Orchestral Maneuvers In The Dark (OMD): Architecture And Morality (Collector’s Edition CD & DVD)

Elly Roberts reviews

Orchestral Maneuvers In The Dark (OMD):
Architecture And Morality (Collector’s Edition CD & DVD)
Distributed by
Virgin/EMI

    Cover

  • April 2007
  • Rating: CD: 6/10, DVD: 6/10

Back in the day, OMD ruled the airways with classy synth-driven pop hits.

This expanded and remastered release on Virgin/EMI brings the memoriesflooding back. The time was the early ’80s when Depeche Mode, Soft Cell,Human league ruled the roost, alongside OMD of course.

They were frequent chart visitors with the nucleus of bassist-keyboardistAndy McCluskey and synthman Paul Humphries. This Liverpool-based duoreleased Architecture & Morality in late August 1981, spawning theirsecond top ten single Souvenir on the back of 1980 hit Enola Gay.


Two more followed, Joan Of Arc in October ’81 and then Maid Of NewOrleans in January ’82. Amongst the hits there are experimental outingssuch as semi-instrumental Sealand, which in reality is no more thanan album filler, containing sparse drums and cacophonous f/x, with the titletrack bringing spacey soundscapes, rendering it nothing more than ‘synthexercises’ in the studio.

So is The Beginning Of The End. Sprightly Georgia restoressome pop sensibilities with its thumping bass and jangly keys. Of theseven bonus tracks, Extended Souvenir and Gravity Never Failedare of any real significance, unless you a big fan of course.


By today’s standards, the film footage recorded at the Theatre Royal Londonon 29 October 1981, isn’t particularly exciting, simple camera angles etc.With OMD expanded to a quintet they give a good account of themselves.Joan Of Arc, Maid Of Orleans, Statues and Enola Gay (introducedby McCluskey with “This next song definitely falls into the category of apop song”, only to be greeted by sporadic jeers) all sound great live.

Pulsating Electricity brings the fans to their feet for a bout of bopping.

A full track listing can be seen via the Amazon link above.

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