Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (album)

Last updated

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark album cover.jpg
Studio album by
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
Released22 February 1980 (1980-02-22)
Recorded1978–1979
StudioGramophone Suite (Liverpool)
Genre
Length37:42
Label Dindisc
Producer
  • Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
  • Chester Valentino
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark chronology
Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
(1980)		 Organisation
(1980)
Singles from Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
  1. "Electricity"
    Released: 21 May 1979
  2. "Red Frame/White Light"
    Released: 1 February 1980
  3. "Messages"
    Released: 2 May 1980

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark is the debut studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 22 February 1980 by Dindisc. Recorded at the group's Liverpool studio, it showcased their minimal synth-pop style and peaked at number 27 on the UK Albums Chart. "Electricity" and "Red Frame/White Light" were released as singles; a re-recorded version of "Messages" provided OMD with their first hit in the UK, reaching number 13.

Contents

Much of the album's content centres around war themes, with OMD exploring "the lengths to which people would go in a situation beyond the norm". A sleeper hit, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark met with favourable reviews and became a seminal record of its era. The band expressed dissatisfaction with their production efforts on the album, although frontman Andy McCluskey later came to appreciate its "naivety". It was remastered and re-released in 2003 with six bonus tracks, including the single version of "Messages".

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark is also the title of a 1981 compilation album of tracks from this release and OMD's second album, Organisation , issued only in the United States.

Background

Rather than hire studio time to record the album, OMD co-founders Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys used their advance payment from Dindisc to build their own Liverpool recording studio, The Gramophone Suite. The duo predicted they would be dropped by the label due to disappointing sales, but would at least own a studio. McCluskey and Humphreys used cheaply-acquired instruments, [1] as well as the low-end Korg M500 Micro-Preset (which had been paid for in many instalments). [2] [3] Their studio incurred leakage when the lead covering was stolen from its roof, and so McCluskey had to record his vocals under an umbrella. [4]

The album was largely influenced by German electronic acts, including Kraftwerk. Kraftwerk by Ueli Frey (1976).jpg
The album was largely influenced by German electronic acts, including Kraftwerk.

Dindisc scheduled the album for release in February 1980, allowing three weeks for recording under the supervision of manager Paul Collister. [4] The included tracks were composed during the previous four years: "Electricity" (McCluskey and Humphreys' first ever composition), "Julia's Song" and "The Misunderstanding" were holdovers from OMD precursor outfit the Id. [5] A version of "Electricity" had been issued as OMD's debut single in 1979, and featured an early take of "Almost" as its B-side. [6] McCluskey and Humphreys had to write two final songs, "Pretending to See the Future" and "The Messerschmitt Twins", "off the top of their heads" in order to complete the tracklist. [4] Much of the content centres around war themes; McCluskey noted that the band were exploring "the lengths to which people would go in a situation beyond the norm". [4]

Still generally a duo performing alongside a TEAC 4-track tape recorder christened "Winston", OMD enlisted Martin Cooper and Malcolm Holmes, the latter of whom had performed with McCluskey and Humphreys in the Id (both musicians would become full-time band members the following year). Cooper played saxophone on "Mystereality", while Holmes supplied percussion on "Julia's Song"; Dave Fairbairn played guitar on this track, as well as on "Messages". [6] Kraftwerk, Neu! and Brian Eno served as key musical influences on the album, which showcased OMD's minimal synth-pop style. [6] [7] Biographer Johnny Waller described the finished record as "basically a studio version of their live set". [4]

The group were dissatisfied with the production values of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, Humphreys stating, "We didn't know what the heck we were doing half the time." McCluskey, however, feels that "in hindsight it now has a naivety and charm, and is full of energy". [4] [8]

Artwork

The Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark sleeve was created by graphic designer Peter Saville and interior designer Ben Kelly, based on a door conceived by Kelly. [9] It featured a die-cut grid through which the orange inner sleeve was visible. Saville and Kelly won a Designers and Art Directors Award for their work. [9] McCluskey has praised the artwork, saying in 2019, "To this day, I think half the people bought [the album] for the Peter Saville sleeve." [1]

