OMD: S&D

There's some discussion about the Junk Culture, Crush and The Pacific Age albums here...

Of course, I already think that English Electric is better than those three albums(!)

Okay thanks. I saw you talked abou them earlier on this thread too (I should actually read threads before posting on them)

As you seem to be a bit of an expert and I'm a complete music nerd, would you mind ranking their albums? I'd be really interested to see what order you would put them in.

I'm listening to Sugar Tax now. Then You Turn Away sounds a little too close to Femme Fatale on it's verses.

1. Architecture & Morality / Dazzle Ships
2. Organisation
3. English Electric (NEW ENTRY!)
4. Junk Culture
5. Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark
6. Sugar Tax
7. History Of Modern
8. Crush / The Pacific Age
9. Universal
1,500,000. Liberator

That's at the moment, anyway.

Great, thanks! Dazzle Ships just has the edge over Architecure for me but yeah that's a great top five.

Poor Liberator, I have no intention of hearing that album but I did like the first two singles when they came out back in the day.

This new one is very good on headphones too, I think the band mixed this one themselves... lots of little details I'm picking up like the extra percussion underneath 'Dresden'...

damn good imo

And here's 'Frontline'...

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

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

so they're coming to my podunk town. will it be good? worth the 30 bucks? i'm poor.

They were great last year, tons of fun.

Metroland really reminds me of Ulrich Schnauss of all people, wonder if they're fans.

From the official OMD website:

"On Monday we will be performing at The Bing Lounge to celebrate the release of English Electric. The performance will be available to stream live. We will be performing at noon PDT (which is 8pm UK time)."

This album is lovely. I wish the band hadn't lessened its impact by releasing "History of Modern." This really should have been bundled in with the reunion a few years back, but maybe they had to reunite, reconnect and tour first to get these results.

Yeah, that's kinda how I feel too... it would have been wonderful if they'd come out with something like this when they first reunited, but I think they had to get History Of Modern out of their system first and learn from it. History Of Modern was a collaborative effort for the most part, but quite a lot of the material had been kicking around for a few years (some of it in very different forms and intended for other project that weren't OMD) and they did a lot of sending files over the internet back-and-forth and not spending much time in the same room. The one track on History Of Modern that they actually wrote and recorded in the same room together was 'New Holy Ground'... thankfully they realised that they work better when they're in the same room together bouncing ideas off one another, and of course this new album is more focused because it was written over a set period, rather than drawing from a large batch of existing stuff.

*projects

Strongly recommend rereading that Quietus interview linked above -- McCluskey talks about how the genesis of the album came from he and Humphreys basically talking in the kitchen and getting down to brass tacks. Rereading the interview while listening to the album was very helpful.

This one sounds like "Dazzle Ships" crossed with "Crush," which is an interesting conflation.

Well, I kinda see what you mean...

man, he hasn't lot a bit of vocal range, has he?

lot -> lost

Not really... I mean, he probably can't get up to high part at the end of 'International' anymore (which I think is the highest full-voice McCluskey vocal on wax), but mostly his voice and range seems to have remained pretty much intact!

Anyhow, it would seem the album has finally hit Spotify:

http://open.spotify.com/album/6c7cULDmJ4x9LNJov44EMD

This new album is really good. Standing in line to see them live at this very moment and I won't be disappointed if the set is filled with new songs.

ooo let us know how it is.

Great show. Set list was really well planned. Played 4 new songs, Metroland, Dresden, Night Cafe and Kissing the Machine. They all sounded terrific, especially Dresden, which is an instant classic and just about as good as any song they've ever written. Paul sang Souvenir, Forever Live and Die and Secret. Only low point for me was Locomotion, easily my least favorite 80s single. It did seem to fit with Sailing On The Seven Seas rhythmically. Maid of Orleans followed by Joan of Arc was nice as well and it was during Joan of Arc, with Andy jerking his arms in time with the drums when I remembered they had toured with Joy Division. Pretty wild to imagine what that would have been like in 79/80. Surprisingly, Radio Waves got a huge reception. All in all a memorable set, well put together and perfectly executed. If they're coming to your town, go see them.

