OMD: S&D

Another reason to get excited:

http://pitchfork.com/tv/youtube/13-music-videos/686-orchestral-manoeuvres-in-the-dark-atomic-ranch-official-music-video

Yup, it's yet another track from the new record called 'Atomic Ranch'... again, like 'Decimal' it seems to have a Dazzle Ships type of vibe to it. The more I'm hearing from this record, the more I'm convinced I'll like the new OMD record more than what Depeche are going to put out this year. It's been many many years since someone has said THAT, I'm sure!

I love Orcs Must Die. The sequel is even better.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbqHGsevqI8

As with 'Decimal', it would seem that 'Atomic Ranch' has split opinion in the OMD fanbase. While (from what I've read so far) the reaction seems to be mostly positive, and people are applauding the band for embracing this side of their music again, there seems to be still a section of OMD's fanbase that would be more content if they just re-wrote 'Enola Gay' over and over again. I'm glad the band are ignoring these people and getting on with doing what they want like they did on the earlier albums.

I was playing Neu! 75 the other day, and a friend asked me if it was OMD...

I was playing Neu! 75 the other day, and a friend asked me if it was OMD...

― Ward Fowler, Tuesday, February 5, 2013 3:56 PM (10 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Yeah, Neu! 75 was a big influence on OMD in their earlier years. I'd rather have someone listen to Neu! 75 and someone ask if it's OMD, rather than someone listen to OMD and say "hey, this sounds like Atomic Kitten!"

Why are there two OMD threads saying the same thing?

I'm really excited by the new songs, it seems they've got their conceptual edge back, and Andy and Paul are working together in the same room rather than firing files at each other. "History of Modern" was ok, but I felt it was an extension of the long overdue "Rarities / Unreleased" project that had been brewing on their website for many years. This is something new, looking back at their past and looking forward too. It's a good year for comebacks. So yes, very happy.

XP I didn't understand "4-Neu" (b side of "Genetic engineering") until I heard "Neu 75".

I have a hell of a lot of time for '4-Neu'... they were coming up with great B-sides without even trying back in those days!

Really not sure how much to extrapolate from two brief not quite songs that feature ample sampled vocals/robot voices/whatever. I have no idea what the album sounds like, but I guarantee it is not an entire album of this. And is unlikely to sound like "Enola Gay," or Neu!, either, for that matter.

You're right, it isn't an entire album of this. They're previewing the interlude tracks first to get people talking and get people (especially fans of their older work) excited for the album. In my case, it's working!

I was just responding to this:

As with 'Decimal', it would seem that 'Atomic Ranch' has split opinion in the OMD fanbase.

Like, there's so little going on here I can't imagine how they could even generate an opinion, let alone split opinion. I'm looking forward to the new album, too, but this by the numbers stuff does nothing for me one way or the other.

I don't think this stuff is by-the-numbers at all. To begin with, OMD haven't been anywhere near this type of music for 28 years or thereabouts. In terms of their whole career, it's actually the style of music that they've done the least.

Yeah, but they've still done it. The fact that someone can say "this sounds like 'Dazzle Ships'" affirms "Dazzle Ships" as a template that can be replicated, and that these clips are looking backward to a specific period and sound. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but I don't see it as a terribly distinctive direction. Especially since we're a far distance from the heyday of the Emulator and novelty of early sampling.

Ergo, I'm waiting for the songs, not the soundscapes.

While the nature of the tracks do recall Dazzle Ships in approach, 'Decimal' and 'Atomic Ranch' really sound like none of the tracks from that album. You'd have a point if you said 'Sister Marie Says' sounds like 'Enola Gay' (because it does), but if you were to say something like 'Decimal' sounded like 'Time Zones', then that would undoubtedly be a lazy comparison. They don't sound anything alike.

Ergo, I'm waiting for the songs, not the soundscapes.

― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, February 5, 2013 4:56 PM (3 minutes ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

...and I'm sure you'll be critical of those by saying OMD have done those before, too.

Maybe! But I generally find melodies more ingratiating than audio-collage, which again was novel at the time but today can be done by a five year old with a phone. I have no problem if the hooks and stuff recall old OMD, because they're hooks. But a bunch of chattering sampled voices? I dug it back then but don't need more of it now.