McCluskey stated that OMD did not fully understand the royalty system at the time, and that the band "had a sleeve that cost us so much to manufacture that for every record we sold we were barely earning pennies". [6] Carol Wilson of Dindisc disputed this, saying the cost to the band for the sleeve was contractually fixed and that the label took the expense. [9]

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
All Music Guide to Electronica Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [10]
The Big Issue Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svg [11]
Muzik Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [12]
Pitchfork 7.3/10 [13]
Q Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [14]
Record Mirror Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [15]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svgStar empty.svg [16]
Smash Hits 7½/10 [17]
Sounds Star full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar full.svgStar empty.svg [18]
Tom Hull – on the Web A− [19]

Reviews of Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark were favourable. [20] [21] Paul Morley of NME wrote, "Orch Man's debut LP is one of the best of the year... How fine and different their melodies can be, how detailed and distinctive their song structures. It's much more varied and surprising, often exhilarating and always captivating, than dissenters claim this stuff can be." [22] Sounds ' Des Moines proclaimed OMD to be "the most inventive of all the new Mersey[side] bands", while noting that they had "pulled off what is traditionally the biggest gamble in rock: playing totally engaging, satisfying music without the facility of the lead guitar". [18] Red Starr of Smash Hits said, "An odd album from an odd duo, sometimes briskly clean synthesiser pop, sometimes strange and intriguing electronic excursions... Buy it and learn to love it." [17]

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark was hailed as a superior record within the contemporary synth-pop movement. In an enthusiastic review for The Face , Adrian Thrills contrasted OMD's "melodic immediacy" to the "nauseatingly self-conscious futuristic android pop of the [Gary] Numan/[John] Foxx automation acolytes", and declared the album to have "far more depth" than the Human League's Reproduction . [23] Simon Ludgate of Record Mirror observed an emotional resonance that he felt was typically absent from synth-pop, while recommending the album for its "insidious rhythm and melody", and imagery that "will change at each play". [15] In The Age , John Teerds viewed the record as "perhaps the best synthesiser-based music to emerge [in 1980]." [24] It became the UK's 60th-best selling album that year. [25] [26]

In a retrospective appraisal, Trouser Press referred to Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark as "a demonstration of stylish electro-pop" with "a knack for melodies and hooks". [27] Steve McDonald, in a review for the All Music Guide to Electronica (2001), noted "a very quirky, nervous album of clockwork synth-pop that avoided the lock-step imposed by primitive technology, mainly by dint of Andy McCluskey's twitchy, frantic bass and vocals." [10] Pitchfork 's Scott Plagenhoef wrote that the record's "adventurous blend of drama and pathos—and its nods toward the more rhythmic end of Krautrock—elevated [OMD] above the [Brian] Eno/Kraftwerk template clung to by many of their peers." [13] Dave Segal of The Stranger described the album as "a masterpiece of enchanting melodies, fascinating rhythms, and cherubic vocals". [28]

Legacy

Herald critic Nicola Meighan saw Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark as the first of "four vital, influential albums" from OMD, preceding Organisation (1980), Architecture & Morality (1981) and Dazzle Ships (1983). [29] Joseph Burnett of The Quietus identified it as "one of the key early British synth-based pop/rock albums"; [30] PopMatters journalist Max Shand felt the record's "synthesizer bleeps disclos[ed] the way electronic music could avoid traditional song structures while still generating something buoyant." [7] In addition to being named by contemporary reviewers as one of the finest albums of 1980, Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark has appeared in subsequent lists of the year's best records, with Greg Reibman in Boston Rock placing it at no. 4. [31] Classic Pop readers voted it the 71st-greatest album of the 1980s, [32] while the magazine's editorial staff ranked it 26th among the decade's best debut albums. [33] Listeners of 89.3 The Current positioned the record at no. 291 in the "893 Essential Debut Albums". [34]

