#56
Reviewed by Tom Mott
February 22 1980
Orchestral Manouevres in the Dark
Orchestral Manouevres in the Dark
Genre: SynthPop
Allen’s Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Tom’s Rating: 4 out of 5
Tom’s Highlights:
Electricity
Messershmitt Twins
Julia's Song
Red Frame/White Light
Dancing
tl;dr: Stars out like the less-interesting sibling to Tubeway Army and Depeche Mode, but starting with Track 4 they forge their own path and by the end I was cheering them on.
Long version: Where to start? Some 19 year olds who clearly love Kraftwerk (and Neu! and Gong and Tubeway Army) mess around with synthesizers, tape loops, and drum machines. This is what the world needs. My inner art teacher says A++. I mean, right? Teenagers dicking around with gadgets and inventing new noises. I love them for that. Also, they used their advance for this album to build their own home studio. Double love.
Backstory #1: Prior to this, OMD intersected with my life in two ways: their insipid synth-pop ballads that were everywhere in 1985-86. And their single Enola Gay which is on Urgh! A Music War -- and is much interesting and full of potential energy.
Backstory #2: My favorite song on The Police album "Synchronicity" is Mother. Because the rest of that album had been polished down to a glossy, blank turd, but Mother is a glorious sonic onslaught in 7/4 time. Plus, let's hear it for the underdogs: that song is all about Andy Summers and Stewart Copeland. Plus, my mother used to sing "Oh the telephone is ringing, is that your mother on the phone?" to me over the phone whenever she called, and that's awesome. Plus, fuck Sting. How is this relevant? I like the mess over the gloss.
Anyways ... let's dive in track by track:
1. Bunker Soldiers. Ruh-roh. First thought is "boring." Somewhere between Kraftwerk, Depeche Mode, and Tubeway Army. That fat synth sound is fun. It catches on after a couple listens, but still: the center doesn't hold. This is honestly what I was expecting when I approached this album. My second thought is INXS ripped them off for "Don't Change." So it goes. Next!
2. Almost. Sounds like a lost Kraftwerk single, until that croony voice I remember from their horrid mid-80s singles appears. Ugh. Next!
3. Mystereality. This track is where it sinks in that these guys are exploring blind, trying to create as new genre. There are bits of early-70s electronic sounds ("Popcorn"), bits of cheesy MIDI video game music. Some icy German synths. They're on the verge of ... something. But wow I have a hard time with his horrible nasal drone. I decide I hate his voice. A saxophone appears midway through, and it gets more interesting. Or does it? Next!
Three tracks in and so far, it's an A for effort, but lacking. But then .... BUT THEN!!!!!
4. Electricity*. Starts off as another lost Kraftwerk single, straight out of the Radioactivity era. And that's OK. Have I heard this before?!?! Wow, it sounds like "OMFG Dogs" on YouTube. It also sounds like their track from Urgh! -- "Enola Gay." I like this. He's still too nasal for me. It's a Kraftwerk knock-off, but they're really trying here, and they've made something new. The throbbing bass adds a lot too. If someone had given me this in 1980 as "the secret stuff" I would have been excited.
5. Messershmitt Twins* That German title: another nod to Kraftwerk. Starts out atmospherically. Old school drum machine. First thoughts are that Tears for Fears did this far better with Ideas As Opiates. Young Marble Giants and Suicide did the minimal thing better too. But ... it holds up and expands on repeated listens. Well done!
6. Messages. Sounds like a B-Side for Electricity. Boring.
7. Julia's Song* OK ... Up until this song, I found the lead singer's nasal voice to be really irritating. On this song, he goes full-throttle and weaponizes it. And it works! Now I love him. Reminds me of Voice Farm (who probably listened to this.) Sounds like Yoko Ono dropped by and nudged him to go all-in, and I love her for giving him that advice, even though it only happened in my mind. Plus, the bass is this song is fantastic.
8. Red Frame/White Light* Another highlight. Sounds an awful lot like Tubeway Army, but then it veers into weird "My Super Mario cartridge is glitching" territory. Cool! Is the title a nod to the Velvet Underground? I wonder ... but sonically I don't hear the connection.
9. Dancing*. This is their Revolution #9 but with electronic singing dolphin sounds. If an art school gal had danced to this with me in college I would have melted into a puddle of unrequited love. Crazy and delirious.
10. Pretending to See the Future. Sort of points the way to their later wretched synth-pop output. But it's in its raw, embrionic form, so I give it a pass, barely.
The later re-releases include a cover of the Velvet Underground's "Waiting for the Man." A-ha! I thought I sniffed something earlier. It doesn't add anything over the original. And that's OK. They're playing songs they love.
So -- yeah! give it a couple listens then add your favorites into some playlists. Definitely worth the listen.
SONGS & BANDS NAME-CHECKED IN THIS REVIEW THAT ARE WORTH 20-SECONDS OF YOUR TIME:
The Police "Mother"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2A9RvEzCYoc
Hot Butter "Popcorn" (with a nod to Gershon Kingsley)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfdLh0MHqKw
Kraftwerk "Radioactivity"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0D7MBBI2Ik
Tubeway Army "Are Friends Electric?"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzSM3pRtgcM
"OMFG Dogs!"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Sqi-AvRiC8
Tears for Fears "Ideas as Opiates"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gEp9WRn8dk
Young Marble Giants "Final Day"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lzt3LffDGdw
Voice Farm "Sleep"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-yBWJmvm7A
Neu! "Hallogallo"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zndpi8tNZyQ
Velvet Underground "Waiting for the Man"
https://open.spotify.com/album/5AN8aqTrcuMZO7rpD9U2yF?si=50NJwX3zRtSWIO8xgGDUPA
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