, qui doit être sanctionné pour sa mauvaise review. J'ai engagé mon propre paternel afin de mener la traque, et corriger comme il se doit rob. Il est actuellement en transit vers Stuttgart, et ne devrait plus tarder à remettre rob à sa place.
Interesting album. Very early electronic. I enjoyed it, but didn't love it.
I don’t really like 80s music
Didn't really get this when it was released, apart from the "Joan of Arc" single, so didn't buy it until a fair few years later. It's great!
I liked this for the most part except for the weird slow songs that were mostly electronic? idk if thats the right word. FS: Souvenir
Barely makes it to the "OK enough for background music". Generally speaking, I only appreciate Enola Gay, and it's not even from this album of theirs...
Its decent but need to be in a moody mood to appreciate it
Very 80's - nothing special. There are a few tracks here and there that stick out. Very ethereal sounding. I like those.
Initially I discounted this album… aside from a few songs it seemed quite stereotypical for the synth pop genre. BUT! This can actually be acknowledged as the birth of synth pop so contextually it’s pretty fucking cool. A modest 6/10 time vibe personally, my fav tracks are She’s leaving, souvenir and the beginning and the end.
The length of this album holds it back. There is some really nice, catchy synth-pop here but its often surrounded by filler in an album that would shine if it was 40 minutes (but alas clocks in at just over an hour).
Very interesting music. It simultaneously sounds vintage 80s and current. Singer sounds like Morrissey kinda. Pablo and I got through about three songs in the studio before he had to turn it off to work. He said they have better albums and was surprised this one was picked to be on the list.
Really nice, stylistic and artistic '80s synth-pop. 7.6/10
“Joan of arc” and “extended souvenir” are both bops. Sounds like a movie soundtrack for a lot of the album. Really experimental production. There aren’t a ton of highs, but few lows either
Background noise really. We tried to give it a listen and kept forgetting to listen! Wasn't as terrible as I was expecting when I read the Wikipedia but obviously not actually good
I’m giving this an extra star for having come out in 1981. I think this must have been pretty revolutionary.
Enjoyed it but wouldn't listen again
well more intersting than i was expecting. maybe my first taste of beer garden since the invention of the injectable microchip has greased the wheels. who knows what is real any more?
Started off promising then went into some fairly generic 80s electronica
Really interesting album. It was almost able to sustain that interest over the course of the full hour runtime. My hour with OM in the D included a banana smoothie, taking care of business in a sawdust composting toilet, a 4 minute shower, 25 minutes of exercise for my old man back, and doing the dishes. Given this was 1981, I'm assuming this album had a big hand in defining the 80s synth pop sound. The vocals, the instruments, the recording, it all sounds very very 80s. Sometimes it's a soundtrack to Stranger Things. Sometimes it's a big proto Duran Duran pop song. May never put this on again, but thanks for the spin, 1001. B-
OMD, second to The Coral in the most musical Wools race. Contrary to my general musical tastes, I tend to prefer OMD's more poppy output and whilst this album has some moments, a lot of the more experimental stuff is pretty forgettable.
Het begon al The Cure en New Order en dat vond ik wel tof. Maar halverwege de plaat leek het ineens een andere band te worden en werd het minder spannend.
Ik vond het hele album niet geweldig, maar vanwege de potentie toch een voldoende.
6/10. it's not bad and it had some interesting ideas but i didn't like it all that much, it seemed really melodramatic.
Incredibly average. 5
The album gets off to a promising start, with the raw, edgy sound of <The New Stone Age>. <Souvenir> has a catchy riff (it reminds me of a slow-dance version of Anola Gay). There’s a fair number of slow jams. Their Kraftwerk influence is, unfortunately, often accompanied by smaltzy singing and lyrics, as in < Maid of Orleans>. Lots of pop hits in Europe. I prefer the closing songs are less commercial.
Feiner Dark-Pop mit breiter Farbpalette. Hab mich nach Eno‘s „Another Green World“ sehr auf dieses Album gefreut, bin doch etwas enttäuscht worden; wo Eno es geschafft hat, einen kurzweiligen, knackigen Volltreffer zu landen so verfehlen OMD diesen ein bisschen zu stark. Vielleicht auch weil das geschulte Dream Pop Ohr ihr Schaffen in späteren Bands und Projekten gut aufgegriffen und weiter entwickelt erkennt. Das schmälert ihren Wert als Trailblazer nicht, zumal wenn man das Entstehungsjahr bedenkt. Nur entsteht aus freien und eher instrumentellen (Füller-)Stücken, nicht allzu poppigen Pop Songs und schillernden Perlen (grandios: „Souvenir“) eine allzu unterschiedlich gewobene Textur, die sich eher unausgewogen als abwechslungsreich anfühlt. Ungleichmäßige 2.7
Nicht wahnsinnig konzentriert gehört, zugegeben. Trotzdem, ich mag die Idee, den Entwurf und in Teilen die Umsetzung. In anderen Teile müsste (und könnte) ich mich wahrscheinlich stärker reinarbeiten, aber dazu fehlt Zeit und auch Antrieb. Trotzdem: aus dem Stand und für den Moment 2,6.