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark was a formative influence on electronic group Depeche Mode. [14] [35] Original bandleader Vince Clarke (who later founded Yazoo and Erasure) has cited the album as an inspiration during his early days as a synthesizer player, [36] with the track "Electricity" being his impetus to pursue a career in electronic music. [7] [37] LCD Soundsystem's James Murphy "constantly" listened to the record, and follow-up Organisation, during the making of This Is Happening (2010). [38] Physicist and musician Brian Cox has named the album as a major influence and one of his all-time favourites. [39] [40] Leftfield sampled "Almost" for their track "Snakeblood" (without attribution), which appeared on the soundtrack of The Beach (2000). [41] [42]

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark was publicly championed by rock group ZZ Top, who purchased and played it over the PA system at concert venues. [4] [43] The record has also received endorsements from Pet Shop Boys vocalist Neil Tennant, [44] No Doubt bassist Tony Kanal, [45] and Spandau Ballet bandleader Gary Kemp, who found it to be "so ahead of its time". [46] U2 singer Bono recalled "[lying] on the bed, staring" at his poster of the album cover in the early 1980s. [47]

Track listing

All songs were written by Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys, except where noted.

Original release

Released on LP and compact cassette, the album was well-balanced for playback time, 18:23 on side A and 18:44 on side B. A 1980 French cassette release, offered as part of Collection Chrome high performance line, is notable for using more expensive chromium dioxide tape instead of standard ferric oxide tape. This release quotes slightly different running times, 17:36 and 18:23 respectively.

Side one
No.TitleLength
1."Bunker Soldiers"2:51
2."Almost"3:40
3."Mystereality"2:42
4."Electricity"3:32
5."The Messerschmitt Twins"5:38
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
6."Messages" 4:06
7."Julia's Song"McCluskey, Humphreys, Julia Kneale4:40
8."Red Frame/White Light" 3:10
9."Dancing (Instrumental)" 3:00
10."Pretending To See The Future" 3:48

US release (O.M.D.)

A 1981 US compilation, also using the band's name as the title of the release, collects material from the first two OMD albums, and uses a differently coloured, non-die cut version of the sleeve-art from the debut LP.

Side one
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Enola Gay"McCluskey3:31
2."2nd Thought"McCluskey4:12
3."Bunker Soldiers" 2:51
4."Almost" 3:46
5."Electricity" 3:32
6."Statues" 4:08
Side two
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
7."The Misunderstanding" 4:45
8."Julia's Song"McCluskey, Humphreys, Julia Kneale4:32
9."Motion And Heart" 3:13
10."Messages" 3:59
11."Stanlow" 6:30

Remastered CD release with bonus tracks

Virgin / DIDCDR2

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Bunker Soldiers" 2:54
2."Almost" 3:44
3."Mystereality" 2:45
4."Electricity" 3:39
5."The Messerschmitt Twins" 5:41
6."Messages" 4:12
7."Julia's Song"McCluskey, Humphreys, Julia Kneale4:41
8."Red Frame/White Light" 3:12
9."Dancing (Instrumental)" 2:59
10."Pretending to See the Future" 3:48
Bonus tracks
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
11."Messages (Single version)" 4:46
12."I Betray My Friends" 3:53
13."Taking Sides Again (Instrumental)" 4:23
14."Waiting for the Man" Lou Reed 3:00
15."Electricity (Hannett/Cargo Studios Version)" 3:37
16."Almost (Hannett/Cargo Studios Version)" 3:51

Personnel

Additional musicians

Charts

Certifications

Certifications for Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI) [51] Gold100,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark</span> English band