I agree that it's not particularly difficult to do an audio-collage these days, however it's more difficult to come up with a great concept behind an audio-collage, or a reason for an audio-collage to exist. These are obviously interlude tracks on an album that sounds as if it's going to be conceptual, so the tracks are obviously going to make far more sense in the context of the album. Even standalone, though, I like them.

I bet the concept is about how we, like, communicate, man.

I bet the concept is about how we, like, communicate, man.

― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, February 5, 2013 5:14 PM (53 seconds ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Actually, it isn't.

I bet it's how we fail to communicate, man.

;)

I don't think it's that, either.

Some news about the new single:

The first single to be released from the English Electric album, Metroland, will be premiered next Monday 11th February on the Radcliffe and Maconie Show on BBC6.

Metroland is a return to the lengthier songs of OMD’s past as it clocks in at over 7 minutes.

mmm, just checked, I have found one 'past' song of 7 mins, one of 6, the rest 4 to 5 mins or less.

Yeah, I think the only OMD song in their discography that clocks in over 7 minutes is 'Sealand', next one from that is 'Stanlow', which as you say, is over the 6 minute mark...

Still, I'd rank those tracks as two of my favourite OMD moments!

The full length "66 and fading" clocks in around six minutes too.

Andy is on BBC News 24 around 3.30pm today talking about Kraftwerk, if anyone's interested.

Cheers for the heads up, Rob!

Interesting interview - clearly the interviewer seemed a bit sceptical of Kraftwerk bring 'art', but Andy defended them most robustly.

Of course, Kraftwerk are like McCluskey's Beatles!

He did make the rather grand claim that Kraftwerk are the most influential band in the history of pop music. I'll have to watch it again properly, I had just picked my 6 yr old son from school and he was a bit distracting - he was amazed that Kraftwerk were on TV (my son loves them, "Computer world" is his favourite album of theirs).

6 years old and having superb taste already! You must be so proud... hehehehehe... Computer World was a favourite of mine when I was a young 'un as well. In fact, "was?"... still is!

he's got a point, by the way

at 6 I loved Devo more than anything which made it really neat that I actually got to see them live 15 years later (in 2007!!)

I just saw Paul Humphries literally 20 mins ago at Kraftwerk!

I just saw Paul Humphries literally 20 mins ago at Kraftwerk!

― MaresNest, Wednesday, February 6, 2013 11:49 PM (10 seconds ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Really? Nice one! Although it doesn't entirely surprise me that he's there! :D

My younger one (5.5) asks for robot music all the time in the car, i.e. Kraftwerk, '80s electro, anything with a robot voice. She likes "Numbers" for the speak and spell action.

xp Andy said in yesterday's interview he was going to that night's Kraftwerk gig, it makes sense that Paul would be there too.

"Numbers" seems to be a hit with the kids, it's my son's favourite too. It helps that one of the voices appears to be counting in Welsh - has this ever been confirmed?

"Numbers" seems to be a hit with the kids, it's my son's favourite too. It helps that one of the voices appears to be counting in Welsh - has this ever been confirmed?

― Rob M Revisited, Thursday, February 7, 2013 7:36 AM (8 hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

I've never actually noticed that before, but I think I know what you mean! It's with the Japanese part isn't it?

"ichi, ni, san, shi..." and then what sounds like "un, dau, tri"...

Yeah, I think the only OMD song in their discography that clocks in over 7 minutes is 'Sealand', next one from that is 'Stanlow', which as you say, is over the 6 minute mark...

― The Jupiter 8 (Turrican), Wednesday, February 6, 2013 12:52 PM (3 days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

Actually no, scratch that... the longest OMD song is 'The Right Side?' which is over 8 minutes!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0NXbuvh3Iw

only got 1 minute in so far, but i think Kraftwerk should sue.

Given that Andy McCluskey has been all over TV and radio talking up Kraftwerk's recent shows the influence they had on him, it should come as absolutely no surprise that it's going to come out in OMD's music. I like it. They attempted this kind of thing before on 'The Right Side?', but I think this is the superior track.

Now, see, that's a nice track.

the heavy KW influence has always been there though hasn't it?

Absolutely. I'd be more surprised if this was a new development, but it's been there since album one.

Absolutely, Dazzle Ships is an awful lot like Radioactivity

also doesn't Sazzle Ships have a song thats essentially a rewrite of YMO's "La Femme Chinoise"?

The intro to Genetic Engineering

Liking this track, I live in Metroland, well Betjeman's version of it, which I'm guessing is the reference.