Pop electrónico. Alguna canción reconocible.
Discovered a kid cudi sample
An interesting turn for OMD as they abandon their electro dance roots for a darker more experimental sound. Some of it works well but some leaves me cold
It was something different but I did not vibes with it much, cool concept though
Not sure what this was. Ambient rock? Not bad.
Probably my favorite of the synth pop kind of albums we’ve had so far. wasn’t the most interesting, but enjoyable. Favorite Tracks: “She’s Leaving” and “Motion and Heart”
You know, all I remember is the 80s happened and it sounded like this
I had no idea what to expect with this one. It was exactly as described, the innovative bridge between early electronic music and electro pop. I liked it!
Seems like an influential record in the Electro-Pop genre, Joy Division sounds like OMD. Some nice, experimental yet accessibly pop songs.
Glad I listened
Fine nothing special really
Ok
It was fine-- not as much as I enjoyed other Orchestral Maneuvers
This has always been an album I wish I liked more than I did, given its historical significance and acclaim, but I dunno, it's never fully clicked with me.
Sort of inspired at times... otherwise boring as can be... If I were around in ‘81, I’m sure I would have loved it. But it has not aged well, and what has come after has made strides so large (both abstractly and generically) that this album lives in obscurity. Maybe I’m just not cultured enough.
С сегодняшнего дня я решил ставить оценки, исходя из собственных впечатлений от альбома, а не из какого-то мифического уважения к записям в этом списке. И вот с этим альбомом снова всё то же самое, что и с другими: да, прикольно, но для меня скучновато и как-то не цепляет.
Not bad.
Synthpop is a genre that I'm often conflicted about: I like the "synth" part, but the "pop" song structures often leave much to be desired. Additionally, the sound palettes available to electronic musicians in the early '80s were much more limited by the technology of the day, meaning that a lot of the genre's pioneers had pretty much the same sound. However, given these limitations, this album was about as good as it could have been. Best song: Architecture And Morality builds nicely, although I'll also mention the irresistible '80s banger Joan Of Arc.
4/6 3.5/5. Reminded me a lot of the Penguin Cafe Orchestra album, but synth, and same range of lighter, then heavier, more melancholy records. Standout Tracks: The New Stone Age, Souvenir, Sealand, Architecture And Morality, Of All The Things We've Made
This would go from one of the best things I've ever heard to someone farting into a microphone
Sedate. Souvenir reminds me a lot of Beach House.
I don't think I like it... A bit too 80's beats and that's it, every song sounds the same
Not even close to Kraftwerk worthiness, nor even seeing the universe that created Joy Division. Yet for some moments they almost reach those distant coattails. And for all the crap these guys put onto vinyl, there are good songs too: Joan of Arc is undoubtedly worthy. But the pap far outnumbers the greatness. I can't give them 3 stars for making a few great songs because the bad is horrid-levels of mush. 2 "the best they can deserve" stars.
Better than Pet Shop Boys. That's the bar, and Architecture & Morality clears it. Where PSB felt like a teenager in a garage with a Casio, OMD are doing something more considered — darker, more atmospheric, more melancholic. "Enola Gay" is a pop song about the plane that dropped the atomic bomb on Hiroshima. That's a different kind of ambition. Still not my world. The synth-pop texture doesn't change enough to hold me. But there's a seriousness here that earns some respect. 2/5 — more sophisticated, still not mine.
The band name sounds so much cooler than the music presented here. Somehow, this was even worse than the Pet Shop Boys I listened to yesterday. Hadn't it been for the kind of beautiful slowburning "Sealand", this would've been a sure 1. 1.5/5 - weak
Unremarkable
Too ambient for me to get into. Rating: 3/10 Favorite Song: the new stone age
I can't into this with high expectations and left disappointed.
There are a few tracks that I enjoyed, but for the most part it was just an ok experience. It has that 80’s sound that I like, but it’s not consistently upbeat enough for the genre. Another meh. album with a few good tracks.
The instrumentals are simple in a charming sort of way, but beyond that this is mostly forgettable. I listened to the whole thing three times but nothing stuck out to me too much. I liked the song Souvenir.
Yay! More 80s British pop music and you didn’t even pick the one included in Pretty in Pink. MI6 you win again!
I wanted to like this album, but the bouncing genres was too noisy for my preferences. This week has been good at securing my low average rating for UK albums.
this was about as annoying as i expected it to be given the album title and band name
These albums drive me nuts. Once again, I was enjoying the instrumentals and vibes only to be rudely awakened by the vocals. Can someone edit the vocals out of this? It’d turn into a killer game soundtrack.
I looked at the title of this album when I woke up this morning and I was still half asleep, so I expected a bunch of ambient machinery/architectural/construction noise. That would’ve been much cooler.
I went back and forth on this a couple times. I am fully convinced there's a good album in here somewhere because my sole prior experience with OMD was “If You Leave” (a PERFECT song if ever there was one) and this album is not that. So I was not initially super enthused. But I came to accept that a few of these songs are actually really nice and interestingly structured. I do think, however, that it’s let down quite a bit by some dated mixing and would greatly benefit from a remaster.