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) are an English electronic band formed in Wirral, Merseyside, in 1978. The group consists of founding duo and principal songwriters Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys, along with Martin Cooper and Stuart Kershaw (drums). Regarded as pioneers of electronic music, OMD combined an experimental, minimalist ethos with pop sensibilities, becoming key figures in the emergence of synth-pop; McCluskey and Humphreys also established the "synth duo" trend in Britain during the 1980s. In the United States, the band were an early presence in the MTV-driven Second British Invasion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andy McCluskey</span> British singer, songwriter and bass guitarist

George Andrew McCluskey is an English singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. He is best known as the lead singer and bass guitarist of the electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), which he founded alongside keyboard player Paul Humphreys in 1978: McCluskey has been the group's sole constant member. He has sold over 40 million records with OMD, and is regarded as a pioneer of electronic music in the UK. McCluskey is noted for his on-stage frenetic 'trainee teacher' dance.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paul Humphreys</span> English singer, songwriter and musician

Paul David Humphreys is an English singer, songwriter and musician who is best known for his contributions to Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), an electronic band which he founded alongside Andy McCluskey in 1978. John Doran in The Quietus remarked: "If, roughly speaking, McCluskey is the intellect and inquisitive nature in the group, then Humphreys is the heart."

<i>Dazzle Ships</i> (album) 1983 studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Dazzle Ships is the fourth studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 4 March 1983 by Virgin Records. Its title and cover art allude to a painting by Vorticist artist Edward Wadsworth based on dazzle camouflage, titled Dazzle-ships in Drydock at Liverpool.

<i>Junk Culture</i> 1984 studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Junk Culture is the fifth studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 30 April 1984 by Virgin Records. After the commercial disappointment of the experimental Dazzle Ships (1983), OMD and Virgin intended for the group to shift towards a more accessible sound on its follow-up release. The band retained much of their early experimental approach but embraced a wider range of influences than previously, drawing inspiration from pop, dance, Latin and black music. The record's musical style has been characterised as "Talking Heads-meets-Kraftwerk".

<i>Architecture & Morality</i> 1981 studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Architecture & Morality is the third studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 6 November 1981 by Dindisc. Inspired by religious music, the group sought to broaden their musical palette by utilising elaborate choral samples, the Mellotron, and other new instruments to create a more naturalistic, emotive sound. The artwork was designed by longtime OMD collaborator Peter Saville, along with associate Brett Wickens, while its title was derived from the book Morality and Architecture by David Watkin.

<i>Organisation</i> (album) 1980 studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Organisation is the second studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 24 October 1980 by Dindisc. On Organisation the group worked with a producer for the first time, enlisting former Gong bass player Mike Howlett, while session musician Malcolm Holmes became the band's full-time drummer. The record is noted for its dark, melancholic tone in comparison to other OMD releases.

<i>Crush</i> (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark album) 1985 studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Crush is the sixth studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 17 June 1985 by Virgin Records. It is the first of two OMD studio albums to be produced by Stephen Hague. Aimed primarily at the US market, Crush is notable for moving the group towards a more polished sound, although elements of earlier experimentation are still present. During recording the band employed a greater use of organic instrumentation than in the past.

<i>Universal</i> (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark album) 1996 studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Universal is the tenth studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 2 September 1996 by Virgin Records. Frontman Andy McCluskey opted for a more organic, acoustic sound on the record, which peaked at number 24 on the UK Albums Chart. It was generally well received by music critics, although the British media's overall resistance to OMD – who had been rendered unfashionable by the prevalence of grunge and indie rock – prompted McCluskey to dissolve the group. Universal was their last album until 2010's History of Modern.

<i>Sugar Tax</i> (album) 1991 studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Sugar Tax is the eighth studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 7 May 1991 by Virgin Records. It was the group's first studio album since 1986's The Pacific Age, and the first of three recorded without co-founder Paul Humphreys, who had departed in 1989. Featuring singer Andy McCluskey alongside a new backing band, Sugar Tax leans towards the then-prevalent dance-pop genre, with McCluskey's songwriting at times being influenced by the breakdown of his relationship with Humphreys.

