Background
"Locomotion" was recorded during the last week of sessions at Montserrat before the drums were overdubbed at ICP Studios in Brussels. The original song was combined with a steel drum rhythm that Paul Humphreys had written the previous week,and a bass line and piano that Gordian Troeller (the band's manager) contributed. The Fairlight CMI sampler was used to create the song's bass line,which according to bassist Andy McCluskey,"...was sampled and sequenced all in one go on the Fairlight." [2] The track was mixed and the brass added at Wisseloord Studios in the Netherlands;the brass arrangements were made by Tony Visconti. The song marries downcast lyrics with upbeat melodies. [3]
Jean-Pierre Berckmans shot the official video. Taking advantage of where they were living at the time,the band filmed this video in the cities of Ostend and Brussels in Belgium. Frontman Andy McCluskey recalled,"Funniest part of it was trying to look like we were on a Caribbean cruise in the middle of Ostend harbour at 2 in the morning on that sailing ship and you can see the hot air coming out as breath when I'm singing!" [4] The Belgian model Anne Beyens appears in the video.
Live recordings of "Locomotion" have been issued on the 12" releases of the singles "La Femme Accident" (1985) "If You Leave" (1986) and the second CD single of "Everyday" (1993),as well as on the Architecture &Morality &More and Live in Berlin albums. [5]
Critical reception
"Locomotion",which marked a move toward more pop-oriented material for OMD,faced initial criticism –notably on BBC Radio 1's Round Table show. [6] Debbi Voller of Number One wrote,"OMD have... travelled Second Class. This sounds like a chugging steam train because it never picks up speed. The only thing it's got going for it is a steel band playing on board." [7] In Music Week ,Jerry Smith referred to a "pretty uninteresting,unambitious and unexciting single". [8]
Conversely,Tom Hibbert of Smash Hits saw "Locomotion" as a return to form after the commercially unsuccessful Dazzle Ships ,observing a "swingy dance number that contains sharp horns,sparkling steel drums and no references whatsoever to genetic engineering. Pleasant." [9] The North Wales Weekly News called the single "[OMD's] best since 'Enola Gay'." [10] "Locomotion" was popular among WLIR listeners,who voted it "Screamer of the Week". [11] KROQ ranked the song as the 31st-greatest of 1984;it later placed 368th in Q101's "Top 1,011 of All-Time". [12] [13]
Critic Dave Thompson praised "Locomotion" in a retrospective review for AllMusic,writing,"Everything about this number spells lightness:the breezy melody,the tootling synths,the giddy keyboards,and —best of all —the band's effervescent harmonies." [3] Louder Than War journalist Paul Scott-Bates remarked,"In terms of a pop song,it borders classic –instantly recognisable from the first few seconds,a chorus that everyone knows and verses that were as memorable as choruses." [14]
New Order co-founder Peter Hook –a longtime fan of OMD [15] –disapproved of the track,calling it a "dreadful offering". [16] On the other hand,Barenaked Ladies drummer Tyler Stewart contemplated "Locomotion" as his favourite OMD song,describing it as "darn good". [17]
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