To be honest, the ‘synthpop’ tagline sells the album short, somewhat, as it suggests ‘Architecture & Morality’ is a collection of bouncy, electro-pop nonsense when it is, in fact, far from that assumption. Truth be told, the album is, track-for-track, one of the strongest and most accomplished efforts the synthpop genre has ever produced. Opening to a gentle, fluctuating choral hum, before washes of invigorating synth flood the track with an overriding anthemic feel (especially when married to the infectious vocal hook “without me”) the track builds on its simple opening with strong vocals and a subtle, rising melody that gets fuller and more glorious as it reaches the end of its three and a half minute, pop setting. This concept is best witnessed on numbers like the anthemic ‘Joan of Arc’. After taking in the nine tracks on offer, one can only reach the unreserved conclusion that it proved to be a strike of genius, as the refreshing, icy choral tones help tie everything together, and when combined with infectious synth lines, and OMD’s artistic vision, it all comes together to create a beautiful, consistent atmosphere, that leaves most tracks feeling pleasingly connected and close, despite their diversity. The group used a Mellotron heavily throughout recording, and it crops up in the background of most tracks. The latter is an exquisitely gorgeous classic, with gentle vocals, a feather-soft synth riff and hushed hints of the Mellotron choral sounds that permeate throughout the record. When the scared-to-its-wits opener draws to close, the album shifts to a completely new mood - the fresh, cooling pop charm of ‘She’s Leaving’ and then to the #3 hit 'Souvenir'. ‘The New Stone Age’ couldn’t be any more appropriate an opener for the album in regards to setting the bar and overall vibe of the album - remaining catchy and memorable yet un-conventional and arty. The set even kicks off with the superbly un-commercial, ‘The New Stone Age’, that begins with an odd scratchy sound, before giving way to a wall of percolating, nervous synthesisers a distorted, jagged acoustic guitar riff, and twitchy screams of the chorus “Oh my God / what have I done this time?”. ‘Architecture & Morality’ addresses this issue to a thrilling standard, throwing in instrumental, mood setting pieces like the sombre yet lovely ‘Sealand’ and the mechanical, broody shuffle of the title track to pace the album, and to cap off the blasting pop classics with dabs of something more pensive and experimental. Where previous (and succeeding) OMD records may have failed to some extent, was in the lads misguided stance on whether to aim for the top 10 or sink into an cultish, arty setting. Perfectly balancing experimentation with sparkling, synthpop chart hits ‘Architecture & Morality’ creates a consistent and flowing tracklist that blends together cohesively, yet still manages to have standout moments that work as effectively on their own, as they do as part of a single, album-based experience. If there’s only space for one OMD album in your collection let it be ‘Architecture & Morality’ - undoubtedly the English synthpopers finest outing, and one of the finest in the entire 80s electro-pop gaggle. A perfect example of how to balance experimentation and commerciality. Review Summary: The architects of something truly beautiful and clever.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |