Best Of OMD, The - Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark > Reviews > The Souvenir of OMD

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Mediocre
Quality and consistency of tracks	Mixed
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Outstanding
Value for Money	Good

Advantages:	A journey through the development of an electro pop band
Disadvantages:	There are a couple of awful tracks that could have been left off .

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

There doesn't seem to be much that hasn't come from Liverpool. What have we got to show from our North West cousins? The Beatles, Jimmy Tarbuck……So it was no surprise that the masters of 'synth pop' in the form of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark also were born and bred from the once grotty, depressing Northern dock city.

The band formerly known as 'The ID' first applied their punk themes to our ears sometime in late 1978. The two founding members, Paul Humphreys (who was actually born in London) and Andy McCluskey released 'Electricity' in May 1979, then to re-record it only to not issue it as a single in September 1979. Just as well as it was a pretty appalling track that generated virtually nothing that to could be seen as warm and emotional. It was, thought, a track that launched an era of 'electricity' in the shape of synthesisers and drum machines; all technique and mechanical, it was no wonder that their critics jumped over it with negative gusto.

This particular compilation takes us through that first track that failed to do anything, to 'Dreaming', a release from February 1988, that in turn, failed to be noticed. Reaching a rather miserable number 50, it is as if this album takes us full circle in the life of OMD as they are better known.

We have already had our ears subjected to 'Electricity' and 'Messages' follows. Released May 1980, it was the official step into the bold world of the pop charts for the band. It raced defiantly to number 13 and hung around for an impressive 11 weeks. Not much of a jump from 'Electricity' musically, it still had a quality that the first track had certainly lacked even to the untrained ear. The continuous five noted track somehow allowed OMD make their mark on the synthesised world. Traditionally a punk band, the transitions from this to new romantic electro sounds, seemed from this track on, effortless. McCluskey's vocals appear tuneless and untrained, but they fit the monotonous rolling one handed synthesiser tune. Sounding rather like a student failing the audition for The Cure, it was with this voice and Humphrey's at the keyboards that they plunged themselves into not just making records fitting the era but anthems still used today.

The controversially titled 'Enola Gay' (the name of the plane responsible for the dropping of the bomb on Hiroshima),and we are now starting to hear an established pattern of the one handed note backing tune. Released in October of 1980, OMD were now treading the pop chart boards with firm feet, enough to make one of the most outstanding synthesiser albums of all time.

It was in 'Architecture and Morality' released in November 1981, that we first heard the extraordinarily gentle and mystical 'Souvenir.' We are now far away from the one hand gymnastics on the keyboard and into a world of dreams and emotion. This record (and the album) was a breakthrough for OMD. Reaching number 3 in the singles charts it was now to be a prime example as the extent of the creative talents of the two men. It was from the early eighties onwards, that they experienced the height of their career. Enlisting the help of brothers Graham and Neil Weir, they appear in the later 'Locomotion' and were from then on, to become permanent fixtures although Humphreys and McCluskey remained the two heads of the band and other members were very rarely seen.

There was a continuation on the controversial theme with the recording of 'Joan Of Arc'. An atmospheric tale of the Catholic Martyr. Complete with a Medieval glockenspiel and thundering drums, it captures a time and a place in human history. It fits quite beautifully with synthesiser and drum machines. A collaboration of traditional military drums and bells with new electronic sounds, it creates a perfect piece that undoubtedly, no other band of the time could have thought about taking on as well as OMD.

I felt that their greatest moment was with 'Maid Of Orleans', which on 'Architecture and Morality' is actually listed as 'Joan Of Arc' with the first mentioned title in brackets. On the same theme as the other, it fills the listeners ears with such strength although the opening sequence is rather confusing as it just about sounds like an experimental warm up across the keyboard. It is only when the drum machine thunders into military mode again, that it engages in a marching to war theme. The listener can almost see the picture perfectly in the mind of a young woman, bound, marching to the stake. The creative talent with this track is really quite incredible as the drums thunder even stronger and the synthesiser compliment rages on. It is a piece to be listened to and digested and probably listened to again to appreciated the shear exuberance of the track.

It is almost quite a let down to hear the next track, 'Telegraph'. Its response in the singles charts, also reflects this, reaching a not so historic number 42 in April 1983. It is an immediate return to the days of the flat sounding 'Electricity.' The backing vocals mirror the lead rather like a Tracey Ullman track. It has a dainty flutter across the keyboard as its basic melody. It really holds no interest for the listener who is probably still recovering from the previous track.

'Tesla Girls' actually only missed the top twenty by one position although, on the surface was a pretty good track. It had a depth to its electronic take on a disco theme. We can pick out a female vocal and the synthesiser pace is fast and could almost pass as a New Order B side. It is listenable and rather tuneful by OMD's standards. McCluskey is almost singing properly.

'Locomotion' was a sign of the times for OMD. They could have been seen now to be leaving behind their diverse and experimental roots for the commercial money making life in the pop world. It was a good track but very of its time. The horns heard are provided by the Weir brothers. Such instruments can be picked out from most pop records of the mid to late eighties. (Dare I mention Modern Romance, Haircut 100 here? On come on! OMD were frighteningly plodding down the same path!) This track is jolly and tuneful and really can't be faulted by 1984's standards. However by OMD's standards, it lacks all that is fundamentally OMD. If only that it could be mentioned that this track reached number 5 in the charts, there really shouldn't be anything left to say.

'Talking Loud and Clear' is a quiet piece, almost in a whisper, the vocal is almost as if it is being murmured in a lift. Again, a commercial hit and obviously bringing in the pennies for a creative two piece that now felt the pinch of not just their pockets but of the changing main stream world in pop. Pop was now entering a faze of manufactured records, and the days of experimental bands where 'anything went' were being squeezed out like dirty dish water from a sponge. Having said that, the cheque came in, thank you very much, and a number 11 in return.

'So In Love' and 1985 hit OMD with the dreamy bug. Two tracks swam over us in this year from OMD. 'Secret' (also the next track on this album) This also marked a period on the band's life when the creative streak within the writing union of the Humphrey's and McCluskey was starting to wane. Gentle tracks though these were, there was now a spark missing but probably only seen by OMD fans. They were both love songs but now so bland in their make up, that the original OMD seemed just a distance memory. Strangely perhaps that with all said, these tracks both failed to reach , the first, the top 20 and the latter, the top 30.

'If You Leave' had a punch to it, and yet still a love song in a sense, it had back a echo of long forgotten days. The title, was perhaps tongue in cheek as it was also the year (1986) that the partnership of the two leading men was failing apart at the seams. Again, only number 48 was its greatest achievement. It was a strain on the two song writers that the days of theme writing were probably gone. Awful chart ratings plunged their career together into darker depths.

Perhaps the track that they will be most remembered for is the next, 'Forever Live And Die'. Released in September 1986. It was a track that sounded nothing like anything they had ever done before. It reached a pleasing number 11. Although true to its era, it captured a sound that only OMD could produce. Slow and effective drum machines and keyboards that were not too in your face added together with a short burst from the Weir brothers as an instrumental, it was a pop hit through and through, but yet still very OMD. It was in this track that they had managed to mix commercial and experimental imagination beautifully to make the perfect recipe.

'Dreaming' was a an infectious track that also gave off the same spark as the latter, unfortunately it failed to make even a dent in the charts and flopped into the comfortable position of number 50. Released in February 1988.

The next and final three on this rather strange album, a journey through the flops of OMD, is a grouping of tracks that the listener may find confusing. The first is 'Genetic Engineering' perhaps a title little ahead of its time, it is an intriguing piece that uses a lot of clapping and electronic backing vocal. Its a little on the Adam Ant side but with not so much curling of notes at the end of them. Originally released in February 1983, it sat at number 20, and the listener is wondering why this track didn't take its proper place nearer the front of this album.
There then follows an interesting and rather well edited mix of 'We Love You'. A track first released in November 1986, this remix actually works well and doesn't go on for too long. It has a wonderful and powerful drum machine base line and it sounds better than the original recording. It mixes well defined synthesisers that we are well used to by now and drum machine, and arguably one of the best tracks on this album.

The final track is 'La Femme Accident' . First released in October 1985, it finishes a rather muddled album. We wonder if these gap fillers were put in at the end of this album as an after thought. It leaves us on an experimental note. A full circle as it were, in the strange life of OMD. A band that never really made it, not within the chart history, but has somehow left an indentation on our minds if it is actually for an era that no one could understand yet everyone wouldn't mind having a quick stab at again. This album allows us to take a peek into the brief transition from punk to mainstream. It was just unfortunate that the likes of OMD were caught up in the middle of it with no where to go and no obvious place to go when it was all over…..

First published on Dooyoo Feb2006
©sam1942
2006