Architecture And Morality

Its decent but need to be in a moody mood to appreciate it

Mostly boring and drawn out for no apparent reason. However, I can see from where some of the later 90s electronic music was inspired. Worth a listen. Once.

very nice!!!

I have had zero exposure to this band outside of the one hit, and I pleasently surprised with how fresh this felt

I was quite excited by this album - unfortunately for me it did not deliver. I like the Souvenirs song, but nothing else really stood out.

Very 80's - nothing special. There are a few tracks here and there that stick out. Very ethereal sounding. I like those.

Not notable really. Some songs were alright, but I don’t see myself coming back enthusiastically for another listen

Interesting. Great 80s vibe. Love the synth play

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.

pretty meh. stopped like halfway through because it was boring. at least it was in English

very good, i especially loved the track 'souvenir'

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).

Electronic rock. Seems really good, unfortunately just not my taste in musical style. Joan of Arc is a straight bop though.

Less sad joy division + less spectrum talking heads = good

I enjoyed it, but I listened to another orchestra focused album and didn’t like it as much as that.

meh

OMD is great.

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.

I love this album and band soooooo much! It’s like if LCD and The Cure had a baby.

Really nice, stylistic and artistic '80s synth-pop. 7.6/10

Couldn’t even hear anything

i like the whatever you call the music in the background it's so dreamy, especially in "she's leaving". actually scrap what i said before all the songs have a nice tinkle to them but souvenir is something else

“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

Alright but wtf was the first song

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

If there was a clear high point for OMD in terms of balancing relentless experimentation and seemingly unstoppable mainstream success in the U.K., Architecture & Morality is it. Again combining everything from design and presentation to even the title into an overall artistic effort

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

With such bombastic band and album names, I found the music disappointingly minimalistic. I can see it being enjoyable when in the right mood or how this album may have been a strong influence for many new wave bands to come. But as an album, no, I definitely didn't like it. Mostly boring and occasionally annoying.

The first song was an absolute BANGER, but the rest of the album bounced between "pretty good" and "pretty boring" unfortunately.

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

It's an OK album. Nothing out of the ordinary with some nice chill tunes. Sometimes a bit too electric for my taste.

A beautiful album which I will always be grateful for stumbling across. This is an example of why I persist with this project…without it I would have been musically the poorer. Buy this album!

Weird songs, good songs, bad songs. I honestly don't know what to rate this :P

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-

There’s a lot of interesting soundscapes on this album. Many of the songs would be perfect for film scores. It’s a beautiful album. Best listening to this alone and high and not on a perfectly warm spring afternoon on a vacay-eve. Still broke through the tone being off for my day. 4

Is this the sound of white guys in turtle necks sipping pinot and shedding a single tear? Is it the sound of Englishmen trying to be German? Whatever it is, it's enjoyable. Hearing some Magnetic Fields, LCD Soundsystem, Depeche Mode. It's interesting to hear an album from 1981 that so clearly reminds me of my high school and college experience. Vanity of vanities, truly there is nothing new under the sun.

Best wel ok.

Right okay, what's this?

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.

Begon best aardig, maar toch afhaakt na 4 nrs.

Maid of Orleans ken ik wel en vind ik wel aardig, maar verder kan ik hier echt helemaal niks mee...

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.

Interesting, some good tunes, of its time

If there was a clear high point for OMD in terms of balancing relentless experimentation and seemingly unstoppable mainstream success in the U.K., Architecture & Morality is it.

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

8/10. Wasn't sure what to expect, but worked out to be quite good, if a bit strange

I'm completely blown away by this album - it's so full of surprises. It starts as a Cold War inspired atmospheric exercise, a la "Spacelab" by Kraftwerk or "Warszawa" by David Bowie. Heavy on rich synth sounds of the era. It moves seamlessly to industrial instrumentals that masterfully layer noise and disparate sounds. Throughout they throw in bouncy pop songs that carry that Soviet synth sound, overlaid with vocals with loads of reverb and echo. Given that this album came out in 1981, it feels like a "granddaddy" reference for so many bands, and albums that would follow. Hell, it sounds futuristic to this day. One of the best albums in recent memory! (And this is one I listened to probably 30 albums into this exploration).

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.

Am I an asshole for actually liking this a lot? I feel kinda gross.

meh

An interesting album, not really my thing though.

Pop electrónico. Alguna canción reconocible.

Somehow I had heard Georgia before and that song is weirdly endearing. However, most of the album (especially the more experimental parts) was borderline unlistenable. 4

Discovered a kid cudi sample

Can't say I enjoyed this 80s album.

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

Mangler enola gay :(

A few nice songs

very sexy synth pop, como para salir a patinar por Santa Monica

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

Instrumental, relax

This was a very very pleasant surprise, I dread now when I see an 80’s album in my daily draw but this was quite amazing, yea there are synths but not used in the common hideous way this list has me used to by now, I’m very glad I found this one. Favorite song: of all the things we’ve made

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.

Best OMD album. Also has one of the best synthpop songs of all time in "Souvenir." Bridging the gap between Kraftwerk and 80s synthpop/new wave. 7-8/10

honestly, I couldnt get into this album, unlike something like Dexy's Midnight Runners, thought i cant outright compare the two, this also had a bit of The Cure feel to it. I know this band's biggest song was "If You Leave", but this album just didnt resonate with me.

Monotonous synth pop, very stereotypical 80s pop sound.

OM NOM NOM. More New Wave albums, please. OM NOM NOM.

I enjoyed the ride

Glad I listened

80s blaster

I can get on board with this weird synth post punk thing.

I question this record's inclusion on this list. I was not impressed. I guess for historical context it's here, but this was not a legendary listening experience for me.

og synth pop

Very boring I wasn’t really into it

Fine nothing special really

What an awful thing

Brilliant!

Only 3 songs available in Canada. DNF but not really my thing anyway.

Pretty good. Enjoyable early electronica.

Ok

Reminded me of my childhood ! Still good in my opinion

I’m not sure if it was because I was listening this in bed, but I got a bit bored listening to the album about halfway through and felt that sleepy lofi suited me much better. Then I realized I’m really bad at sleeping with headphones on, so I turned off the lofi as well. The ending to the intro song felt a little random, I remember thinking. A discrete piece of randomness that didn’t feel significant, like any child could have created the piece. For an album with the word “architecture” in the title, it could be perceived as ironic. Maybe the value of the album lies in its lyrics? I’ll check it out later.

Into it! Almost every song would be great in a soundtrack.

Weird and funky but it worked.

It was fine-- not as much as I enjoyed other Orchestral Maneuvers

So weird

I do quite like this. I will be listening to more of it for sure.

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.

Surprisingly entertaining synth pop with catchy tunes

Not a fan.

Todella outo levy. Välillä ihan lepposaa menoa ja välillä WTF

Some alright tracks on this one, not a huge fan to be honest.

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.

great synth-pop record, only got to li sten to the live version but Joan of Arc is a treat

No tää oli tällanen. Ajoittain hyvää, mut muuten ei oikeestaan. Ilmeisesti joku 80-luvun pioneeribändi ja joku musiikkipervo dumaa mua siitä ku en tienny

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.

Beautiful! I really enjoyed this one, and will definitely check out more OMD. It's not enough just having "If You Leave" in my music library.

Never heard of this album or group but really enjoyed this album

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 is very nice <3 pet shop boys vibe but i guess bc ka-era

Good ass synth album. 9/10

Not for me