Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

[Progbear]

Well, they were mentioned, or at least alluded to, in the Ozark Mountain Daredevils thread. I thought they were deserving of their own thread! Here, let’s lure the gearheads in with something with beaucoup de Mellotron (well, Novatron, anyway):



They were always one of my favorite bands of the synth-pop era. I always thought they had an extremely creative, almost experimental edge, at least up to and including Dazzle Ships. Some pleasures (mostly of the guilty variety) can be found on Junk Culture and the other, more poppy albums that followed, but the innovation pretty much dried up.

What do other PE readers think of this group?

[moecurlythanu]

Somewhat down the line in my Synth-Pop rankings, but I like 'em.

[Mythos]

Great pick progbear, by far my favorite OMD song, although they have many other great ones.

I was right there in the heart of 80's synth-pop/new wave and saw bands like Depeche, OMD, Ultravox, Talk Talk, Duran Duran, New Order, all in the early 80's on their first US tours...

I always found it interesting the Depeche Mode started out real "Poppish" and later became darker and gloomier, while OMD started out dark and gloomy, then became more "poppy"...

[GuitarGeek]

I always found it interesting the Depeche Mode started out real "Poppish" and later became darker and gloomier, while OMD started out dark and gloomy, then became more "poppy"...

In the case of Depeche Mode, I had the understanding was that Vince Clarke was the main songwriter on the first album. It was only when he left that Martin Gore took over the songwriting duties, so one might assume it was Gore who took them into the "dark" territory.

But if you want to talk about those kind of stylistic shifts, look at Ministry. I remember Al Jourgenson said that most musicians start of wanting to be "artistic" and "uncompromising", then after a few years of "starving to death" they sell out, before saying, "Well, we started off by selling out". I've only heard a little bit from their first album, but I gather their first couple records had a very conventional synth pop sound, before they changed labels and went all industrial.

I've never really heard the first Thompson Twins record, but I gather it's more "post-punk", and it was only while they were making their second album that they started to evolve into their sort of synth pop sound that we associate with records like Quick Step And Side Kick and Into The Gap.

[klothos]

I like them and - as i mentioned in the other thread - i thought their 2013 album was very very good

[interbellum]

I only have Architecture & Morality (Collector's Edition), which has the full album, lots of bonustracks AND a fine DVD which contains the Live At The Theatre Royal-concert from 1981:

[JKL2000]

I remember a couple of people suggesting OMD to me back in the early 80s when they learned I was into prog, which annoyed me because I didn't like what I'd heard then which admittedly was only the hit that was basically the book Chicken Soup With Rice put to music.

[iguana]

Well, they were mentioned, or at least alluded to, in the Ozark Mountain Daredevils thread. I thought they were deserving of their own thread! Here, let’s lure the gearheads in with something with beaucoup de Mellotron (well, Novatron, anyway):



They were always one of my favorite bands of the synth-pop era. I always thought they had an extremely creative, almost experimental edge, at least up to and including Dazzle Ships. Some pleasures (mostly of the guilty variety) can be found on Junk Culture and the other, more poppy albums that followed, but the innovation pretty much dried up.

What do other PE readers think of this group?

… and its sister track “joan of arc” which i also adore. grew up with them – great, great band in their early days although their later, much poppier leanings also had some worthwhile moments (“forever live and die”, “sailing on the seven seas”, “dream of me”, “walking on the milky way” et al.) – much respect.

[3LockBox]

So In Love is pure pop splendor. A song I've heard at some wedding receptions, people don't realize is a bitter breakup song.

[ombasan]

OMD on the Dazzle Ship-Tour was my first concert experience!

I still have a soft sport for the band. They were in parts heavily influenced by Kraftwerk but some their more adventurous sound collages stand very well on their own.

[Rufus]

Definitely a singles band, the albums don't hold up!

[Lopez]

Saw them at the Paradise club in Boston over 35 years ago, and they were wonderful. Saw then again about 3 years ago at the same club. They were still wonderful. From where wifey and I were in the upper deck I could see a guy kind of hidden in the background manning a Mac ProBook. Made me wonder how much of what I was hearing was canned.

I've got a bunch of their LPs, mostly older ones, and a couple compilations that I play regularly.

[Staun]

Great pick progbear, by far my favorite OMD song, although they have many other great ones.

I was right there in the heart of 80's synth-pop/new wave and saw bands like Depeche, OMD, Ultravox, Talk Talk, Duran Duran, New Order, all in the early 80's on their first US tours...

I always found it interesting the Depeche Mode started out real "Poppish" and later became darker and gloomier, while OMD started out dark and gloomy, then became more "poppy"...

Interesting that you would group Talk Talk with the others. Never considered them synth-pop. However the only band of this type I liked was New Order and didn't pick up on them until later. Icehouse more than Talk Talk.

[JAMOOL]

this thread is a good reminder to pick up their two most recent albums, which I have yet to hear

supposedly another one is coming this year, so that's cool at least !

and yes, totally classic. A&M and Dazzle Ships get all the attention but I thought those early albums were great too. "Messerschmitt Twins" and "The More I See You" are excellent tunes. I actually like the later albums a lot too. Junk Culture is maybe my favorite OMD album full stop. Crush is less good but still worth hearing. Sugar Tax is great. Some of the other ones in there are a bit tougher to defend. But even their worst albums (like Liberator) have some tunes I like.