<i>Liberator</i> (album) 1993 studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Liberator is the ninth studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released on 14 June 1993 by Virgin. Recorded by OMD frontman Andy McCluskey along with musicians enlisted for the multi-million selling Sugar Tax (1991), the album ventures further into the dance-pop style explored by its predecessor.

<i>Navigation: The OMD B-Sides</i> 2001 compilation album (B-sides) by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

Navigation: The OMD B-Sides is the fourth compilation album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. It was released in 2001 by Virgin Records and contains a variety of B-sides from their Dindisc and Virgin output.

<i>The Best of OMD</i> 1988 compilation album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

The Best of OMD is a compilation album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released in 1988; marking a decade since the band's beginnings. The record essentially delineates the group's experimental early years from their pop-oriented later work: side one features recordings from 1979 to 1984, while side two is drawn from the group's 1984–1988 efforts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Electricity (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark song)</span> 1979 single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

"Electricity" is the 1979 debut single by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), featured on their eponymous debut album the following year. Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys sing the lead vocals on the track together in unison. Recognised as one of the most influential singles of its era, "Electricity" was integral to the rise of the UK's synth-pop movement. It has garnered praise from music journalists and other recording artists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Enola Gay (song)</span> 1980 single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

"Enola Gay" is an anti-war song by the English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), and the only single taken from their second studio album Organisation (1980). Written by lead vocalist and bassist Andy McCluskey, it addresses the atomic bombing of Hiroshima by the aircraft Enola Gay on 6 August 1945, toward the conclusion of World War II. As is typical of early OMD singles, the song features a melodic synthesizer break instead of a sung chorus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Maid of Orleans (The Waltz Joan of Arc)</span> 1982 single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

"Joan of Arc (Maid of Orleans)" is a song by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released in 1982 as the third single from their third studio album, Architecture & Morality. To prevent confusion with the group's previous single "Joan of Arc", the song was retitled "Maid of Orleans (The Waltz Joan of Arc)" for its single release. Both songs are about the French heroine Joan of Arc and both reached the Top 5 of the UK Singles Chart—although this release was more successful internationally, topping the charts in several countries including Germany, where it was the biggest-selling single of 1982. "Maid of Orleans" has sold four million copies worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Messages (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark song)</span> 1980 single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

"Messages" is a song by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD) from their self-titled debut studio album (1980). A re-recorded version of the song was released on 2 May 1980 as the album's third and final single, reaching number 13 on the UK Singles Chart and becoming OMD's first top-40 entry. As with their debut single "Electricity", "Messages" features a melodic synth break instead of a sung chorus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Souvenir (song)</span> 1981 single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

"Souvenir" is a song written by Paul Humphreys and Martin Cooper of English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), and released as the first single from the group's 1981 album Architecture & Morality. Sung by Humphreys, the track is characterised by its use of slowed-down choral loops, and showcases OMD's early approach of utilising a synthesizer hook in place of a vocal chorus. The song has garnered praise from critics and fellow artists.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Everyday (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark song)</span> 1993 single by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

"Everyday" is a song by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), released in 1993 as the third and final single from their ninth album, Liberator (1993). Co-founder Paul Humphreys, who had left the group four years prior, is credited as a co-writer. "Everyday" was the only single from Liberator to miss the UK top 25, charting at number 59. The accompanying music video features Sara Cox, who would later be known as a BBC Radio DJ.

<i>English Electric</i> (album) 2013 studio album by Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark

English Electric is the twelfth studio album by English electronic band Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (OMD), and their second since the 2006 reformation of the group. Preceded by lead single "Metroland" on 25 March 2013, it was released on 5 April by 100% Records. Unlike predecessor History of Modern (2010), which was compiled remotely via the Internet, English Electric saw OMD co-founders Andy McCluskey and Paul Humphreys write and record in person, with the aim of recreating their artistic chemistry in years past. The album was largely inspired by McCluskey's then-recent divorce.