Nice! ty

Remembering there were 2 others from the new album but I will have to check the titles in the morning. Our System and maybe Stay With Me?

Decimal
Please Remain Seated
Metroland
Messages
Dresden
Radio Waves
History of Modern 1
Forever Live and Die
If You Leave
Souvenir
Night Café
Joan of Arc
Maid of Orleans
Our System
Atomic Ranch (shortened version)
Kissing the Machine
So In Love
Sister Marie
Locomotion
Sailing on the 7 Seas
Enola Gay

Walking on the Milky Way
Secret
Electricity

Is Holmes even on the new album? The one disappointment for me is that the drums sound so generic and programmed. His additions to the group's classic album were key, I thought. Just as with New Order, the mix of live drums and programming is a cool combo.

Yeah, he's there on 'Our System' and 'Dresden'.

Good feature on the Quietus re: Andy's favorite albums

http://thequietus.com/articles/11834-andy-mccluskey-omd-orchestral-manoeuvres-in-the-dark-favourite-albums

Very predictable (there's *two* Kraftwerk albums on it, which kinda breaks an unwritten rule doesnt it?) but there are some entertaining quotes about Limp Bizkit and McC's hatred of all things rock n' roll

Lots of good choices and Glasvegas!!!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BOcqTNB7JMg

Reviewed on Pitchfork today, feel like it deserves a little higher than a 6.7. Nice review though, that guy seems to know his stuff.

Indeed, can't complain about the contents of the review at all (except for one error: 'Metro City'='Metroland', but that kinda thing can be easily corrected), but definitely feel that it deserves a little higher than a 6.7. Still, a better score than the recent Depeche Mode album (which seems to be growing more on me the more I listen to it) and a far more favourable review than History Of Modern.

I've enjoyed English Electric way more than Delta Machine. I haven't kept up to date with OMD's albums but this one was a really nice surprise, I did not expect to enjoy this much. Delta is just more of the same, I thought Sounds of The Universe was pretty good but this one didn't click with me at all. I was surprised how low the Pitchfork score was.

I'm thinking the problem that I'm having with Delta Machine is its length. English Electric is pretty much old-style vinyl album length (about 42-44 minutes, I think), whereas Delta Machine is almost an hour long and doesn't really need to be. So once English Electric is finished, I often feel like putting it back on for another listen, whereas two-thirds of the way through Delta Machine I find myself starting to flag with it. I honestly think if Delta Machine were reduced down to 9 songs, it would improve the album no end.

Also, if the songs were better. ;)

Well, that too... but it would be much more preferable to me to have the best of the material on that record all together as opposed to having to skip over the lesser songs.

Hello. The lower score was an acknowledgment both of its comfort food feeling -- no complaints but at the same time, no extra rewards -- and a general wish from PF that we restrain ourselves from giving everything 10s and the like. Also as is well known I fucking hate stars, rankings, etc. My argument is in the words, not the rankings. That said, you are right about that "Metroland" glitch!

6.7 sounds about right, in context, but seriously, what was the last high profile Fork review of a band more fashionable/current/contemporary than OMD that erred on the side of a lower score rather than higher? They're always trying to shift the scores lower ... except when they're not. The very notion that 6.7 comes across negative says it all, really. That's why I agree with Ned. Numbers/grades/etc. are silly/pointless/inscrutable.

Like I said, man, I couldn't complain about the content of the review... I just hope folks pay attention to what's been written, rather than just having a quick glance at the score.

If anything, I just wanted to make sure I had a perfect last line for the review. I freely admit that.

there is still a little too much "chirpy Vince Clarke" in OMD's makeup for me to embrace them without reservation but this album seems okay

But you've heard the first few albums, right? More Eno and Joy Division than anything else.

Yeah, Organisation especially isn't an album which I'd particularly describe as "chirpy Vince Clarke".

If anything it's more the tech they were using at the time. By the time they got more mainstream in America maybe they were more...exuberant?

Anyway, Josh and Turrican correct. Dan I'd just recommend a listen of the first four albums in order, I think you'll find yourself pretty surprised.

lol you guys remember that Organization starts with "Enola Gay" right

Yes. Hurrah 'chirpy' songs about atomic destruction!