References

  1. 1 2 Wilson, Lois (30 September 2019). "OMD". Record Collector . Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  2. ↑ "1981". Britain's Favourite 80s Songs. Season 2. Episode 2. 5 March 2021. 6–9 minutes in. Channel 5.
  3. ↑ Wright, Jade (10 October 2014). "Why 80s music group OMD are no museum pieces". Liverpool Echo . Retrieved 13 December 2021.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Waller, Johnny; Humphreys, Mike (1987). Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark: Messages. Sidgwick & Jackson. pp. 61–70. ISBN   0-283-99234-4.
  5. ↑ "OMD Discography: The Id". Archived from the original on 16 April 2005. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  6. 1 2 3 4 Browne, Paul. Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (2003 remaster). Sleeve notes. Virgin Records.
  7. 1 2 3 Shand, Max (8 November 2019). "OMD at 40: Making Sense of a Synthpop Legacy". PopMatters . Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  8. ↑ Watkins, Jack (21 April 2013). "Mute Record". Record Collector . Retrieved 27 May 2021.
  9. 1 2 3 Nice, James (2011) [2010]. Shadowplayers: The Rise and Fall of Factory Records (paperback ed.). London: Aurum Press. p. 99. ISBN   978-1-84513-634-5.
  10. 1 2 Bogdanov, Vladimir; Bush, John; Erlewine, Stephen Thomas; Woodstra, Chris (2001). All Music Guide to Electronica. Backbeat Books. p. 375. ISBN   978-0879306281.
  11. ↑ Miller, Paul (21 February 1994). "Meanwhile in the North...". The Big Issue . p. 5 (of When Synthesisers Rocked the Earth).
  12. ↑ Bell, Duncan (March 2003). "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark: OMD". Muzik . p. 69.
  13. 1 2 Plagenhoef, Scott (18 July 2003). "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark: Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark / Organisation / Architecture & Morality". Pitchfork . Retrieved 20 February 2012.
  14. 1 2 "À La Mode". Q . May 2020. p. 117.
  15. 1 2 Ludgate, Simon (1 March 1980). "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark: OMD". Record Mirror . p. 15.
  16. ↑ Evans, Paul (2004). "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. p.  607. ISBN   0-7432-0169-8.
  17. 1 2 Starr, Red (6–19 March 1980). "Albums". Smash Hits . Vol. 2, no. 5. pp. 30–31.
  18. 1 2 Moines, Des (1 March 1980). "Beyond the Lead Break". Sounds .
  19. ↑ Hull, Tom. "Rock (1980s): Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark". Tom Hull – on the Web. Retrieved 27 September 2021.
  20. ↑ "Bitz". Smash Hits . Vol. 2, no. 20. 2–15 October 1980. p. 12.
  21. ↑ Burke, David (25 October 2022). "The Lowdown – Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark". Classic Pop . Retrieved 13 November 2023.
  22. ↑ Morley, Paul (1 March 1980). "Orchestral Manoeuvres". NME . pp. 35–36.
  23. ↑ Thrills, Adrian (June 1980). "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark". The Face . No. 2. p. 58.
  24. ↑ Teerds, John (11 December 1980). "Records". The Age . p. 49 (GG: 12).
  25. ↑ West, Mike (1982). Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. Omnibus Press. p. 18. ISBN   0-7119-0149-X.
  26. ↑ "Top 100 Albums". Music Week . 27 December 1980. p. 21.
  27. ↑ Grant, Steven; Robbins, Ira; Reno, Brad. "Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark". Trouser Press . Retrieved 3 June 2021.
  28. ↑ Segal, Dave. "Barenaked Ladies, OMD, Howard Jones". The Stranger . Archived from the original on 13 July 2016. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
  29. ↑ Meighan, Nicola (6 April 2013). "Electric Company". The Herald . Arts supplement. Retrieved 21 November 2023– via Nicola Meighan. This interview originally ran as the cover feature of The HeraldArts supplement...
  30. ↑ Burnett, Joseph (19 July 2013). "Thirty Years On: Japan's Oil on Canvas Revisited". The Quietus . Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  31. ↑ Multiple references:
  32. ↑ Peel, Ian (December 2015 – January 2016). "Top 100 Albums of the 1980s". Classic Pop . No. 20. pp. 24–37.
  33. ↑ "Top 40 80s debut albums". Classic Pop . November 2020. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  34. ↑ "893 Essential Debut Albums". 89.3 The Current. Archived from the original on 19 January 2023. Retrieved 26 May 2021.
  35. ↑ "Depeche Mode Talk Influences (1988)". MTV News. 2 August 2023. Archived from the original on 2 August 2023. Retrieved 2 August 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  36. ↑ "Synth Britannia (Part Two: Construction Time Again)". Britannia . 16 October 2009. 4 minutes in. BBC Four. British Broadcasting Corporation. When I first started playing synthesizers it [my inspiration] would have been people like The Human League; Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark, their very first album; I was a big fan of Daniel Miller's work, as the Silicon Teens and as The Normal; and also of Fad Gadget.
  37. ↑ "Erasure". The O-Zone . 29 November 1995. 8 minutes in. BBC 2. British Broadcasting Corporation. 'Electricity'... sounded so different from anything I'd heard; that really made me want to make electronic music, 'cause it was so unique.
  38. ↑ Murphy, James (22 May 2010). "LCD Soundsystem: This Is Happening". NME . p. 13. Murphy guides you through his new New York dance-punk troupe's new album." ... [Murphy:] "I was constantly listening to the 'Sweet Dreams'-era Eurythmics stuff and Bronski Beat and the first couple of OMD records.
  39. ↑ Houghton, Richard (2018). "Foreword". OMD: Pretending to See the Future. This Day in Music Books. ISBN   978-1999592721. [Brian Cox:] We loved the [Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark] album, formed a band and learnt to play 'Electricity' and 'Messages'.
  40. ↑ Cox, Brian (20 May 2012). "Favourite albums: what's the soundtrack to your life?". The Daily Telegraph . Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  41. ↑ Boddy, Paul; Ming Lai, Chi (12 July 2017). "25 Favourite Uses of Classic Synth Samples". Electricity Club. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  42. ↑ "One half of Leftfield, Neil Barnes, tells why he can't wait to give Rockness a blast of the coolest sounds down memory lane". The Scotsman . 25 May 2010. Retrieved 4 May 2016.
  43. ↑ West, Mike (1982). Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark. Omnibus Press. p. 42. ISBN   0-7119-0149-X.
  44. ↑ Jones, Dylan (2020). Sweet Dreams: From Club Culture to Style Culture, the Story of the New Romantics. Faber and Faber. ISBN   978-0571353439. Archived from the original on 12 May 2022. [Neil Tennant:] OMD's first album was great.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
  45. ↑ Marchese, David (24 September 2012). "No Doubt Explain OMD, EDM, and Peter Hook Basslines on 'Push and Shove'". Spin . Retrieved 2 November 2023.
  46. ↑ "Andy McCluskey". Rockonteurs with Gary Kemp and Guy Pratt. Season 4. Episode 19. 9 April 2023. 1–2 minutes in. Acast. Archived from the original on 28 June 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2023– via YouTube.
  47. ↑ Bono (2022). Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story. Hutchinson Heinemann. p. 130. ISBN   978-1529151787.
  48. ↑ "Charts.nz – OMD (Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark) – Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark". Hung Medien. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  49. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  50. ↑ "Chart File – Top 100 Albums 1980" (PDF). Record Mirror . 4 April 1981. p. 38. ISSN   0144-5804 – via World Radio History.
  51. ↑ "British album certifications – OMD – Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark". British Phonographic Industry. 24 February 1982. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.